Nature in the Firth - 2005 Archive
(click on any image to see the larger picture)
The main ‘occupants’ during these surveys were found to be the following:
• bar-tailed godwit - from Scandinavia and Siberia
Oct - 964 (3,584); Dec 814 (3,043); Jan - 1,453 (4,962); Feb - 1,171 (3,782);
• dunlin - native of the U.K.
Oct - 1,461 (3,686); Dec - 1,602 (10,482); Jan - 1,340 (6,870); Feb - 550 (10,967);
• grey plover - from the Arctic tundra
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• goldeneye - previously from Northern Europe, now a native of the U.K.
Oct - 9 (101); 83 (605); Jan - 53 (415); Feb - 78 (708);
• golden plover - native of the U.K.
Oct - 1,730 (2,062); Dec - 0 (230); Jan - 440 (801); Feb - 0 (361);
• knot - most from Greenland, some from Siberia
Oct- 1,387 (3,457); Dec - 2,050 (8,669); Jan - 2,491 (8,178); Feb - 5,000 (8,338);
)
Oct - 1,040 (4,238); Dec - 932 (2,317); Jan - 559 (1,511); Feb - 242 (1,534);
• mallard - native of the U.K.
Oct- 673 (2,906); Dec - 785 (3,545); Jan - 790 (3,960); Feb - 420 (1,948);
• mute swan - native of the U.K., this is the Firth’s resident population
Oct - 39 (373); Dec - 23 (448); Jan - 46 (256); Feb - 53 (246);
• oystercatcher - native of the U.K., these are joined by migrants from
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merganser (male)
Oct - 1,905 (9,604); Dec - 1,998 (9,067); Jan - 1,445 (7,802); Feb - 1,309 (7,084);
• pintail - generally from Iceland, northern Europe and northern Russia
Oct - 21 (420); Dec - 229 (832); Jan - 58 (520); Feb - 0 (697);
• red-breasted merganser - native of the U.K.
Oct - 61 (301); Dec - 60 (169); Jan - 224 (290); Feb - 15 (64);
• redshank - native of the U.K.
• ringed plover - from the High Arctic
Oct - 65 (514); Dec - 105 (489); Jan - 60 (317); Feb - 39 (245);
• scaup - from Iceland and northern Europe
Oct - 31 (427); Dec - 0 (681); Jan - 10 (58); Feb - 47 (386);
• shelduck - native of the U.K.
• teal - native of the U.K., these are joined by migrants from Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia
Oct - 329 (5,673); Dec - 620 (5,606); Jan - 697 (5,524); Feb - 197 (1980);
• tufted duck - native of the U.K., these are joined by migrants from Iceland, Scandinavia and northeast Europe
Oct - 0 (675); Dec - 0 (241); Jan - 0 (250); Feb - 15 (538);
Oct - 0 (494); Dec - 31 (419); Jan - 37 (466); Feb - 21 (389);
• wigeon - from Iceland, northern Europe and Russia
Oct - 13,487 (37,060); Dec - 3,819 (19,122); Jan - 1,401 (12,822); Feb - 1,708 (7,798).
This web site wishes to express enormous gratitude to the RSPB Scotland and to the WeBS Project for the provision of this wealth of information.
Review of October 2004 Statistics
The total for dabbling ducks (those that usually feed on or near the water surface) - wigeon, teal, mallard and pintail - in the Cromarty Firth was 14,510 out of a total of 46,059 for the whole of the Moray Firth. Both figures were higher than those for October 2003 and above average for the last ten years.
The combined wader total was the second highest on record for the month, despite the low oystercatcher count. The total for the Cromarty Firth was 11,108 in a total of 30,846 for the whole of the Moray Firth.
Review of December 2004 Statistics
The total of 28,984 dabbling ducks was the lowest count in December during 10 year period. In stark contrast to last December, low numbers were counted in the Cromarty Firth, with only the sectors from Findhorn Bay east showing above average counts.
Amongst the waders, there was the highest December count of knot during the 10 year period. Purple sandpipers showed a welcome rise in numbers; however, both golden plover and bar-tailed godwits were both counted in low numbers. The usual small numbers of black-tailed godwits and greenshank appear to be wintering in the Firth once more.
The combined wader total was the second highest for December in the 10 year period. The Inverness and Beauly Firths, combined, and the Dornoch Firth held very high numbers.
Review of January 2005 Statistics
The total of 22,827 dabbling ducks was slightly above average. Numbers in most individual firths or areas were around average. The Cromarty Firth count was well below the current ten-year average. Conversely, the counts from Findhorn Bay and the Moray rocky coast were noticeably above average.
Amongst the waders, oystercatchers and dunlin were particularly low. Ringed plover, purple sandpipers and bar-tailed godwits also showed low counts. Golden plover, lapwing and curlew, however, had high counts, all reaching a new maximum in the current ten-year period.
The combined wader total was the lowest in the ten-year period for January. Most counts were below average with only the Dornoch Firth and Easter Ross rocky shores scraping above their respective ten-year averages. The count in the Cromarty Firth was particularly low.
Review of February 2005 Statistics
The dabbling ducks total was the lowest in the ten year period. Only the coast line from Burghead to Buckie and the Inland Lochs recorded above average counts. Findhorn Bay in particular recorded a low count, although this area was counted towards the low tide, mid week and suffered from wildfowling during the count.
The combined wader total was slightly below the average for February. Very high numbers of knot and bar-tailed godwits were present in Nigg Bay, resulting in the Cromarty Firth being above the February monthly average. Elsewhere, the Dornoch Firth and Findhorn Bay were also above average.
