Birds of Whiting Bay
What has actually been seen around Whiting Bay: 98 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 98 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,364 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Gray Heron
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 36 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.5 h / 7.1 h
What the records say about Whiting Bay
98 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Whiting Bay (North Ayrshire) since 2010, across 1,364 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Gray Heron, Robin and Mute Swan.
Water shapes this list. 45% of records near Whiting Bay are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Gray Heron, Mute Swan and Eurasian Oystercatcher lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Robin is still the most logged garden bird.
5 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. A hawk that hunts feeder birds is among them, so set feeders 2–3 metres from shrubs: close enough for cover, far enough that a cat can't ambush from it.
Records peak in August and are lowest in February — about 55.5 times as many in the busiest month. Part of that is birds (migrants and winter visitors), part is people: more birders are out in good weather, so treat the curve as activity, not a census.
Lamlash, 5 km to the north-west, has more species on record (111 against 98).
Daylight runs from 17 h 30 min at midsummer to 7 h 4 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:18 in mid-April and 4:36 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Whiting Bay
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 53 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 46 |
| 3 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 46 |
| 4 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 46 |
| 5 | Northern GannetMorus bassanus | 44 |
| 6 | Common GullLarus canus | 39 |
| 7 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 38 |
| 8 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 38 |
| 9 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 36 |
| 10 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 36 |
| 11 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 35 |
| 12 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 32 |
| 13 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 29 |
| 14 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 29 |
| 15 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 29 |
| 16 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 28 |
| 17 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 27 |
| 18 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 26 |
| 19 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 26 |
| 20 | Great TitParus major | 26 |
Records by month
What to put out in Whiting Bay
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Chaffinch
Sunflower hearts · Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
Seasonal bird notes for North Ayrshire
What's arriving, what to feed and when to clean feeders, written for UK gardens. One email a month at most.
Nearby places
Frequently asked
What birds visit gardens in Whiting Bay?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Whiting Bay are Robin, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow and Blackbird, based on 1,364 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Whiting Bay?
98 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Whiting Bay?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:36.
Sources
- GBIF occurrence search (birds, class Aves, 2010 onward)
- GeoNames gazetteer (place, population, elevation)
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.