Fraser's Birding Website > Kay Park & Townholm, Kilmarnock

LOCATION & ACCESS
These two adjacent sites are just five to ten minutes walk from Kilmarnock town centre. On foot, the Kay Park, OS grid reference (NS 434383), can be reached from the town centre by taking the road running down behind Henderson Church opposite the pub now know as The Saltire on London Road or from De Walden Terrace at Kilmarnock College. Parking is available by the pond off the B7082. Townholm (NS 433387) can be accessed on foot from; the Kay Park at Strawberry Bank, South Dean Road in New Farm Loch, at the ford on Dean Lane, and off Beansburn. By car, take the turning off the B7082 and park by the former five-a-side football complex.

HABITAT
Kay Park and Townholm, along with Dean Country Park, form a band of green space running between the town centre and the countryside to the north of the town. The 30 acre park, with its monument to Robert Burns (now in ruins following a complete lack of maintenance and care by East Ayrshire Council), is largely manicured, recreational parkland with a small man-made lake. Most interest occurs along the Kilmarnock Water. This area contrasts with Townholm which, with a more left to nature approach, is comprised of rough grassland, wasteland, scrub and a small area of mixed woodland. There is little evidence that a housing scheme once stood here. The habitat difference is reflected in the species lists for the two sites.

BIRDWATCHING, TIMING & POINTS OF INTERESTThe Kay Park supports breeding Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Spotted Flycatcher among the typical parkland species. The best viewpoint of the river from the park is by the weir at the viaduct, however, much of the town side of the river provides the best visibility. Bullfinch can often be found in the bushes by the tennis courts (NS 432382) and Siskin in the alders by the viaduct. In recent years, the pond (NS 435383) has become more interesting (perhaps due to the lack of boating activity) with breeding Coot, Moorhen and Mute Swan. Grey Heron and Cormorant are often present, particularly in winter. Recent autumn and winter seasons have seen, surprisingly, up to a dozen Goosanders at times and are probably part of the daily movements of birds between the River Irvine and roost sites. Additionally, nesting Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls can be observed on the roofs of Kilmarnock College buildings.

Townholm is of greater interest and wildlife value with breeding Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Spotted Flycatcher and five species of finch. Kingfisher puts in an appearance during the autumn and winter and sitting patiently by the pipe (NS 433389) or the footbridge (NS 432389) can sometimes be rewarding. Bullfinch can be observed regularly in riverside scrub at NS 436389. Small flocks of Siskin occasionally occur in winter in the small stand of alders here. Most of the occasional or locally scarce species mentioned in the list below have occurred in Townholm.

SPECIES CALENDAR
All year: Many of the breeding residents, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Black-headed Gull.
Spring: Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Chiffchaff.
Breeding: Mute Swan, Mallard, Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Coot, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Tawny Owl, Swift, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Wren, Dipper, Dunnock, Robin, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Treecreeper, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch.
Autumn & Winter: Common Gull, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing, Fieldfare, Rook, Siskin.
Occasional or locally scarce species: Little Grebe, Shoveler, Goldeneye, Goosander, Tufted Duck, Buzzard, Peregrine, Kestrel, Woodcock, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Snipe, Stock Dove, Cuckoo, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Grasshopper Warbler, Jay, Brambling, Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting.

OTHER INFORMATION
Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Grey Heron can be observed on the Kilmarnock Water from several points within the town centre e.g. Palace Theatre/Grand Hall (NS 429379), Sandbed Street (NS 427378), St. Marnock Street (NS 427377) and in the Howard Park (NS 426374). Kingfisher is occasional.

Kay Park Pond Mallard Counts 2009
17 Feb	35
13 Feb	77
06 Feb	131
04 Jan	94

Kay Park Pond Goosander Counts 2007
02 Dec	3
01 Dec	2
19 Nov	12
18 Nov	5

� 17/11/06 Goosander (13). Best count here with three adult males and 10 redheads.

Kay Park Pond Goosander Counts 2006
06 Dec	2
04 Dec	8
03 Dec	9
26 Nov	1
25 Nov	5
23 Nov	7
21 Nov	6
17 Nov	13

The past few winters have seen a few Goosanders turn up in the unlikely location of Kay Park pond - a unasuming municipal feature near the town centre of Kilmarnock. These large sawbills probably originate from the River Irvine. This morning produced a surprising 13 birds! Three adult drakes and 10 redheads. I haven't checked out the possibility that the ducks use Kay Park pond as a roost site but this may be true since two important roost sites (Craufurdland and Northcraig Reservoir) have been lost to 'modernisation'/development. Weather was overcast and rainy so just a record shot posted here.

� The past few months have seen good numbers of Mallards on the Kay Park pond. A count of 82 on New Year's Day is notable for an Ayrshire site. Contact me if you wish to add sightings for Townholm or Kay Park.

Kay Park Pond Mallard Counts 2006
10 Mar	20
28 Feb	23
22 Feb	42
15 Feb	62
30 Jan	65
24 Jan	58
22 Jan	48
15 Jan	51
01 Jan	82
25 Dec	67

� 06/05/06 Common Sandpiper again, Tufted Duck (2mm & f) & first Coot brood (AS).

� 05/06/06 Across the road in the Cemetery, a Hoopoe (4-5th) was present... was it ever on this patch?

� 21/04/06 First record of Common Sandpiper for the pond & Tufted Duck (Ad male)(AS)

� 24/01/06 Tufted Duck (female) & two Lesser Black-backed Gulls returned (FS).

� 01/01/06 Tufted Duck (1st-W male), Mallard (82), Mute Swan (15) on the pond (FS).

� May-June '05 Surprisingly, two pairs of Mute Swan are nesting on the small pond in Kay Park.

� May '05 Lesser Black-backed Gull learning to snatch small trout jumping the weir! (AS).

� 24/01/05 Kingfisher flew upstream at the viaduct on the Kilmarnock Water at 1130h (Alistair Simpson).