Tuesday 21st January

After the weather being such a good day yesterday, well, today it went downhill rapidly, I even had to empty the rain guage out this morning as it was full, with over 5" of rain in so far for this month alone. Why do ducks have webbed feet, think we should possibly have webbed feet too... Fortunately I kept back some of Mary's sightings from last week. The highlights of a Farmland Birds survey carried out on Thursday included 31 Twite, 80 Chaffinch, 45 Skylark (individual birds rather than together), and a Golden Eagle being mobbed by a Buzzard up towards Ardnave. Friday was the day for the Winter Thrush Survey covering both the trails at Gruinart, the tally covered everything, not just Thrushes, so here are Mary's figures...24 Blackbird, 16 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 15 Robin, 5 Dunnocks, 3 Wren, 5 Roe Deer, 7 Greenfinch, 1 Treecreeper, 2 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 9 Reed Bunting and 2 male Bullfinches. Thanks Mary. Yesterday, here at home there was a flock of 150 Twite fly past when I was up at Shepherd's cottage

Wednesday 6th November

Yesterday, Bob and John O had been over towards Bunnahabhain. On the way there, they saw 3 Bullfinches on the overhead wires and several flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare migrating through. At Dunlossit, a male Sparrowhawk was seen, and back at Port Charlotte, John O had a Merlin fly past the kitchen window this morning! Michael this morning counted 28 Whoopers fly out to sea from down at the Coastguard cottage. Left behind in the field was a Pinkie along with the Greylags, and also a Pale bellied Brent amongst the Barnies!!! The 2 Long tailed Duck were still on Ardnave Loch, over at Traigh Nostaig, 36 Ringed Plover, 21 Sanderling and 16 Turnstone were present with 48 Chough working their way at looking for food in the sea weed. On the floods at Gruinart, a Hen Harrier put up a Blackwit. Over at Bun an Uillt, 71 Shelduck, 57 Pintail, 40 Shoveler, drake Gadwall, 19 R B Merganser, 2 Greenshank and 5 Turnstone were seen on Gruinart estuary. On the road back down close to Craigens, a Grey Wagtail was seen. Coming back to his cottage, Michael had 2 ringtail Hen Harriers.

Tuesday 5th November

A better day here with the weather, much better than the forecast which was predicted, glad they got it wrong.... Michael had been over at Gruinart today where he saw a ringtail Hen Harrier, a count of 216 Teal, 690 Golden Plover,a nd had another 6 Whoopers flying in from the North down into Gruinart. Up at Ardnave Loch, Michael had 4 Goldeneye, 2 Long tailed Duck and 75 Fieldfare, over at West Carrabus 220 Fieldfare were present. At Bridgend a WTSE was seen with 320 Golden Plover and also 100 Barwits. A walk in the woods at Bridgend produced 5 Long tailed Tits and a pr of Bullfinch with a Dipper on the River Sorn. Coming home, Michael had a male and also a  ringtail Hen Harrier close to  Loch Gorm

Monday 12th August

Please note the date, "The Glorious Twelfth". What did James  see on the reserve at Gruinart, you guessed it, 2 Red Grouse. Also present were 2 Hen Harriers and a Sparrowhawk... Forgot to say yesterday, that we saw a Bullfinch as we came through the woods at Bridgend! Weather here has been showery today, although this evening I managed a quick turn out and cut the most of the grass, another job done before heading South...

Friday 14th June

Some sightings through from Mary. Yesterday morning on her way up from Portnahaven, she saw 2 Otters on Loch Indaal off Carn, below Port Charlotte. Along at Whinpark, just after "smelly corner", Mary saw a couple of Bullfinch. Up at Gruinart, on the telegraph wires, she had a House Martin, Sand Martin and Swallow sitting side by side, great for id! Today on the moor at Ardnave, Mary had a pr of Shelduck. Later on a Swift was seen flying along the shoreline there and then finally in a small clump of willow scrub, Mary found a Whitethroat and also a Twite nesting. This morning, it was dry after some rain through the night, but since lunchtime there have been quite a few heavy showers coming out of nowhere. Think the Redpolls here at home have moved on, as we have not seen them for a few days, the Siskins are still present!!!

Sunday 7th April

Almost a week away in April and it is not getting much warmer, at least it is staying dry! Quite a few sightings for you tonight, so here we go.... On Friday, Mary had 2 Wheatears up at Ardnave. Yesterday, down at Portnahaven, there were 2 large Canada Geese in the Bay. Today they had moved up to Claddach Loch. The Chough down at Portnahaven have been active of late flying around over the village.  Peter on Thursday had a pr of Grey Wagtail and also a Dipper on the River Sorn. In the trees there, a Treecreeper was seen and also several Goldcrest. Yesterday, between Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte, Peter had 9 GND, but all none in summer plumage. Today over at Loch Allan, the birds were out singing good style, Wrens everywhere, plenty of singing Chaffinches,  Dunnocks, Robins, Tits in general including several Coal Tit as well as 6 Goldcrest and 3 Treecreepers. Overhead a Sparrowhawk flew past. Later on a Bullfinch was seen. Peter also had a Greater spotted Woodpecker, his first on Islay. On Loch Allan itself, 2 separate Little Grebes were heard calling and a pr of Tufted Duck were present. Martin has had no Goldfinches for some time at his feeders, but today he put out some Nyger seed and within 15 minutes had his first one! Martin now reckons that he has had 9 today plus a Siskin, eating on either the Nyger seed or on the other food which has been on offer all of this time! Visitors had seen Chough up at Ardnave and also a Golden Eagle, a Merlin and Peregrine up there too. Earlier this morning, they had 3 Sandwich Terns down at Machir Bay. This evening along at Sunderland Farm, we saw a mixed flock of Geese, mainly Greenland Whitefronts, some Greylags, a few Barnies as well as 8 large Canada Geese. For the last few Springs, we seem to have had the appearance of a few large Canadas, but fortunately for us, they move on!

Monday 11th March

I have been in the office all day - not good because it was a beautiful day, cold, crisp with wonderful light. Luckily Martin sent through an e mail of records  from  yesterday:
In the woods near Kynagarry - 10 Woodcock, 1 Bullfinch, 32 Fieldfare, 3 Wrens, 4 Robins, 2 Buzzards, 6 Blackbirds and 2 pairs of Long Tailed Tits. From home, in his garden: Reed Buntings 5 males 1 female, a male Hen Harrier and a pair of Skylark displaying.

Wednesday 13th February

It may well have been a lot of rain here today, but think positive in the sense at least we had no snow here on the West coast of Islay, mind you the fields etc are just a mass of water...Fortunately, our Hampshire birders had given me through some sightings from yesterday when they went on a walk out to Daill and then on out to Scouller. On their way up to Daill, they saw a Grey Wagtail, plenty of Chaffinches, Coal Tit and Reed Buntings. In the steading at Daill, they had a male Bullfinch, House Sparrows, Starlings and Chaffinches. Out close towards Scouller, 4 Chough were present, and on their return leg whilst crossing a ford, a Sparrowhawk was added to their list for the day.

Monday 11th February

Returning birders from Hampshire yesterday had seen a couple of Bullfinches in the bushes on the roadside down close to Whinpark, later on they had some Yellowhammers up towards Knockdon. Today they had seen a Reed Bunting down at the reed bed at the Coastguard Houses. Today, Mary had seen her first Gannet for some time, she saw it flying past Port Wemyss going towards the Orsay lighthouse. In Port Wemyss itself there were 2 Goldfinches on a feeder outside one of the houses. Coming out of the village there was a ringtail Hen Harrier out quartering its' patch. Finally up towards Bridgend, there was a young White tailed Eagle.

Wednesday 6th February

A good day with the weather out here today, all be it that it was a wee bit on the cool side, it did remain dry, but it's that time of year! Clive had a pair of Bullfinches today at Cragabus on the Oa. Yesterday, the Lochwinnoch birders had a great sighting of an Otter down at Bruichladdich and watched it for quite some time. Later on, on their way up to Ardnave they had 10 Brambling along with a large number of  Reed Bunting. Late, this afternoon, they had a Tawny Owl down close to "smelly corner" 

Wednesday 26th December or Boxing Day

Forgot to mention yesterday that in the morning, the Fulmars were back on the crag, they are away now, no doubt the wind is due for a bit huff and puff soon, having said that there was a gust of 40 mph on Mike's weather station just after midnight this morning. Really think that the Fulmars were in for the stronger winds forecast for later this week!!! Whilst having their festive fayre yesterday, Tom and Jo saw a White tailed Sea Eagle fly past and spook a flock of around 1370 Barnies over close to Mulindry. Along at Neriby, they had seen 46 Whitefronts, 2 Bullfinches, 2 Reed Bunting and a Merlin. Today at Neriby amongst the Barnies present, they saw a Canada Goose hutchinsii sp, down at Bridgend, 11 Pale bellied Brent and 30 Dunlin. Along at Bowmore, 2 Slavonian Grebe, 20 Common Scoter, 5 Goldeneye, and family of 4 Whoopers (?possibly the family that have been seen at Gartmain/ Pennycraig). Down off Ardbeg, Tom and Jo saw 6 GND, 1 Tystie and a Slav. Grebe and finally close to Kildalton 11 Yellowhammer were seen. Yesterday James had a Canada Goose hutchinsii sp amongst the Barnies on the reserve at Gruinart. Today he he saw 3 Hen Harriers, a male and 2 females. out on Loch Gruinart James had a count of 150 Golden Plover, around 400 Lapwing and 95 Barwits this afternoon. Peter has today been out looking for the Red breasted Goose, still no luck, but had a flock of 108 Rock Doves up at Sanaigmore. Back at Bruichladdich, Pia had a small raptor zip through the garden and zap a bird of the feeders, one less to feed tomorrow! We had a Woodcock close to Sunderland last night and tonight just at the darkening another 2 but at different places as we came back from Gruinart.

Wednesday 17th October

The blog is running late, better late than never, so here goes, another bumper edition mainly thanks to visiting birders! The Leigh birders yesterday had another busy day, 1 adult and 1 juv Great Northern Diver plus several Red throated Divers on Loch Indaal, seen from the power station at Bowmore, a Wren in a garden at the edge of Bowmore. They also had a Wood Pigeon and a Sparrowhawk mobbed by Hooded Crows just after Coille, the Brambling was seen again along with the flock of around 200 Chaffinch at Coille. Further on up on the far coast was a White tailed Sea Eagle, while down at Sanaigmore itself  4 Chough were present along with some Linnets and Pied Wagtails, in Sanaigmore Bay itself there were 13 Ringed Plover. On Loch Gruinart, they had 2 Greenshank and 2 Shelduck, flying South of Loch Gruinart, they counted 18 Pink footed Geese. At the Visitor Centre at Gruinart, 4 Coal Tit and 16 Red legs, some of the group that were mentioned last night possibly. Ardnave Loch held 4 eclipse Goldeneye, 5 Tufted Duck, 6 Wigeon, 2 Little Grebe and 2 Chough were nearby. Close to Kilnave, there were 5 Stonechats, 2 male Reed Buntings and 6 juv Linnet. A White tailed sea Eagle was seen being mobbed by a Buzzard over towards the Sound of Islay. The Stewartry SOC members had a Sparrowhawk at Imeraval, 2 Peregrines on the Oa, a distant Golden Eagle present there too. Over at Claggain Bay, a ringtail Hen Harrier flew past. Out on the bay, they had 3 Red throated Diver and a Great Northern Diver. Back in the Bay at Port Ellen 15 Ringed Plover were noted and late afternoon, just North of Port Ellen, a single Swalllow was added to their list. Overall yesterday,  they reckon they had a total of 15 Buzzards on their travels. Bob this morning had a Merlin and 2 Goldeneye at Frenchman's Rocks. Andrew today had been in at Loch Skerrols. His birds included 40 Mute Swan along with Wigeon, Tufted Duck and Dabchick. In the surrounding trees, he had 16 Long tailed Tit, Treecreeper, Bullfinch, 20 Redwing, Wood Pigeon, Mistle Thrush, Siskin and Blackbirds. The Blackbirds, Redwing, Bullfinch were all feeding on the Rowan berries. On his  way home he had a Barn Owl, close to Octomore. Today the Leigh birders had an easier day at home as the weather closed in, but still managed a ringtail Hen harrier, 5 Buzzards, 1 male Stonechat and also several Hooded Crows. Got some info back from James about the Whitefronts, but it can wait until tomorrow's entry, so watch this space...