Friday 7th March

The other day while out goose counting, Bob counted a flock of 100 Wood Pigeons over towards Loch Skerrols and yesterday he had a Peregrine fly past close to his house up behind Port Charlotte. Here at home yeserday, the Fulmars were seen out in front of the crag, a ringtail Hen Harrier over the garden up at Shepherd's cottage, later on around 70 Rock Doves flew past the crag. There was Merlin down towards Sunderland Farm around midday today. Visitors from Glossop had been over on Jura and had seen Red Deer and some feral goats there, with a pod of Dolphins at Feolin as they waited for the ferry to come back over to Port Askaig.

Monday 10th February

A few squally showers sped past today, but not enough to deter our birders....Mary and Amy from RSPB had been round Ardnave between the showers. They had a total of 41 GND as well as 1 Red throated Diver, 1 Black Guillemot, 12 Red breasted Merganser, 9 Shag, 4 Eider and also 9 GBB Gulls. Down at Tayovullin 3 Redshank, 21 Curlew (including 1 with colour rings on), 116 Lapwing, 21 Turnstone and 2 Ringed Plover. Later on Amy had 2 Bullfinches whilst along the woodland trail at Gruinart. Today, the Rochdale birders had a female Sparrowhawk in at Loch Skerrols, a really dark ringtail Hen Harrier close to Cladville, a Barn Owl out up the back of Port charlotte, over at Lagavullin Bay they saw 2 GND. The Sevenoaks birders had been out to Claggain Bay and had an Otter, 10 Black Guillemot, 5 Red breasted Merganser, 1 Dabchick, 8 GND, 12 Red throated Diver,15 Eider and 1 Shag. Aros Bay held 40 Oystercatcher, 6 Ringed Plover, 1 Redshank and a Turnstone. Just inland, there were 20 Meadow Pipits along with 6 Reed Buntings, then to top it all a female Merlin appeared out of nowhere within 10 feet of them! The wee lochan up behind Laphroaig had some Teal and Wigeon along with 5 Whoopers and also a pr of Goldeneye. Finally, they saw another female Merlin perched on a bough of a tree as they returned back to Port Ellen.

Tuesday 28th January

A great day out here, no wind and better still no rain, but the high hills on Mull have got a dusting of snow on top of them.... Last Monday David and Jane Griffiths had a Golden Eagle out over Storakaig. Yesterday at Ardnave Loch, they had 15 Lapwing, 13 Oystercatcher, some Curlews, 3 Whoopers and 2 Mute Swans with "many Choughs" flying overhead. On their way home they had a ringtail Hen Harrier out quartering between between Bridgend and Bowmore. This morning on the reserve at Gruinart, James had 2 male Hen Harriers and also a Merlin.

Friday 17th January

Yesterday Malcolm had the Glaucous Gull down at Bruichladdich, it had been awol for 3 days.... Today down at Blackrock there was a flock of Scaup, not as many as in previous years. Along the road, infact on both sides of the road the flock of Barnacle geese were really close to the road and not really bothered about the passing traffic. Coming home and between Blackrock and Uiskentuie, a Merlin was perched on the dyke at the roadside.

Monday 9th December

The word dreich should not be used today to describe the weather, as it has been a not bad day considering that it is December.... Back on Friday, James had a count of the geese present on the reserve at Gruinart, a low count so I am told by James with the tally coming through at 3,475 Barnies, 260 Whitefronts and 34 Greylags. Also seen were a male and 2 ringtail Hen Harriers as well as a female Merlin. Today, James had a male and a female Merlin having a tussle above the floods... Peter had a Merlin and a Sparrowhawk over at Killinallan with a few Snipe down on the foreshore.

Wednesday 27th November

Not much news sent through so just more birds from the Oa. Another good day for seeing raptors, with Golden Eagle, Merlin, male and female Hen Harrier, 3 Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk all seen whilst out and about today. Yesterday 2 Goldeneye were on Loch Kinnabus, a Red Grouse was seen on the hill and a good count of 93 Rock Dove also at Kinnabus.

Tuesday 26th November

Today the WWT guys, whilst carrying out research on Greenland White-fronted Geese, had seen 2 Golden Eagles and a Peregrine at Coille, Merlin at Kilchoman and Tawny Owl at Gruinart. On Sunday they also had a young Golden Eagle, a White-tailed Sea Eagle at Gruinart.
Back to today, James had 2 Goldcrest and 2 Hen Harriers also at Gruinart. Whilst RSPB volunteers, John and Amy, had 14 Yellowhammer, 12 Curlew and a Chough all at Kintra.

Sunday 23rd June

Some notes sent in by George from through the week. The Moorhen up on his ponds had got 2 eggs, he has got House Martins, Sand Martins around and also the Swallows in his garage! The Arctic Tern which George can see down on the shore from his house has hatched one of its' eggs, further along the shore he can also see an Oystercatcher sitting on a nest. Going up to Sanaigmore the other day, George heard a Corncrake calling close to the side of the road. Mary yesterday had 2 Golden Plover, and also a ringtail Hen Harrier down at Claddach. There was also a family of 4 Ravens out from one of the gullies. Peter had also been down that way yesterday as well with his visitors. As well as spotting the Golden Plover, they also had hundreds of Gannets flying past Frenchman's Rocks as well as the occasional small group of  5- 10 Manx Shearwaters. Peter's guests have now left, but managed 101 species during their short stay, with the sightings of Sparrowhawk and then later a Merlin, helping to break the magic 100!
Before I forget, the monthly meeting of the Bird nerds will be on Tuesday evening at 7pm. We will be meeting down close to the long stay car park at the airport, to go out for some bird watching and see what we see.

Friday 3rd May

James took this Snipe earlier on this week over at Gruinart. I do not think that many images would have been taken today unless you wanted some of the rain and all the pools of water left behind, still it was the forecast! Colin and Mandy stayed over at Kintra last night and had a Merlin and a Sparrowhawk there. This morning, before the heavens opened, they were up early and counted 13 Little Terns, 8 Ringed Plover, 5 Turnstone and saw plenty of  Fulmars, Razorbills, Black and Common Guillemots. Later on, past Bowmore they had 68 Blackwits.

The tally for the rain last month came to 3.25", slightly drier than last April, but tonight the ground is soaking with the heavy rainfall with most of it going down the burns as surface run off, and not getting into the ground.

Saturday 30th March

Wally and Jude left for home the other  day, but before they left they a juv Golden Eagle and then later on a further 2 Golden Eagles. The Bolton Birders, Chris and Tony Johnson have also headed home. Yesterday, down close to the wee lochans beside Loch Gorm they saw a Merlin and close to Coal Ila  a Kestrel was present. Over on Jura, they had 3 ringtail Hen Harriers up at Lowlandman's Bay. Stonechats were seen in several places on Jura, near Feolin, close to the side of the road at Lowlandman's Bay and also on the edge of the Corran Sands. 4 GND were in the Feolin area with another off Lagg. Woodcock were seen in the woods close to Jura House. An otter was watched for the best part of an hour just after they landed on Jura with another later on, up beyond Craighouse. Many thanks to Wally and Jude along with Chris and Tony for sharing their sightings with us. Today, Dave and Emma had a count of 27 Whoopers flying up the Cornabus valley flying over towards Loch Indaal and possibly further on.

Wednesday 20th March

Sorry folks a bit of a late entry, but you ain't been forgotten about.... Steve and his brothers yesterday had a Wheatear up at Sanaigmore, some Gannets and some Black Guiilemots offshore. Earlier on at Ballinaby, they had a Merlin and later on a Sparrowhawk at the reserve at Gruinart. Another visiting birder, yesterday had some Gannets on the sound of Islay and on our way out with him last night , we had a male Hen Harrier come off the hill past Sunderland. Coming home we had a Barn Owl at Foreland on a fence post. Michal the other night, had a Barn Owl on the reserve at Gruinart, and early this morning George had one fly past his hose at the edge of Bruichladdich. James had a White tailed Sea Eagle at the top of Loch Indaal, and later on,  another at Gruinart. After that Mary saw a second one at Gruinart, and I heard this evening of Steve and his brothers seeing 2 over towards Bunnahabhain, could they be different birds, must try to find when they were seen! The Bolton birders are back again, seeing a Merlin just up from Gortan this afternoon, and then they counted 26 Chough while down towards Machir Bay. Here at home , we had 41 Greylags in one of the fields

Tuesday 19th February

A shortened edition tonight folks as for some reason my previous, longer edition did not wish to be published, see theses gremlins... Bob yesterday had a Sparrowhawk in his garden, a Kestrel later on just outside his garden,several Buzzards seen out on the wing. Out on the Rhinns, Bob had both male and female Hen Harrier and a Short eared Owl. The Hampshire birders had Pied Wagtail at Port Ellen and later on down on the Oa had seen 25 Fieldfare, 30 Twite and a ringtail Hen Harrier. Today down at Bruichladdich, they had 2 Ringed Plover, another Pied Wagtail, Rock Pipits all along the shore with a pr of Red breasted Merganser offshore. At the flats at Gruinart they had a possible Marsh Harrier and finally a Merlin over on the Glen road out of Ballygrant. Birders from Cambridge had seen 2 Golden Eagles, one coming out over the hill behind Sunderland with the other over towards Sanaigmore. Also close to Sanaigmore they had 40 Ravens while near to Garra Eollabus 30 Chough were seen.

Friday 18th January 2013

It is very cold and wee snow flurries are trying to fall. I say fall but the east wind is so strong, they flit past like stinging arrows as they hit your face. I have been having internet problems so Michal kindly gave a report for yesterday. I do have some late reports from earlier in the week - by way of an update.
On Tuesday at Loch Kinabus Michal had 250 whitefronts, 38 greylags, 220 starlings, 40 twite and a male hen harrier. Also on Tuesday Mary had a golden eagle at Ardnave, a peregrine at Corsapol and 27 pale bellied brents at Blackrock. On Wednesday 10 whoopers and 2 little grebes on Ardnave Loch and on Loch Gruinart 335 shelduck, 83 wigeon, 61 pintail, 21 shoveler, a white tailed eagle, a peregrine and a merlin.

Monday 14th January

Not to nice a day out here with the odd squally shower, at least there was no snow, although the hills down the other end of Islay have got a slight dusting on their tops. Yesterday Tom and Jo had been up at Ardnave looking for a Snow Bunting, but no joy!!! On Ardnave Loch they counted 12 Whoopers, 16 Wigeon, 85 Teal, 10 Goldeneye, 7 Lapwing, 40 Chough and a female Merlin  out hunting. Over at the Lobster ponds they saw 1 Gannet, 1 Sanderling, 1 Turnstone, 33 Ringed Plover and a further 10 Chough. Down at Machir Bay, Tom and Jo had 65 Oystercatcher, 65 Lapwing, 33 Ringed Plover and 80 Curlew. The Curlew later flew off inland to the fields closeby. Mary yesterday had 21 Golden Plover, 35 Lapwing and 6 Redshank close to Windyedge (rather aptly named!) down at Portnahaven, and later on nearer to Portnahaven itself  2 Chough.

Wednesday 14th November

Another day of goose counting for me. As part of the International count (I was counting the Gruinart area again). It was a better day, cloudy but clear and calm. We had a total of 18,989 barnacle geese, 818 white fronted geese (all in the Gruinart area), 2 lesser Canada geese hutchinsii on the reserve and best of all, I finally got to see the red breasted goose at Ardnave.
The birds of prey were evident all day, drying their wings from the over night rain. A young white tailed eagle over Corsapol, a merlin further along the road, a hen harrier at the RSPB hide, a kestrel and peregrine at Ardnave and a golden eagle at Killinallen.
Another report from Ken and friends : Yesterday they had - 3 red throated divers, 42 common scoter, 13 long tailed duck and 7 Slavonian grebes on Loch Indaal. A big count of 117 curlew at Port Charlotte, 1 golden eagle, 21 fieldfares and 7 redwing at Finnlaggen. The Iceland gull was at Bunnahabhain again. On the Gruinart Flats 85 meadow pipits and 1 sparrowhawk and finally an otter and 5 purple sandpipers at Bruichladdich.

Sunday 4th November

Another dreich sort of a day again, although late afternoon it turned out to be not too bad... Met in with a visitor from Sussex this morning who has been over on Islay for a few days. The highlight for him was seeing Choughs as well as our splendid scenery. We headed over to Port Askaig on a brief Waxwing search this afternoon, but no joy, should have gone a few days ago!!! Down below Cattadale towards Mulindry there were a few Mistle Thrush on the phone wires, on the barley stubbles were around 50 or so Chaffinches and around the same number of Starlings. Earlier on, coming out of Bridgend in the stubble field there, 6 Wood Pigeon were on the ground tucking into barley where some barley had spilled on to the ground between the combine and the trailer! The geese appeared to be spread out with several large flocks of Barnies seen on several sites as well as some Whitefronts around too. Near to Sunderland Farm a Merlin flew along the road in front of us for a few moments.