Monday 18th November

Yesterday, the Burbridge birders group arrived here on Islay. Coming over on the ferry, they had seen 2 groups of Red throated Divers as they entered the Sound of Islay, 33 in one group, and 27 in the other group. Off Port Askaig they had 2 Black throated Divers and a Long tailed Duck. Today Ed had been down on the Oa where he saw a Hen Harrier, a Merlin and a Peregrine. Highlight was 2 Golden Eagles spoofing the geese on Loch Kinnabus. At Cornabus, Ed spotted 6 Pinkies amongst the other geese present there.

Wednesday 23rd October

A few sightings through from last week to start with, George Newall had 150 Golden Plover down Machir Bay, Andy Robinson saw a juv WTSE down close to Kintra, it was even walking along the beach there! Mary on Monday had an Arctic Tern at Uiskentuie on Monday. Yesterday, the Horwich birders had a GND flying up Loch Gruinart, later on a further 2 were seen at Traigh Nostaig, with a flock of at least 60 Twite seen there too while in the sea there, there were 2 Otters having a bit of a squabble!!. They had 3 Snow Buntings in the dunes behind Ardnave Point. Coming back down from Ardnave, they had seen the Red breasted Shrike at Gruinart Farm. From the hide there was a Peregrine putting up the Teal and Lapwings from the floods, they also saw a Blackwit from the hide as well. Today there have been quite a few Whoopers coming and going, James counted 64 coming in to Loch Gruinart, Malcolm had 30 flying South down Loch Indaal , we had 19 coming to land at Rockside late afternoon. James was saying that there were more Whitefronts arriving today as well. The Bancrofts awoke to the Red Deer roaring away, and headed over to Jura where they had 3 Mute Swan, 3 Buzzards, several Pheasants, Hooded Crows, Chaffinches, Redwing all between Feolin and Craighouse and also a Red breasted Merganser at Small Isles Bay. Back on Islay, they spotted a Merlin down close to the airport. Finally, Clan Collinson had seen 2 Pinkies amongst the other geese at the top of Loch Indaal. They too had the Red breasted Shrike today, so it is still around!

Wednesday 16th October

The Horwich birders had a Swallow at Smelly corner this morning, down on the Rowans at Foreland they counted 20 MistleThrushes. On Loch Indaal, just after "Cash Kelly's" former house at Blaskrock, a male Goldeneye was  present with some Red breasted Mergansers. On the  River Sorn they had a Dipper and also a Grey Wagtail. Coming back along the top of Loch Indaal they had 6 Barwits and "hoards" of Barnies and also Wigeon. Along on the stubble below Rock Mountain, 4 Whoopers were present and a ringtail Hen Harrier was out over the pools along beside Loch Gorm. The "vols" at RSPB had been out on the Oa doing a "field survey" yesterday with their tally being 322 Twite, 24 Reed Bunting, 66 Linnet, 150 Starling, 14 Stonechat and a Yellowhammer. A Merlin and a Hen Harrier were also seen. Andrew and Jane today 9 Pale bellied Brent at Bowmore along with some Turnstone, at Craigens a Merlin, over the flats a ringtail. On the flats, 4 Pinkies and a leucistic Barnie. The floods held  2 Blackwit, 2 female Pintail, Shoveler, Teal and Snipe. James carried out a count late afternoon at Gruinart, his birds tallied up as 28,980 Barnies, 18 Pinkies and 1 Canada hutchinsii sp. Coming home this evening, we had a Barn Owl was sitting on a fence post at Ballinaby. 

Wednesday 10th October

Yes, as predicted, the geese arrived in numbers today.... James did a count at Gruinart at 5pm with his tally coming out at 31,570 Barnies, 300 Whitefronts, 9 Pink footed Geese and 2 Canada Geese hucthinsii sp. There also had been 17 Whooper Swans there today. From the old hide at Gruinart, Bob and George had 3 Hen Harriers, with the ringtail trying its best to get a duck, but with not much luck. They also had seen 3 Blackwits, a Pintail and a Pale bellied Brent Goose there as well. There were also around 4,000 Barnies present at the top of Loch Indaal. Malcolm had 7 Whoopers fly South down Loch Indaal, late afternoon.