Tuesday 20th August

Thanks to Mary who has run the blog over the past few days for me while I have been down at the Birdfair at Rutland Water. Our stand was even busier than ever... The five of us, Andy, Bob, Dave, James and myself were kept busy along with Dave's sister, Dot, Long John, John A., John T., Karen and Danny who all came along to help us out to make all our efforts worthwhile. Thanks should also be given to the Distilleries for their assistance, Calmac for ferry tickets, Margaret for all the shortbread, Mick Durham, Gordon Yates, Danny Arnold, John Anderson, Michael Anderson, Ken Willets, Bruichladdich Distillery for allowing us to use their images. All a great help to us, much appreciated, all a great credit to Islay and Jura...... On the bird front, birds seen included were Hobby, Green Woodpecker, Great spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Kingfisher (Paul Watchorn had seen 2 on his stream, but not seen by us!), Little Egret, Greenshank, Ruff, numerous Woodpigeon,  some of which are not that common to Islay. Off the ferry last night James had 2 Arctic Skua as we came up the Sound of Islay. Louise yesterday had 8 different Buzzards between Feolin and Gatehouse on Jura on her way home!

Friday 21st June

Another good day with warm weather, but the sting in the tail is here now as early evening, it has started to rain... I did manage to do more than my share of outside jobs before the rain came, so no complaints! Peter had been over at Loch Allan on Dunlossit Estate and had heard Goldcrests, Blackcaps and Spotted Flycatchers all calling away. Peter also saw another dark phase Arctic Skua soaring high up, could this be same bird that he had earlier in the week over on Jura? Finally at Finlaggan, Peter had a Golden Eagle and also a Hen Harrier

Saturday 15th June

After the rain, a great day came along, what else do I need to add but some birds.... Martin had been down at the carcase of the rotting Sperm whale at Knockangle point on the Big Strand. There were a good lot of birds their for some eats.... Martin's tally was 16 Gbb Gull, 2 Lbb Gull, 1 Black headed Gull, 8 Herring Gull, 1 Arctic Skua, 15 Dunlin, 40 Sanderling, 5 Common Sandpiper, 6 Turnstone and 6 Ringed Plover.

Tuesday 14th May

One of the Redpolls down on the ground, eating the spilt food from the feeders. Round the feeders, first thing this morning was some mess after all the rain that we had through the night, the burn was in full pelt too!

Once it faired up Bob managed to do the count from Bowmore along to Gartbreck so here's Bob's birds. 4 GND, 1 Heron, 17 Shag, pr nesting GBB Gull, 30 Common Gull, 20 BH Gull, 6 Arctic Tern, 1 dark phase Arctic Skua, 2 Greylag, 1 Pale bellied Brent, 26 Shelduck, 18 Mallard drakes, 1 Teal, 64 Red breasted Merganser (mainly drakes), 124 Eider (mainly drakes), 1 Common Guillemot, 40 Oystercatcher, 10 Curlew, 38 Whimbrel, 250 Ringed Plover, 12 Lapwing, 156 Barwits, 10 Redshank, 654 Dunlin and 4 Turnstone. Thanks Bob! Peter this afternoon heard a Whinchat singing and had a good sighting of a male Hen Harrier down at Foreland. Andrew and Jane also had a better day as well. Between Lily Loch and Loch Allan they saw Whitethroats carrying nesting materials, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Sedge Warblers all singing their heads off! Also seen were 2 Little Grebe. Off Coal Ila, 5 Black Guillemots were counted and a sub adult Golden Eagle was seen flying from Islay to Jura. Bridgend Woods were busy too, with 2 Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, over 20 Song Thrush with  a Dipper on the River Sorn.

Monday 13th May

James today had a dark phase Arctic Skua over the reserve at Gruinart. Out on the floods, 2 Pintail, 10 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall and 2 Wigeon were seen. From the new hide, the male Garganey was still present along with 3 White Wagtails and 3 Barwits. Along the flats, in the field behind Loch Gruinart House there were around 3,000 Dunlin and 2- 300 Ringed Plover. Visitors had commented on groups of Whimbrel being around. Andrew and Jane saw 2 Turnstone on the spit on Loch Indaal. On the woodland walk at Gruinart, they had a pr of Treecreepers carrying nesting materials. Alsopresent there were Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits, Willow Warbler, Wren and Robins. From the new hide they also had the Garganey and the Barwits, an Oystercatcher with a BTO ring on, Mallard with ducklings, 4 Teal, 3 Shoveler, Moorhen and 2 Reed Bunting. This evening, over at Coull there were 5 small groups of 4-5 Linnets. Between Coull and Ballinaby, there appear to be more Wheatears around at present. There was a small mixed flock of 30 Ringed Plover and 30 Dunlin at Ballinaby and also a pr of Canada Geese. On one of the barley fields down at Rockside there were 20 Greylags present.

Sunday 12th May

In between showers and now this evening, it is quite nice outside, even although the ground is soaking. Clark cheered me up no end by announcing this afternoon, that we have had more rain so far this month than we had for the whole of May last year... Think the weather is looking to improve from the middle of the week onwards, fingers crossed.... New visiting birder Alistair yesterday had 3 groups of Whimbrel, each around 20 birds between Bruichladdich and An Gleann down towards Portnahaven. He also heard at least 2 Corncrakes calling at Portnahaven. Today Alistair saw a Cuckoo on the overhead wires close to Wester Ellister. A sea watch from Portnahaven produced over 500 Manx Shearwaters flying North and also an Arctic Skua. Gannets, Razorbills and Guillemots in good numbers too. Around 60 Fulmars flying North too, 4 Arctic Terns in the bay along with a GND. 2 Whitethroats were in song around Portnahaven. Andrew and Jane carried a out a sea watch from Port Wemyss for a an hour  this afternoon, with all birds heading North to Frenchman's Rocks. They were as follows, 300 Manx Shearwater, 150 Gannets, 250 razor/ motts, 50 Kittiwake, 15 Fulmar, 1 Bonxie and the Corncrake was heard behind the church at Portnahaven. James had heard  a Corncrake over at Grainel on the reserve at Gruinart. This morning before the weather broke down while he was out doing his surveys, James heard a total of 4 Grasshopper Warblers, and also saw a Shoveler sitting on a nest. Meanwhile Peter and Pia had been out in the rain and down at Foreland where they had heard 3 Grasshopper Warblers and a Sedge Warbler, also a Whitethroat singing away in the adverse conditions... This evening out in front of the new hide, they had a male Garganey. Back down at Bruichladdich 6 Common Sandpipers were seen along the shoreline.

Saturday 11th May

Some sightings or rather callings through from earlier in the week from Martin and Bob. They had carried out a survey from the Woollen Mill along the River Sorn to almost its' mouth at Bridgend. Here goes, a great variety of birds too. 2 Heron, 1 Buzzard, 30 Black headed Gull, 22 Common Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 6 Collared Dove, 1 Cuckoo, 3 Sand Martin, 15 Swallow, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Robin, 6 Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush, 12 Blackbird, 3 Blackcap, 9 Willow Warbler, 16 Wren, 2 Great Tit, 3 Blue Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 2 Treecreeper, 11 Jackdaw, 4 Rook, 6 Starling, 14 Chaffinch, 2 Redpoll, 4 Goldfinch and 6 Siskin. Yesterday, Andrew and Jane had a quieter day, (weather had a lot to do with that...) but saw a male Hen Harrier up at Gearach and on Loch Indaal off Bruichladdich, 2 Little Terns were seen. Today they had 5 Arctic Terns off Bruichladdich with a Redpoll on the shore opposite An Taigh Osda. They had a close sighting of a Long tailed Skua flying up towards Gruinart and finally had 3 light phase Arctic Skua over Blackrock heading towards Gruinart as well as 4 Pale bellied Brents were flying over to the head of Loch Indaal, Bluehouses area.