Sunday 24th November

A beautiful calm day. Out along the coast today past Ardbeg, with Islay canoe club, we had two sightings of White-tailed Sea Eagles, 3 Black Guillemots, and 10 Great Northern Divers. The GND's were making their unusual eerie call constantly whilst we were on the water.
Pete tells me he has a fine male Blackcap in his garden hedge at Bruichladdich. Concerned for its well being he has been trying to coax it with one of his fat balls, but so far it seems disinterested.

Monday 21st October

This is a more sensible time of the day to write the blog !!! Enough said... Made a quick dash over to Gruinart around midday and yes, got the Red backed Shrike, there was also a Blackcap there too. The number of times you hear of folk going to see a bird and missing it....Yesterday our Horwich friends had  a GND on Machir Bay, and in front of the hide at Gruinart a Blackwit  and then a ringtail Hen Harrier flew past, they also managed to see the Shrike too.Young Peter had 4 Sanderling down on Machir Bay along with 20 Ringed Plover and he also had a male Hen Harrier on his way down there. Yesterday, Mary McGregor's sister or rather Mary Redman's sister (cos Mary got married on Saturday) had a WTSE down at Claddach on her Granny's croft close to Portnahaven. Mary herself had a Wheatear at St Kiaran's church, between Port Charlotte and Bruichladdich and also she had a Barn Owl in Portnahaven in the evening. The Bancroft team had a male Hen Harrier down at Easter Ellister this morning. Young Peter and his Dad had a male Blackcap and a Brambling here in the wood this morning.

Sunday 9th June

Danny did not manage to break the magic 100 on his recent trip to Islay,only 95 species noted. He  had not seen Grey Wagtail, Long tailed Tit or Turnstone... roll on next May! Thanks to Danny for sharing his images with us along with his sightings. Jeremy and Kim, the other day had seen 30 Dunlin along at Saligo. Malcolm had heard a Blackcap singing down at the Community Garden at Bridgend early this morning. On our way up to Sanaigmore around midday, we had a cracking view of a Golden Eagle out over the hill behind Coille. This evening going up the gully behind our house there were at least 25 Rock Doves flying around in small groups, more than seen at similar times in other years, possibly as there are no Peregrines around! We also had a Cuckoo fly past when we were there too. The corncrake count last night/ early this morning which we carried out tallied out at 11 calling birds. Conditions were good, as there was hardly any wind which means that there was no noise from sea....

Monday 3rd June

Martin who  is over here on holiday this week, has given us some sightings that he has had in and around Carraig Fhada/ Kilnaughton Bay. 10 Razorbill, 5 Guillemot, 10 Eider, 10 Arctic Tern, 5 LBB Gull, 10 Siskin, 5 Willow Warbler, 6 Rock Pipit, 6 Oystercatcher, 2 Heron, 3 RB Merganser and 5 Cormorant. Thanks Martin. George was saying that the Oystercatcher the nest on the shoreline had failed, but he has found one up towards his ponds with 3 eggs in it. Paul Graham had a Corncrake calling down the back of Bruichladdich and through the day, Skylarks singing away! James had an Osprey yesterday over Loch Gruinart, with 2 GND in summer plumage on the water itself. Today in front of the Visitor Centre at Gruinart, James had 2 Corncrake and along the woodland trail, he heard a Blackcap.  

Today Michal flew over to Iceland where he will be doing voluntary work for the next 3 months, living in a tent. Hope he knows about the big black mozzies  that are there! All the best to Michal.

Saturday 27th October

A visiting birder from Argyll had seen a seen a Siberian Chiffchaff in Ballygrant Woods yesterday and on Friday a female Blackcap was down at Ardbeg. The Red breasted Goose yesterday was also seen yesterday behind Bruichladdich up towards Conisby. Today it was up towards Kilnave, it does not half get about!!! James today had a juv White tailed Sea Eagle at Gruinart, and amongst the geese he had a Canada Goose hutchinsii sp. Another birder this evening was telling me of seeing the same group of 4 Canada Geese down at Bowmore that Peter Thorp had seen earlier on in the week. The Leigh birders yesterday cracked the 100 species seen during their visit with a Song Thrush...On Loch Indaal, Common Scoter were seen along with the Long tailed Duck. On their way up to Sanaigmore they saw the large flock of Chaffinches and the Brambling was still present with them. It's been great over here this past week with so many visiting birders around, almost like the Bird Fair at Rutland, but not so busy or not even so warm.... Thanks to Lynne and Chris from Bedfordshire, Gordon and Pauline from Rochdale, Chris and Tony from Bolton, Pauline, Ian, David and Anne from Leigh, Danny, Wanda and Peter from Teme Valley and also Andrew Harrop who first spotted the Red breasted Goose if my memory serves me correctly, so many sightings just great, no doubt we will all meet up next year!