Saturday 27th April

Spot the deliberate mistake last  night then? Well the TV program is being screened next Monday, not this coming Monday, even had a letter through from John Aitchison telling us about it, in the post, better mind and watch it! The bird nerds is on Tuesday coming, right enough, at 7pm at the "old hide" at Gruinart.... Back to birds then... Anna on Tuesday had 3 Gannets fishing off the Port Charlotte lighthouse, on Wednesday over on Jura along with her mother, they had a seen 4 different Golden Eagles. Later on, back on Islay, down below Nerabus they had counted 30 Whimbrel and also on the Rhinns they had seen 2 White tailed Sea Eagles. Yesterday, James had counted 970 Barnies on the reserve at Gruinart. The Canada Goose, hutchinsii sp was seen as was a Pink footed Goose. On the floods, 54 Blackwits were present, 5 House Martins flew past and a Cuckoo was heard along the flats. Today James had 2 Otters along the flats, a Cuckoo was heard and Merlin was present. The Rochdale birders headed home today, but had seen 2 Treecreepers in the woods at Bridgend before they left. Many thanks to Gordon and Pauline for their sightings while they were here. This morning, Mary had 2 Corncrakes calling at Portnahaven, in competition with a cement mixer! I know that they often compete against the strimmer going and also the "farm bike" as well, but a cement mixer is a new one to me! Michal had a male Hen Harrier on reserve and also a Buzzard. Also today, Bob had Sparrowhawk fly past his house as well as a RTD later on. Up over the moor behind his house, he heard 3 Cuckoos and saw a male Hen Harrier and then later on a  ringtail. Here at home, while  we were doing some  work outside, the ever inquisitive Choughs had to do a fly past just checking out what we were doing...The 4 Siskins are still here on the feeders and the male Redpoll was present this morning too.  

Sunday 10th February

Another miserable sort of a day with the weather... James had seen a Short eared Owl on the flats on the reserve at Gruinart. In amongst the flock of geese close to James's house at Grainel, a Canada Goose hutchinsii sp was present today. Here at home, we have seen a cheeky Starling that manages to get into the "caged" bird feeder.... it has figured out to get in... just get below the flap, force your head up to cause the flap to open slightly, then straighten your neck up a bit and then hey presto wriggle your way in and get some of  the "better" food on offer. We have watched it several times over the past few days... hope it does not pass on the method of entry to its' mates!!! The bird feeders have been really busy today, at one time this afternoon,  it was literally "standing room" only!!

Tuesday 5th February

Another windy day out here with the odd squally shower thrown in for good measure, the temperature along with the wind chill have changed to, with the wind veering round and coming from the North, brass monkey weather to come! Yesterday, the Lochwinnoch birders reported in to say that over at Gruinart from the hide they had seen a male Hen Harrier, on the floods, Pintail and Teal. Along the flats they had seen a Canada Goose hutchinsii sp both on Sunday and again yesterday, possibly the same goose. Also seen on the reserve were some Twite. Down on Loch Indaal they had seen 9 Long tailed Ducks close to Bowmore. They also had seen 2 Herring Gulls with coloured rings on, one had a black ring on and the other had a yellow ring on, wonder if that was one of Euan's birds from last July? Today as we went down the road, there was a Lapwing flock down close to the Rockside roadend, it split in two all of a sudden and then we saw what was happening as a Peregrine nobbled one of the Lapwings!  Later on up behind Ballygrant on the Glen road, we saw a pair of Golden Eagle. Finally at home there were 5 Buzzzards out on the wing, late afternoon.

Tuesday 8th January

A day with no rain, another first for 2013, better not get carried away...There was a reported sighting of a White tailed Sea Eagle down towards Loch Gorm today. On the reserve at Gruinart, James saw a Pink footed Goose and later on a Canada Goose hutchinsii  sp. There was a ringtail Hen Harrier quartering over the pools down at Carnain just before lunchtime. This afternoon a low flying RAF jet screamed past, hope that the goose counters, if they were out, had finished their various routes! I actually thought that the RAF had been requested not to fly sorties when the geese were here in case of a bird strike...

Monday 31st December or "Auld years' night"

What a difference a day makes, the weather remained dry for most of the time and here we go for a bumper final entry for 2012. Yesterday, James had a Golden Eagle from his kitchen window at Grainel, and in one of the fields along from his house, he had a Canada Goose, hutchinsii sp. There were 14 Red legged Partridges at his road end the other day too.  The Barn Owl was present in his shed last night, becoming quite a regular! Paul Graham yesterday thought he saw the elusive Red breasted Goose over at Eorrabus in the fields opposite Esknish Farm. Paul also had a couple of Barn Owls out hunting, one at the Ballymartin roadend and the other along at Red Lodge the other night. This morning, from the new hide at Gruinart, Bob had a count of 670 Golden Plover and 800 Lapwing. At the top of Loch Indaal, he had 150 Wigeon and a count of 54 Pale bellied Brent Geese. This afternoon up at Loch Gearach, Bob had 2 Whoopers, 220 Teal, 167 Wigeon, 12 Mallard, 1 Kestrel and on his journey there and back he also had 6 Buzzard, 1 Fieldfare, 2 Stonechat and 14 Pheasants! Carl today had a small flock of Redwing up towards Cultoon. Pete Clement who is over staying with Peter and Pia had a Golden Eagle at Kilchiaran, on Loch Indaal between Port Charlotte and Bruichladdich, a count of 9 GND and further round Loch Indaal, off Uiskentuie, Pete had a Long tailed Duck. 

At this point, I would like to thank all the folk that have sent in their sightings throughout the year, it just great to get an email through or a message left on the phone, makes it all worth while. I think the highlight for me was at the Bird Fair when the Islay stand won the 3rd in the "Tourism sector". I thought it was a wind up, not often that I am stuck for words. Better still we were all like Cheshire cats! And yes, Islay will be returning again to Rutland for their 25th Bird Fair in August. All the best for 2013 to you all, and hopefully see some of you around Islay or at Rutland for some of our hospitality!!!! 

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.

Friday 21st December

A better day with the weather over here today, perhaps just a wee lull until we get the next rain front and its' associated wind coming through tomorrow!! Here goes, birds etc from earlier in the week... James had seen a Stoat along the flats at Gruinart, but not in its ermine coat!!! On reserve he also had seen 2 Tawny Owls over towards Erasaid and also 2 Woodcock. Mary yesterday had Jack Snipe up on the moor at Gruinart. Fiona McGilvray saw 2 Barn Owls the other night on her way home, one at Erasaid and the other at Woodside. James last night had one at Grainel, sheltering from the rain and another out from the Visitor centre, we had another Barn Owl also last night along at Sunderland, do n't often see them out in the rain! When Mary was out goose counting at the start of the week, she had a Canada Goose hutchinsii sp along the flats at Gruinart. Back on Tuesday, Bob had seen 12 Fieldfare feeding alongside 70 Golden Plover at Ballinaby, on Wednesday down at Lossit Farm on the Rhinns, there were 40 Fieldfare feeding  with 130 Golden Plover. 

Tuesday 6th November

A much quieter day on the bird front today, but possibly the weather has not helped out! Yesterday the Red breasted Goose was seen over on the flats at Gruinart, as was a Canada Goose hutchinsii sp. This morning Carl had 5 Waxwings in his garden in Port Charlotte, down on fallen apples on the ground. Robin from Settle on his last day, had a Sparrowhawk in the trees up near to Ballygrant along with some Chaffinches and Blue Tits seen there too, but no Brambling present! Later on, flying over the market at Bridgend was a White tailed Sea Eagle.