Tuesday 1st October

Yesterday, Sam and Garry had been over at the Sound of Islay. Looking over towards Jura they spotted a couple of Buzzards, then a moment later a Golden Eagle came into view, and then to cap it all a White tailed Sea Eagle to put the icing on the cake. Later on in the water, they had an Otter! This morning we had a great sunrise, click on the link to the INHT and look at the image taken by Malcolm this morning! September is now behind us with the rainfall tallying through at 4.1", last year it over 6" if memory serves me right! Today Peter had 4 Guillemots close inshore at Bruichladdich, with 5 Common Scoter and a RTD further out. Here at home there were 3 Buzzards out above the crag first thing this morning. After breakfast, there were a few Swallows hawking along past the trees and this afternoon down at Rockside a Greenland Wheatear was present.

Thursday 12th September

Yesterday, Paul and Kathleen had a Greenshank and 5 Blackwits over at Loch Gruinart. The other day, here at home we had 2 White wagtails out on the grass. Today, before the weather closed in, we had a count of 40 Golden Plover at Coull and earlier on a male Hen Harrier out on the wing round below Leek, over the far side of Loch Gorm. This afternoon the raft of Scaup were still at Gartmain, the exact number I am not sure of. There were also 4 Whoopers there too. James had 3 Greenland Wheatears at Gruinart as well as 3 Rock Pipits.

Sunday 28th April

Emily from RSPB took this image of the Little Egret yesterday just after Ardbeg. Along at Kildalton Cross, she heard a Cuckoo calling, and later at the Singing sands, Emily had seen a Greenland Wheatear. Yesterday David and Jane Griffiths had heard a Cuckoo calling up towards Solum, it was calling for some time! They also had a Golden Eagle being mobbed by a Raven. The Argyll birder is back over for the week. He had a great start today with a count of 620 Blackwits over at Gruinart, a possible new record for Argyll, also at Gruinart he had a pr of Gadwall, pr Pintail and 12 Shoveler, along at Lyrabus a female Merlin was added to his list. In Port Ellen Bay, 4 GND were seen and Loch Indaal had 2 GND and 2 Common Scoter. At Bruichladdich, 4 Turnstone, 2 Dunlin, 1 Purple Sandpiper,4 Sandwich Tern,1 Arctic Tern and a Whimbrel. A further 19 Whimbrel were seen at Nerabus. Martin has been busy this weekend. On his feeders and in his garden, the tally was 6 Siskin, 5 Redpoll, 22 Goldfinch, 8 Greenfinch, 28 Chaffinch, 14 House Sparrows, 4 Dunnocks, 2 Collared Doves, 5 Rock Doves, 5 Coal Tit, 4 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 2 Rooks, 2 Ravens (new garden tick for Martin) and a Willow Warbler. From the bridge over the River Laggan on the High road, Martin had seen 2 Heron, 1 Willow Warbler and 5 Common Sandpiper. Peter and Pia just returned earlier this evening from a short break in the Highlands with Pia getting a new lifer, a male and also a female Capercallie. Back here on Islay, they had a count of 76 Pale bellied Brent Geese down at Gortan, 5 had coloured rings on.