Wednesday 29th May

Another great day out here, almost like a summer's day. Some folk down in Bowmore had red faces, but that could possibly have something to do with other things happening in Bowmore today!!! This morning Geoff, Danny and Dave had a Wood Sandpiper and also a Snipe with young out from the old hide at Gruinart. Dave had a pr of Shoveller on Loch Kinnabus today. Martin had been over on Colonsay where he he heard 3 Cuckoos and also 3 Corncrakes. Birds seen included 12 Stonechats, a Sedge Warbler, a Golden Eagle, and a Snipe displaying at Scalascaig. Coming home this evening on the ferry, Martin saw a Pomarine Skua flying North up the Sound of Islay. At Bunnahabhain, Steve had a GND in almost full summer plumage. Bob had a male Hen Harrier close to Sunderland Farm this evening, a count of 130 Greylags at Rockside, another male Hen Harrier on the edge of the reserve at Gruinart. On the Corncrake walk at Gruinart this evening, think more Cuckoos were heard, but at least 2 Corncrakes were heard as well. A Cuckoo was seen, Snipe drumming, Chough displaying, Whitethroat heard and seen as were several Sedge Warblers. 6 Pale bellied Brent were seen flying up Loch Gruinart itself. Coming home this evening, there were 9 Red Deer close to the road as we left Gruinart.

Thursday 16th May

Another glorious sunny day here again, just wish the sun would give us heat as well as light, no pleasing some folks......On Monday this week, Natalie from RSPB had carried a count out on Loch Gruinart, with the following birds seen, 1 GND, 208 Shelduck, 16 Eider, 4 R B Merganser, 182 Oystercatcher, 1879 Ringed Plover, 1 Golden Plover, 1279 Dunlin, 21 Curlew, 3 Redshank, 26 Turnstone, 6 Whimbrel, 11 Common Gull, 17 Herring Gull, 4 GBB Gull and 1 Greylag. On Ardnave Loch, birds were 33 Whimbrel, 2 Barwits, 2 Mute Swan, 9 Tufted Duck, 4 Oystercatcher and 1 Heron. Today Natalie saw 2 adult White tailed Sea Eagles hunting over the flats at Gruinart. Michal over the last couple of days has been down on the Oa, his birds included, 1 Golden Eagle, pr of Hen Harrier, 8 Sedge Warbler, 6 Whitethroat, 1 singing Goldcrest and a Dipper carrying food. In the bay down at Port Ellen, Michal counted 21 Whimbrel. Yesterday Bob had a ringtail Hen Harrier close by his house, the first he has seen for a few weeks. Down off  Port Mor at Port Charlotte, Bob had 8 GND  and 7 Arctic Terns inshore with a feeding frenzy a lot  further out on the Loch consisting of over 40 Terns, Gannets, Kittiwakes and other gulls. He also had 2 Sandwich Terns, 4 Razorbill, 12 Whimbrel and 220 Common Scoter. This morning Peter was over at Dunlossit and had a female Great Spotted Woodpecker. He also had Blackcaps, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Sedge Warblers all singing away. Also heard were Cuckoo, Long tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Siskin, Treecreeper and Goldcrest were all heard as were Little Grebes calling away on Loch Allan. To finish off with Peter had an adult White tailed Sea Eagle fly past, great! Andrew and Jane today had been down in the woods towards Kildalton and had seen 3 Yellowhammers as well as numerous Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers. Along at Claggain Bay and in that area they had 8 Artcic Tern, 1 GND, 1 RTD, 1 light phase Pomarine Skua, 4 Common Sandpipers, 5 male Reed Buntings, more Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff,  4 Redpoll, and an elusive Cuckoo who never gave up. Returning home, at Blackrock 4 Whoopers were present and Kestrel was seen just before they got to Bruichladdich. Today down at Portnahaven, Alistair had heard the Corncrake calling and also a Cuckoo. At Port Bhan, a Black Guillemot and a GND were seen and 14 Whimbrel counted too. Dave down on the Oa today had a Swift, heard a Cuckoo and saw a Whinchat

Thursday 9th May

A miserable sort of a day out here, but it has not really hindered folk out birding, so another good lot of birds  have been sent through. The other day, Carl had a Corncrake down at Shorefield, Bruichladdich. Bob had 12 Collared Doves at his house yesterday and today he saw an imm female Marsh Harrier fly past. George counted 30 Whimbrel fly past and also heard the Corncrake. Up at Ardnave Mary had a Lapland Bunting. Andrew and Jane had a good day starting with 3 Gannets on Loch Indaal off Port Charlotte and also a dark phase Pomarine Skua, along at Bruichladdich Pier they saw 2 Black Guillemots. Up at Ardnave Loch, a female Merlin was seen, a male Hen Harrier present, 15 Whimbrel, 20 Chough, 2 Barnies, 2 Canadas, 1 Greenland Whitefront and a male Whinchat. From the old hide at Gruinart, 6 Blackwits, a Mallard with ducklings, a Lapwing with young, 3 Sedge Warblers, "a lot of Swallows and Sand Martins" hawking over the floods were seen. Finally along the flats, Andrew and Jane heard a Corncrake, Whitethroat and also Whooper Swan still present as well as 3 Roe Does. This morning we had "a lot of Swallows and Sand Martins"  swooping along the road in front of the trees at Erasaid. Back here at home we are now up to 10 Redpolls, boy they can't half eat....The birds appear to eating more now than they were earlier on, another order away in the other day for more food....

Monday 15th October

Almost a touch of frost last night, but at least the rain kept away...Peter's sighting of the Firecrest turns out to be only  the second sighting on Islay, with the Yellow browed Warbler being a fifth. Visitors had seen a Brambling yesterday in the large finch flock that was close to the Visitor centre at Gruinart. On her way in to work this morning Mary had a female Peregrine on a fence post along the flats at Gruinart. Mary and the vols carried out a count on Loch Gruinart with the following birds, 3 Cormorants, 8 Heron, 20 Shelduck, 64 Wigeon, 25 Mallard, 1 Goldeneye, 30 Red breasted Merganser,18 Shoveler, 23 Ringed Plover, 43 Golden plover, 229 Lapwing, 160 Oystercatcher, 141 Bar tailed Godwit, 191 Curlew, 52 Redshank, 19 Turnstone, 1 Mute Swan, 110 Black headed Gull, 54 Common Gull, 55 Herring Gull, 7 Great Black backed Gull, 16 Whooper Swan. Ardnave Loch held 12 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 5 Whooper Swan and 6 Mute Swan.They also had a juv White tailed Sea Eagle out over Kilinallan. The Leigh birders today had 18 Pale bellied Brent Geese on Loch Indaal and 6 Whoopers at Sunderland Farm. Bob this morning had a Pomarine Skua off Coull Point. He also had 2 Snow Buntings there too and also a juv Golden Eagle. Today Gavin had 3 Golden Eagles while on the Oa reserve, 6 Chough, 2 Ravens, 3 Stonechats, 1 Lesser Redpoll and a flock of around 30 Twite were also present there as well. At Ardbeg, Gavin had 4 Swallows, and along at Claggain Bay, 1 Red throated Diver, 4 Black guillemot with 4 Fieldfare on land. Here at home around midday a Golden Eagle came out over the crag being mobbed by 2 Buzzards.