Wednesday 4th September

Today, Dave had seen a Sand Martin flying over the Oa. Visitors who had gone on out to the American Monument on the Oa today had seen 2 Golden Eagles while on their walk. The weather turned out a not bad day, got some painting done and grass cut too.... Come to think on it, Monday was supposed to be good and it turned out opposite to the forecast.... say no more!!

Friday 12th July

Yesterday , the young Swallows in our back porch flew the nest, great to see the 4 of them out . The nest in the shed fledged 3 earlier in the week while the ones in the garage are quite a bit behind as they have just hatched this week! Also up on the shed in one of the nest boxes, there is a brood of House Sparrows as is another in the nest box outside the garage. Peter had counted around 30 Sand Martins in the wee quarry on the track from Uiskentuie strand over the moor to Lyrabus. This evening Bob had been down at the new hide, and had seen a couple of Roe Deer close at hand, coming home along the flats, there were around 25 Red Deer stags on the flats! This week, I have been noticing more clegs around with odd one outwitting me and biting me rather than me being able to get "rid" of them before allowing them to bite me...

Wednesday 10th July

Not so warm today, but a haar rolled in from the sea late yesterday and did not lift until late this morning, it also put the Jura ferry off at 18.30 with some folk stranded on Jura! I forgot to mention that we saw around 50 Sand Martins hawking over on of the barley fields at Rockside yesterday mid afternoon. Mark Shields, Dave's new assistant down on the Oa sent some sightings through. Last Friday, Mark saw a Puffin on the bay below Dun Athad. On Sunday he watched a Golden Eagle being mobbed by 5 Peregrines. Yesterday there were 30 Swifts over the Oa, other groups seen earlier this year have all been small groups. Mark had counted 160 Guillemots including 4 Bridled Guillemots. Peter had heard a Grasshopper Warbler while going down to the Lily Loch the other day. With the haar being in through the night, the sheep were damp first thing, but were dry later on, so finished giving them their annual haircut,  job done!!!!

Monday 15th April

Just after I wrote last night's entry, Karen from over in the cottages had a Peregrine annoying 4 Buzzards good style, it initially split the Buzzards into 2 groups of 2, one of which flew off... A moment or so later, Karen then had a Swallow fly past. This morning, Becky had a GND on Loch Indaal, directly in front of her house on the edge of Bowmore. On the walk down from Port Ellen today, Karen had a Gannet close to the shore at the Singing Sands, and then later on a Swallow at the Port Ellen maltings. Bob, this morning had seen a lot of Redwings on the move with 20 beside his house and then 150 between Knockdon and Loch Skerrols. On Loch Skerrols itself, a male Pochard was seen as were 7 Tufted Duck. Along at "smelly corner" there were 60 Shelduck, 12 Wigeon, pr of Shoveler, and a female Pintail. Back home, Bob had a Golden Eagle over his house, early afternoon, then a male Hen Harrier.There was a flock of 65 Redwing present there this afternoon which were spoofed by a female Kestrel, closely followed by a male Kestrel. Down on the Oa, Dave has had a good day, with 4 Willow Warbler, 12 Swallow, 3 House Martin, 3 Sand Martin, 11 Goldcrest, a Siskin and a singing Redwing, Back on Friday Dave had a Chiffchaff. David and Jill Mason had seen a Pink footed Goose amongst the Greenland Whitefronted Geese over at Ballinaby today and also had a Wheatear singing further on. This evening there was an Arctic Tern down at Bruichladdich. James was saying this evening that most of the Barnies have flown on, although he reckons that there were still around 5,000 present at Gruinart today. This evening the rain has started, so tomorrow's walk for Walkislay may have to be plan "B" with a low level walk taking place...