Monday 24th June

Today, Mary and Emily had carried a count at Ardnave Loch with the following birds seen, pr of Mute Swans and their 4 cygnets, 8 Oystercatcher, 7 Tufted Duck, 2 Herring Gull, 1 Redshank, 2 Mallard and 3 Blackwits. Down on Loch Gruinart itself, their tally was  1 Heron, 99 Shelduck, 1 Mallard, 36 Eider plus 13 ducklings, the male were all in different stages of moult, 109 Oystercatcher, 11 Ringed Plover, 5 Lapwing, 21 Curlew, 4 Redshank, 32 BH Gulls, 34 Common Gull, 23 LBB Gull, 9 GBB Gull, 57 Herring Gull and 2 Whooper Swan. Over the reserve at Gruinart, this morning Mary had a ringtail Hen Harrier

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.