Thursday 7th November

Yesterday James had a Brambling in his garden at lunchtime! This morning looking out at the willows in the garden here at home, there was a charm of at least 50 Goldfinches. Ian and Susan (visitors from Cumbria) had 2 GND and 2 Red Breasted Merganser in the bay below the Dower House past Kildalton. Michael had seen a ringtail Hen Harrier scaring off all the ducks away from the floods at Gruinart. The said Harrier kept quartering the floods but to no avail as it had already moved any "takings" on! Michael also had an immature Golden Eagle over the reserve this morning as well. Later on, a Merlin flew across the road as Michael headed into Bowmore. Finally coming home, he had a male Hen Harrier close to Foreland. The weather today, well, squally heavy showers with the wind gusting to 49mph just after 15.00 according to Mike's stats!

Wednesday 6th November

Yesterday, Bob and John O had been over towards Bunnahabhain. On the way there, they saw 3 Bullfinches on the overhead wires and several flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare migrating through. At Dunlossit, a male Sparrowhawk was seen, and back at Port Charlotte, John O had a Merlin fly past the kitchen window this morning! Michael this morning counted 28 Whoopers fly out to sea from down at the Coastguard cottage. Left behind in the field was a Pinkie along with the Greylags, and also a Pale bellied Brent amongst the Barnies!!! The 2 Long tailed Duck were still on Ardnave Loch, over at Traigh Nostaig, 36 Ringed Plover, 21 Sanderling and 16 Turnstone were present with 48 Chough working their way at looking for food in the sea weed. On the floods at Gruinart, a Hen Harrier put up a Blackwit. Over at Bun an Uillt, 71 Shelduck, 57 Pintail, 40 Shoveler, drake Gadwall, 19 R B Merganser, 2 Greenshank and 5 Turnstone were seen on Gruinart estuary. On the road back down close to Craigens, a Grey Wagtail was seen. Coming back to his cottage, Michael had 2 ringtail Hen Harriers.

Tuesday 5th November

A better day here with the weather, much better than the forecast which was predicted, glad they got it wrong.... Michael had been over at Gruinart today where he saw a ringtail Hen Harrier, a count of 216 Teal, 690 Golden Plover,a nd had another 6 Whoopers flying in from the North down into Gruinart. Up at Ardnave Loch, Michael had 4 Goldeneye, 2 Long tailed Duck and 75 Fieldfare, over at West Carrabus 220 Fieldfare were present. At Bridgend a WTSE was seen with 320 Golden Plover and also 100 Barwits. A walk in the woods at Bridgend produced 5 Long tailed Tits and a pr of Bullfinch with a Dipper on the River Sorn. Coming home, Michael had a male and also a  ringtail Hen Harrier close to  Loch Gorm

Monday 4th November

Loads of birds- Yesterday Bob and John O were out birding. At Laggan Point they had a White Tailed Eagle, at the Laundry Loch 1000 Teal, 400 Wigeon and 12 Whooper Swans. At Skerrols, Lots of swans- 54 Mute Swans, 52 Whooper Swans, 68 wigeon, 1 Little Grebe and a Coot, at Blackrock 158 Scaup and finally at Gartmain a Sparrowhawk. Also seen yesterday a Green winged teal from the hides at Gruinart. Today Micheal had - 59 Hoodies (the crow sort) at Rockside, 3 Hen Harriers, 54 Pintail and 280 Golden Plover at Gruinart. He then moved on to Ardnave- 15 Snow Buntings, 55 Twite, 29 Ringed Plovers and 14 Rock Pipits and on Loch Indaal 36 Red Throated Diver, 17 Great Northern Diver, 23 Slavonian Grebes, 80 Common Scoter, 13 Long Tailed ducks, 81 Red Breasted Mergansers and 34 Pale Bellied Brents. Amy on the Reserve at Gruinart also found 1 Redpoll and 40 Fieldfares.

Sunday 3rd November

Yesterday, after it dried up a little, Bob and his friend John O had taken a quick round out round the Rhinns. Gearch Forest held 20 Goldcrest and 6 Coal Tit . Off Frenchman's Rocks several Gannets and Kittiwakes were noted and coming up towards Carn on their way towards Port Charlotte, a Merlin was ahead of them! Several groups of Redwing and Fieldfare were also seen while they were out. This morning, George had a female Sparrowhawk at his home, offshore on Loch Indaal he counted 50 Common Scoter. Visiting birder, Michael had seen 2 ringtail Hen Harriers over at Gruinart, a Peregrine over at the Duich Lots, on the RSPB Oa reserve, 2 Golden Eagles, a ringtail Hen Harrier, Merlin and a Sparrowhawk. At Leorin, a Golden Eagle was seen on the wing while close to Storakaig 52 Ravens were present. At Blackrock, on Loch Indaal, 93 Scaup were present along with a Goldeneye. At Rockside, a pr of Hen Harrier were seen and then on a "game crop", there was a flock of around 130 Linnets.

Saturday 2nd November

Yesterday, Gordon and Pauline Yates had a Sparrowhawk, a ringtail Hen Harrier, a Merlin, 40 Golden Plover, 1 Pale bellied Brent Goose along with the Barnies and also 5 Whooper Swans. At Bridgend, 200 Golden Plover and a WTSE were seen while up at Sanaigmore a Snow Bunting was present in the car park at "Outback Art". Gordon and Pauline, along with The RAFOS group headed back home this morning, so many thanks to you for sharing your sightings with us while you were over. Today, the weather has  not been very great, the rainfall since around 08.00 yesterday to around mid afternoon tallied through at least 1.5", boy was it was wet around midday today....Ed late afternnon ventured out and saw some Chough coming in to their roost behind Machir Bay

Friday 1st November

Thanks to James for writing last night's entry. PC still on the blink but the wee laptop has come to the rescue.... As it is the start of November now, the rainfall for October tallied through at 6.75", glad to see the back of it! Robin from Yorkshire dropped in this afternoon for a blether and the obloigatory cuppa. Highlights so far from Robin were as follows, on Loch Gruinart close to Bun an Uillt, Gadwall, Grey Plover, and Greenshank were seen, Sanaigmore Bay had 2 GND and 2 Otters at the same time! On the darkening the other evening, a WTSE was causing concern to the Geese present. Today down on Loch Indaal, off Gortan, Robin saw a Goosander. Robin also commented on seeing more WTSE this visit compared to Golden Eagles!