Wednesday 26 January

Thought it felt a bit colder today! Snow on the Paps of Jura, taken today by Duncan MacNeil on the FB page 'Images of Islay'.  I must take a drive up to see it, I don't think I've turned left at Bridgend since October.

Visitor Roger R. located both the cackling goose and the elusive red-breasted goose among the mobile flock 2000 or so barnacle geese at head of Loch Indaal. He also spotted an Iceland gull in the same area.

Alison and Nick braved the wet weather today on a visit to RSPB Loch Gruinart. From the south hide, 3 WTE 'loafing about'. They were lucky enough to see a young WTE attempt a wigeon, dropping it in the effort. Other highlights were one greenshank, both bar and black-tailed godwit, and 4 bullfinch in the woodland trail.

On my drive up to Port Charlotte from the car window I spotted 2 WTE over the woods at Wester Ellister, and a jack snipe in a lay-by near the farm at Octofad, spooked by my driving. Back on the croft above Currie Sands, a ring-tailed hen harrier hunting along the coastline.

Thank you for the contributions.

Thursday 2 December

Lovely gift of a day after so much wind. plenty of birds on the wing making up for being stuck in shelter for the past wee while. No photos today, I was too busy enjoying the weather.  Photo above taken yesterday looking over to the Rhinns lighthouse.

Margaret has been in touch from Kilchoman Reserve with an eagle day - a white-tailed eagle flew by the house and then spent some time over Machir bay, and earlier she had a good sighting of an golden eagle sitting close to the road at the hut circles 'An Sidhean' near Culbuie. These were once believed to be fairy mounds and children were forbidden to play near them lest they be taken by the 'wee folk'.

Chris Mills sighting for today:

"Good day today with the finding of a drake American Wigeon off the Gaelic Centre, Bowmore in amongst several hundred Eurasians.

Also White-tailed Eagle from here, plus a Pink-footed Goose & again the juvenile Glaucous Gull.

The juv Iceland Gull true to form this morning flew SW at Bowmore along the shore, but earlier at 8.15am and landing just below the distillery.

At Bunnahabhain a flock of 40 Redpolls were in out of the birch and conifers, 2 paler birds were poss Mealy types, but the whole flock was furtive and they never gave more than a few seconds to study them properly.

Mid-late afternoon from the Killinallan road, the Cackling Goose was present just South of Gruinart with 2000 Barnacles. There were 3 Greenshank, 3 Grey Plover, 20+Knot, a young Peregrine,  a ringtail Hen Harrier & 2 WT Eagles sitting on the deck trying to catch a stranded fish in a pool but without success! 

As per Steve Lister & Ken Reeves - Loch Skerrols the 1cy drake Lesser Scaup still present & a Long-tailed Duck."

Thank you Chris, 

Wednesday 1 December

Pinch and a punch for the first of the month!  A view of a relatively calm Frenchman's Rocks above.  December came in with a blast of wind which did die away as the day went on.  The rocks feature often in the blog as an important vantage of the main migration route of autumn and spring birds.  In the summer they provide an amazing spectacle of hundreds of feeding gannets diving into the fast running waters that race between them and Islay.

Steve Lister found the cackling goose near the RSPB Loch Gruinart visitor centre, and it was later picked up by Chris in the same field. To the west of the reserve, Chris spotted 2 WTE and a male hen harrier hunting.  While he was on the Oa he noted a juv WTE, a ring-tailed hen harrier, and 50 twite, then near Bridgend he found 2 golden eagle showing well.  

Gary reported a greenshank below the power station at Bowmore, and a juv. Iceland gull.  

Mary Anne spotted a kestrel at Laphroig.

Finally, Morven over at Nature Scot kindly shared The International Goose Count figures from 23/24th November: 37,202 barnacles, 6956 white-front geese and 1326 greylag. 

Tuesday 25th May

"A not bad sort of a day", so we managed to cut the grass, what a difference it makes... 

Chris Brock had seen a GND and a couple of Tysties close by the boat off Port Ellen this morning...😉

Lauren Stewart had carried out her WeBS count on Loch Gruinart yesteday, with the tally coming through as follows...

Shelduck 11, Mallard 6, Eider 2, Oystercatcher 125, Ringed plover 529, Lapwing 2, Dunlin 922, Bar-tailed Godwit 49, Curlew 18, Redshank 4, Black headed gull 18, Common gull 63, Lesser black-backed gull 2, Herring gull 33, Canada Goose 3, Swallow 4, Whimbrel 8, Peregrine 1 & Greenshank 1

Wednesday 13th January

Well, many thanks are due to Peter who came to my rescue earlier on today, a simple tweak on various bits and bobs on the pc and once again all going well it  has enabled me to access my emails again. I should say that it was Pia that actually solved the problem not Peter, many thanks...

Back on Monday, I should have got this e mail through from Karen Graham, but because of my pc I only received it through late this afternoon, apologies to Karen, my fault...

"Watching a Treecreeper earlier and the Nuthatch. Wet and sometimes windy day. Such a change from the sun and snow."

Yesterday, Peter had walked up past Killinallan to Gortantoid, a round trip of around 6 mles or so, but he at least had seen a Greenshank while out.... This morning, just before lunchtime he saw a pesky Sparrowhawk up here.

 I spoke to James, just after 9pm last night, and he gave some birds for the blog...

"2 Slavonian Grebes seen down on Loch Indaal, a Little Egret, a Peregrine Falcon, a White tailed Eagle and also a Sparrowhawk all seen on/over the reserve at Gruinart." 

Wednesday 25th November

James e mailed me through the following earlier on this evening..

"Slightly better weather today and a few birds:

3 White tailed Eagles on the salt marsh today

11 Whooper Swans

1 Merlin chasing a Dunlin way off up into the sky

3 Greenshank

13 Knot

1 Pale bellied Brent. "

Saturday 14th November

 Sightings through from James...  

"Out and about yesterday:

Greenshank at least 8 on reserve probably more, Gadwall, 2 on Floods

White tailed Eagles 3 great views, Peregrine a pale bird around the Loch, Merlin

Hen Harrier seen on many occasions through the day, all on the reserve...

Good numbers of Gannets and Kittiwakes feeding in the waves at the mouth of the Loch

2 Long tailed Ducks present on Ardnave Loch

Barn Owl seen in fields off the Ardnave road"

Sunday 1st November

 Some sightings seen by Mike Bell yesterday..

"Definitely the wildest day I've ever had here. Thought I'd send this morning's sightings in case  the  power  goes off again...... 

An early trip into Bowmore  Co-op in case they sold out of bread etc. Shelter was very relative. I could only see 58 Pbb Geese today. The Long tailed Duck is still by the pier, at least 18 Common Scoter in the waves plus 31 RBM and 10 Scaup below the power station. 

A good hour and a half at Gruinart with 97 Pintail and 35 Shoveler today. Managed to get a good look through c900 Teal from the south hide but no GWT. Also 1 Grey Plover and 1 Blackwit in the field with the Curlews by the north hide. An adult Golden Eagle came through and a Hen Harrier which was almost blown to standstill."

Ed Hutchings who is leading the group over from Wildlife Worldwide sent through the birds seen by them yesterday..  "A filthy day weatherwise but I braved it and saw a few birds: 1,300 Barnacle Geese on fields near The Machrie Hotel mid-morning. Drake Long-tailed Duck in the harbour and an adult Glaucous Gull near the breakwater late morning. 9 Turnstone feeding near Machir Bay car park at lunchtime. GND feeding just off Port Charlotte Hotel early afternoon – this is a species that isn’t fazed by bad weather!  Half a dozen Gannet flying between Port Wemyss and Orsay mid-afternoon. 8 Grey Seals playing in the surf too."

James's top birds today seen by him on the reserve at Gruinart included a total of 15 Grey Plover. Also seen today by John Aitchison were 4 W T Eagles, with Dan Brown seeing 2 Greenshank back on late Friday afternoon.

The total rainfall that fell in our rain guage in October  came to 9.1", only to be beaten by Eric Bignall's rain coming to only 10.25", the highest monthly figure that Eric has ever had since he started to record this statistic...

Yesterday was the Naturetrek's final full day before heading back to the mainland today... So many thanks to Neil McMahon who has been sending their sightings through to me to use, so here are the birds seen by them... "Failed again to see the Rosy Starling at Bowmore! A male Brambling was heard calling in the large Chaffinch flock but not seen and the female Long-tailed Duck was still present along with 2 Eider.

We went to Loch Skerrols but the visibility was too poor to check through the ducks for the American Wigeon. There were still plenty of Whooper Swans just about discernible in the murk! Loch Finlaggan provided a male Hen Harrier, 4 Lesser Redpolls, Goldeneye and Little Grebe. A Great Northern Diver was off Bunnahabhain and a male Sparrowhawk, Goldcrests etc were along the road towards the distillery (plus three Roe Deer). We had a quick look for the Hoopoe but dipped again!

 A small flock of Pale-bellied Brents were on the north shore of Loch Indaal, a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier was at Kilchoman Distillery and another Roe Deer near Loch Gorm. An interesting-looking and huge first year female Peregrine was disturbed off a telegraph pole at Grulinmore - east side of Loch Gorm - possibly a 'Tundra' Peregrine...

Ardnave Point provided an adult White-tailed Eagle chasing Barnacle Geese, another adult male Hen Harrier, ca25 Choughs and ca50 Twite and another Great Northern Diver. We finished with a Barn Owl at Druim na h-Erasaid."

 So many thanks again to Neil along with his team of folk visiting and sending through their sightings. 

Yesterday was Mike Bell's first full day on Islay of this visit when he had seen these birds..

A male Peregrine south side loch Gorm.

Loch Gruinart: Whooper Swan 7, Teal 850, Pintail 28,Shoveler 27, WTE 1 imm, Golden Plover c1300, Dunlin c300, Greenshank 4.

Ballinaby, Pinkfoot 1 seen with WF,  WTE 2 imm, Chough 4

Saligo Bay, Golden Eagle 1

 Very few birds Bridgend or the Bowmore shore of Loch Indaal at midday."

Mike was telling me earlier on that he too had seen the American Wigeon in at Loch Skerrols today.

James braved the elements today and managed these birds on the reserve at Gruinart...

Goose count today – lots of geese possibly hanging around reserve after night feeding with the bigger moons

"Barnies – 20740, White fronts – 468, Greylag – 8, Pink foot – 1, Leucistic goose on flats

White tailed eagle juv on loch – caught a goose, Peregrine- back of Flats, Yellowhammer 2- Near Craigens turn." 

Gary today had seen the Rose coloured Starling in at the co-op in Bowmore today. He had also seen 3 different WT Eagles in at Bowmore and around Loch Indaal and also 3 different Goldies seen in around Ballygrant area as well

Friday 11th September

 Not much to report from Islay today, but Gary had seen a Greenshank in the creeks at the top of  Loch Indaal beside Donald Bell's house. He also watched  an Osprey perched on top of the wreck out in Loch Indaal as the tide was going out.

Karen Graham who is still up North reported through say that there were not many birds around today, but the weather was great, nice blue skies etc..."Only 3 Oystercatcher which have been on same rocks for last two months, 2 Redshank and  a Curlew there too. Several House Martins still around." 

Friday 4th September

 James How has whetted all our appetites by sending this e mail through recently...

"Gull Friday at Loch Gruinart – 2 very pretty juv Sabine's gulls in the Loch as the tide came in. Also: 2 Curlew Sands, 1 Greenshank, 4 Arctic Terns, a total of 19 P b  Brents, 14 Blackwits, 14 Turnstones, 1 Osprey, 1 Peregrine and lots of other waders."

So wonder what will turn up tomorrow/ over the next few days????

Tuesday 17th March

"Dave and Jean got out this morning before the rain and went to Gruinart for the 4^th time

to try and find the Green-winged Teal and this time tey did, from the South hide.

There was also a drake Gadwall from the same hide along with a Greenshank and 3 Snipe.

From the North hide they saw 3 White-tailed Eagles."

James today had a spell out of the office and his top birds included ...

"At Gruinart, 2 White tailed Eagles, a Golden Eagle and also a Hen harrier. He also had a Snow Bunting up at Ardnave."

Wednesday 11th March

Back on Monday, Lesley managed to carry out her WeBS count from Bowmore along to Gartbreck , before terrain came along.. Birds counted by Lesley were as follows... 51 Barwits, 23 Curlew, 40 Golden Plover, 40 Oystercatcher, 3 Ringed PLover, 7 Turnstone, 4 Dunlin, 85 Barnies, 19 Greylags, 5 R b Merganser, 13 Shag, 1 Cormorant, 32 Wigeon, 5 Eider, 8 Mallard, 12 Shelduck,  3 Redshank, 9 Gbb Gulls, 1 Lbb Gull, 48 H Gulls and 19 Common Gull.

Today, Mark Dawson had been out with some sightings sent through as follows..
"I went over to Jura today hillwalking. There were 5 Snow Buntings below the summit ridge of Beinn an Oir. 6 RB Mergansers close to shore just north of Craighouse. A White tailed Eagle seen from a high point of road 2 miles south of the Feolin Ferry and 2 GN Divers just off the Ferry Pier at Feolin itself."

James too had sent an email through...
"A slightly better day today, not quite so many hail showers. Setting the sluices ready for the spring when it does finally come. Skylarks singing and Lapwing displaying, plus lots of frog spawn in ditches.

Also on the reserve, Sunday afternoon: Jack Snipe, Water Rail, Skylarks 110, Greenshank, and other side of Bowmore, a Lesser black backed Gull."

Monday 9th March

Dave and Jean Killick are back over doing another stint of birding on Islay and sent me through  their top birds seen on yesterday and today..

"On Sunday 8^th in the south hide at Gruinart we saw a distant Golden Eagle way over to the east.

Sadly, we couldn’t find the Green-winged Teal but did see 2 Greenshank, 3 Snipe, 2 Little Egrets and 2 Whooper Swans amongst all the usual wildfowl.

Today, the 9^th we walked from our cottage at Coullabus along the moorland road to Loch Indaal and

as we walked back we stopped for a coffee and saw some Sky Larks in a field together with a stunning male Lapland Bunting going into breeding plumage."

Ron from Islay Info had also seen a Little Egret out from the Visitor centre at Gruinart yesterday, a new bird for Ron to add to his list

Wednesday 4th March

Marsali has kindly sent me though her rainfall tallies for January and also for February from over at Mulindry..."The rainfall for January was 115mms or 4.6” and for February 235mms or 9.4”   The paper we get said that it was the wettest February since records began but we had a wetter February in 2014.   I think it depends on where you live and how much water actually reaches the gauge".
The rain gauge at Matt Jackson's house at Rockside road end came to 6.35 inches for February !!!.

The Rochdale birders had sent some sightings through from Monday and Tuesday..
"On Monday, we went to Claggain Bay .  Black throated and Great northern Divers. Good view of male Peregrine, on a wall at Leorin on the High Road. Adult and juvenile Golden Eagle at Cladville on the Rhinns. On Tuesday, at Storakaig... 3 Golden Eagles together over the hills, with a male Hen Harrier quartering its patch. Down at Finlaggan, 4 Crossbills were present.

Mark Shields commented on the following today

"A nice day on Islay for the first time in a long time. The flats at Gruinart are suddenly full of frisky lapwings! Also around the reserve…436 Dunlin, Greenshank, 4 Sanderling, 109 Skylark and a single Sparrowhawk" 

Monday 24th February

Good friend from over the years, Ken Reeves arrived on Islay yesterday with a group of birders,
"Guillemot 30 +,  Black Guillemot 4, GND 9, BTD 7 , RTD 1, Kittiwake 4,  Greenland WF 900+, Redshank 5,  and a  WTSE  being mobbed by Gbb Gull and Herring Gull on the Jura side of the Sound of Islay as they sailed up to Port Askaig."

James had seen the following on the reserve at Gruinart today, Little Egret, Green winged Teal, Greenshank and also 2 male Hen Harrier

There will be no Bird nerds meeting this month as the most of the "team" are away over on the mainland.

Friday 21st February

Mike and Lesley's report through for you  to appreciate...

"We had a great morning at Gruinart yesterday. The sun brought out the birds on the woodland trail so it was nice to record Long-tailed Tit,  Goldcrest and Treecreeper. From the hide there were plenty of the usual ducks, Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler, Pintail plus lots of Curlew and a single Greenshank.

There were a couple of Oystercatchers feeding right in front of the hide when a female Sparrowhawk came hurtling towards one but just missed one and then sat on a fence post right next to the hide for a while. A distant Golden Eagle sitting on top of the hill, before we noticed 2 hunting juvenile White-tailed Eagles on of which downed a Barnacle Goose and began to eat the poor thing while it was still alive!  A very dramatic morning!"

Chris Corrigan's birds were as follows

"The best place today was the back road between Blackpark and Gruinart (B8017). Wonderful views of 2 Golden Eagles north of Lyrabus in the morning and a briefer view of a roadside Merlin in the afternoon. 

33 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Carnain late afternoon.

We also got a free exfoliation beauty treatment courtesy of a horrible driving hail shower!!!"

Garry and Wendy had made to most of yesterday

"What a change to have some bright sunshine. We walked from Ballygrant, up past Lossit Farm to Islay Sound. Our sightings for the day:
Carnain: Barnies, Greylags, Oystercatchers, Curlew, Mute Swans
Loch Lossit: Tufted Ducks
Flanks of Beinn Dubh: Herd of Red Deer
Traigh Bhan: White tailed  Eagle, GN Diver, and 11 Grey Seals"

John Matthews and his friends "The Port Ellen 4", headed home yesterday, but they had sent their final entry for this visit...

"I'm now safety back home after a 7.5h drive.  

Anyway, on our drive to Port Askaig this morning via the back road to Ballygrant we saw another superb male Merlin sitting on a fence post about 1 mile north of Barr.  Great little bird that sat for about 4 minutes before flying off."

Sunday 16th February

The "Port Ellen 4" had seen the following birds yesterday

5 GND along on Claggain Bay. Female Sparrowhawk at the Sron Dubh turn to the standing stones/Enclosure.

Juv White-tailed Eagle at Gruinart + Hen Harriers (2 male + 1 ringtail), 2 Greenshank, Green-wing Teal, Little Egret, Pintail, Shoveler, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Lesser BB Gull & Dunlin.

Male Hen Harrier at Grainel + Dunlin, Ringed Plover & Pale bellied Brents at Blackrock.

The "normal" geese, Buzzards, Mergansers, Tysties etc elsewhere.

A few birds seen yesterday by Gary and Wendy

"What a foul day, but  what a surprise to have 5 minutes of sunshine in the afternoon. Now back to rain. Didn't expect to see many birds today, but this is our list:
Carnain: Barnies, Brents, Oystercatchers. Drive from Kilchoman to Carnain: Mallard, Pheasant
Around Bruichladdich: Pale belied Brent geese"

Monday 6th January

Well, today the wind has huffed and puffed all day and fortunately enough for us not a lot of rain in the mix for once, the ferry has sailed back and forward, not like a lot of other places on the West of Scotland where the ferries were cancelled out...

Returning visiting birders, Iola Williams, John Miles and his son Ewan are over for a few days  leading a group of birders. They came over this afternoon with John coming in for a welcome cuppa in return for payment for some birds seen since arriving...

They saw a ringtail Hen Harrier fly across the Sound of Islay to Jura as the ferry approached Port Askaig. Down on the merse at Bridgend, the Little Egret was present, along with Greenshank and a number of Teal were seen there as well. On their way on towards their accommodation at Kilchoman, they had seen a male Hen Harrier up from Grainel. Shortly afterwards, a flock of 20 Fieldfares and 6 Redwing and finally they had seen a couple of Buzzards.

Mid morning, here at home, the pesky Sparrowhawk came past and had the brass neck to perch up on the feeding station before deciding to move on... and I did not get in a panic about him being as close to me at all!!! About another 30 minutes elapsed before, and we had another regular grace us with his presence, the male Hen Harrier floated past us along the fence line and not much above it either, great to see so close...

Sunday 29th Decemb

Peter and Pia have had birding friends over to stay with them during Christmas and tried getting out between the ups and downs of the weather.

 

24th December:

• A lovely group of 9 male L T Ducks off Black Rock plus a dozen or more RTD & GND plus 8-10 Slav Grebes.
• At Killinallan a distant Golden Eagle plus 2 Greenshank, a Little Egret and an Otter in the middle of Loch Gruinart

25th December:

• a glorious sunny morning with a walk around the Oa at the American monument. Another distant Golden Eagle and a big Twite flock (140+) in gorgeous sunlight at Upper Killeyan and a Sparrowhawk at Cornabus.

26th December:

• My guests continued to be impressed by the large goose flocks though we didn’t find any of the rarities. A juv.  White-tailed Eagle over the S. Hide at Gruinart was much appreciated for a birder from Kent! The Little Egret seen again at the hide was more exciting to me.

28th December:

• An impressive flock of 125+ Common Scoter close off Bowmore

29th December:

• Two very close adult W T Eagles cruising almost at head-height a few yards from the car along the beach near Uskentuie was a fantastic send-off for them as I drove them to the ferry.

While not racing about trying to see a huge list of birds, they were impressed by about 75 species in total over a relaxed Christmas break.