Friday 23rd October

Mike Hill sent his birds seen on Wednesday and also yesterday 

Weds 21st

A Chiffchaff briefly early morning in the trees next to the burn besides our cottage. A White -tailed Eagle flew in inland over Machir Bay. Along the road to Saligo Bay, in amongst the Barnacle Geese, were 8 Whooper Swans, 2 Pink-footed Geese and a Canada Goose. It looks like it wasn't the Cackling Goose so could be the Todd's Canada Goose that has been around. At Loch Gruinart were lots of Pintail, c200 Golden Plover, 2 Grey Plover, 4 Greenshank, a flock of Sanderling and all the usual geese. Back at Machir Bay late afternoon there were 59 Ringed Plover with 4 Sanderling for company, 40 Curlew flew over, 24 Whooper Swans came from the SW and at least 2 GNDs on the sea. There were other divers but the sea was quite choppy and only had binoculars with us.

Thurs 22nd

At Machir Bay between 0800 and 0900. A Peregrine flew over, 21 Whooper Swans, 3 Shelduck, a flock of c15 Twite landed near me briefly and out at sea, 15+ Gannets went north and 2 Shearwater sp went south very distantly. At our cottage a small flock of Siskins went over east and 36 Whooper Swans went SW. Along the road to Loch Indaal was a single female Brambling in with the large Chaffinch flock. On Loch Indaal were 12 Red-throated,1 Black and  at least 2 Great Northern Divers along with several Common Scoter and 8 Eider. 20+ Whooper Swans flew along the far side of the loch. Down at Portnahaven/Port Wemyss were 2White-tailed Eagles, and adult and a juvenile. According to a local birder they had been around a while taking advantage of the pupping Grey Seals. A Merlin went low over to Orsay. Back at the cottage late afternoon was a single Golden Eagle off to the east which was mobbed by a Peregrine before drifting over towards Loch Gorm.

Steve Percival sent me through this e mail last night..."Another Cackling goose up at Eorrabus this morning, and 2 cracking W T Eagles on the shore at Bridgend"

Also yesterday, Richard had seen the albino/ leucistic Common Gull down on Machir Bay in the morning. At Bruichladdich, Richard had a Tystie, a Gannet, some Eider and he saw 7 RTDs as well. Over at Blackrock, Richard counted 50 Common Scoter. Peter in the afternoon had also seen the albino/ leucistic Common Gull down on Machir Bay as well.

Eddie and Elaine yesterday had seen the Wood Sandpiper out from the North hide yesterday

The Hoopoe was seen in the Bridgend are again yesterday, by whom I do not know..

David Wood was in touch with some birds counted down on the Oa...

"Rough estimate of 400 Redwing around the Oa yesterday.

We’ve had a bit of a count this afternoon and had 1670 today, real total will be much higher, this was from just 4 different groups. Also 350 Fieldfare today. Merlin present as well. "

James had also noted seeing a movement of Redwings at Gruinart yesterday and today he had counted

"White fronted geese 412. Didn’t count the Barnies

 Golden Plover, a flock of 1315 on the Flats

Teal 1555 on Floods

Linnets a flock of 295 on one of the bird crops"

Lesley today had the Wood Sandpiper  at the North Hide.

Thursday 8th October

 Well, here goes fingers crossed and all that... mainly sightings from yesterday but better late than never!!!

Peter Roberts had carried out a sea watch down at Frenchman's Rocks for around 90 minutes yesterday morning..  1 GND, 2 RTD, a Manxie, 6 RBM, 475 Auk species, 133 Gannets and also 601 Kittiwakes.

Visitor Jacqui Relph had seen 3 Golden Eagles down on the Oa, and then as she drove back to Port Ellen, she had 2 Hen Harriers. She also saw a Rock Pipit and also a Razorbill over at Claggain Bay.

Peter Gill had a Peregrine fly overhead as he was scanning through the geese at Gruinart and then a wee while later on, he had a Wheatear on the roadside. Down at Bridgend, he saw a White tailed Eagle sitting watching all that was happening around and then a second WTE flew in. Also present were 14 Whooper Swans. Loch Ballygrant there were 2 Dabchicks, but no Tufted Ducks seen. Over at Finlaggan, Peter had a probable Golden Eagle seen.

Gary phoned through and told Margaret that he had seen the Hoopoe down in the Bridgend area this morning, a long staying Hoopoe for sure...

Sunday 27th September

Dave Wood sent through yesterday these birds which he had down on the reserve on the Oa..

"Nothing exciting here, but a few common migrants, 6 Goldcrest, 1 Blackcap, 4 Coal Tits. Coal Tits not usually seen on the Oa!" 

James yesterday had the following birds up at Gruinart...

183 Barnies, 2 Canada X Barny and also 2 Grey Plover 

George E. Jackson yesterday had sent through the following birds

"There were about 25 hirundines including at least 1 House Martin. On the same walk, at Uiskentuie there were 10 Pale b Brents also a female/imm R b Merganser near Blackrock (first I've seen this autumn though I haven't looked very widely yet!) Let's see what tomorrow brings. Today, George had seen 4 Sand Martins down at Machir Bay, with a count of 30 Ringed Plover in a field beside the car park at the beach itself. Further back along the road he had a flock of around 25 Tree Sparrows.."

James reckoned that there were at least 1,000 Greylags down on Loch Gorm and also 25 Barnies present there as well this afternoon.

Dave Wood had a Pied Flycatcher at Kinnabus today, plus 4 Goldcrest.

Gary today had  "2 WTE at Bridgend, one on rocky outcrop and one on the shipwreck. Small number of Barnacle Geese huddled down on sand between them. Both WTE rose and flew towards each other spooking the geese, geese didn’t know which way to go and the Eagles got one. They took it to the wreck and opened it up"

 Malcolm e mailed through this evening to tell me that the Hoopoe was seen down close to where it had been seen down close to Bridgend. 

All I can tell you is that we had an increase in Goldfinches again with around about 12 birds seen, none with rings on, although there was a House Sparrow with a ring fitted on the suet feeder !!!

Friday 25th September

Gary today had the following birds... 

"19 Barnacle Geese dropped into the sand at Bridgend along with 3 Pale bellied Brent Geese.

Ring tailed Hen Harrier at Esknish."

Mary Redman saw a Hoopoe at Bridgend this afternoon. Mary contacted James who phoned up some of the others to share the sighting with. When James was there a White tailed Eagle flew overhead as well...

Apologies to James as he told me the count of geese seen by him at Gruinart, but sorry to say that it has slipped my memory already, a few more Barnies and also around about 20 Pinkies in as well.

The birds seen here at home out on the feeders included 6 Goldfinch, a Robin, 5 Chaffinch, 3 House Sparrows, 2 Dunnocks as well as 3 Starlings and about 12 Jackdaws who were not pleased with me as they could not get into the feeders!!!! The weather at least remained dry with a cold wind blowing for most of the day....

Wed 13th Aug

Malcolm e mailed in to say that somebody from Bowmore had contacted the Islay Natural History Trust to say that they had seen a Rose coloured Starling in their neighbour's garden yesterday, and it was still there today. MAO

I was speaking to Donald James MacPhee yesterday and he was telling me that a colleague of his had seen the Hoopoe over towards Keills one day last week.

After leaving here on Sunday evening, James and Michal had seen a Sparrowhawk, and then later on had a Whinchat and 5 Wheatear on the roadside. JRH

While down in the woods at Bridgend this morning, we were fortunate to see a family of 4 Spotted Flycatchers out on the wings catching their prey, several Coal tits could be heard and were also seen. There was no sign of either the Dipper or Kingfisher today although we were lower down on the Sorn. The Osprey was heard, but we were unfortunate not to see it due to the trees! A Peregrine Falcon was seen on the ground at the top of Loch Indaal, watching all that was around! There was also the odd Whimbrel and Godwit around, but all seemed rather uneasy, although the Redshank appeared to be more interested in feeding. IKB

Fri 2nd May

This image was one of a pair of Yellowhammer, that was taken here on Islay today by Michal while out over at Gortontoid. As well as the Yellowhammer, he had a Common Sandpiper on the rocky foreshore and then later on he was fortunate to see an Otter. He also had a Peregrine Falcon and over the dunes at Gortontoid Point, there were 7 Sand Martin. There was also an adder out sunning itself! MS

There was a phone call in to Margaret today of a Hoopoe, that was seen over at Coal Ila on Sunday and Monday, but it has not been seen since. This is the first Hoopoe on Islay for a few years.

Yesterday afternoon, James had the Green winged Teal and 23 Black tailed Godwit as well as a Stoat on the reserve at Loch Gruinart. Today he had 2 Redpoll, 3 Whitethroats, 9 Grasshopper Warbler and 3 Water Rail. James also reported in to say that he had seen a lot of Drinker Moth caterpillars. JRH