Thursday 7 October

 An other day of mixed weather. Had some sighting from visitors, always lovely to hear from you and happy that you take the time to share your sightings during your stay.

John Wills spotted the red-breasted goose among a large flock of barnies at Loch Gruinart this morning, visible from the RSPB woodland trails viewing area. The Horwich birders were near Coull this morning where they saw a ringtail hen harrier hunting in the fields, plus a lonely whooper swan.  At Machir Bay they had a lovely sighting of 4 winter plumage sanderling feeding on the tideline.  Later in the afternoon, between showers, 8 swallows by Ballinaby feeding over the hedges, at Saligo a female merlin and a trio of roe deer in a nearby field.  The collective noun for roe deer is a 'bevy', which I've always enjoyed the chance to tell people!

Over at RSPB Loch Gruinart area Teresa Morris had a busy day. Juvenile red kite over the reserve flats, with an immature WTE over Craigens side. From the hides a ring-tailed hen harrier, which visited 3 times while she was there, 2 snipe, 11 lapwing, 12 greylag, 1 whooper, 27 pintail, 12 mallard, heron, hare, roe buck and doe.

On the Oa 2 merlin were seen over Kinnabus. 

At Claddach 3 chough were feeding on the beach. Out towards the west, skeins of geese continuing their journey to their wintering grounds.

Tuesday 28 September

 Windy day with showers in the afternoon, but bright and sunny for the most part.  First real nip in the air I've felt this season, time to dig the gloves out!

It was the day for the pale bellied Brent geese - Gary counted 5 at Gartmain; Peter and Mark had a high count of 191 at Loch Gruinart with 5 barnacle geese. By the evening they had nearly doubled with James counting 355 Brent there. 

Peter also counted further barnacle geese - 14 at Gartmain and 11 towards Bridgend.   Plus a nice count of 140 skylark feeding in the barley stubble at Craigens.  

Golden plover numbers are rising too - 109 at Loch Gruinart and 19 on the Oa.  Dave also noted at the Oa 1 backcap, one goldcrest and one wheatear.

Visiting birders Mick and Lorraine Highfield sent in their sightings from today - one white-tailed eagle to eat west of Loch Gruinart, then an other 2 on Nave Island. Their walk round Ardnave was rewarded with twite at various points, with their highlight being 40 sanderling and 3 ring plover at the point.  Back at the RSPB reserve walking to the Hide rewarded them with both male and ring-railed hen harrier. 

Saturday 17th October

Eddie and Elaine Prince are back over for another Islay fix, and they sent me through their best birds seen during their first week here..

"Most of our finds have already been reported by others (Wood Sandpiper, first light last Sunday, Swallow at Ardnave farm yesterday, and a couple of Golden Eagles frequenting Loch Gruinart), but we've also had 109 Sanderling with the Dunlin, 2 Razorbills, 1 Grey Plover and a couple of Greenshank, and we'll send you our full list when we leave in another week. We thought you might first be interested in the washed up corpse of a juvenile Dolphin, about halfway along the beach on the east side of Ardnave, which is attracting lots of attention from Ravens and the odd Eagle."

Mike Hill had sent through some sightings seen by himself today...

"Loch Indaal...     Bowmore side. 2WTE, one of which caught what appeared to be a skate. Lots of PB Brent Geese and Barnacle Geese and several RB Mergansers. 150+ Golden Plovers. 

Bruichladdich side....    6 GN Diver, one BT Diver, 12 Common Scoter.  

Machir Bay..../  25+ Ringed Plover, Sanderling and several Chough. Sparrowhawk being mobbed by 2 Hooded Crows. Male Hen Harrier behind Kilchoman cottages."

Friday 28th August

On Wednesday, George E. Jackson had seen a Spotted Flycatcher in his garden down at Coultorsay. Later on, also on Wednesday he had seen 2 Sandwich Terns along the top of Loch Indaal.. Yesterday, Pat, his wife, had counted 30 Sanderling down on Machir Bay...

Sunday 9th August

 George E. Jackson sent through some birds which he had seen yesterday. Yesterday evening at what seems to be called Traigh an Luig (Loch Indaal where Sanaigmore Road joins A847) 15 Ringed plovers, 5 Dunlin, 9+ Sanderling with about a dozen "local" Oystercatchers

Karen sent through a couple of sightings seen by her up North. 3 Yellow Hammer and a Sedge Warbler. A  Sedge Warbler can be found every year in the same large patch of rushes beside the church. 

Thursday 23rd July

Gary sent some birds that he had seen yesterday.....
"Some sightings, two Corncrake calling out by Port Charlotte. On Uiskentuie strand at the spit some small flocks of mixed small waders, including Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Turnstone & Sanderling."

 

Tuesday 1th February

Here are the figures that Mark, Lauren and Sarah got on the WeBs count on Friday 7th:

Out on Loch Gruinart - E&W

Red-throated-diver 1

Grey heron 1

Shelduck 134

Wigeon 101

Mallard 8

Goldeneye 1

Red-breasted merganser 2

Oystercatcher 144

Ringed plover 18

Lapwing 50

Sanderling 153

Dunlin 119

Bar-tailed godwit 212

Curlew 25

Redshank 30

Turnstone 35

Black-headed gull 1

Common gull 75

Herring gull 46

Great black-backed gull 4

Greenshank 1

Lauren also had 14 Chough at Tayovullin

Ardnave Loch

Lapwing 4

Oystercatcher 7

Mallard 14

Mute swan 2

Little grebe 2

Teal 8

Goldeneye 8

Gary and Wendy yesterday had braved the elements and had a bracing walk from Carnain along to Bridgend seeing Goldeneye, Snipe, Buzzard and also 3 Song Thrushes

The wind steadied up at 65mph today and was quite constant at that rather than being gusty, with the sea boiling again out over the rocks at Coull Point.

Wednesday 18th September

A new visitor to Islay, for the first time is Gordon Kidd. Back on Monday he had 3 Sanderling, close to him when he was over at Kilnaughton Bay.

Yesterday, James had seen a Golden Eagle, an Osprey and also he had a Hen Harrier, near to / around Loch Gruinart.

Today, James had an adult White tailed Eagle, a Peregrine, and a Sparrowhawk at Gruinart. He also counted 18 Pale bellied Brent Geese there too.  Gordon Kidd had seen a common Scoter out at the top of Loch Indaal, out from Cash Kelly's. This is a new species to Gordon...

Friday 26th July

Coming over on the ferry today, Alistair Hart had seen Gannets, Manx Shearwaters, Tysties and a good number of Auks as well...

James had a quick scan on the estuary at Gruinart  today, seeing "at least 2,900 Dunlin", 100 Sanderling, 10 Barwits, a single Knot as well as  2 Peregrines.

Up here at home,  a Buzzard was flying along the top of the dunes, a single Wren was seen out in the garden, and after much searching, I saw a  Willow Warbler flitting between the seed heads.

Saturday 4th August

Today, Distillery Dave had counted 76 Sanderling down on Machir Bay, he also had seen a Black tailed Godwit as well.

This morning, I saw 3 Wrens down below the house, the first seen for a few days. Out on the seed heads over towards the reed bed were a family of 4 Whinchats. Late afternoon, while visiting friends, we saw 2 juvenile Robins in their garden. Finally this evening, the flock of birds coming to feed on the crop has greatly increased, again mainly Linnet and Twite with a good number of Goldfinches enjoying the thistle seeds on offer. The other "locals", the Siskins, Chaffinches and House Sparrows seem to be content on the other purchased seed on offer!!!!

Tuesday 30th May

The reason why I never put an entry on the blog yesterday is twofold, the weather was foul for most of the day, and therefore I had no birds to report to you...Yesterday evening, though Mandy had heard a Chiffchaff at Sunderland Farm and then shortly afterwards, she heard a Whitethroat round at Carnduncan. Today, Mark had 6 Little Terns, 32 Arctic Terns, 3 Bonxies, a "lonely" Barnacle Goose and a count of 80 Sanderling, up at Ardnave/ Nave Island. The weather has been kinder today, but at the weekend I took the guards off from round the Willows, to give them a chance to bush out rather than getting too leggy... Big mistake, as when I walked along them this morning I spotted that one of the Hares had been nibbling at some of the young tender shoots.. so today, I have been kept out of mischief making and fitting almost 50 larger guards, so fingers crossed the said Hare will just need to eat some grass again....

Saturday 23rd July

A good start to the day with cloud sinking down to drizzle in the afternoon. A few records from Ardnave - 9 Sanderling, a few flocks of Dunlin, a scattering of Wheatears and approx 60 Chough. Michal had a singing Grasshopper Warbler at Gruinart Farm.

Monday 15th February

James yesterday had seen 7 Grey Plovers at Gruinart. Yesterday morning, I saw 5 Whoopers fly in from the sea, and than late afternoon, 8 flew back out from the Loch Gorm area. Mandy had been up at Sanaigmore and had 3 Turnstone and 20 Oystercatchers. The Rochdale birders had seen 80 Sanderling at the "lobster ponds" at Ardnave, the largest group of them, that they have ever seen on Islay! They also saw a Golden Eagle close to Storakaig, a Kingfisher at Loch Skerrols, a female Sparrowhawk at Coullabus with a flock of over 300 Golden Plovers along the flats at Gruinart. A bit overcast here this evening, so Tim Peake & Co will just have to pass over and not be seen on the ISS

Monday 21st Sepember

Rather a miserable start to the day with the weather, but as the day went on, the weather improved with a not bad afternoon in the end, managed to get some striming done, and no midges around, better still...Bob had been down on Machir Bay and had 50 Sanderling. He also saw a flock of 150 Linnets and another with 50 Goldfinches up over the dunes, wonder if were the same birds that I saw on the overhead wires??? The small number group of 20 Swallows that were here the other day must have moved on, as there has been only the odd Swallow seen today.

Tuesday 13th January

Well, the forecast was correct (as ever!) and we awoke this morning to the ground with a covering of snow, not a lot but it carried on with dirty showers through the day. Think that the other side, Ballygrant and Keills would certainly have had more than us! There were a few flashes of lightening yesterday evening along with the following rumbles of thunder and this has happened again the odd time through the day today. I was even wakened at 2.30am with a really heavy hail shower with the hailstones clattering off the bedroom window!! Long and the short of it was that I certainly did not venture far today, so the big stove was lit and the house is nice and cosy inside... the cats are loving it as we are too!!! Today some of the others had to work... Mary had been out in the trying conditions attempting to do the International Goose Count on the Gruinart/ Ardnave route. To start her day off, an immature Glaucous Gull was seen at Blackrock, with around 20 Scaup offshore there as well. Along at Blackpark, a ringtail Hen Harrier with a second one noted along the flats at Gruinart and a male Hen Harrier close to Grainel. Also there, was a flock of 40 Fieldfare. At Killinallan, another male HH was seen. Over at the lobster ponds at Ardnave, around 50 Sanderling were in 2 tight groups sheltering behind 2 small lumps of seaweed during a particularly heavy hail shower...Nearby, out on some of the wet, boggy ground 5 Pied Wagtails and around 12 Meadow Pipits were feeding. Back close Ardnave Loch, a Merlin was in hot pursuit of a LBJ, finally on the salt marsh Mary had seen an Otter. Bob had been out on the Rhinns route and felt that there were more Skylarks and Meadow Pipits around. By all accounts a day for most birds hunkering down and trying to find shelter , so it will be interesting to see the count figures tally at when they come out!

Sunday 28th July

Just noticed that I forgot to write an entry for the blog last night, oops, a bit of an oversght, sorry about that, when in a hole stop digging..... Stephen Welch from the Lothians headed home yesterday, from the ferry between Port Askaig and Kennacraig, he had over 1,000 Auks, roughly 85% Guillemots and 15% Razorbill. Also from the ferry, Stephen had a Porpoise just South of Jura and 2 NW of Gigha. On Friday, Stephen had 12 Sanderling on Machir Bay, a ringtail Hen Harrier at the head of Loch Gorm and another over beside the Machrie on his way back to Port Ellen. Bob today had 9 Greylag fly past his house. On a walk along the road up towards Kilchiaran, Bob counted 72 House Martins and 6 Mistle Thrushes and heard Whitethroats, Linnets, Redpolls and Stonechats calling away.

It is that time of the month again, well almost, the Islay Bird nerds will be meeting down at Gartbreck which just out from Bowmore at around 7pm on Tuesday, any visitors who are over are welcome to come along

Monday 27th August

A mixed day with heavy squally showers with the odd glimpse of sun, and also another rumble at 13.58, was it yet another earth tremor close to Islay? As the weather has not been good for birding, John Lee sent through some sightings from yesterday. Over Loch Gorm, John had an Osprey, 2 Twite at Sanaigmore, also 2 Chough at Sanaigmore, at Saligo 3 Fulmar were seen and also 6 Sanderling. Down close to Port Charlotte, John had a count of 20 Curlew. Thanks John.

Wednesday 18th April

Visiting birders had seen a male Hen Harrier and a juv Golden Eagle over at Storakaig. Later on they saw a Golden Eagle up at Bunnahabhain being mobbed by Ravens, and finally they had a Common Sandpiper down on the stream that enters Claggain Bay. Today, up at Ardnave they had 32 Sanderling and they also heard a Corncrake at Rockside. Also today, Peter Gill from Sunderland had 2 Blackcaps in the trees behind "Jimmy's" shop at Bridgend a Swallow over Bridgend Hotel, another Swallow at Loch Allan, a Tawny Owl in the trees at Loch Allan, a Black throated Divers at Port Charlotte this evening and hearing more Willow Warblers through the whole island. Mary this evening had 5 Pale bellied Brent at Gortan.

Thursday 12th January

James had carried out a count on the reserve at Gruinart yesterday with the tallies as follows, 4662 Barnacle Geese, 398 Greeland Whitefronts, 109 Greylags, 1 Canada Hutchinsii sp, 162 Rock Doves, 1st winter Iceland Gull, adult Iceland Gull, 10 Whooper Swan, 2 Sparrowhawks, female Hen Harrier, 4 Greenshank, 224 Lapwing, 30 Redshank, 1 Pochard. James also had a second year Golden Eagle over Craigens. This afternoon, we had 8 Ringed Plover and 3 Sanderling on Machir Bay with 11 Chough up on the dunes. Also flying around on the dunes were some Curlews and also Oystercatchers too.

Thursday 11th August

A better day weather wise for the local Agricultural Show, it started of damp (not wet) and overcast, it dried up and by mid afternoon it was not too bad a day at all, better still no midges which can be a nuisance at the best of times! It was good to see some of the young folk competing in the various classes and winning rosettes for their stock, it can sometimes be a bit of a grind with the same folk winning all the time, just like the football teams... Bird front obviously quiet, but Bob had been down on the Machir Bay and counted 70 Sanderling.