Thursday 2nd, Friday 3rd, Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th January

Despite fairly pleasant, dry, sunny weather with light, but chilly winds from a more northerly direction (while lots of other places across the UK were inundated with snow and rain), there has been very little in the way of birding going on here on Islay - hence the long, 4 day silence.

On Thursday 2nd, visitor Anne Mehler had a Long-tailed Duck near Blackrock, plus c.50 Common Scoter. 

On Friday 3rd, Anne saw a White-tailed Eagle in the Sound between Islay and Jura as she departed. Also on the 3rd,  George Jackson had a quick look at Loch Skerrols at about mid-day, finding  a single male Goldeneye and single Moorhen, but there were only 7 Tufted Ducks, plus c.30 Mallard and Teal.

The bird feeder here in Bruichladdich and at Val Peacock's in Port Charlotte has been attracting a female Sparrowhawk regularly over the past few days - whether it is the same bird I've no idea.

Today, Mary R. had a Buzzard on the shoreline at Bruichladdich (where Malcolm O. watched an otter having breakfast) followed by a pair of adult  White-tailed Eagles perched on Blackrock itself.  Malcolm was out at Craigens on Loch Gruinart and counted 1,280 Golden Plover, 450 Dunlin and 180 Lapwing, all in the same damp pasture.

I walked up to Ballimony from Octofad this afternoon and watched a couple of Choughs followed by a further group of 7, all flying from the coast near Octofad inland along the edge of the forestry, with 5 turning back. I wonder what they were doing or where they were going..............

Tuesday 31st December 2024 & Wednesday 1st January 2025

 The last day of the year was another of unpleasant weather, but the New Year started brilliantly with, for much of the day, clear blue skies, dry and with light winds. But the wind had turned to a northerly, so it was decidedly colder than the previous couple of weeks.

The last bird records of 2024 were a male Hen Harrier seen by Pete Twist at Ballymeanach, a Greater Scaup still on Loch Skerrols noted by Ed B.. Mary R. saw 3 Gannets plus a few Kittiwakes off Frenchman's Rocks and a Peregrine nearby. I did a walk from the Woollen Mill to Daill House and found a flock of 16 Siskin and a scattering of 4 Bullfinches.  

Other late 2024 news includes a photo from Ed B. taken on a thermal imager of no less than 8 Woodcock feeding in an open field at Cornabus after dark a couple of days ago - a further clear indication of how incredibly under-recorded this species is. Malcolm O. sent in a Facebook post from Billy Stitchell saying that his male Blackcap which had been present on his feeders now for a couple of weeks has moved on, but he does have two Greenfinches present along with the more common bird table species.

The first records from Islay for 2025 are from the RSPB Gruinart hides where James H. and I watched for a while this afternoon. I counted the usual group of 38 Whooper Swans, while James H. recorded 2 Golden Eagles, 1 White-tailed Eagle, 2 Hen Harriers, 95 Dunlin, 7 Snipe and 2 Woodcock. James also managed to find the Green-winged Teal for me!

Louise Muir sent the first note from Jura - a photo of a Ban Owl on a garden fence at Craighouse.

WISHING ALL BLOG READERS A HAPPY, HEALTHY BIRD-FILLED 2025

Sunday 29th & Monday 30th December

Two further days of fairly miserable weather - windy, grey and wet!

Yesterday, newly arrived Pete Twist braved the elements seeing amongst other things a few Great Northern Divers at various locations and a Whooper Swan at Port Ellen.

Today he managed a couple of golden Eagles between Lagavulin and Ardbeg. Also today, James H. had been down to the South Hide at RSPB Gruinart in the morning and found the Green-winged Teal that I failed to locate in my recent visits.

Saturday 28th December

Another day of grey skies, light winds and drizzle, clearing slightly in the afternoon.

Mary Redman sent in some Christmas bird notes including 20 Song Thrushes at Tormisdale on Christmas Day, Kestrel at Blackrock, Peregrine at Port Wemyss and Sparrowhawk there today.

Up at Gruinart Clive McK. counted 8 Little Egrets in the evening from the RSPB South Hide. I'd been there earlier in the afternoon and counted 38 Whooper Swans and a single Gadwall present.

Fiona McG. had seen a total of 3 Barn Owls hunting this evening between Bowmore and Uiskentuie.

A lone Greenfinch continues to visit the bird feeder here at Bruichladdich.

Thursday 26th & Friday 27th December

Two more days of fairly mild, dreary weather with lots of cloud, occasional drizzle and light winds.

After the surfeit of Turkeys on Christmas Day there were no reports of birds on Boxing Day until the evening when Clive McK discovered a total of 6 Woodcock feeding in open fields after dark near his house at Creag Mhor, Gruinart. He also found a road-kill hare that he put out on the off-chance that a passing White-tailed Eagle might enjoy a Christmas gift. This morning the gift was duly accepted by a White-tailed Eagle and taken off to Gruinart flats to be eaten.  Later today I managed a couple of short walks, finding 35 Brent Geese up towards Crosshouses, 60+ Ringed Plover on Machir Bay and a further 13 on the beach at Sanaigmore.

Wednesday 25th December

Mild and mostly dry with light winds and even a little sunshine at times - definitely no recipe for a White Christmas.

I took a walk at Loch Skerrols in the morning where 5 Goldeneye and 10 Tufted Duck were accompanied by a single female Greater Scaup. A female Hen Harrier and a pair of Sparrowhawks were noted nearby. We then took the short walk down the River Sorn to its outlet at Bridgend merse finding a very confiding Dipper and lovely female Goosander.

Thereafter there were unconfirmed reports of large numbers of Turkeys appearing on Islay. When asked for corroboration the following photo was kindly sent in:

Unfortunately this was not adequate to verify the species, as in reality they should look like this to be considered as an addition to the Islay bird list:

Tuesday 24th December

 Another mainly grey day, but very mild with little wind and not too much drizzle.

Dave Edwards is visiting for Christmas and New Year and sent in the following:

"Cycled the clockwise circuit from Port Charlotte to Portnahaven this afternoon. Various Buzzards and lots of Hooded Crows (so much prettier than the ‘English’ crow). Pair of White-tailed Eagles soaring in front of Ben Cladville. Golden Eagle near Kilchiaran. Approx 30 Curlew near Cladville with a few Lapwing mixed in".

I was in Bowmore in the morning and stopped to look around the various vantage points of Loch Indaal. A couple of Long-tailed Ducks including a fine male, brightened up the view at Bowmore and at Gartnatra there was a group of c.40 Brent Geese.

I went to the two hides at RSPB Gruinart in the afternoon where there were 35 Whooper Swans amid masses of other wildfowl including at least 1 Gadwall. Waders were coming and going and included 600 Lapwing, 400 Dunlin and a lone Greenshank. Passing by were an immature Peregrine and young Golden Eagle. The Little Egret tally stood at 6 birds today.

Wishing all the readers of this blog a Happy Christmas