Thursday 22nd & Friday 23rd May

The sunny, dry weather continued into Thursday, though with a cooler breeze and more cloud showing at times. Finally, on Friday, the weather broke, with solid cloud and some lovely light refreshing rain. The wetter weather has come just in time to rain all next week when Feis Ile is on!

The only bird notes in for Thursday were from Hedley Wright who found Hen Harriers at Blackrock, Loch Tallant and Mull of Oa.

Today, Gary T. also saw Hen Harriers - two of them over Ballygrant, plus a Great Spotted Woodpecker flying across the road - also near Ballygrant.

Later on Hedley noted a Golden Eagle at Kilchoman and Clive McK. had the year's first Arctic Skua (dark phase) north over Loch Gruinart.

Billy Stitchell sent in a couple of fine photos of his resident Bullfinch male up at Caol Ila, which he thinks is nesting nearby.

Wednesday 21st May

A cooler breeze today, but still bright, dry and sunny - though there is a promise of rain by the coming weekend.

My day started early (midnight to be precise) as several of us carried out the first of 3 Corn Crake surveys over Islay from midnight to 3am. I covered the northern part of the Rhinns from north of Bruichladdich down to just south of Port Charlotte and heard three calling birds.

The only other bird news today is supplied by Hedley Wright who counted 12 Black Guillemots at Port Askaig and a Hen Harrier over Loch Gorm.

I wandered up to Killinallan and noted a small Sand Martin colony (c.15 holes) in a sand bank in the dunes - I expect there are several others and I'll try and find the time to look further here and in other locations I know they are present. It would be useful to hear of other colonies that are dotted about Islay - please let the blog know if you come across any.

Tuesday 20th May

Perhaps not quite as warm as some of the previous days, but still dry, bright and sunny throughout, with a light breeze.

Gary T. reported an Osprey being chased by corvids at Loch nan Cadhan near Lily Loch this morning. Hedley Wright found a male Hen Harrier near Kilchoman distillery and 4 Whimbrel near Bruichladdich this evening.

Monday 19th May

A slight change in the weather today! Still dry and sunny, but there was a stronger breeze and some occasional spells of quite stormy looking cloud cover.

The only bird note for today was a Swift over the moorland trail at Gruinart seen by James H. this morning.

Hedley Wright saw a male Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly today, also noted yesterday by David D. along with other records of interesting butterflies, damsel and dragonflies.

Sunday 18th May

 Weather? - "same old" - unrelenting sunshine, light breezes and heat.

Yesterday, up at Ardnave Clive McK. had a good count of 120 Bar-tailed Godwits, while Hedley Wright found a lone Whimbrel in the same area today.

Many thanks to Martin Harris who had his last day birding on Islay today and sent in a few more records:

In the Sound of Jura between Feolin Ferry and Port Askaig: 3 Great Northern Divers including 2 stunning adults, plus 1 Red-throated Diver. On The Oa: 2 Golden Eagles, 3 Wheatears. 2 Ravens with chicks in a nest on the cliffs  near the American Monument. Kilnaughton Bay and Singing Sands: 2 White-tailed Eagles overhead including an immature bird and rarest bird of the day - a Magpie towards the lighthouse.

This morning Martin A. reported on a good walk along the woodland tracks at Avenvogie with lots of singing from the breeding birds - Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, Chiffchaff and Whitethroat along with Redpolls, Bullfinch and 4 Cuckoos.

Down at Port Charlotte this morning I found 7 Red-throated Divers feeding offshore.

Saturday 17th May

Hot, dry, sunny, light breeze - perfect!

Some additional records for yesterday from Martin Harris who had a Red-throated diver off Port Mhor in the early evening then found a drake Garganey at RSPB Gruinart from the South Hide later in the evening along with 20+ Black-tailed Godwits.

Today, Martin noted an adult White-tailed Eagle and 9 Black Guillemots at Port Askaig. Clive McK. had his first Spotted Flycatcher for his garden this year up at Creag Mhor and newly arrived visitor Hedley Wright was pleased to find 13 Choughs at Machir Bay.

I checked out the lochs at Ballygrant, nan Cadhan and Skerrols today but found all very quiet indeed, though all held nesting Mute Swans - a pair on a nest at Skerrols, a brood of  9 cygnets on nan Cadhan and 5 cygnets at Ballygrant, where Goldcrest was singing in the woodland.

Over on Jura, Louise Muir saw a Woodcock at Craighouse.

Friday 16th May

 The heatwave continues...........

Martin Harris sent in the following selection of sightings: At Blackrock and the nearby beach were 16 Dunlin. At Rubha Ban there was an adult White-tailed Eagle and a pair of Shelduck with young. Up at Bunnahabhain were 3 Eider, 3 Black Guillemots and 2 Willow Warblers. Sitting for an hour at Port Mhor this morning produced, amongst other things, 11 Common Gull, 1 Great black-backed Gull, 8 Arctic Terns, 3 Stonechats, single Dunnock, Cuckoo and Sedge Warbler, a couple of Buzzards, a passing Gannet, plus Linnets, House Martins, Starlings, plus 9 Golden Plovers flying past.

David Livingston sent in a couple of classic spring photos of our breeding birds:

A female Mallard with ducklings at Kilnaughton Bay

A Lapwing chick on the road down to the Machrie Hotel & Golf Course