Tues 15th Jan

Well, not the birds of Islay, but I found the notebook, so you can get the birds of Jura instead which were seen on a brief visit on Saturday 12th January....You will just have to take it from my notebook rather than any special order! Lesser Black backed Gull, 4 Heron, 17 Turnstone, 2 Kestrel, Robin, Hen Harrier (1 male & 2 female), Raven, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, 6 Great Northern Diver, Greylag Geese, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Starling, Herring Gull, Hooded Crow, Song Thrush, Woodpigeon, Pheasant, Common Gull, Mallard, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Eider, Merganser, Goldeneye, Cormorant, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Rock Pipit and Curlew. I have not included number for all the birds seen. We also saw numerous Red Deer in differnt locations and on our return to the ferry there was a field with 38 deer in it, infact the deer coming off the hill at the darkening was a bit of a road hazard as I had to pay more attention than usual, and not speed on too quickly. IKB

James was over too, but saw some other species than we did, he was on foot down through the gardens to the shore at Jura House, so in addition he saw Grey Wagtail, Grey Plover, Treecreeper and a Buzzard. JRH

We were talking later on about how that there are not so many Barnacle or Whitefronted Geese present on Jura, as there are similar in bye fields over on Jura that the Geese could be on, as they are here on Islay. We both noted that neither of us saw an Otter!