Tues 21st Oct

Another entry for the blog from our visitors,
"A colder day, but still windy with showers. At first light, small groups of Whooper Swans were moving, and as usual thousands of geese too. Later, down at Machir Bay, 3 dead gannets had been washed in, whilst a Peregrine flew over carrying its prey. The tracks of an Otter could be seen, coming down from the dunes and into the sea.
As we drove past Loch Gorm, a male Hen Harrier was out hunting while over the road near to RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve, a Sparrowhawk flashed by. Up at Ardnave, there were 24 Whooper and 5 mute Swans on the loch. A group of Ringed Plover, Sanderling and Turnstone along the Gruinart shore which was sheltered from the wind. The highlight of the day were 5 Snow Buntings near to Ardnave Point itself.
Returning to Kilchoman, in the late afternoon, a large flock of Golden Plover and Lapwing was near to Rockside, with a group of Twite sheltering behind a dyke on the roadside. The final birds were another 14 Whoopers flying over with their lovely contact calls." Thanks for that folks.
Another visiting birder contacted me to say that he had the Crossbills down at Avonvogie again, and also that he had seen 2 small groups of Whoopers, one of 16 and the other of 18 heading down Loch Indaal out towards Ireland.
Michal had a count of 689 Whitefronts out on the reserve and also 122 Lapwing on one of the fields below the visitor centre along the flats. MS
George had 4 Swallows down at Port Charlotte today. GJ