Sun 31st October

Really going technical with the blog tonight...

This past week, Steve Percival has been over on Islay checking through the geese. Steve has been doing this for over 20 years, and usually ringing some more Barnies each year. The graph above shows us a summary of the Barnie breeding success through from 2000. This year is the third best year since 2000 and well above the 10 year average. The figure for this year given to me by Steve was 13.4% juveniles overall of a sample of almost 15,000 aged. Thanks Steve for this info and some more from Steve tomorrow night.....

The Royal Air Force Ornithological Society (RAFOS) are over for the week, and some of their members saw the Grey Phalarope today up at Traigh Nostaig. While they were there a flock of Turnstones and Sanderling was present. Returning back to their cars, 31 Chough were counted together in one flock.

Two other parties of visiting birders have been over this past few days, and today were fortunate to have Loch Indaal being flat calm, giving ideal conditions for watching various Divers out from the shore. A Merlin flew past too, and down the Oa the other day, a Kestrel was seen mobbing a Peregrine. Also on the Oa they had a flock of over 200 Twite with a couple of Brambling thrown in for good measure!

A Snow Bunting was seen this morning down on Machir Bay.