Monday 23rd May

Well, the weather forecast was spot on. I have not seen the wind blowing so hard as it did mid afternoon, and coming home this evening the leaves on the trees have taken a tanking too. Quite a few leaves needless to say have been blown off, some limbs have broken off while leaves that still remain on the branches will now be salt burnt. The salt burn often happens after a big blow in July, but not in May! The sea out to the Atlantic was boiling as was Loch Gorm, quite a sight to see really. The ferry made a quick single trip mid morning, hats off to the crew as I would not really have fancied the trip over. The power too has been off and on, and I believe that we are on the generator as I write, at least we have the choice. Forgot this was meant to be a bird blog, oops.... Bob had seen 6 Gannets and 2 Arctic Skuas (dark phase) fly over the pier at Bowmore this morning. Mary had spotted 4 young Coal Tit fledglings in the gorse bushes up at Gruinart. A visitor counted 80 Rock Doves round at Ballinaby, 6 Common Terns down at Portnahaven and they commented on the poor Starling getting buffeted in the wind as kept bringing food back to the nest. They had seen a Tern flying but getting nowhere... There was a wind gust of 71mph over at the airport earlier today. It is a bit calmer now, but the airport is meant to be shut tomorrow because of the ash from Iceland, thought it would have blown past by now!!!