Sunday 16th October

We are half way through the month now, and the rain gauge is at 4 inches already for October, with more forecast for tomorrow, at least it is not snow which is predicted up towards Inverness!The visitors from Durham had seen the American Wigeon over at Gartmain this afternoon, there were also 10 Dunlin, 130 Bar tailed Godwit and 6 Turnstone there too. Along at Loch Skerrols, they had counted 46 Whoopers. The Whoopers are still to be seen down at Rockside, and quite often a few take off for the small hop along to the lochans, to return a short while later to the stubble. There was a male Hen Harrier out down at the reedbed at the Coastguard cottages this morning, with a further one out close to Leek over the other side of Loch Gorm from here. Martin had been up round Ardnave Point today ad saw a group of 20 Whimbrels fly past, a Curlew was also seen at the time so Martin had no doubts with comparison in size. Down on the shoreline he had a very light coloured Bar tailed Godwit, while offshore were some Scoters. George had been over on Jura today and had close sightings of 2 Hen Harriers, a male and a female at different points. He also had a Merlin, 12 Raven, 1 Kestrel, 2 White tailed Sea Eagles over the Sound of Islay, 2 Stoenechats, 30 Goldfinches on Ragwort heads and 5 Herons sheltering up in a rushy field beyond Craighouse.