Wednesday 12th October

Yesterday on the reserve at Gruinart, there was a count of 34,665 Barnacle Geese present. Carl yesterday had 20 Turnstones at Gartmain, 2 Swallows over Loch Indaal at Uiskentuie Strand, a Red throated Diver on Loch Indaal off the Strand and 18 Ringed Plover with 3 Turnstones at Bruichladdich. The visitors had been down the Oa and had a ringtail Hen Harrier, Kestrel, 2 Chough, a female Merlin at Risabus, 11 Stonechats at various locations, 1 Wheatear at Mid Cragabus, an immature Grey Wagtail at Kilnaughton Bay, 10 Swallows over at Kildalton and a male Hen Harrier at Kintour. Also seen were Grey seals loafing on the rocks at Loch a' Chnuic with bellowing stags heard over the hills. A dog Otter was seen catching a large flounder and devouring it, in front of where they were parked up!!! The weather has not been that great out here with the mist coming and going all day with the odd shower of rain too, but I had a total count of of 239 Whoopers this morning between Rockside and Sunderland, with a large group of 122 present at Sunderland alone. Mid afternoon this group was up to 186 and the various groups along at Rockside giving a total of 293 in all. There was also a Wheatear towards Sunderland too. Coming back home this evening there was a Barn Owl out in about same place just along from the cairn to the Kilchoman bard.