Mon 1st November 2011

I emptied the rain guage this morning a grand total of just under 9 inches of rain for Gruinart. The Island has been amazing for birds of prey this last month, with all the resident and visiting birds very much in evidence. Carl reported from Port Charlotte a sparrowhawk, a merlin at Ballinaby and a peregrine at Coull all on Sunday. Also yesterday I had a report from visitors of 200 chaffinches at Sunderland Farm. Today at Gruinart there were 20 black tailed godwit, 3 greenshank and 7 pale bellied brents. The American wigeon was still at Loch Skerrols.