It was good to read Armin's comment at the foot of yesterday's entry, where he says that he had seen Red Kites, a Magpie and 2 Coots whilst he was out along the canal path. Red Kites and Magpies are not seen that often here on Islay let alone a Coot!
On to today's birds... we were out for a couple of hours just after lunchtime...Over at Coull, the Iceland Gull was still present while a Reed Bunting was on the road side after the Coastguard cottages, a Peregrine was seen at Ballinaby, also there were 2 Chough. On Ardnave Loch, 15 Whooper Swan, 2 Mute Swan, 5 Wigeon and a few Goldeneye. On the fields there were 30 Oystercatcher and 4 Common Gulls. On the other side of Loch Gruinart, with tide being kind to us, there was plenty to see, Wigeon, Mallard, Shelduck, Turnstone, Redshank, Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Curlew, more Oystercatchers, Hooded Crow, Raven. The weather was cold, so I was lazy and did not even think to count. Back down on the flats at the head of the loch on the reserve, the Glaucous Gull was added. One thing that was interesting to note was that the Geese appear to be in places this year in January where they are not normally seen. Many of the fields where the geese are normally, there have been badly poached already, the geese in several places today were on the verges of the roads where the grass looks plentiful and green too....
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