Thursday 19th January

Yesterday, Mary had been out counting on the second day of the International Goose count, apart from the geese she saw 8 white winged gulls on her way round. She had an Iceland Gull at Lyrabus, another Iceland Gull over at Grainel. At the top of Loch Gruinart on the Craigens fields, an Iceland and an immature Glaucous Gull were present. Further on at Killillan, there were 2 Iceland and 2 Glaucous Gulls. She also had 2 juv. Golden Eagles, a ring tail Hen Harrier, a male Merlin, 2 Sparrowhawks and 4 Buzzards. Up at Ardnave, close to the old lobster ponds, there were 5 bar tailed Godwits, including the leucistic, 2 Sanderling, 2 Chough and 10 Oystercatcher. Later on at the Corsapol road end, Mary disturbed a Sparrowhawk just starting to pluck a Blackbird. The Sparrowhawk flew off while the Blackbird shot off, straight into a rabbit hole less than 6 feet away. All Mary could see was the poor bird's tail. She went back an hour later to check it out to see if it had possibly died of fright/ shock/ wounds, but the Blackbird flew out minus a few feathers on its' back and half its' tail!!!