Friday 20th July

A better day again, even ventured out and cut most of the grass round the cottages this afternoon... 

Earlier on in the week, Mary had a Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper and 2 Sanderling on Currie Sands down close to Portnahaven. On Monday she saw 3 Chough fly over Portnahaven itself. There was a young Cuckoo over towards Grainel on the Gruinart reserve yesterday, on Loch Gorm several "family groups" of Greylags totalling 33 Geese. On the guided walk at Gruinart, Mary had 2 Treecreepers feeding away in the wood with a Blackcap up in the canopy. Further on, down on the ground was a ring tail Hen Harrier for a few moments before it took off. Close to the hide, there was a Roe Deer with its' calf. Later on Mary, on the road up to Ardnave, had another Roe Deer with twin calves at foot. A visitor told Mary of seeing a Chiffchaafff feeding at Blackpark, and it had a growth/ red ulcer below one of its' eyes. Dave last night saw an Osprey at Kennacraig, and had "loads of Guillemots and Razorbills with young as well as Manx Shearwaters from the ferry".  Tonight on the Docken and Thistle seedheads at Ballinaby, there was a small flock of over 60 Twite, earlier on there was a Linnet on a Thistle head at Coull.