Monday 15th October

Almost a touch of frost last night, but at least the rain kept away...Peter's sighting of the Firecrest turns out to be only  the second sighting on Islay, with the Yellow browed Warbler being a fifth. Visitors had seen a Brambling yesterday in the large finch flock that was close to the Visitor centre at Gruinart. On her way in to work this morning Mary had a female Peregrine on a fence post along the flats at Gruinart. Mary and the vols carried out a count on Loch Gruinart with the following birds, 3 Cormorants, 8 Heron, 20 Shelduck, 64 Wigeon, 25 Mallard, 1 Goldeneye, 30 Red breasted Merganser,18 Shoveler, 23 Ringed Plover, 43 Golden plover, 229 Lapwing, 160 Oystercatcher, 141 Bar tailed Godwit, 191 Curlew, 52 Redshank, 19 Turnstone, 1 Mute Swan, 110 Black headed Gull, 54 Common Gull, 55 Herring Gull, 7 Great Black backed Gull, 16 Whooper Swan. Ardnave Loch held 12 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 5 Whooper Swan and 6 Mute Swan.They also had a juv White tailed Sea Eagle out over Kilinallan. The Leigh birders today had 18 Pale bellied Brent Geese on Loch Indaal and 6 Whoopers at Sunderland Farm. Bob this morning had a Pomarine Skua off Coull Point. He also had 2 Snow Buntings there too and also a juv Golden Eagle. Today Gavin had 3 Golden Eagles while on the Oa reserve, 6 Chough, 2 Ravens, 3 Stonechats, 1 Lesser Redpoll and a flock of around 30 Twite were also present there as well. At Ardbeg, Gavin had 4 Swallows, and along at Claggain Bay, 1 Red throated Diver, 4 Black guillemot with 4 Fieldfare on land. Here at home around midday a Golden Eagle came out over the crag being mobbed by 2 Buzzards.