Monday 5th November

This morning the weather was not too good, but after midday it turned a great day... Yesterday Michael, a visiting birder over for the week, had started off at Loch Gruinart with 2 Golden Eagle (1 imm.) , 160 Golden Plover, 25 Ringed Plover, 104 Sanderling, 140 Dunlin and 15 Turnstone. Up at Ardnave he had 3 GND and 5 Snow Buntings. Finally down at Bridgend he had a count of 520 Golden Plover. David and Jenny yesterday had a Merlin over at Gruinart and a Golden Eagle as well as a Peregrine at Loch Skerrols. Today, Michael had 21 Whoopers arriving at Gruinart, 1 Peregrine, on the estuary there rather than on the floods, 4 Gadwall, 41 Pintail and 34 Shoveller were present. On his way down to Loch Indaal, at Lyrabus and looking over to Foreland, a ringtail Hen Harrier and a Merlin were seen. On Loch Indaal itself, between Blackrock and round to Bruichladdich, 13 GND, 24 RTD, 1 Black throated Diver, 13 Slavonian Grebe, 114 Scaup (very close to the road giving good sightings), 1 Long tailed Duck and finally off Bruichladdich Pier, 29 Common Scoter were counted. Earlier this morning, George had a count of 21 at Brichladdich. Today David and Jenny had seen 150 Wigeon on Ardnave Loch with around 700 Barnies roosting up on the beach over on Nave Island. Down at Claggain Bay, they had around 80 Meadow Pipits with a fall of 22 Robins! They also had a couple of Yellowhammers along at the Kildalton Cross. A Sparrowhawk was seen on the high road  out of Port Ellen. Peter this morning had a Waxwing fly over Bruichladdich.. Bob today had 220 Whitefronts out on the barley stubble out in front of his house along with some Rock Doves. There was also a imm. Peregrine perched up for ages just watching, then it started to cause havoc with the doves!  High up 7 Whoopers were seen heading South. On Bolsay Moor, Bob had 3 Red Grouse along with a couple of Snipe. Here at home at lunchtime, over the big crag, I had a count of 10 Buzzards all wheeling around, I counted them 3 times and came with 10 each time! Later on closer to 5pm, as the light was starting to fail there were 4 Buzzards out and also a Golden Eagle. Robin from Settle, had done a count down on Loch Indaal at 9am, 17 Slav. Grebe, 8 GND, 6 RTD, 14 Knot and 60 Golden Plover. Bridgend Woods held a Woodcock, a flock of around 100 Chaffinch along with usual Tits and Treecreepers as well. On Loch Gruinart from the Killinallan side, 20 Pintail, 14 Shoveller, 1 male Gadwall, 2 Greenshank, 1 Grey Plover were seen. Out from Port Bhan on Loch Indaal, late afternoon, Robin had 3 flocks of Common Scoter, one with 20 females, and mostly males in the other 2 flocks, totalling 54 in all. Finally back up to Gruinart, but on the reserve this time, Robin had 97 Shelduck, 87 Golden Plover, 32 Whoopers and around 20 red legs.