Wednesday 7 February 2018

Wednesday 7th February

Apologies to Garry, overlooked your 2 emails that you sent through with a few sightings on them... On Monday, he saw 2 Chough flying by at Kilnaughton during the commemorations there. Later on, he saw a Merlin chasing after some Starlings up at Mulreesh. Yesterday, Gary had 2 Glaucous Gulls down at the refuse dump towards Gartbreck below Bowmore. Also seen nearby was a large female Sparrowhawk hunting after some wee Lbjs... Gary and Wendy, aka "The Hampshire Birders" are back over for another stint on Islay. From their cottage near to Carnain, yesterday, they had seen a male and also ringtail Hen Harrier, a Whooper Swan and 2 Snipe. Along at Blackrock, they saw 18 Ringed Plover, 6 Turnstone, 20 Dunlin, 8 P b Brent Geese, 10 Scaup, pair of R b Merganser and finally in the walled garden at the Islay Community garden, a Grey Wagtail was spotted. Also, yesterday evening I saw a Barn Owl perched on top of a fence post beside the road as I drove over to Gruinart.
This morning, before the dampness set in, Steve Holliday had a count of 8 GNDs, 21 Eiders, 8 P b Brents off Bowmore, with a juv. Iceland Gull on the tideline. He saw the 4 Snow Buntings along between Carnain and Blackrock with a raft of 20 Scaup close in at Blackrock itself. On the floods at Gruinart, 9 Whoopers were present while in the fields behind Machir Bay, 39 Ringed Plover, 3 Turnstone and also 3 Chough were present. Mid afternoon, Steve "refound" his Cackling goose, this time up at Newton, in the field behind the cottages on the left as you drive towards Ballygrant from Bridgend.

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