Sunday 8 November 2020

Sunday 8thNovember

 Last night, Dave Pierce sent through the following e mail to me with the birds seen by him...

"Amongst others on Loch Indaal, 61 Common Scoter and 5 Long-tailed Ducks (4 male, 1 female).

A Golden Eagle (the light was against me but appeared a juvenile) on a deer fence post for a good deal of the morning at Druim na h-Erasaid immediately south of the Gruinart flats. Early afternoon, an adult Goldie circled over the flats & floods causing consternation with the waterfowl and waders. With waders, there were 5 Grey Plover.

 Shortly after the first of 2 Hen Harriers sightings occurred, with a brown quartering low over the floods, whilst a grey was hunting at Ardnave a little later. 

Also at Ardnave were 18 Fieldfares, 20+ Choughs with 2 Long-tailed Ducks on the loch (both females, I'd had a male & female on Wednesday). 

Finally a juvenile White-tailed Eagle late afternoon at Gruinart was a great finish to the day for me, if not for the assembled geese!"

 Dan Brown had seen the following birds when out and about yesterday..  

"A Todd's type (possibly 2) and a Cackling goose on the flats. We also had a Great Spotted Woodpecker clearly migrating west along the flats at Gruinart. It got "stuck" when it got to us and the end of the trees but finally plucked up the courage and headed on West to the farm.

2 Merlins, 2 Peregrines and 2 Hen Harriers here too."

Peter was in touch today, reporting through to tell me that the American Wigeon was seen today at Loch Skerolls, but he also told me that the number of Whoopers present has dropped down to around 50 in total present  there.

The back of lunchtime up here today, and we were well pleased to see a cracking male Hen Harrier out on the wing flying along the bottom of the crag. We now have a smalll resident group of 10 Blackbirds were out on the grass as well as 7 Redwings.

The Bolton Birders also had been seeing 10 Blackbirds this morning down in Port Charlotte and also 5 Blackcaps. Over on Jura, earlier on through the week, they had seen a total of  4 Eagles when over there, their Eagles were 3 WTEs and a Golden Eagle. Down at Curie sands they had seen 12 Choughs rooting around looking for some food.

I was speakng to James earlier on this afternoon, and he was saying about the number of Eagles being seen here on Islay. He also was commenting on the Choughs being seen in different places this Autumn. Today, James had spotted a Pink footed Goose as well as 2 P b Brents amongst the Barnies seen over at Gruinart. In his garden, James has had a regular Goldcrest visiting his garden most days recently. 


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