Two days of fairly unpleasant weather - breezy, mostly overcast or cloudy with a lot of rain and just a few drier, sunnier patches at times.
Yesterday, Steve Percival reported the Red-breasted Goose still present up at Ballinaby, while James How noted his first singing Skylarks of spring. Mary Redman reported a Barn Owl out and about at 5pm near Portnahaven.
Today, Mary confirmed Skylarks singing in the rain and possibly the Barn Owl she saw yesterday seen in the same area this morning by Mark Whitcombe. He commented that it looked very wet and bedraggled and various folk suggested that the awful weather was taking its toll on feeding opportunities for them.
Recently arrived birders Michael and Elspeth Anderson sent in the following account of their day's activities: "In spite of the weather we had a great day. First we went to Kilchoman and down to Machir Bay. In the last field on the right was a quite large flock of Fieldfares. I started counting and got to the mid-40s, but the whole flock then rose up and flew away, including many that had been hidden behind vegetation/a slope - so, certainly 60, very likely 80 to more.
We then drove on, and just before Ballinaby we were surprised to find a flooded field beside the road, with at least a dozen Turnstone, at least 20 Ringed Plovers, 2 Golden Plovers (one in full summer plumage), and a Knot, all feeding furiously amid the vegetation in the pouring rain.
At Ardnave we saw 2 Tufted Ducks on the loch, and 6 Choughs flew by calling as they passed. Finally, once the rain stopped, we went to the hides at Loch Gruinart. 3 Little Egrets, at least 15 Shoveler and at least 20 Pintail, several hundred Golden Plovers, at least 100 Knot, a big flock of Lapwing, and good numbers of other ducks, waders, etc. not as many geese about there today.
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