A mostly overcast rainy/drizzly day with light winds.
Mary R. reports a total of 9 Ravens along with the regular White-tailed Eagle at Claddach. Girish Patel watched a Golden Eagle at Ballymeanach, while Ruaridh Fotheringham saw 3 0r 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphins this evening off Port Charlotte.
Two days of mostly decent warm and sunny weather with occasional rain showers.
Thanks to Malcolm O. for covering the blog for me while I was over on Colonsay and Oronsay where we saw Oronsay's first confirmed breeding Hen Harriers and visited "Pig's Paradise" on Colonsay - a very spectacular seabird cliff packed full of Kittiwakes, Razorbills and Guillemots that we can only dream of here on Islay.
The only bird reports for yesterday came from Mary Redman who saw a fine male Kestrel down at Currie Sands the day before. Billy Stitchell sent in some interesting photos from a walk around Lily Loch.
Today, Martin Armstrong found a family of Whinchats along the Glenastle track on The Oa, plus a pair of Mistle Thrushes.
There were also various messages about lepidoptera sightings including this fine photo of a Common Blue butterfly taken by Girish Patel on The Oa yesterday.
Friday 26th June
It was several degrees cooler today, After some spectacular lightning during the night, it was mainly overcast with a breeze varying between north-west and east! A handful of light showers occurred in the morning.
David D, on the RSPB's Oa reserve, reported a Treecreeper, a juvenile Cuckoo, and a Great Skua, as well as a pod of Harbour Porpoises below the American Monument. Andy and Clare Sharman had a flypast by 2 Grey Herons and a male Hen Harrier while sitting on the beach at Port Ghillie Greamhair, just to the west of Sanaigmore Bay, where they later saw 2 Black Guillemots, 5 Choughs and 12 Oystercatchers.
An enquiry about Corn Crake numbers on the island this summer was responded to by David D with information that it isn't a great year for them, with the number of calling males around 25, though some of these are as yet unconfirmed, with 12 of them on RSPB reserves.
The summering Whooper Swan is still present on the flooded fields at Gruinart.
The attached photo was taken by Tony Church, then warden of the Islay Youth Hostel, back in 2007. He was driving along a road and spotted this bird on top of a wall. It ignored him as he stopped his car and backed up until level with it to take this photo.
Thursday 25th June
Today was hot! The temperature at the airport, where there is an official met station, reached 27°C (80.6°F), which, if Google is to be believed, is a new record for Islay, the previous highest being 26°C (78.8°F) in June 2018. Light and variable winds, mostly from the south and east, helped a little bit.
Andy and Clare Sharman reported that, the day before, on their walk at Killinallan, they came across a Sand Martin colony in the dunes, counting 14 birds, which prompted Steve R to say that he thought that the recently reduced access to Kilnaughton beach had benefitted the Sand Martins breeding there. Andy and Clare were on The Oa today seeing both Golden and White-tailed Eagles (see photo below). They also counted 8 Choughs by the American Monument and saw 14 Gannets offshore.
Fiona McG, over on Jura in the last 3 days, reported 1 definite Quail, but more probably 2. As already mentioned, this is a good year for Quail all across the country.
Local resident Jo Rosser-Owen has been walking through Bridgend Woods with the Cornell University bird identification app, Merlin, on her phone, which heard the songs or calls of 14 different species, including Siskin and Blackcap. This appears to be the only regular site for Blackcaps on the island.
Clive McKay on the west side of Loch Gruinart was surprised to see a Great Skua swoop low over his garden. He also saw a Pink-footed Goose flying south from Ardnave with 4 Greylags.
Wednesday 24th June
Warm and mostly sunny with light mostly westerly wind.
Jackie Wedd and Dave departed today, seeing 3 Common Dolphins from the ferry, while yesterday they saw a White-tailed Eagle at Finlaggan, where a Common Whitethroat was singing nonstop.
Another departing visitor, Stephen Garner, saw 5 Red-throated Divers off the Port Mor campsite, Port Charlotte, a Golden Eagle over the Gruinart Flats and a leucistic Collared Dove near the entrance to Aoradh Farm on the RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve
Clive McK reported a dramatic increase in Curlews on L Gruinart, from 25-30 two weeks ago to 147 today. Common Swifts continue to turn up, with David W. seeing two at Loch Kinnabus in the evening.
Andy and Clare Sharman had a walk along the beach at Killinallan and reported seeing a White-tailed Eagle, 5 Ringed Plovers, 17 Sanderlings, 1 Redshank, 4 Lapwings, about 20 Oystercatchers, and 3 Black-backed Gulls, the size, and therefore species, of these last not stated.
A hot day with plenty of blue sky and sunshine with very little wind, though becoming fairly overcast and cooler by late afternoon.
Late news from yesterday from Clive McK. who was returning to Islay on the ferry and saw a Minke Whale off Ardtalla and a juvenile Great Tit sat on the ferry on the crossing!
Today's news started with reports of Common Dolphins off Jura and a range of interesting dragonflies and butterflies until Clive McK. reported a Quail calling at Gruinart near Creag Mhor. There has been quite a big influx of Quail into the UK this spring and this is the first for us on Islay. In the afternoon Fiona McG. heard another Quail over on Jura at Inver. There had previously only been reports of the species back in the 19th century and this is the first modern record of the species on Jura.
Some of us were out overnight doing the second Corn Crake survey with David D. hearing a couple over near Gartbreck on Loch Indaal and myself noting 3 birds on my stretch of the Rhinns between Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte.
Andy Sharman noted a colour-ringed Oystercatcher at Kilnaughton which hopefully can be identified in due course. We've had a number of these sightings over the years of birds from Ireland and wintering birds in S, Wales and the south coast of England.
Stephen Garner was out and about and sent in the following account of his day: "This morning we stopped off at Bridgend Woods for a walk in the shade. Nice assemblage of woodland birds - Blackbird, Wood Pigeon, Chaffinch, Treecreeper, Robin (including juveniles), Coal Tit, Blue Tit, a fly-past by 3 Siskin and a Spotted Flycatcher hawking insects from a large conifer next to the meadow area.
Quite warm, but with a mix of cloud and sunshine with an attempt at rain in the morning.
Yesterday Jackie Wedd saw a couple of Spotted Flycatchers at the Ardmore House jetty and 3 Red-legged Partridges by Cattadale Farm - presumably released birds for shooting? David D. had 2 Swifts over Ben Mhor this morning.
Mary-Ann F. commented that there seemed to be plenty of sand eels in the shallows at Kildalton and David D. saw similarly good numbers at Ardtalla yesterday, while Jackie Wedd commented that she saw Arctic Terns carrying sand eels in suspected courtship feeding.
Stephen Garner was over on Jura successfully finding Otters and hearing Cuckoo calling, and noting the usual Willow Warblers, Redpoll and Yellowhammer around Inver Woods.
The summer solstice and a scorcher of a day with bright sunshine all day with heatwaves predicted further south in the UK.
Malcolm O. reports hearing Corn Crake from his house in Bruichladdich last night - a bird moving closer to the village from Conisby perhaps.
Drizzly on Friday, bright and sunny on Saturday.
Today David Jardine was on Jura and counted 66 Canada Geese plus 2 pairs with broods of 2 & 4 young on Eilean Glas - or is it Glas Eilean?
There were no sightings sent in yesterday, but regular visitor Stephen Garner sent in his records for the past few days:
Further days of mixed showers and sunshine with light winds from a mostly southerly direction, sometimes quite breezy.
No sightings for Wednesday, but some sightings for Tuesday from Rogan Wolhuter, visiting the island. Amongst other things he saw a Guillemot at Port Askaig, 27 Oystercatchers at Bowmore and 2 each of Little Grebes and Grey Wagtails at Loch Ballygrant.
Today was Nick Thomas's last day on the island before heading home. He found a few species of interest up at Loch Ballygrant and Loch Lossit - such as a flock of Long-tailed Tits, 2 Common Sandpiper, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Red-legged Partridges (it has been quite a while since the latter have been recorded on Islay).
More unsettled weather today, fine to start with but deteriorating into rain and blustery SE winds.
Val P. and friends went up to Ardnave for a walk and had 3 Swifts flying south overhead.
Simon Cunningham was on Jura and had an Arctic Skua, working down the Sound of Islay close to the Jura shore from Inver towards Feolin. Sadly he lost sight of it before he could see if it showed any inclination to head inland, which might of course indicate breeding!
Two days of sunshine - very warm on Sunday, but windier from the SE on Monday.
Despite the gorgeous weather, there were few bird sightings on Sunday other than Steve & Lyn Rogers WeBS count at Loch an-t-Sailean recording many of the summer resident and breeding species and from David Livingstone who took this photo of a Lapwing escorting its chick across the high road at Leorin in the morning and a couple of Otters at Carraig Fhada in the evening.
Sunshine and Showers with southerly and westerly winds prevails.
Yesterday Jeff Duncan reported a Garden Warbler in the woodland at Gruinart - a very uncommon species on Islay. He also had a couple of Dippers at the Woollen Mill.
Nick Thomas wandered Bridgend Woods finding large numbers (50-60) of Chaffinches including young birds along with Bullfinch and Siskins.
Today I had the privilege of seeing Gordon Yates into a hide to photograph a pair of Hen Harriers bringing in prey to a nearby nest (all with due legal licensing in place of course!). Gordon has been filming, recording and photographing Islay's wildlife for 50 years - harriers, eagles, choughs, merlins, otters and all sorts of other special and iconic species. He feels this may be his last year. I hope not, but regardless, he is due a vote of thanks and gratitude for his long term dedication to promoting Islay's wildlife in such a creative way.
Rain and showers on Wednesday gave way to more or less permanent rain with SW winds on Thursday.
With weather like this is not surprising that there are few bird records to relay. There have been a few reports from our visiting birders - Jeff Duncan and Nick Thomas who have been braving the elements and seeing some of the regular species - Choughs, Hen Harriers, Cuckoos, Common Sandpipers and Spotted Flycatchers dotted about the island.
Here at Bruichladdich I noticed my first group of Eider ducklings being escorted by two females and male Eiders now going into moult.
The day started rainy and finished sunny. Light winds from a southerly direction throughout but still quite cool for June.
Mary-Ann F. took a group of High School kids on to Texa today and reports both Greylag and Canada Geese with goslings there, plus Cormorants.
Jeff Duncan counted Treecreeper, Siskin and Goldcrest in Bridgend Woods. Mark Crisp had a White-tailed Eagle over Machir Bay, Nick Thomas had a Hen Harrier on the Glen Road. Mary R. saw the best raptor though, with a Marsh Harrier at Claddach this afternoon.
Two further days of mixed sunshine and showers with light south and south-west breezes.
Bird reports of anything unusual have been few - though lots of notes on how some of our breeding birds are faring. Clive McK. has been monitoring several nests - Meadow Pipit, Willow Warbler and Blue Tit included with mostly poor results, possibly due to wet and cool weather making feeding difficult.
Elsewhere others have been noting the usual good mix of summer species around the island. Jeff Duncan found a Kestrel and Whinchat at Claddach and Nick Thomas noted the same strange behaviour of a summering Whooper Swan at Gruinart chasing away Mute Swans.
The fields on the seaward side between Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte are littered with families of Greylag Geese with goslings in various stages of growth - all looking very vulnerable to a multitude of predators!
Two days of mixed weather - sunshine and showers (mostly showers!) with a moderate breeze from various, mostly southerly directions.
The only report yesterday came from Clive McK. who noted 3 Gannets flying south down Loch Gruinart then heading "overland" presumably to go out to sea down Loch Indaal. This has been noted once before on Islay in 2019 and more regularly from the Ailsa Craig colony crossing over the 8 km of the Kintyre peninsula to the Atlantic side which saves them a 55km journey around its tip.
Today there was a report from Jeff Duncan of a few birds (single Great Northern Diver and Manx Shearwater and 3 Common Dolphins from the ferry across to Islay.
Westerly breezes today with rain in the morning, but brightening to a sunnier afternoon, but back to grey and rain by evening.
Graeme Glass found a Great northern Diver off Port Charlotte this morning, then a Treecreeper and Great spotted woodpecker at Loch Skerrols woodland. Mary R. watched a Great Skua being mobbed by gulls at Claddach and at the other end of the Rhinns, Clive McK. had an adult pale-phase Arctic Skua at Loch Gruinart and counted 115 Bar-tailed Godwits and 14 Curlews there.
A day with slightly stronger winds from various southerly directions bringing with it rainy conditions throughout much of the day - some rain quite heavy at times.
Bird records have been understandably limited: Graeme Glass had one, possibly two Corn Crakes calling at the start of the Woodland Trail, Gruinart again today and Nick Webb had 4 Greenshanks near Bowmore Power Station.
The brief dry and sunny spells bought out some butterflies - Marsh and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries to keep people happy - photo c/o Mary Ann F.
A fairly grey overcast day with drizzle and very light winds.
Late news from yesterday, 1st June came from Nick Webb who found one, possibly two male Ruffs in full breeding plumage displaying to at least 3 Reeves at the North Hide at RSPB Gruinart in the morning. He also heard a Corn Crake near the Woodland Trail gate at Gruinart and a Grasshopper Warbler calling from scrub on the east side of Loch Gorm.
Today, Graeme Glass reports a couple of Chough at Machir Bay, 12 Sanderling and 23 Oystercatchers on the beach there and a female Hen Harrier at Lyrabus. Nick Webb had another female Hen Harrier between Cnoc Fada and Loch Gorm and a Whinchat east of Loch Gorm.
I took a look at the hides at RSPB Gruinart in the afternoon but couldn't locate the Ruffs, though did see a pair of Wigeon and this fine White Wagtail.
David Livingstone photographed a fine male Hen Harrier on Duich Lotts on Sunday:
As the annual Feis Ile comes to an end so does the good weather! There have been more unsettled conditions with overcast and rainy spells, increasing to be fairly good downpours by the evening of Monday.
No birds on the grapevine for Saturday and just one post from Martin A. on Sunday from the mouth of the River Sorn where he recorded a family of Grey Wagtails and young Great Tits along with Siskin, Goldcrest and Blackcap. Today Mary R. reports a summer-plumaged Turnstone on Currie Sands, Louise M. had a 2CY Golden Eagle at the three arch bridge on Jura and Clive McK. had a couple of Mistle Thrushes up at Creag Mhor.
