Saturday 27th April

The fine sunny weather continues with a gentle breeze and just a very light sprinkle of rain in the morning.

Mary-Ann Featherstone reported a likely adult Little Gull seen briefly on the beach at Port Ellen yesterday.

Today's main point of interest was a Goshawk displaying over Laphroaig, reported by Linden. Jim Dickson commented that it has been many years since there has been an acceptable record of this species for Islay, so hopefully this one will be seen again and pass muster.

Other interest today has been a Great Spotted Woodpecker noted drumming near Bridgend Hotel by John Whittle and a Short-eared Owl seen by Gary T. at Finlaggan. There were two reports of decent-sized flocks of Whimbrel: 30-40 at Claddach seen by Mary R. and a further 30 at Kintra seen by David D.

James How was up beyond Gortantaoid today and had the exciting sighting of a Minke Whale with calf.

Friday 26th April

The glorious sunny, but chilly weather again today, with just a light breeze, though only a couple of bird notes for you:

Gary T. had our first Whitethroat of the year up near Ballygrant on the path to Dunlossit, while visitor John Whittle found our first Tree Pipit over at Ardlussa on Jura.

Linden from RSPB recorded a couple of Orange-tip butterflies at Crosshouses.

Thursday 25th April

The pleasant sunny weather continues, though still chilly and with a very light sprinkling of rain once or twice.

Down at Currie Sands Mary Redman saw 5 Choughs and at Claddach, a big flock of Whimbrel. Cuckoos are still being reported - Mary R. saw one near Portnahaven and Elliott Bowman took a video of one singing on wires, being closely watched by a potential host.

Butterflies and moths were being seen and notes sent in. Over at Kildalton and the nether regions of Islay, Mary-Ann Featherstone was seeing Speckled Woods, Green Hairstreak, Green-veined Whites, Peacock and showy Emperor Moths. David D. also saw Green Hairstreak  down on The Oa, from where he took this lovely photo of a newly arrived Whinchat.

Wednesday 24th April

 Continuing blue skies, dry and sunny with a cold nip in the air.

David Dinsley was finding further summer migrants on The Oa: a Whinchat and Grasshopper Warblers at Kinnabus and Cuckoo at Glen Astle. At the other end of the island James How reports Cuckoo, Sedge Warble and "loads" of Sand Martins at Gruinart this morning and 31 Whimbrel at Saligo. Another group of 15 Whimbrel were flying about the fields around Bruichladdich later in the day.

John and Susan Kirkman (on holiday from Yorkshire), sent in some notes for 22nd April including a Dipper at Kilchiaran (always interesting to find one of these away from the River Sorn), 7 singing Willow Warblers just south of Port Charlotte and 4 Arctic and 2 Sandwich Terns at Portcharlotte,

Tuesday 23rd April

Another lovely sunny day on Islay, even though still a bit of a light and chilly breeze.

A few more new migrants in today. Top of the bill was an Osprey seen by David D. on The Oa. Down at Smaull Lauren Stewart found Islay's first Whinchat of 2024. Elsewhere there were further reports of Cuckoos, Willow and Grasshopper Warblers. David W. saw 4 Manx Shearwaters on his ferry crossing and a couple of Arctic Terns in West Loch Tarbert. 

Monday 22nd April

Another lovely sunny day, with a further trickle of new summer birds turning up. Ed Burrell had 10 Whimbrel pass through Cornabus and Linden had the first Sedge Warbler of the year on the floods at Gruinart. Mary-Ann Featherstone noticed a couple of Terns (presumably Arctic?) at Kildalton and a Blackcap was heard singing by David D. at Kinnabus early this morning. But spring is in full swing for some species, with James How noting the first Lapwing chicks at RSPB Gruinart. 

Visitor Joanna Dailey who had been on Islay back in February, sent in details of a colour-ringed Oystercatcher that she saw on her visit. It was a bird ringed as an adult near Dublin in July 2020 and seen in that area at times every year since. this was the first sighting away from Eire.

Sunday 21st April

 A very fine, dry day with sunshine and a good temperature - very summery.

Amongst the continuing reports of the usual and expected summer migrants such as Cuckoos, Blackcaps and Common Sandpipers, there were Grasshopper Warblers reported at Cornabus and Glen Astle on The Oa. There were a few other interesting sightings: Ed Burrell had a flock of Redwings at Cornabus and David D. noted Fieldfare on The Oa. It can't be long now before they are away for summer. Ed also had a total of 23 Black-tailed Godwits on Loch Cornabus, which is not a usual location for the species, especially in that number. More unusual still was a pair of Tree Sparrows seen by David D. at Kinnabus. This species appears very erratically on Islay, but did breed on The Oa in 2009.

Here at Bruichladdich there is Collared dove nest-building in the hedge around the garden and a small group of drake Mallards gathering on the sea, numbering 12 today. Presumably these are males that have bred and now left the females to do all the hard work.