Fri 23rd - Sat 24th May

A quiet couple of days on the bird front, but busy work wise. The main talking point was the sighting of a Magpie, it was seen on Thursday evening at the waterworks behind Port Charlotte, and then further up the road at Gearach on Friday itself. There was no sign of it there this evening, but one was seen in a garden in Bunnahabhain! Is this the same bird that was seen over in Port Ellen on the 18th of April, then later on in Bowmore, remember too that Louise saw one on Scarba off Jura on the 8th of May, or is there a possibility of 2 different birds around? MAO

Thurs 8th May

Big brother is watching you....

This is one of the Lapwing nests on the flats at Gruinart which has a camera on it 24/7. The reason behind it, is to help watch for any predation that may occur at the nest. Once James and the team see anything untoward they will let us know.

Also on the reserve at Gruinart, James had a Barn Owl hunting the other evening at dusk. A few Whimbrel are still moving through yet and a Peregrine Falcon was seen too. JRH

Down on the RSPB Oa reserve, on the other side of Islay, Gus Keys has had a good day with a Shore Lark at Upper Killeyan, a Swift flying by down beside the American Monument, the male Goosander is still to be seen on Loch Kinnabus. This evening a Male Ring neck Duck appeared on the loch amongst some Tufted Duck. A.K.

Around Loch Gorm, there were several fields with small number of Whimbrel, less than 10 in each field. M.S.

The field where the Greylags were yesterday, are now up to 20 Geese on the newly sown game crop! A visiting birder contacted me to say that he had seen 7 different male Hen Harrier at different locations today. I.K.B.

From over on Jura, Louise was in touch to say that she had seen a Magpie on Scarba, a Great Northern Diver in full summer plumage, a White tailed Sea Eagle, a Peregrine Falcon, a Golden Eagle as well as a Buzzard, and on a small island in the Sound of Jura, there were quite a few Canada Geese. L.G.

On another front, Michael Coppleston had an female Emperor Moth in the moth trap at Gruinart last night. Through the day he had seen Marsh Fritillaries out on the wing. Susan McGhie had a Peacock butterfly over in her garden in Ballygrant.

Fri 18th April

Just 2 late entries for you tonight, Gus contacted me to say that on his walk on the Oa on Tuesday for Walkislay, that the walkers were fortunate to see Chough, Peregrine Falcon and a Golden Eagle. AK

Catherine phoned in a count from earlier last week on the floods at RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve, 111 Wigeon, 2 Gadwell, 196 Teal, 11 Mallard, 4 Pintail, 3 Shoveler, 2 Red breasted Merganser and 1 Moorhen. CF

Today, over at Port Ellen, Andy had a Magpie, was it the same bird that was around Ardbeg on the weekend of the 22nd of March? RAS

Tues 25th March 08

Andy from RSPB reports in today saying that there has been quite a passage of both Song , Mistle Thrush and Blackbird. Also noted were increase in numbers of Goldfinch and Stonechat.

This female stonechat was taken yesterday sheltering from the cold wind in a dyke.

Andy also gave us the following sightings, 2 Wheatear, 1 at Lower Cragabus the other at Ardilistry Bay, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gull along with 1 Adult Mediterranean Gull in Port Ellen Bay.

3 White Wagtail were seen on the RSPB Oa reserve, while at the weekend at Ardbeg a Magpie was seen, the first for a few years. RAS

There were 35 Chough counted at Machir Bay at the weekend, and I noted a Chough taking wool into a nest site, was that because of the cold winds to line the actual nest better?

Tues 15th May 07

Update from Jura , sightings this past week have included a Short Eared Owl, Peregrine Falcon, Song thrush in full song, single Magpie (rare bird over here!), Eider Ducks are building in numbers.

A Mute Swan was seen defending territory against Greylag Geese, Eider and Shelduck!

On the bird table, there now appears to be a dominant pair of Siskins. With more Swallows around, there were 7 pairs all trying to establish nests in a barn!

There was also a really close sighting of a Great Northern Diver, but needless to say no camera to hand! Stonechat and Wheatear were observed all around. L.G. & G.M.

A day spent out doing BTO survey work, either Ringed Plover Surveys or WeBS counts. The latter were completed over the Outer Loch Indaal in near perfect conditions given the very light winds and excellent visibility. Great Northern Divers are still hanging on, a few parties of Common Scoter were evident and small numbers of Guillemot were using the outer reaches but, strangely enough, no Razorbills were present on this occasion.

Many of the waders now appear to have passed through (unless they were part of the "first wave"). Remnant numbers of dunlin, Turnstone and Whimbrel apparent, but "Arctic" Ringed Plovers appeared to have left. However, from past experience, there's three weeks left for more to pour through! J.S.A.