Wednesday 7th June

Andrew Cockcroft has been over on Islay again and sent through this image of a Red throated Diver which he had seen...

Other birds seen by Andrew were a White tailed Eagle, a pair of Golden Eagle and also a pair of Hen Harrier. Thanks Andrew.

Yesterday evening 8 hardy folk turned up for the bird nerds meeting, including a couple of visitors. The weather stayed dry but was quite windy, nevertheless we carried out our walk along the big strand down below the airport. We saw a few Terns, not as many as in previous years, some Eiders with their ducklings bobbling about on the water, 2 male Hen Harrier, a Peregrine Falcon , 15 Dunlin, a few Curlews, some Redshank as well as Skylarks and also Meadow Pipits.

On our way home, Bob and myself spotted a single Barnacle goose at "smelly corner" and some Shelduck were there too along with their youngsters.

Tuesday 6th June

We took the decision late last night to carry out the corncrake survey round our patch, a good decision as it is away far too windy to even think of trying to attempt it tonight. The sea was quiet although possibly the air temperature was a bit cool, it certainly felt colder than 10.8 degrees... Long and the short was that we only heard a total of 4 calling Corncrakes, not as many compared to other years.. We also heard Snipe drumming, a Curlew calling and a Sedge Warbler as well, no Barn Owls seen though!!

This afternoon Mark Shields has counted 4 Little Tern, 15 Arctic Tern, 3 Common Tern and 28 Blackwits up on the Eat side of Ardnave Point.

Monday 5th June

Not a lot  to report through tonight, but Gary had been out with visitors from the States this morning, top bird was an Osprey seen over at Gruinart. Other visitors to Islay told me that they had seen a Peregrine along over the hill at the back of Rockside.

Remember to come along to the Bird nerds monthly meeting, a walk along the Big strand. We  will meet at the track beside the Airport at 6pm for shared transport, tomorrow evening.

Sunday 4th June

Gary had ben out birding today with a client.. Top birds seen was a GND on the Sound of Islay, out from Bunnahabhain. Up over the hills behind Ballygrant, a White tailed Eagle and then a Golden Eagle were present. They came over this side of the island and were successful in hearing 3 different Corncrakes calling, one at Ballinaby, another at Machir Bay and the third was heard at Bruichladdich. Here at home we saw the hen Pheasant out with her brood of 9 , all looking well.. Out on the niger feeder it was a full house with all 20 ports taken by the Goldfinches, my image shows 19 in use... no wonder they are scoffing the seed!!!

Saturday 3rd June

The weather forecast was correct with some HEAVY showers coming through, with the possibility of the odd rumble of thunder, the only thing that we did not get told about was hailstones, we had a passing shower of hail, not a lot, but...

While I remember, the postponed May meeting of the Islay bird nerds will be on Tuesday 6th June. We will meet at 6pm, over at the track at the Airport, leading down on to the Big Strand and we will share transport down to the shore of Loch Indaal and then take a walk from there down towards Knockangle Point, so see you there , if you are around. Some of us are meant to helping out with the second round of the Corncrake count for this year, if we are still awake, later that night!!!

Just after the thunder around midday, this hen Pheasant came out and proudly presented her clutch of 9 youngsters, some of which are above, so she must have had them well sheltered from the rain a couple of days ago!!!!  Mandy, yesterday had heard a Grasshopper Warbler singing up at Bolsay as well as 2 Curlews close by. She has been hearing a Whitethroat calling regularly at Carnduncan and this morning she heard a Corncrake while in at Ballinaby and then a Chiffchaff at Kilchoman. This morning, down in the reed bed towards Machir Bay, the Rochdale birders had heard a Corncrake calling. It was heard in the same location, late afternoon by David and Ann Barr. Margaret counted a Shelduck with 10 young ducklings at Blackrock, late morning.

Friday 2nd June

The other day, Carol Andrew who lives down in Bruichladdich was in touch to say that she has been seeing a raft of around 18 Eiders regularly out on Loch Indaal  from her house. This morning there was a traffic jam outside of Port Charlotte, as a couple of Greylags were escorting their 6 young goslings across the road, witnessed by Liz Harthaway who works as Office manager at RSPB at Gruinart. This evening, round at Ballinaby, there were 98 Greylags in one of the fields. Through the day here at home, there has been a male Greenfinch, no wonder they are called Greenfinch, its' plumage was great to see in the light.

Thursday 1st June

Another day, another  month and the season has changed to our "Summer", off the right start with a wet and miserable day, typical.. infact over half an inch so far today, mind you the plants will jump up in size. The tally for the rainfall in May here was 2.25inches, drier than May last year!!

I managed to snap this Chough on the roof of our neighbours' cottage the other night.. The Rochdale birders had seen an Osprey round the far end of Loch Gorm the other day, Bob heard a Corncrake calling in a new location yesterday, in the rough edge in the field next to his house, the tally for the Corncrake count the other week was just short of 60 birds heard and Margaret counted 22 Goldfinches on and around the feeders here at home this morning. Wonder how the wee Pheasant chicks will have fared after the rain today, will have a look for them in the hopefully better weather tomorrow..