Thursday 31st March

Another good day here with the weather, but better still some more birds and new birds at that...James this morning had heard a Chiffchaff on the reserve at Gruinart. At lunchtime I received a message through from Richard Belcher to saw that he had a drake Mandarin over on the River Sorn at The Woollen Mill, so managed to get in touch with Peter and Gary as the other were out working and not contactable. Boy, did that duck give us the run around, but it was seen by us all eventually... a new tick for Islay, as far a we know, it has not ben recorded here before.....Yesterday, Richard had ben over on Jura and had seen 2 GND as he crossed over to Jura, seen from the ferry, Up at Tarbet, he had a Short eared Owl and also a Peregrine there too. Just out of Craighouse, a male Hen Harrier was seen and then a distant Golden Eagle. Along on Small Isles Bay, 30 pale bellied Brent Geese were spotted. Dave Protherough's guests had a Golden Eagle spoofing the Barnies and Whitefronts along the "Cornabus" valley. Later on they had a couple of Chough and then 2 Buzzard. Michal had seen a Redshank up at Ardnave with some colour rings on its' legs. Bob today had seen a 1st winter Iceland Gull at Ardnave Loch, and also 8 Goldeneye and 22 Tufted Duck. Bob also had a Peregrine along at Coillabus.. . Think the weather is downhill tomorrow with rain and rain and wind forecast!!!

Wednesday 30th March

What a cracker of a day it has been, the old solar panel appreciated it, better go and look out some sun cream to rub on it...Yesterday, Peter Gill had seen a Slavonian Grebe off Port Charlotte, a Sparrowhawk was close to Bridgend, with another seen up beside Dun Nosebridge, a pair of Hen Harriers were seen further on and returning to their cottage, 7 Pale bellied Brent were along at Blackrock. Forgot to mention that the bird nerds had a Blackwit in summer plumage on the floods at Gruinart. Today, there was a report of around 50 Wheatears seen here on the West of Islay. Michal had seen 2 Red Grouse up at Ardnave this afternoon. Peter Gill today had seen 2 Red legged Partridge as he approached Bunnahabhain, a Peregrine over Staoisha Forestry plantation and then a Golden Eagle high up, flying from Islay over to Jura. Down at the Lily Loch, a Treecreeper and also a Goldcrest were present.

Tuesday 29th March

Yesterday, Dave Protherough and his friend Keith had seen a flock of 20 Chough down on Machir Bay. This morning, we had seen a male Siskin on the feeders here at home, a new tick for the house for 2016! Down at Uiskentuie, earlier this evening, Margaret managed to read a couple of neck collars on  Greylags. It was the third attempt at reading the collars, but job done and the info is away to my old friend Bob Swann.... 23 folk came along to the hide at Gruinart for the monthly meeting of the bird nerds, so cornered some of them for sightings.... Dave from down on the Oa had seen 2 Wheatear at Lower Killeyan with 3 GND in the bay there. Dave also has seen a pr of Dipper nesting on the Oa as well. Richard had seen an Iceland Gull at Machir Bay and then a probable Goshawk on the Rhinns. Another of visitors told me of seeing 3 Snow Buntings along the shoreline at the top of Loch Indaal. Ian Greenwood had seen 2 Gannets off Ardnave,  some Eider, a Wheatear there also while over the reserve at Gruinart, he saw a Golden Eagle, 2 Buzzard and a Merlin at various points. Coming back home this evening just as the light was fading, we saw 5 Red Deer stags close to the side of the road, no need for a big lens to capture them on the camera...

Monday 28th March

The weather has not been that great here today, but it certainly has not deterred our contributors who have had a great mix of birds for you... James, yesterday, had  the first recorded sighting of a Sand Martin  over his house at Gruinart. Peter Gill had seen the first Swallow of the year this morning at Blackrock. At the head of Loch Gorm, Peter saw a ringtail Hen Harrier, further on a Golden Eagle and also 2 Buzzard were seen. Finally at Sanaigmore, a Wheatear was present. Gary this afternoon, saw an Osprey over Loch nan Cadhan, between Ballygrant and Keills. Another returning birder, Richard Belter had seen a Golden Eagle, Raven, Chough and a flock of around 50 Twite on the Oa. Out at the mouth of Loch Indaal, at Kintra, Richard saw 4 Long tailed Duck while down on the shore while at Carraig Fhada, a Rock Pipit was seen. Over at Claggain Bay, Richard saw GND, R B Merganser along some Ringed Plover.

Remember at 6.15pm "The Islay bird nerds"are meeting at the car park at RSPB Gruinart and then we shall be going down to the hides, so hopefully we will see some of  you there...

Sunday 27th March

Peter Gill returned to Islay for his "fix" yesterday. Peter had seen a Dipper at The Woollen Mill and then in the surrounding trees, 4 Bullfinches were present. Today, Peter had Kestrel over at Loch Ballygrant, a pair of Dabchick on Loch nan Cadhan, on Loch Finlaggan 2 Whoopers. Opposite North Lodge, Bridgend a mixed flock of 200 mainly Redwings and Fieldfare in the fields there, along the road at the road leading to Scarabus/ Octovullin 20 Twite were seen. Peter finally had a female Scaup off  Blackrock. This morning, Bob saw a pair of Siskin in his garden, the first he has had this year. There was a short sharp lightning storm through the night, and yet again it took our phone out, just as well we keep a spare phone to plug in. Today, the weather has been mixed with squally showers appearing out of nowhere, but this evening, the sun is streaming in the windows, well worth waiting for...

Saturday 26th March

Visiting birder, Alastair Stevenson has sent some more sightings through for the blog... He had seen a male Hen Harrier over Duim Seasg, 11 Pale bellied Brent Geese at Blackrock,  Snipe down at Rubha na Faing at Portnahaven and then a mixed flock of 40 Twite and Linnet down below the car park at Upper Killeyan on the RSPB reserve on the Oa. Today, we saw a couple of Greylags amongst some other Greylags fitted with orange neck collars along the strand at Uiskentuie, but we were in a line of traffic and could not stop, on the way home, they were not there, apologies to Bob Swann.... At Blackrock, there were 2 groups of 4 Brent geese while on the pool beside Carnain, 5 Whoopers were present along with 2 Mute Swans.

Friday 25th March

Wally and Jude yesterday had a mixed flock of 100 Linnet and Twite seen in the field opposite the school in Keills. Later on, on a ploughed field on the Glen road, 15 LBB Gulls were present. When we were coming home yesterday afternoon, below Carnduncan a ringtail Hen Harrier was spoofing around 20 Fieldfare out of the bushes/ scrub willow. Also yesterday, John Stephenson had a ringtail at Stanalane on the edge of Bowmore, a new urban bird asked John... This morning, Bob had a male Wheatear at Kilchairan, he also counted 45 Fulmars on nests there. Dave also had a Wheatear, down on the Oa at Risabus.

Tuesday, (29th March) is the next meeting of the bird nerds here on Islay. We are meeting at the car park on the Gruinart reserve at 6.15pm and we shall be going down to the hides to see what is around, so if you around we look forward to meeting you there.