Friday 31st May

Well, after a day of continuous rain, it has faired up, the sun is streaming in through the big gable end windows and warm. Possibly is it warm because we have the fire on, whatever it is just fine by me!!!

The Bolton birders had a ringtail Hen Harrier round at Leek the other day and later on an Osprey was seen up behind Bowmore.

Yesterday, Mark had 3 Bonxies, 2 GND and a count of 15 Comic Terns up at Ardnave. Down on the reserve at Gruinart, a Spotted Flycatcher was present. Late yesterday afternoon, Gary had seen 4       Pale bellied Brent Geese down at Smelly corner.

This morning, Karen and her partner John had spotted a pair of Wheatears feeding 3 youngsters out in the dunes at Kintra, from their camper van. Late afternon, Mandy had seen a ringtail Hen Harrier

glide past her kitchen window up at Carnduncan and now poses the question, does it qualify as a garden bird???

Before I forget, as promised, the Bird nerds will be meeting on Tuesday evening at 6.30 pm at Foreland (NR271636) for a walk through the policies there to see what we can see and hear.

Just before I started to write this entry, I checked out some stats about the blog, and noticed that since last night, that someone, somewhere was the 1,000,000 person to read the blog since it was started away back on  1st May 2007!!!

Thursday 30th May

Certainly not all to wall sunshine, more like wall to wall blanket of mist, I have not seen the crag since yesterday sometime... and there has been the odd dollop of rain  thrown in for good measure.

James saw a few birds for us, up at Ardnave, he had 2 Golden Eagles, a Peregrine and also 3 Hen Harriers as well.

Late afternoon, up here at home and we counted over 30 Goldfinches and even more House Sparrows in at the feeders. The numbers of the Sparrows being swelled by some youngsters begging to be fed. Just after that, I went out down round the "garden" and saw a hen Pheasant out with her brood of 7 chicks and then a different hen with her 4 young chicks....

Wednesday 29th May

Yesterday afternoon, Martin Armstrong took his daughter Belle out for a stroll along the Laggan where they saw 3 Common Sandpipers and also a Grey Wagtail. On the plantaton, Martin spotted a male Crossbill.

Up here at home, early afternoon we saw a hen Pheasant, out proudly presenting her brood of 7 young chicks, wonder what happened to the 2 dark chicks that we saw last week? 

The weather forecast was almost spot on, with a light dampness coming on around 4 pm, enough to make me stop working out in the garden!!!

Tuesday 28th May

Yesterday evening, after writing the entry for the blog, I took a wee walk down along the burn from here towards the Coatguards and on towards Machir bay and the sea... I was not disappointed as a Heron took off from the burn, and there are at least 40 active nest sites being occupied by Sand Martins. Finally when sitting down for a breather, I heard a distant Corncrake calling over on Rockside.

Jamie Barr, Distillery Dave's son who has been over for a few days visiting his folks, had seen a male Hen Harrier yesterday, down close to Foreland.

By the way another glorious day with the weather again, so we managed out in the garden, all going well, we might get the borders finished tomorrow...

Monday 27th May

Back to the drier weather again, having said that the little rain that we did have will no doubt have been of some use to the gardeners rather than to the Distilleries..

Up here at home, we have had  great sightings of Stonechats and also Whinchats. This afternoon, we were in the right place, at the right time, and happened to see 3 Buzzards flying high up above us.

The Bolton birders areback for another Islay fix. Today, they had seen a Great spotted Woodpecker on a nest site, and on their travels round Islay yesterday, a total of 4 different male Hen Harriers were seen.

Please remember that there is no meeting of the Bird nerds tomorrow evening, but we shall be meeting next Tuesday evening, venue and time to be confirmed...

Sunday 26th May

Well, the rain certainly came as forecasted, but not as much as what was expected !!! From the Bruichladdich Distillery's point of view, it stopped raining just before they opened up around midday and it stayed dry though their event, or that is what we had. now the sun is shining again with the wind picking up as well, the evening ferry being diverted from Port Ellen to Port Askaig.

On the bird front, I have just heard that earlier on this week that a visitor had seen a pair of breeding GNDs, on a wee lochan up behind Port Ellen. 

With the damp / wet weather we have had, I noticed that the Swallows were not seen so often going back and forward to their nest sites and wondered where they have been sheltering up...

Saturday 25th May

Yesterday, Christine Menzies who now lives on Islay, at Emiravale just on the edge of Port Ellen, had seen a mixed group of 8 waders made up of Sanderling and Dunlin down at Kilnaugton Bay. She had also heard a Cuckoo calling out behind her house...

David Wood was telling me that he had heard 3 calling Corncrakes, the other night at Upper Killeyan down on the Oa. Must try and find out the total heard... 

Distillery Dave had seen 5 Sanderling down on Machir Bay first thing this morning, that was before the weather went awol.. it has "been gie damp", not wet, more or less all day, and as I look the window out the crag has been shrouded in mist since midday. Not exactly a day for bird watching for sure!!!

Before, I forget because of the local Feis being held here this week, the Bird nerds will not be meeting this coming Tuesday, but we will meet up on Tuesday 5th June, with a place and time to be finalised yet, watch this space for more information nearer the time...