Saturday 29th November 

A dry day with light winds for a change.

Mike Boothman was at Ardnave in the morning and found two Snow Buntings on the track before the kissing gate and commented on their beautiful markings, while a little later Jonathan Dolbear spotted a White-tailed Eagle out on the flats at the head of Loch Gruinart.

A very interesting observation came from Ed B. of a leucistic Barnacle Goose at Cornabus. He thought it was probably the same one which was here last winter as a juvenile. As it is reasonably distinctive, has it recently arrived from somewhere else or just been difficult to see in a large flock?

About lunchtime, visitor Helen saw a male Hen Harrier head north past Lyrabus, commenting that it was nice being able to watch it while consuming coffee and cake! 

In the afternoon, Mike Boothman saw 4 Long-tailed Ducks on Loch Indaal, east of Blackrock, while Gary T. saw a Kestrel on the east side of Loch Finlaggan. Kestrels have declined as a breeding species over the last few decades, as there were at least 10-12 pairs breeding in the 1970s-1990s, but the best estimate nowadays is about 5-10. All records are welcome, please.

Jonathan was at Port Askaig and saw two White-tailed Eagles, one a juvenile, flying over the Sound to Jura.

The late Gordon Langsbury took this splendid photo of a hovering Kestrel.

 

Friday 28th November 

The overnight southwest gale and a few heavy squalls continued all morning, gradually moderating in the afternoon. The ferry and the plane stayed at home in the morning, but birders were out.

Mike Boothman was in the southeast in the morning seeing a ring-tail Hen Harrier at Ardilistry and he also flushed a woodcock from woods near Ardmore House. I was driving the Glen Road and near Cluanach counted a flock of c.520 Rock Doves in a grass field, along with some sheep and 83 Greenland Whitefronts. The Rock Doves were feeding in a tight flock in the shelter of some trees and my count was a minimum because of the lie of the ground. The field was fairly shaggy and the doves were presumably feeding on grass and other seeds which must have been quite plentiful. This is one of the larger flocks recorded on the island, beaten by 800 and 600 in 2007, with the 800 at the same location. There is no estimate of how many pairs breed on Islay, but this number suggests a gathering from a considerable part of the island.

Just before midday, Clive McK counted 61 Curlew, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits and 1 Black-tailed Godwit feeding on pasture at Garra-Eallabus on the side of Loch Gruinart, noting that one of the Curlew had a droopy left wing and was presumably the same bird which was present in the area all last winter.

In the early afternoon, Mike Boothman was still near Ardmore House, at Port Mor (not the one on the Rinns), watching a Great Northern Diver, a Black Guillemot and 2 female Goldeneye, also seeing another Woodcock. Jonathan Dolbear at the same site a little later on reported that the diver was accompanied by an otter!

The choice of a photograph for today is a pretty obvious one, taken by Gordon Langsbury.

 

Thursday 27th November

The southwest wind steadily increased during the day, reaching gale force and accompanied by squally showers.

A female Brambling was seen by Gary T. in a flock of Chaffinches at Carnain, and David D. reported that the one seen by him at Kinnabus was still there today. The majority of Islay records are of ones and twos, with flocks of over 10 quite rare. One assumes that they leave Scandinavia and cross the North Sea in flocks but then must split up as they cross Scotland. Gary also saw 30 Light-belled Brent Geese at Carnain with a further 10 along at Blackrock.

Jonathan Dolbear was in the Gruinart/Ardnave area and saw a single White-tailed Eagle out on the sand, and also a single Gannet flying over Eilean Beag, off the west coast southwest of Nave Island.

Wednesday 26th November

Breezy from the SW with overcast and rainy conditions all day and some nasty windy weather forecast for the next couple of days.

Louise Muir found a Purple Sandpiper at Crackaig, Jura this morning - remarkably, this is only the 7th documented record of the species for Jura!

There were Bramblings noted by David D. at Kinnabus and Billy Stitchell at Caol Ila. Jonathan Dolbear had 2 White-tailed Eagles at the top of Loch Indaal at Whin Park then another 3 on a kill in front of the Visitor centre at RSPB Loch Gruinart.

Tuesday 25th November

A bright and sunny day with very light breezes.

A variety of bird reports from across the island today, starting with a Yellowhammer at Kinnabus on The Oa seen by David. D. Michael Boothman was watching Loch Indaal in lovely calm conditions off Blackrock and found a total of 19 Long-tailed Ducks, while down at Bruichladdich I watched a group of winter-plumaged Black Guillemots by their home at the pier. Michael was later over at The Oa and had 14 Twite at the RSPB Car Park where they enjoy the bird feeders. Jonathan Dolbear was up at Gruinart watching a young and 2 adult White-tailed Eagles near to the RSPB hides and Golden Eagles at Killinallan and Saligo. Final notes came in from James H. with a Jack Snipe seen at Gruinart this evening and from Clive McK. who had a Barn Owl at Creag Mhor.

Monday 24th November

 A quite pleasant dry and sunny day with light to moderate winds.

Jonathan Dolbear saw the Red Kite again on the Kilchoman side of Loch Gorm in the morning. I popped out to try and find it but it had moved on - a flushed Woodcock at Ballinaby was the consolation prize. Later Jonathan was at the Ardnave end of Loch Gruinart where he counted 5 immature White-tailed Eagles - the beginning perhaps of an almost expected winter influx to Islay of birds from other areas of Scotland to feast on geese - or is it just the local young getting together? The fact that one was on a kill may account for the concentration of birds.

Michael Boothman was also over at Ballinaby and counted a flock of 30 Redwing and Fieldfares.

I was called out to Port Charlotte in the morning to see a couple of mystery waterfowl sat on the sea just 100m offshore. We've had a few odd looking geese reported over the past few months and this pair join the top of the list of  feral/hybrid weirdos, with both sporting odd bumps of feathers on top of their heads:

Sunday 23rd November

A rainy, grey and cool day with light winds, with very little bird news to report.

Jonathan Dolbear had 2 White-tailed Eagles over Machir Bay in the morning, Helen Boothman seeing another at Gruinart in the afternoon along with 2 male Hen Harriers. At Blackrock she found 6 Twite, 16 Brent Geese and 8 Common Scoter. Clive McK. finished the day's sightings with a Short-eared Owl over the Gruinart to Ardnave road.