Tuesday 28th January

This is an image of a rather hungry Hen Harrier taken out on the grass today, it was tearing into a dead Hare that I had placed there around a fortnight ago... oddly enough the other day some of the Jackdaws had been in for the odd piece of Hare before but not as much as the Harrier who must have been there for at least 3 hours!!!! There was also a Jackdaw and also a Raven in but neither ventured too close. Finally, a Buzzard came and sat on top of of one of the fence posts.. The image is not that great as the windows were covered in rain...

Monday 27th January

It was dry again today, but a bit on the cool side with the mercury never getting much of a shift in the thermometer...

Not much to report apart from the hooded crow out on the grass again today, later on there was a       buzzard down on the fence line watching what was going on... The pheasants which we have, have taken a great liking to eating into a small bucket of feed, which includes some aniseed...

Sunday 26th January

The weather has been a bit cooler today, in fact at one point this afternoon, we were glad to be inside, as there was a right dirty shower of hailstones, clattering against the windows, rather noisy, to put it politely..

On the bird front today, James had seen a couple of Bullfinches over at Bunnahabhain this morning. This afternoon, James was over for a cuppa and we were proud to show him some footage on our cameras of a pair of Barn Owls, and also some footage from a visiting Chough. I know it is early days but here is hoping that either bird would be looking for a prospective nest site... Earlier on, Margaret saw a couple of Hooded Crows out on the edge of the garden. 

Saturday 25th January

A much better day with the weather, no mists rolling around, possibly the odd spot of rain, but we did manage to see Ireland out on the sky line, the first sighting of Ireland for some time!!!

Mandy was in for a cuppa today, and she told me that she had seen a Barn Owl down at Foreland as she drove home the other night.

Friday 24th January

Another odd sort of a day with the weather, with the mist lifting off and falling down over the crag for most of the day...

Yesterday afternoon, when I was over speaking to Donald Jones over at Coull, a Merlin zipped across the steading.. Today, up here, a Merlin came and land landed on one of the washing line poles, before flying away over the game crop. I am not complaining, nice to see one rather than that pesky Sparrowhawk!!! Early afternoon, out on the feeders, I spotted a Robin with a BTO ring fitted... Jack Fleming had his first Goldfinch, of the season,  on his feeders over at Gruinart today!!

Thursday 23rd January

A better day with the weather today, I even managed to see the crag today and over to Loch Gorm!!

Better day with the birds as well.. James sent through some of his birds that he had seen while out and about....He had a Peregrine and also a Golden Eagle out over Borichill Mor, over the reserve at Gruinart, a juv. White tailed Eagle was seen, while over Loch Gruinart itself, another Peregrine was seen. On the floods at the reserve, the drake G w Teal was still present and then back at the steading at Gruinart, he saw a Grey Wagtail.

Wednesday 22nd January

Went down to David Wood's talk at the Islay Natural History Trust last night. A very interesting talk/ presentation given by himself on his sabbatical trip to Turkey last September. The main thrust was to help count the many migrating birds of prey, sorry Dave can't remember the figures, but a lot!! The only negative side was that there was a very poor turn out from folk attending the talk....

For the last couple of day up here the mist has been down shrouding the crag, and has been quite thick at times, no visibility to the bottom of the garden for most of the time!!! Mid afternoon out on the feeders and roundabout I counted 36 Goldfinches, but none with any rings fitted... There was a male Chaffinch with one on though!!!