Tuesday 23rd June

A hot day with plenty of blue sky and sunshine with very little wind, though becoming fairly overcast and cooler by late afternoon.

Late news from yesterday from Clive McK. who was returning to Islay on the ferry and saw a Minke Whale off Ardtalla and a juvenile Great Tit sat on the ferry on the crossing!

Today's news started with reports of Common Dolphins off Jura and a range of interesting dragonflies and butterflies until Clive McK. reported a Quail calling at Gruinart near Creag Mhor. There has been quite a big influx of Quail into the UK this spring and this is the first for us on Islay. In the afternoon Fiona McG. heard another Quail over on Jura at Inver.  There had previously only been reports of the species back in the 19th century and this is the first modern record of the species on Jura.

Some of us were out overnight doing the second Corn Crake survey with David D. hearing a couple over near Gartbreck on Loch Indaal and myself noting 3 birds on my stretch of the Rhinns between Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte.

Andy Sharman noted a colour-ringed Oystercatcher at Kilnaughton which hopefully can be identified in due course. We've had a number of these sightings over the years of birds from Ireland and wintering birds in S, Wales and the south coast of England.

Stephen Garner was out and about and sent in the following account of his day: "This morning we stopped off at Bridgend Woods for a walk in the shade. Nice assemblage of woodland birds - Blackbird, Wood Pigeon, Chaffinch, Treecreeper, Robin (including juveniles), Coal Tit, Blue Tit, a fly-past by 3 Siskin and a Spotted Flycatcher hawking insects from a large conifer next to the meadow area.

Onward to Saligo via north side of Loch Gorm: female Hen Harrier just below the road over to Gruinart. On the right hand side wires beyond the junction but before the White House being painted on the left, a male Cuckoo and a male singing Whinchat. At the parking area for Saligo a Sedge Warbler was calling from the common reed fringe upstream of the bridge".

Monday 22nd June

Quite warm, but with a mix of cloud and sunshine with an attempt at rain in the morning.

Yesterday Jackie Wedd saw a couple of Spotted Flycatchers at the Ardmore House jetty and  3 Red-legged Partridges by Cattadale Farm - presumably released birds for shooting? David D. had 2 Swifts over Ben Mhor this morning.

Mary-Ann F. commented that there seemed to be plenty of sand eels in the shallows at Kildalton and David D. saw similarly good numbers at Ardtalla yesterday, while Jackie Wedd commented that she saw Arctic Terns carrying sand eels in suspected courtship feeding.

Stephen Garner was over on Jura successfully finding Otters and hearing Cuckoo calling, and noting the usual Willow Warblers, Redpoll and Yellowhammer around Inver Woods.

Sunday 21st June

The summer solstice and a scorcher of a day with bright sunshine all day with heatwaves predicted further south in the UK.

Malcolm O. reports hearing Corn Crake from his house in Bruichladdich last night - a bird moving closer to the village from Conisby perhaps.

Stephen Garner was up at Ardnave again today, primarily looking at orchids but sent in the following bird notes: 

Just beyond the lobster pens a flock of 4 choughs above the dunes. A bit further on two choughs working the tide line, one un-ringed the other colour ringed single green on the left leg, 2 rings, pale blue over orange on the right (photo available if needed). Adult White-tailed Eagle on the central dunes seen 3 times, with a splendid flyby next to the car park on our return. Female Hen Harrier also near the point but assume same one seen again scaring the young rabbits in the field above the car park and again beyond the loch. Return along the Gruinart side very quiet with a pair of Ringed Plover and a single Dunlin working the tide line.

Jackie Wedd is on a return visit and noted 2 Arctic Terns and 4 Red-throated Divers off Port Charlotte by the lighthouse.

Here at Bruichladdich the House Martins are belatedly back trying to make a nest on the house, but it seems a real struggle as the material they are gathering is so sandy that once it dries it falls off the wall.

Friday 19th & Saturday 20th June

 Drizzly on Friday, bright and sunny on Saturday.

Today David Jardine was on Jura and counted 66 Canada Geese plus 2 pairs with broods of 2 & 4 young on Eilean Glas - or is it Glas Eilean?

There were no sightings sent in yesterday, but regular visitor Stephen Garner sent in his records for the past few days:

16th June: Port Mor campsite - Corn Crake calling  all night

17th June: Ardnave Point - 2 male & 1 female Hen Harriers, 1 Cuckoo  and a Shelduck with very young ducklings. White-tailed Eagle and 8 Chough in group. 2 Great Skuas flew south from direction of Nave island. 1 Little Tern feeding near Nave Island and Eilean Beag

18th June: Big Strand to Laggan river - a party of 4 and another of 5 Sanderling, 1 Little Tern and 3 Chough near Laggan river mouth. Portnahaven - a Grasshopper Warbler singing near the Community Hall

19th June: Kintra - 2 Chough above the beach beyond the car park and 4 Twite. The Oa - 1 male Whinchat singing near to RSPB Car Park, 4 Twite and a pair of Reed Buntings just before car park

20th June: Killinallan - pair of Curlew displaying beyond the gate across the road end, 1 female Teal on the beach

Wednesday 17th & Thursday 18th June

Further days of mixed showers and sunshine with light winds from a mostly southerly direction, sometimes quite breezy.

No sightings for Wednesday, but some sightings for Tuesday from Rogan Wolhuter, visiting the island. Amongst other things he saw a Guillemot at Port Askaig, 27 Oystercatchers at Bowmore and 2 each of Little Grebes and Grey Wagtails at Loch Ballygrant.

Today was Nick Thomas's last day on the island before heading home. He found a few species of interest up at Loch Ballygrant and Loch Lossit - such as  a flock of Long-tailed Tits, 2 Common Sandpiper, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Red-legged Partridges (it has been quite a while since the latter have been recorded on Islay).

Tuesday 16th June

More unsettled weather today, fine to start with but deteriorating into rain and blustery SE winds.

Val P. and friends went up to Ardnave for a walk and had 3 Swifts flying south overhead.

Simon Cunningham was on Jura and had an Arctic Skua, working down the Sound of Islay close to the Jura shore from Inver towards Feolin.  Sadly he lost sight of it before he could see if it showed any inclination to head inland, which might of course indicate breeding!

Sunday 14th & Monday 15th June

Two days of sunshine - very warm on Sunday, but windier from the SE on Monday.

Despite the gorgeous weather, there were few bird sightings on Sunday other than Steve & Lyn Rogers WeBS count at Loch an-t-Sailean recording many of the summer resident and breeding species and from David Livingstone who took this photo of a Lapwing escorting its chick across the high road at Leorin in the morning and a couple of Otters at Carraig Fhada in the evening.

Today Mary R. had a Swift an Currie Sands - always a good find on Islay.