Monday 17th August 

Rather a damp day, with rain most of the afternoon.

Bird of the month, possibly year, was an adult Mediterranean Gull, "loafing" at Gartbreck in the rain, according to Clive McK, who spotted this rare visitor. 'Birds of Islay and Jura" states that this is about the 13th record for the island since the first in 2010, and only the second adult. Sightings have been slowly increasing in recent years, with 3 last year, although those were the first since 2022.

The only other observation received came from Rogs M, who saw a Little Egret and a Greenshank while driving (!) between Bridgend and Bowmore. 

 

Sunday 16th August 

A quiet, mainly overcast day after overnight rain.

Not much to report today. David D watched a White-tailed eagle flying below the American Monument and also saw 2 Chough on the cliffs below, while Rogs W posted this photograph of a House Sparrow with a beakful of food which he reckons includes both a spider and a caterpillar. It's important to offer one's offspring a nicely varied diet.

 

Saturday 15th August 

Another fine day with light winds.

Rogs M spotted a pure white goose among a flock of Greylags on Loch na Cachie, which lies between Kilchoman Distillery and Loch Gorm. It is either a leucistic or an albino Greylag, but a closer look is needed, the former retaining normal coloured eyes, bill and legs, whereas in the latter those would be pink/red.

Clive McKay had a late afternoon walk around Ardnave, seeing 5 Sandwich Terns and 15 Common Terns at Ardnave Point, as well as 20 Choughs, 2 Whimbrel flying south, and the usual mix of waders on Traigh Nostaig beach, including 47 Ringed Plovers and a Greenshank. He also had a high count of 440 Grey Seals hauled out on the Loch Gruinart sandbanks. In  the evening a Barn Owl was hunting near the RSPB office, while he noted an evening wader emigration from Loch Griunart of 21 Black-tailed Godwits, 68 Oystercatchers and 8 Sandwich Terns.

 

Friday 14th August 

A dry day with light winds and mainly overcast skies. Yesterday evening, cloud obscured most of the sky, preventing more than very partial views (glimpses) of the eclipse of the sun and almost nothing of the Perseid meteor shower.

Only two bird records received for today. Louise M had a lone Curlew in Small Isles Bay, while Rog M continues his exploration of the northeast of the island, noting 8 Grey Herons, including juveniles, perched on trees at Lily Loch. This is the site of one of the several small heronries on Islay. It survived the felling of some of the nesting trees a few years ago as they had become dangerous, but there were plenty of alternative trees, including at adjacent Loch Allan. Peter Roberts, in his book 'Birds of Islay and Jura', lists no less than 18 heronries that have been noted in the last nearly 100 years since the very first National Heronry Survey of 1928, but attendance at several of them seems to be intermittent, while a number are definitely extinct. Peter estimates up to 30 breeding pairs on the island, of which 8-9 were at Lily Loch in 2023, the last time they were counted, making it one of the largest heronries that year.

This makes a perfect cue for one of the late Gordon Langsbury's photographs.

 

Thursday 13th August

Apart from a short sharp rain shower this morning it was a hot sunny day with light southerly winds for the annual Islay and Jura Show.

Ed Burrell sent in a map lotting the recent movements of one of his tagged Greylag Geese, wandering up and down the island over the past couple of weeks.

Otherwise, Rogan W. watched his fledged Buzzard  attempting to hunt at Dunlossit and witnessed another/the same as a few days ago, White-tailed Eagle journeying from Islay to Jura this morning.

Wednesday 12th August

A warm sunny start with only the slightest attempt of rain, but clouding sufficiently to make the eclipse of the sun this evening somewhat underwhelming.

Mary R. reports a Kestrel at Claddach yesterday. Today Rogan W. confirms the Buzzard breeding on his home patch at Dunlossit with sightings of adult and juvenile flying about. 

 

Tuesday 11th August

 A fine sunny day!

Rogan W. confirms that the Bullfinch pair in the gardens at Dunlossit have fledged two young. He also had a Crossbill flying over.

Up at Kilinallan this afternoon I had a young White-tailed Eagle being harassed by a Buzzard and Hen Harrier. Also a couple of Greenshanks and the Little Egret present.