Wednesday 21st May

A cooler breeze today, but still bright, dry and sunny - though there is a promise of rain by the coming weekend.

My day started early (midnight to be precise) as several of us carried out the first of 3 Corn Crake surveys over Islay from midnight to 3am. I covered the northern part of the Rhinns from north of Bruichladdich down to just south of Port Charlotte and heard three calling birds.

The only other bird news today is supplied by Hedley Wright who counted 12 Black Guillemots at Port Askaig and a Hen Harrier over Loch Gorm.

I wandered up to Killinallan and noted a small Sand Martin colony (c.15 holes) in a sand bank in the dunes - I expect there are several others and I'll try and find the time to look further here and in other locations I know they are present. It would be useful to hear of other colonies that are dotted about Islay - please let the blog know if you come across any.

Tuesday 20th May

Perhaps not quite as warm as some of the previous days, but still dry, bright and sunny throughout, with a light breeze.

Gary T. reported an Osprey being chased by corvids at Loch nan Cadhan near Lily Loch this morning. Hedley Wright found a male Hen Harrier near Kilchoman distillery and 4 Whimbrel near Bruichladdich this evening.

Monday 19th May

A slight change in the weather today! Still dry and sunny, but there was a stronger breeze and some occasional spells of quite stormy looking cloud cover.

The only bird note for today was a Swift over the moorland trail at Gruinart seen by James H. this morning.

Hedley Wright saw a male Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly today, also noted yesterday by David D. along with other records of interesting butterflies, damsel and dragonflies.

Sunday 18th May

 Weather? - "same old" - unrelenting sunshine, light breezes and heat.

Yesterday, up at Ardnave Clive McK. had a good count of 120 Bar-tailed Godwits, while Hedley Wright found a lone Whimbrel in the same area today.

Many thanks to Martin Harris who had his last day birding on Islay today and sent in a few more records:

In the Sound of Jura between Feolin Ferry and Port Askaig: 3 Great Northern Divers including 2 stunning adults, plus 1 Red-throated Diver. On The Oa: 2 Golden Eagles, 3 Wheatears. 2 Ravens with chicks in a nest on the cliffs  near the American Monument. Kilnaughton Bay and Singing Sands: 2 White-tailed Eagles overhead including an immature bird and rarest bird of the day - a Magpie towards the lighthouse.

This morning Martin A. reported on a good walk along the woodland tracks at Avenvogie with lots of singing from the breeding birds - Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, Chiffchaff and Whitethroat along with Redpolls, Bullfinch and 4 Cuckoos.

Down at Port Charlotte this morning I found 7 Red-throated Divers feeding offshore.

Saturday 17th May

Hot, dry, sunny, light breeze - perfect!

Some additional records for yesterday from Martin Harris who had a Red-throated diver off Port Mhor in the early evening then found a drake Garganey at RSPB Gruinart from the South Hide later in the evening along with 20+ Black-tailed Godwits.

Today, Martin noted an adult White-tailed Eagle and 9 Black Guillemots at Port Askaig. Clive McK. had his first Spotted Flycatcher for his garden this year up at Creag Mhor and newly arrived visitor Hedley Wright was pleased to find 13 Choughs at Machir Bay.

I checked out the lochs at Ballygrant, nan Cadhan and Skerrols today but found all very quiet indeed, though all held nesting Mute Swans - a pair on a nest at Skerrols, a brood of  9 cygnets on nan Cadhan and 5 cygnets at Ballygrant, where Goldcrest was singing in the woodland.

Over on Jura, Louise Muir saw a Woodcock at Craighouse.

Friday 16th May

 The heatwave continues...........

Martin Harris sent in the following selection of sightings: At Blackrock and the nearby beach were 16 Dunlin. At Rubha Ban there was an adult White-tailed Eagle and a pair of Shelduck with young. Up at Bunnahabhain were 3 Eider, 3 Black Guillemots and 2 Willow Warblers. Sitting for an hour at Port Mhor this morning produced, amongst other things, 11 Common Gull, 1 Great black-backed Gull, 8 Arctic Terns, 3 Stonechats, single Dunnock, Cuckoo and Sedge Warbler, a couple of Buzzards, a passing Gannet, plus Linnets, House Martins, Starlings, plus 9 Golden Plovers flying past.

David Livingston sent in a couple of classic spring photos of our breeding birds:

A female Mallard with ducklings at Kilnaughton Bay

A Lapwing chick on the road down to the Machrie Hotel & Golf Course

Thursday 15th May

Slightly cooler today with a breeze from a more northerly direction, but still dry and sunny.

Martin Harris sent in a few interesting and useful records from the last three days:

Tuesday 13th - a Tawny Owl calling over at Kildalton.

Wednesday 14th - singing Stonechat and Sedge Warbler at Port Mhor with 9 Common Scoter offshore.

Today - 2 Golden Eagles and 2 Hen Harriers on the RSPB Gruinart moorland trail. Lapwing with chicks at the South Hide where Grey Heron, Shoveler, Snipe drumming and Sedge Warblers sang. Up at Ardnave he counted 24 Whimbrel, 6 Chough, plus Wheatears, Snipe and of course, many Meadow Pipits and Skylarks.

I spent a large part of the day on The Oa, with a good chunk of the time looking for yesterday's Woodchat Shrike with no luck. However, it was a fine day to be out, I saw my first Whinchats and Spotted Flycatchers of the year (David D. scored at least 5 on The Oa today) and watched some great aerial displays from a couple of adult and an immature White-tailed Eagle over Cragabus.

On the small wetland loch at Cornabus I noticed the drake Wigeon still present and Ed B. was pleased to find Teal with young there for the second year running.

Darrell Lawson was out and about with his camera today and sent us these great images - thanks Darrell.

A Corn Crake peering out from cover:

A Cuckoo being mobbed by a Meadow Pipit:

The male Velvet Scoter at Easter Ellister

The drake Velvet with a drake Common Scoter and what appears to be a female Common Scoter for company.