Thursday 5th February

 The wind, still from the east, increased to near-gale force throughout the day, stopping the afternoon and evening ferries, but it remained dry, which was some sort of blessing.

 Mary McR. continued with her eagle spotting this morning, seeing a young White-tailed Eagle "scraping the rooftops" in Port Charlotte, and, a minute later, as she travelled south there was a young Golden Eagle over Carn, just outside the village. Clive McK. posted a lovely bit of video to the Islay Birds WhatsApp page of a sub-adult White-tailed Eagle gliding over Loch Gruinart, which I'm going to try and add here, though I'm unsure of the maximum size allowed.

Around midday, Martin A. saw a Little Egret at the head of Loch Indaal and Ed B. reported a Merlin flying through Cornabus.

Here's the video. Thanks, Clive. 

 

Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th February

The easterly wind continues and it's been more or less dry.

No records were received on Tuesday, but, on Wednesday, Mary McR reported that there was a male Hen Harrier by her house in Port Wemyss earlier, and that a White-tailed Eagle was active between there and Octofad daily. She also said that there was a single noisy Oystercatcher hanging about between the field and the shire, which she hoped would soon find a pal! One wonders if it has perhaps recently lost a pal, hence all the noise trying to attract a replacement.

Monday 2nd February

As forecast, the east to south-east wind quickly returned, though so far only of moderate strength, plus one or two light showers.

The only records came from Gary T., who will definitely be missed when he leaves the island. In the morning, he watched a murmuration of 100+ Starlings at Finlaggan, and saw 4 Golden Plover flying down the loch, as well as a Barn Owl quartering the ground west of the visitor centre. On returning home, he added to the recent Yellowhammer records by having 4 visit his bird table.

Saturday 31st January & Sunday 1st February

The easterly wind blew all day Saturday and finally relented on Sunday when it was actually almost calm during the afternoon, though the relief was short-lived and the easterlies are set to return.

First, a Friday observation which I overlooked of the first Glaucous Gull of the winter, a juvenile among the gulls at the Gartbreck tip, seen by Gary T.

No records were submitted on Saturday, but, on Sunday morning, Dave W. saw 4 Bullfinches at Lenavore on The Oa, quite a long way from what one would regard as typical habitat for this species. Then, in the afternoon, Clive McK. photographed a very pale White-tailed Eagle which was sat waiting for a Barnacle Goose that it had hit in mid-air to reappear from the rushes into which it tumbled. His highlights of the day were a very unexpected flock of 45 Meadow Pipits in a field below his house at Craig Mhor, and a brief burst of song from a Mistle Thrush in Gruinart Wood, perhaps celebrating the (temporary) disappearance of the wind. 

Also on Sunday, following Friday's report of about 6 Yellowhammers just outside Bowmore, Billy S. had 4 in his garden at Caol Ila, 3 of which are shown below.                

                                            

 

Friday 30th January

The easterly wind continued all day carrying just one or two small showers.

Just one bird record was received, from Fiona McG, but an interesting one of about 6 Yellowhammers just outside Bowmore close to the Cruach turning. This species is resident on Islay with low tens of pairs, very scattered in both farmland and in coastal gullies. It is thought to have declined as a breeding species in the last 20-30 years, as it has in the whole of Argyll, while small flocks, like this one, can turn up in winter almost anywhere, sometimes on their own, sometimes in flocks of buntings and finches.

And here's a Gordon Langsbury photograph.

 

Wednesday 28th & Thursday 29th January

The easterly winds continue unrelentingly, though at least the last two days have been a bit drier than Tuesday when 25 mm (an inch in old money) fell at the airport, and there has even been a bit of sunshine.

On Wednesday, Clive McK watched a white-winged Barn Owl hunting over Moine Mhor, RSPB Loch Gruinart, in broad daylight. As he commented, it was doubtless very hungry after the last few days of weather. On Thursday, Mary McR saw a pair of adult White-tailed Eagles on the Rinns between Octofad and Ellister and a Sparrowhawk at Octofad, while the usual three Choughs were at Claddach.

First-time visitor, Peter Emery, with a birding friend, had a good three days here the previous weekend and has sent in some records, plus a promise to come back!

On Sunday 18th, a Golden Eagle over Port Ellen bay, and another on a ridge close to Port Charlotte. Loch Indaal held Red- and Black-throated Divers, a Long-tailed Duck, a raft of Common Scoters, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwits and 2 Light-bellied Brents, while there were Tufted Duck, Little Grebe and Goldeneye on Loch Skerrols. A mixed thrush flock near Gleannagaoidh contained Mistle Thrush, Redwing and Fieldfare.

On Monday 19th, there were 4 or 5 White-tailed Eagles on the sand in Loch Gruinart and up to 8 Whooper Swans on the RSPB reserve, and a male and female Hen Harrier were quartering the moors to the west of the road from L. Gruinart to Ardnave.

On Tuesday 20th,  there was a Golden Eagle and, a bit later, 2 White-tailed, on fields opposite Kilnaughton cemetery, c. 20 Twite at the RSPB carpark on The Oa, a Merlin on the way to the American Monument, and 2 Gannets off Kintra.

Monday 26th & Tuesday 27th January

Very little to report other than nasty weather as Storm Chandra moved through bringing gale force easterly winds and plenty of rain.

The only bird news comes from Malcolm O. who had a record count of 104 House Sparrows in his garden during the RSPB Garden Birdwatch  session on Sunday.