Peter today had been out. making the most of the sunny day by the sound of things which is just as well as there is some rain forecast in a few days time.. Over at Storakaig, which is on the Glen road between Ballygrant and Mulindry, he counted a flock of 80 Golden Plover.
I read a worrying piece of news earlier on this evening, basically that Motmot Travel have called it a day, with the brother and sister team deciding to retire, they will be missed.. "Gone, but not forgotten."
Peter e mailed me through the following birds seen recently on Islay....
"David Dinsley reports a Carrion Crow at Ghiol on the Oa on Tuesday.
Yesterday, David Wood saw a Magpie at Mid Cragabus while Mary-Ann Featherstone reports from Kildalton that - "The woodpecker is tapping daily. The first Cuckoo arrived yesterday morning."
"Willow warbler
invasion- lots of willow warblers arrived yesterday all singing this morning
Geese- pretty
much all the geese have gone – moved away mainly on Monday/ Tuesday
Bullfinch on reserve yesterday, Sandwich Tern and Common Sandpiper Bruichladdich yesterday
This morning on reserve, Chiffchaff 2, Redwings still lots around, also seen was a Swallow
And yesterday, Neil MacGillivray, saw a Cuckoo on reserve."
Matthew phoned yesterday evening to say he'd seen an Osprey
(tucking into a very large fish) on a roadside telegraph pole overlooking Loch
Gorm - he got a photo on his phone but by the time he returned with his better
camera, it had cleared off.
As George E. Jackson was driving home from Uiskentuie, yesterday afternoon, there was a Grey Heron on the rocks just north of Bruichladdich - first one he has seen there for at least 3 weeks.
David Livingstone, had seen 3 Sand Martins when he was out on the Golf course at the Machrie this morning, David's first Sand Martins of the year....
Peter had helped Lesley with her WeBS count today from Bowmore to Gartbreck with the following results:
Heron - 1
Shag - 12
Mute Swan - 1
Brent Goose - 2
Barnacle Goose - 1
Greylag - 6
Eider - 11
Wigeon - 6
Teal - 2
Mallard - 1
Shelduck 14
Oystercatcher - 60
Grey Plover - 2
Golden Plover - 155
Ringed Plover - 79
Lapwing - 5
Dunlin - 6
Sanderling - 17
Redshank - 5
Curlew - 6
Whimbrel - 1
Snipe - 3
Turnstone - 51
Common Gull - 52
GBB Gull - 51
LBB Gull - 3
Herring Gull - 61
B H Gull - 1
While doing the WEBS we had our first Swallow of the year,
plus a White
Wagtail. We went over to Laggan Point later and had a
pair of Wheatear
and another Whimbrel.
Finally, this afternoon we've had some consistently lovely,
sunny weather!"
Gary e mailed to say that the Whimbrel that he had seen yesterday was over at Cairnan/ Crosshouses...
(Also a report of a Cuckoo from a local on the Oa)
Sunday 11th: A walk around the Lily loch area this morning produced 5
Yellowhammers at a pheasant feeding station, plus Chiffchaffs heard and a
single Willow Warbler seen.
This afternoon I was out with Bob Davison to do his WEBS count from Port
Charlotte to Blackrock. Another spring migrant seen was a single White Wagtail
near Bruichladdich. The WEBS produced the following:
GND
- 10
Slav Grebe - 1 (in lovely summer plumage)
Gannet - 8
Cormorant - 3
Heron - 1
Razorbill - 6
Greenland White-fronts - 50
Greylags - 40
Brents - 13
Mallard - 5
Shelduck - 3
Red-breasted Merg. - 6
Eider - 79
Herring Gull - 34
LBB Gull - 3
GBB Gull - 10
Common Gull - 38
Sandwich Tern - 7
Oystercatcher - 46
Snipe - 5
Redshank - 4
Purple Sand - 5
Ringed Plover - 4
OTHER REPORT: Whimbrel seen at Bridgend Merse (from Gary Turnbull)."
I believe that David Dinsley had seen 2 Common Sandpipers over at the Laggan Bridge today...
I was speaking to my old mucka David Barr, a short time ago and he was telling me that he is hearing the Whaups, or rather the Curlews calling away in the morning when out walking the dogs...
