Tuesday 15th September

 A day of blustery WNW winds, sunshine and squally showers.

First reports in today were about raptors: Fiona Morton watched a sub-adult Golden Eagle at Coullabus and White-tailed Eagles at Saligo and Bridgend flats. David Hunter had a hunting female Hen Harrier east of Loch Gorm. Martin A. later reported 5 Barnacle Geese on Loch Indaal at Whin Park - presumably the same small group that arrived a day or two back?

Then things got more exciting, with Rogan W. noticing a fly-over Glossy Ibis at Keills as he drove past - only the 5th recent/modern record for Islay, the others being in 2018, 2020, 2025 and last month. There is apparently an influx of the species into the UK and northwards to Scotland happening at the moment with sightings as far away as St. Kilda! 

Sunday 13th & Monday 14th September

 A fine, dry and fairly sunny day on Sunday, but mostly raining and overcast on Monday.

Yesterday visitor Chris Aller wrote the following enthusiastic account: We've just had a very successful day at Ardnave: female Hen Harrier, pair of Golden Eagles on 4 separate occasions, White-tailed Eagle (also seen and photographed by David Hunter) and Merlin. Good numbers of Chough, plentiful Buzzards and a Kestrel. Good to see many Skylark, plus all the regular cast - a great day out!

Elsewhere, David D. reports 6 Barnacle Geese at Gartnatra that Ed B. suggests might be birds from the Icelandic breeding population as they are arrived so early. Ed also posted further fascinating info on "his" tagged Greater White-fronted Goose movements as they depart breeding grounds in Greenland and rest up in Iceland. Clive McK. saw a Chiffchaff in his garden near Eallabus on Loch Gruinart with a Golden Eagle seen overhead escorted by 5 Buzzards. There were also 4 Brent Geese flying up Loch Gruinart.

Steve & Lyn Rogers did their WeBS count at Loch an t-Salein with unusual sightings of a Lesser Black-backed Gull and 9 Gadwall - one of the higher counts recorded on Islay and never before from this location. Rarer still was a report by Mary R. of a Turtle Dove at Portnahaven flying over towards Port Wemyss in the afternoon.

No records so far today - perhaps due to the unpleasant weather conditions.

Saturday 12th September

 A day of slowly decreasing winds and improving weather from light showers to more sunshine.

Bird notes were:

James H. found an Osprey at Loch Gruinart in the afternoon. Louise M. counted 4 Tawny Owls calling around Craighouse on Jura in the evening. I watched an adult White-tailed Eagle in an aerial interaction with a young Golden Eagle at Leorin, both being mobbed by a Buzzard. Clive McK. counted on the Big Strand in the afternoon and found a good tally of 85 Sanderling, 30 ringed Plover and a Dunlin.

Friday 11th September

Mostly sunny and mild with light southerly and SW winds. 

Despite the pleasant weather there were no sightings reported today other than 7 Brent Geese on Loch Indaal by the Gaelic College seen by Wendy & John Mattingley.

Tony Evans sent in a "back of camera" shot of the Barnacle Geese seen yesterday - no doubt the first of many Barnacle Goose photos to be taken this coming winter!

Thursday 10th September

 A day of moderate southerly winds with lots of cloud and drizzle for much of the time.

Tony Evans kindly sent in some notes for yesterday: 2 White-tailed Eagles sat on a small islet at Traigh Cill an Rubha where the River Sorn comes out into Loch Indaal. He also found the Kingfisher on the river there, while the flats around held 12 Knot, c.20 Black-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank and 3 Barnacle Geese: very early arrivals?  Over on the Oa he saw 3 Twite at the RSPB car park and 2 more White-tailed Eagles in the edges of the plantation woodland at Cornabus.

Today, the only record comes from Wendy & John Mattingley who saw a Great Northern Diver in Kilnaughton Bay.

Wednesday 9th September

Winds lighter and going to a more southerly direction during a day of sunshine with isolated light showers.

Rogan W. noticed 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying south down the Sound of Islay past Port Askaig this morning. Wendy & John Mattingley saw a Barn Owl fly out of a farm barn at Ardnave and in the Ardnave area a Sparrowhawk, 35 Chough, a flock of 26 Linnets and a Wheatear. Farm. Towards Ardnave Point they noted 2 White-tailed Eagles, one a first year bird flying to join another on Nave Island. At Stonefield, just inland from Blackrock and Loch Indaal they counted a further 40 Linnets and another Wheatear, then a further White-tailed Eagle nearer to Bowmore.

Tuesday 8th September

A day of blustery, mostly NW/WNW winds, and rain showers between long sunny spells.

With reports of good birding sea-watches off Tiree today including Leach's Petrels Grey Phalaropes and Sabine's Gulls, it was good that Clive McK. went down to Frenchman's Rocks to take a 2 hour look and show again that for much of the time Islay doesn't quite compare! Best finds were a Storm Petrel and 2 Sooty Shearwaters, with a supporting cast of 1,300 Manxies going north and 2,489 going south along with most other birds: 114 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 4 Red-throated Divers,104 Brent Geese, 5 Pintail, and a small selection of waders.

Other bird news included comments from Rogan W. and Louise M. of small build ups of Swallows prior to migration - 36 together at Dunlossit and 30 around Sanaig Wood on Jura. By contrast David D. pointed out that Swallows were still producing recently fledged broods at Kinnabus at this late date. Wendy & John Mattingley recorded the summering Whooper Swan still lingering at Gruinart and Jim Dickson had a juvenile Common Tern and juvenile Curlew Sandpiper at Carnain. Clive saw a further 26 Brent Geese coming in to Islay at Ardnave along with a Great Northern Diver, a Storm Petrel and 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying up Loch Gruinart.