Tuesday 28th April

Another basically dry and sunny day, though cloudy at times with a cool, light easterly breeze.

Nick Bone reports a Corncrake at Lossit and Clive McK. saw 47 Whimbrel at Gareallabus, a White-tailed Eagle mobbed by Greylags and, most unusual, 2 pairs of Scaup on Ardnave Loch.

James H. heard a Water Rail and saw a late Jack Snipe at Gruinart in the morning, and took a look over Gruinart Flats later in the day, reporting a/the pair of Garganey still present along with a Ruff, 16 Whimbrel, a pair of Gadwall and 9 Black-tailed Godwits.

I noted a flock of 15 Whimbrel at Bruichladdich, then did a walk in the  Lily Loch area noting a pair of White-tailed Eagles flying about and 2 Great Northern Divers on the Sound of Islay. Billy Stitchell was also at Lily Loch during the day and sent in a couple of photos - one of possibly the same eagle and another typifying a pleasant spring day with plenty of bird song from summer migrants.

Sunday 26th & Monday 27th April

Two further days of pleasant, sunny and mild weather.

Thanks to Malcolm Ogilvie for doing the blog in my 3 weeks absence - and to Mary Redman for taking over from Malcolm when he was unavailable.

While I've been away there has been a major change in the island's birdlife as the wintering geese all got away to Greenland and a flurry of the summer visitors arrived. Reporting has quietened down a little since and there have been few posts over the last two days:

Yesterday Ed B. reported Arctic and Sandwich Terns at Kilnaughton and Louise M. had a Whimbrel in front of the Jura Hotel.

So far, there are no sightings posted today.

Saturday 25th April

The fine weather continues, though with some patches of cloud keeping the nights a little warmer.

The only reports come from James H at the RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve where the first Lapwing chicks have appeared, while, on the floods, the pair of Garganey was still present, as was a single Ruff.

Here's another Billy Stitchell photograph, of a Mistle Thrush surveying his territory.

 

Friday 24th April

A repeat of yesterday's weather, dry, sunny and getting warmer.

Peter Gill's dawn chorus on a stroll below Lyrabus consisted of 3 Cuckoos, 5 Grasshopper Warblers, 4 Sedge Warblers and 2 Common Whitethroats. A little later, he saw 2 Long-tailed Ducks off Bruichladdich. James How added to the songsters with a Grasshopper Warbler and no less than 3 Water Rails calling at Gruinart.

Peter Gill later had the delightful experience of the Little and Large of the raptor world when watching a Merlin on a roadside fence near Ardnave as a White-tailed Eagle flew past. 

Louise M reported at least 30 Great Northern Divers in the Sound of Jura, on the east side of the island, and, later in the afternoon, Ed B saw a Moorhen and 3 Whimbrel at Cornabus. Moorhen is an elusive bird on Islay, with comparatively few breeding pairs, perhaps no more than 20. Cornabus would be a new site if Ed's bird can find a mate.

Billy Stitchell has been out with his camera again and contributed this fine one of a Pied Wagtail. I particularly like the lighting on it.

 

Thursday 23rd April 

The nice big anticyclone persists, giving us blue skies and a southerly breeze, and very slowly getting warmer during the day.

Paul Miller saw what could well turn out to be the bird of the year, a Black Kite, floating in the wind above Sanaig, and heading up the coast towards Ardnave. This record has, naturally, to be scrutinised by the relevant rare bird committee, but, if accepted, will be the first for Islay and just the 5th or 6th for Argyll, as there's a pending record from last year seen on Kintyre, the full details of which are still awaited.

Paul also saw a Common Whitethroat at Sanaig, the first for the year duly clocking in, while Peter Gill had a Whinchat at Lyrabus. In the afternoon, James H. spotted 4 Ruffs from the Loch Gruinart south hide, Fiona McG found a brood of 8 Mallard ducklings at Shorefield, just outside Bruichladdich, while I watched 2 Sandwich Terns flying in front of the village. Grasshopper Warblers were vocal in the evening, with 3+ below Lyrabus heard by Peter Gill and 2 in Glen Astle, together with 3 Cuckoos, reported by David D. Mary McR also had a Cuckoo near Gearach earlier in the day.

Butterflies on the wing included a Red Admiral at Shorefield (Fiona McG) and Green Hairstreaks on The Oa (David D). 

Wednesday 22nd April 

Dry and sunny, though the persistent easterly breeze kept it cool.

The birds of the day were undoubtedly the pair of Garganey seen and photographed by Mark Livingston from the RSPB Loch Gruinart south hide. One or two, occasionally more, of this lovely small migrant duck turn up here most springs, with breeding proved in 1997 and suspected in five years since, the last time in 2014.

David Jardine, on the ferry to Colonsay, saw a single Puffin flying north off SE Jura and then c.15 Manx Shearwaters north of Rubha Mhail lighthouse. David Wood reported the first Whinchat of the year from Kinnabus, while, also on The Oa, David D spotted a White-tailed Eagle, in his words "performing pest control on a Greylag Goose nest." Over at Kildalton, Mary-Ann F saw a Redpoll, and also a Speckled Wood butterfly on the wing. 

In the late afternoon, Mark Livingston found 3 immature White-tailed Eagles at Ardnave, while Ed B had a high count of 38 Wood Pigeons at Cornabus. 

David Wood reported that an adult male Linnet killed by a cat in Port Ellen yesterday was wearing a ring put on 49 days ago in Wiltshire, so not a very nice Islay welcome for it. 

And here are Mark's photos. 

 

Tuesday 21st April    

A dry and sunny day with a blue sky, but also white horses on the blue sea because of a strong easterly wind.     

Only a few records today, of single Whimbrel at Saligo from Louise M and at Cornabus from Ed B, and of 3 singing Sedge Warblers near the south hide at Gruinart from James H.

Gordon Langsbury took this cracking photograph of a Sedge Warbler.