Friday 16th October

The weather took a bit of a turn for the good today - though there were still light intermittent showers between largely sunny conditions. The main change was a high pressure system prevailing over the north Atlantic producing moderate NW winds - colder, but perfect conditions for arrivals of geese and swans. And arrive they did, after a long wait, large numbers could be seen flying in all day and dropping onto the flats at Gruinart to rest before dispersing somewhat, perhaps to feed by the evening.

Clive McK. and Teresa Morris spent much of the day (9 hours in Clive's case) watching and counting at Gruinart. This produced a tally of 13,000 Barnacle Geese, just 69 Greenland White-fronts, 59 Greylags and 284 Whooper Swans. Clive noted that the influx peaked around midday. There were reports of Whoopers in small groups and flocks all over the island, but how many were different to those counted at Gruinart is impossible to know. All in all, a spectacular day of the anticipated return of the wintering wildfowl!

Other birds of interest today included Clive's record of 170 Kittiwakes flying up Loch Indaal this morning - very odd, and much the largest number seen "inland" away from the usual sea-watching/offshore sites. I was up at Gruinart enjoying the goose-fest this afternoon and found 4 Little Egrets and 55 Great Black-backed Gulls on the loch, 53 Snipe from the S. Hide and 750 Golden Plover and 24 Black-tailed Godwits from the N. Hide. Visitor Nicky Betts watched a Golden Eagle feeding on a hare, and one of apparently 7 White-tailed Eagles over Loch Gruinart frightening the newly arrived Barnacle Geese.

A photo of Loch Gruinart c/o Clive illustrates the better weather today, which hopefully will prevail into tomorrow and the next few days, though the winds are set to change back to southerly on Sunday, so tomorrow might be the best bet for further large arrivals of geese for a while.

Thursday 15th October

Another day of unsettled weather - moderate SW/W winds and heavy cloud with showers to start with , then slightly brighter with sunny spells between further heavy, squalls and rain at times.

Rogan W's watch at the Sound of Islay near Port Askaig produced single Great Northern and Red-throated Divers, 34 Shags, 10 Gannets, a Mistle Thrush flying between Islay and Jura and, most unusually a Kingfisher.

Whooper Swans were on the radar again today, with David D. seeing 28 flying over Kinnabus (plus a Merlin) and myself counting 10 (6 young) on Barley stubble at Sunderland and 53 on similar fields just harvested but in a very muddy, water-logged state at Kilchoman. The Kilchoman birds were part of a mass of many hundreds of gulls, Greylags and Barnies feeding on the spilt grain and exposed invertebrates. Towards Machir Bay there was a flock of 70 Linnets.

The "odd goose" saga continues just as we thought it was over with the predation of one a few days ago. But apparently there is a second bird on the island at Bridgend Flats discovered by Mary R. The debate on Chinese Goose versus Swan Goose also continues: the dead bird being declared Swan Goose (the wild species counterpart of the domesticated Chinese Goose) and the still extant bird probably being Chinese Goose. 

Back to more interesting wild birds, Bill Bealey had 100 Golden Plover, 60 Lapwings, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits and 6 Curlew on the fields around the North Hide at Gruinart.

Teresa Morris was up at Ardnave today and photographed the gathering Choughs in the late afternoon - count the dots to work out how many!

Wednesday 14th October

Strong southerly winds with a largely overcast sky and rain showers.

Teresa Morris had small groups of Whooper Swans totalling 20 birds heading south down Loch Gruinart at Craigens this morning. These were the only sightings of Whoopers noted today.

David D. sent in a couple of photos of the odd-looking Swan Goose/Chinese Goose that has been seen intermittently over the past few months on the Rhinns. He found it predated, probably by the local Golden Eagle over on The Oa. David also found a Goosander on Loch Astle and a vey cryptic Jack Snipe nearby:

Spot the Snipe!

Ian Hastie took a walk up to Ardnave Point finding 2 White-tailed Eagles, single Golden Eagle, Jack Snipe, Greenshank and 2 Red Grouse. The grouse were in a slightly odd location well to the north on the Ardnave peninsula - maybe the strong south winds blew them there! At RSPB Gruinart were 120 Golden Plover a couple of ring-tail Hen Harriers, 5-6 Pintail and a large count of Snipe - 30-40 on the floods and another 60 flying in.

Rogan W. did a 45 minute watch this afternoon on the Sound of Islay noting amongst other species, single Red-breasted Merganser, a flock of 7 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 3 Grey Herons, 3 Ravens and 3 Gannets.

Tuesday 13th October

Strong southerly/south-westerly winds bringing periods of sunshine between heavy, squally rain.

Teresa Morris was counting mostly in the Gruinart area again today and continued to note small groups of Whooper Swans (a total of 68 today) coming in despite the winds in the "wrong" direction. She also saw a Golden Eagle taking prey at Craigens and had a group of 14 Brent Geese, there being a further 10 seen by myself at Loch Indaal at Gartnatra, then 17 there seen by Ian Hastie. Clive McK. found 3 White-tailed Eagles at Killinallan and later counted 345 Wigeon, a Greenshank and increased the Brent tally to 21 birds at the Gaelic College. Rogan W. did a watch of the Sound for 30 minutes this morning noting his "usual" 3 White-tailed Eagles on both sides of the Sound, 9 Gannets and 14 Wood Pigeons south and 6 Eiders. Over on The Oa David D. saw a Merlin at Kinnabus.

Teresa provided further fine photos depicting the changeability of today's weather:

Monday 12th October

Strong southerly winds with plenty of rain and cloud.

Steve & Lyn Rogers sent in their WeBS count for yesterday on Loch an t-Salein recording 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 9 Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 Wigeon and 21 Shag amongst other species.

Despite winds from a generally southerly direction, there was a fairly large arrival of Whooper Swans throughout much of the day. Teresa Morris started the count of this species before 8am at Gruinart with flocks flying south totalling 140 birds with further small groups totalling 38 in the evening. Bill Bealey added a further c.40 birds in the Gruinart area. Clive McK. reported about 110 Whoopers in the same area, but currently it is not sure if these are additional or part of the same. 

Other birds of note today include: 12 Brent Geese at Craigens c/o Teresa, 5 more c/o Ian Hastie at the top of Loch Indaal. Single Jack Snipe recorded by Ed B. at Cornabus and James H. at Gruinart where he counted a substantial number (78) of Common Snipe. Redwings are beginning to appear - Ed B. had a few at Cornabus and Teresa tallied 28 around Loch Allan. Ian Hastie also had a Black-tailed Godwit with the more usual Bar-tailed godwits on Loch Indaal near the Gaelic College. Rogan W.'s contribution today was of a latish Swallow at Bowmore.

Sunday 11th October

A much nicer day with light southerly winds, sunshine and dry throughout.

Rogan W. did a "big Bird Day" county yesterday and despite appalling weather managed to record a very respectable 91 species - finishing predictably with Tawny Owls calling at his home near Port Askaig

Whooper Swans continue to come in and wander through, noted across the island by several different observers. totals for the day look to be c. 130 birds.

Similarly widely observed were Barnacle Geese with 250 accompanying c.800 Greylags in a field of very poor, possibly abandoned barley at Port Charlotte and c.750 at the top of Loch Indaal in the afternoon.

Other species included numerous White-tailed Eagles scattered here and there - Loch Gruinart, 2 at Port Askaig, flying across Loch Indaal to Carn from Gartbreck. David D. found the Great White Egret and Curlew Sandpiper still at Loch Gruinart and a Greenshank and Little Egret from the Gaelic College in Loch Indaal (where I saw a couple of Brent Geese). David also found our first Redwings (3) of the autumn at Kinnabus.

Rogan did a watch on the Sound of Islay for an hour noting amongst other thins a Buzzard flying from Islay to Jura, 2 very active White-tailed Eagles, 12 Gannets, 3 Grey Herons and a Red-throated Diver.

Teresa Morris was stationed up at Killinallan for much of the day and her totals included: 47 Whooper Swans (part of the total above), 404 additional Barnacle Geese, 3 White-tailed and 1 Golden Eagle, 2 make Hen Harriers, 47 Knot.

Teresa provided another lovely photo to illustrate the contrast between yesterday's weather and today:

Saturday 10th October

Strong WNW winds with often heavy, squalls and rain in between sunny spells.

Despite the unpleasant weather several of the more stalwart birders were out and about. Teresa Morris was watching in the Loch Gruinart and Ardnave area for much of the day finding among other things 32 Whooper Swans amid numerous Greylags and Barnacle Geese, 2 immature and one adult White-tailed Eagles at Craigens, a Little Egret, 27 Knot, 35 Choughs, a Merlin and Golden Eagle and 2 Greenshanks.

Ed Burrel watched a female Peregrine take down a Barnacle Goose out of a newly arrived c.100 at Balaclava - possibly the same large female Peregrine hunting Rock Doves that David D. saw at Kinnabus (with 6 Whooper Swans on Loch Kinnabus). Rogan W. noted a Golden Eagle and Curlew Sandpiper up at Gruinart, 450 Barnacle Geese at Craigens, the Great White Egret on the floods and a male Hen Harrier at Bun an Uillt. Later at Carnain he counted 35 Knot with 172 Bar-tailed Godwits. Clive McK. upped the Barnie total later with a count of 1,600 on Loch Gruinart and saw 20+ Greenland White-fronted Geese at the top of the loch. This evening Rogan was still out birding at Loch Skerrols where he found 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

With the strong winds with a slightly northerly element to them, Clive and Rogan braved the appalling weather to do a sea-watch this morning for about 3 hours at Frenchman's Rocks with moderately good results: 58 Brent Geese, 107 Barnacle Geese, 2 Little Auks, 73 Black-headed Gulls, singles of Grey Phalarope, Arctic Tern, Storm & Leach's Petrels and Great Northern Diver.

James H. was out in the late afternoon doing a final tally of wildfowl at Gruinart: now 4,820 Barnies, 5 Pink-footed Geese, 18 White-fronts and 27 Whooper Swans, where he added a single Ruff and 5 Black-tailed Godwits to today's list and upped a few day-counts with 4 White-tailed Eagles, 7 Little Egrets

Teresa's photo typifies today's weather!