Saturday 29th August

 A dry, fairly calm, cloudy sort of day.

Mary R. was out and about today finding 3 very vocal White-tailed Eagles around Claddach and the islands this morning, a Golden Eagle over Sanaigmore and a record count of 119 Collared Doves at Octofad in the afternoon. Presumably the doves are gathered there to feed on barley split from the trailers going in to Ocofad to be dried.

On Loch Indaal, viewing from the Gaelic College where some of us were gathered for the Islay Book Festival, Fiona McG. noted the first Wigeons of the autumn/winter - a count of 41 birds. Rogan W. was watching here too and recorded a Kingfisher, a Greenshank, 4 Black-tailed and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits. He also noted a female Common Scoter, Tufted Duck with chicks and a White-tailed Eagle on Loch Gorm.

Friday 28th August

Dry, mostly sunny, with light northerly winds.

There were 3 migrant White Wagtails at Ghiol on The Oa seen by David D. this morning and a Carrion Crow at Kilnaughton found by Fiona McG. Down at Claddach Mary R. had 3 White-tailed Eagles plus groups of 10 and 3 Choughs. Along the coast she counted groups of 93 and 60 Shags with others in the sea accompanied by 12 Bottle-nosed and 1 Common Dolphin. David Boggon had a further 2 White-tailed Eagles over the Sound of Islay.

Thursday 27th August

Dry with light easterly winds.

David Boggon saw the first White-tailed Eagle of the day this morning at Gruinart with David D. reporting 4 different White-tailed Eagles on The Oa during the day along with a Peregrine near the RSPB car park on The Oa and a Greenshank on Loch Kinnabus.

James H. found the autumn's first Curlew Sandpiper amongst the usual range of more common waders on Loch Gruinart in the afternoon - all flushed by possibly the same White-tailed Eagle that had been seen there in the morning. Rogan W. counted some substantial numbers of Siskins (80) and Redpolls (20) in a mixed feeding flock at Lily Loch in the afternoon.

Mary-Ann F. noted a Whimbrel and Greenshank at Cnoc and Ardilistry Bays where her two families of Red-breasted Mergansers still survive and thrive.

Otherwise there was much interest in lepidoptera with Mary-Ann F. reporting good numbers of Painted Lady, Peacock, and Red Admiral butterflies including some fine photos and mention of Hummingbird Hawk Moth, which were also noted in recent days across the island by Fiona McG., Rogan W. and Mary R.

Wednesday 26th August

Stronger east/south-east winds and some cloud and rain today, but still quite warm and occasional sunnier spells.

Visitor David Boggon had a Great Skua flying north up Loch Indaal at Port Charlotte this morning and a male Hen Harrier at Killinallan in the afternoon.

Ed B. reports a couple of well-grown Snipe chicks on his fark at Cornabus plus a couple of Choughs and 2 Moorhens - the latter considered unusual out on The Oa!

Rogan W. up at Loch Allan found a pair of Crossbills and 8 Grey Herons. By coincidence, Jo Rosser-Owen sent in this photo of a Grey Heron taken at Old Gortan Schoolhouse on Loch Indaal.

Tuesday 25th August

 A dry, sunny day with a light to moderate breeze from the east and south.

Yesterday Mary R. noticed birds flocking together in an "autumnal way": 20 Meadow Pipits and 12 Goldfinches included, plus young Wheatears and a trio of young Choughs. There was a White-tailed Eagle over Claddach this morning.

David D. had a Whimbrel on The Oa this afternoon while I took a quick look at Gruinart, finding 32 summery Knots and 20 equally summery Black-tailed Godwits on the flats along with a White-tailed Eagle and 4-5 Buzzards - the eagle very sluggish, the Buzzards very active. There were also 8 Canada Geese seen from the North Hide, but not much else.

Later in the afternoon visitor Andy Harris was at Loch Gruinart and was treated to the sight of an Osprey catching a flat fish and then being pursued by a White-tailed Eagle. The Osprey dropped the fish but it was not apparently retrieved by the eagle. Later Andy saw two White-tailed Eagles back sitting on the flats.

Talking of Canada Geese, there was a recent note to the effect that the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC) have been reviewing all records of what are considered truly vagrant Canada Geese in the UK and the first accepted record is now a bird at Kilchoman from 24 October - 3 November 1986, pre-dating the previously accepted first record. There are now 65 accepted records of vagrant Canada Geese in the UK.

Sunday 23rd & Monday 24th August

 Two pleasant days of sunshine and light winds.

Alastair McCormick sent in a couple of photos of a Water Rail that showed up in his garden at Craigens overnight on Saturday.

On Sunday Martin A. saw 3 Little Egrets, 2 Greenshanks and 2 White-tailed Eagles at the top of Loch Indaal by the mouth of the Sorn, while David W. counted 8 Greenshanks on Loch Gruinart by the Oystershed. Rogan W. was counting on Loch Indaal near Bridgend - 363 Greylag Geese, 163 Oystercatchers and 2 Cormorants. 

Today Louise Muir reports "thousands" of seabirds active in the Sound of Jura this morning - mostly Razorbills, Guillemots and Gannets, presumably feeding on fish shoals.

Saturday 22nd August

Dry with a light northerly breeze.

Thanks to Malcolm O. for keeping the blog going in my absence. 

David Jardine was on the ferry from Kennacraig this morning and saw c.10 Storm Petrels. Rogan W. saw a Little Egret, a Wigeon and a few Black-tailed Godwits at the top of Loch Indaal and heard the Tawny Owls calling loudly at Port Askaig.