Saturday 24th August

Mandy had seen a male Hen Harrier down below Carnduncan. Shortly afterwards she saw a Sparrowhawk fly acros the road betwen Coull and the Coastguards and to finish her sightings off Mandy had a Grey Wagtail down at Kilcoman House... This morning I had a White Wagtail down on the grass beside our wee pond...

Friday 23rd August

This afternoon, Dave Wood had seen an Osprey flying over the Oa, it then headed out over the sea and flew on towards Northern Ireland...

Mind the Islay bird nerds are meeting on Tuesday at 6 pm, so hopefully we shall see some folk there. We will  meet up at the carpark at Killeyan.

Thursday 22nd August

Yesterday, James had seen a Ruff and also 34 Black tailed Godwits on the reserve at Gruinart. This morning, before the weather broke down (big style...), James had the following birds seen again at Gruinart.... 43 Bar tailed Godwits, 20 Knot, 2 Osprey, a Merlin and a Peregrine.

While I remember, the monthly meeting/ catch up of the Islay bird nerds will be held on Tuesday 27th, at 6 pm. We shall be meeting at the car park at Killeyan on the Oa. If the meeting is in doubt, please contact David Wood on 01496 300118 by 5 pm for an update if there is a change in venue. Pleae note the earlier start....

Wednesday 21st August

This cheeky Sparrowhawk was caught on camera by myself at breakfast time this morning, it was there for the best part of 20 minutes trying to get a Starling out from the feeding cage here at home. The Starling was sensible to remain in the middle of the cage, well out of range of the Sparrowhawk!

Mid morning, the wind picked up and it started to rain around the same time, but now early evening, normal servivce has resumed, little wind and no rain...

Tuesday 20th August

A kinder sort of a day with the weather, I even managed to dig and lift our tatties today....  we only grew 2 varieties, Charlotte and Rooster, so all going well I might get them stored away tomorrow, for use later in the year, fingers crossed. Both varieties seemed to have done well...

Coming back along the high road from Port Ellen, late afternoon, we had a ringtail Hen Harrier fly across the road in front of us, just as we approached Torra. This evening, up here at home, we had a fly past by a Buzzard, high up over the house. There was also a large number of Jackdaws all perched on the overhead power cables.

Monday 19th August

The weather out here, well in a few short words, not very nice...  mind you the poor weather certainly helpd to attract numerous birds today to our feeders, just as well that we ordered some more the other week...

The high number of House Sparrows that are around here is something else at present, no Tree Sparrows, still a lot of Linnets around, but mainly on the areas specially sown for the birds to munch through... another bird in short numbers is the Goldfinch, but be patient, they will return..

Sunday 18th August

On Friday morning, George E. Jackson had seen a juv. Stonechat on the garden fence at "Horizons", one the bungalows at Rockside road end.. Shortly afterwards, between the Coastguard's cottages and  Machir Bay, George had a male Stonechat, carrying a beakfull of food, so probably for its' young close at hand.... Early evening back along at "Horizons", there were around 10 Swallows  and in with them a couple of House Martins, which had a good inspection  of the nest box which son Matthew has put up... Time yet, possibly to get a late brood away???

Malcolm yesterday had seen 6 Turnstones, the first seen by him this Summer/Autumn. They were down close to Gortan, along from the coal yard.

Over at Gruinart, James had seen 37 Knot, 12 Blackwits, 3 Greenshank and a Peregrine, all yesterday.