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.

 

 

Monday 20th April

Sunny with blue skies, and white fluffy clouds gradually giving way to overcast and even a few spots of rain in the evening, with light variable winds.

Last night on the Gurinart Floods, Clive McK watched 70 Redshanks behaving like migrants, with 35 flying off to the NW in a tight flock, followed by 57 Golden Plover on the same track. There were a further 100 which stayed on the Flats, together with 7 Whimbrel, 28+ Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Greenland Whitefronts and 1 Common Sandpiper.

Records from different parts of the island included the first Sedge Warbler of the summer at Loch Gruinart (Paul Miller),  a Cuckoo and Common Sandpipers at Kinnabus (David W), a single Golden Plover at Frenchman's Rocks (Mary McR), a Grasshopper Warbler at Lyrabus (Peter Gill), and a White Wagtail and a Whimbrel at Machir Bay (Clive McK).

To end the day, Mary McW reported a Corncrake calling away at Portnahaven. Around this time of year, one has to decide whether it was calling or singing!

 

 

Sunday 19th April 2026

I don't know whether to whisper it or shout it from the rooftops, but the sun shone all day, the skies were their bluest of blues, and the wind was a light breeze. What's more, these conditions look like continuing for the week, gradually warming.

This lovely weather brought with it the summer's first Corncrake, at Portnahaven, reported with delight by Louise M. Cuckoos were reported from Jura (2 on stereo at Ballard, according to Louise) and Ardillistry (Mary-Ann F).

Steve Rogers sent in his WeBS count from Loch an t-Sailein, finding: Oystercatcher 18, Greylag 25, Herring Gull 8, Heron 2, Curlew 2, Canada Goose 4, Shag 3, GBB Gull 2, Shelduck 2, RB Merganser 9, GN Diver 2, Dunlin 98, Sandwich Tern 2, and Common Gull 2, also seeing 2 Otters and 15+ Common Seals, while a Willow Warbler was singing close by. Steve also had his first-ever Twite in the mixed finch flock in his garden at Emerivale on The Oa side of Port Ellen. Thanks, Steve.

At lunchtime, Ed B reported his first Orange Tip butterfly of the summer at Cornabus and the 'ping' of his WhatsApp message disturbed me as I was watching my first one at Bruichladdich. 

 

 

 

Saturday 18th April 

High pressure moving in, at last, with the wind dropping and the sun coming out, though still not warm.

New migrants arriving by the day, with Ed B kicking off with a Grasshopper Warbler singing at Cornabus, and Clive McK seeing a Little Tern at Killinallan, as well as a Whimbrel there, with a single Curlew.

Peter Gill saw a Cuckoo fly over Lyrabus in the morning, while Ed B had a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming for the first time at Cornabus where he has seen them but not heard them before.

Here's a Gordon Langsbury photo of a Little Tern.

 

 

Friday 17th April 2026

Nothing new about the weather with strong mainly southerly winds carrying squalls.

Clive McK reported that "their" Cuckoo was back on the powerlines behind their garden at Gruinart for its brief summer sojourn on Islay. Peter Gill found both Blackcap and Chiffchaff at Lily Loch/Loch Allan in the morning and heard a Tawny Owl calling around midday from the woodland above the Port Askaig Hotel. Ed B. flushed a Jack Snipe at Cornabus in the afternoon,  while James H. had another at Gruinart as well as a White Wagtail, 2 Cuckoos and still 19 Whooper Swans, 8 Barnacle and 6 White-fronted Geese, together with 58 Black-tailed Godwits. Towards the end of the day, Mary McR saw a Common Sandpiper at Claddach, while Clive McK watched an Osprey fly south over Loch Gruinart, while 8 Gannets flew up the loch and then back out again.

One of our local photographers, David Livingstone, sent in a photo of a female Hen Harrier hunting close to the Singing Sands, respectively. Thank you, David, for enlivening this blog.

 

Thursday 16th April

The same strong SE wind continued with showers, sometimes wandering around to SW.

Hirundines were mainly in evidence, with a House Martin at Cornabus seen by Ed B, another prospecting at Clive McK's house at Creag Mhor, David W saw 4 at Kinnabus, and Peter Gill saw "some" at the Woollen Mill. Later in the day, James H reported over 100 Sand Martins feeding over the Loch Gruinart floods, which also held 7 Gadwalls. Nick Bone had a Cuckoo at Gruinart in the morning, while Steve R watched a White-tailed Eagle being mobbed by gulls as it flew from Port Ellen towards Kilnaughton.

Clive McK filmed Linnet courtship in his garden, commenting that the male still had some "reddening up" to do.