Thursday, 31 March 2011

Thursday 31st March

March is almost over, not been that bad a month with regard to the weather, although last night we had the best part of 0.75" of rain, the burn was well up! It was damp for most of the morning, but cleared away after lunch, net result not much birding done! Yesterday, Malcolm was Goose counting on the Loch Gorm run and round at Ballinaby there were 230 Golden Plover and further on a male Hen Harrier was seen. Carl had a Greenfinch "singing in the rain" in his garden yesterday down in Port Charlotte.

Wednesday, 30 March 2011

Wednesday 30th March

This afternoon as he was sitting having a cup of coffee, as one does, Peter Roberts and Pia saw a Sandwich Tern fly up Loch Indaal.

David Mason the "vol" from down on the Oa had been out and about over the weekend. On Sunday he had a raft of 22 Eider on the water beside The Maltings at Port Ellen. Later on he had 15 Black Guillemot at Port Askaig and then over Craighouse on Jura there were 15 Great Northern Diver to be seen. On Sunday at Lower Killeyan on the Oa reserve, David had 2 Buzzards, 2 Chough, a Dipper and 4 Skylarks. In Glen Astle he had a Wheatear and a further 2 Chough, while back up at Kinnabus he had 5 Lapwing, over 300 Greenland Whitefronts, 11 Tufted Duck,1 Redshank, 5 Teal and 26 Greylag Geese.

Here at home, this morning a Sparrowhawk had a Blackbird out of the wood for something to eat.

Tuesday, 29 March 2011

Tuesday 29th March

A late entry, but better late than never...

Martin had seen a Peregrine down at the head of Loch Indaal today and it was chasing after an Oystercatcher but to no avail!

James too had a Peregrine over the floods and it was causing havoc with the ducks, along with it was a Hen Harrier. By the sound of James description, it was the Peregrine up to the mischief, but again it gave up after a while! The other birds of note on the reserve at Gruinart were around 30 Sand Martin.

Bob was out goose counting on the Rhinns today and saw the Magpie down at Easter Ellister, not far from Octofad where it was seen yesterday. Amongst the geese at Ellister were 2 small Canada Geese, but Bob did not say which species. Further on at Lossit, there were 100 Golden Plover and also 50 Lapwing. As Bob commented, one would have thought that the Lapwing would be paired up and at nest sites by now. Bob had heard that a couple of Red Grouse had been seen up at Bolsay, while Martin had 3 over on Beinn Bheigier at the weekend, that's 13 reported in one week at different locations too!

Monday, 28 March 2011

Monday 28th March

Last Sunday when we were over at Bunnahabhain, I clean forgot to mention that we had seen Flowering Currant out in bloom...

Back to today and Carl had a Wheatear at Blackrock, there are more turning up each day. A Magpie was seen down at Octofad, this is a rare bird to Islay, almost a twitch for some of us!

On the reserve at Gruinart, James saw 3 Lapland Bunting just below his house, 14 Whooper Swan and also a Merlin. Mary saw Swallows at Kilchiaran at the weekend, and today she was out on a Deer count on the South east coast of Islay where she had a Wheatear at Kilbride on a dyke, while up on the hill lochs she had 3 pairs of Goldeneye and also a further 5 Red Grouse, as well as many Red Deer and a Golden Eagle.

Carl had a couple of Razorbills off Port Charlotte yesterday, and today behind Port Charlotte, Bob saw around 50 Meadow Pipits fly overhead, and with the field beside his house being worked for seed, there have been more Linnets present than of late as well as some Redpolls around.

Sunday, 27 March 2011

Sunday 27th March

George had a Great Northern Diver out on Loch Indaal down below his house, while on the shoreline 2 pairs of Shelduck were displaying. Back on his bird table, there have been a couple of Greenfinches and also 2 Goldfinches of late.

Another friend who lives up the back of Bridgend was telling me today that they have had to stop feeding at their bird table as the local Sparrowhawk was being too frequent a visitor, and for the wrong reasons!

Saturday, 26 March 2011

Saturday 26th March

I met in with David Clugston, by chance this morning down at Bridgend while I was down at Jimmy's. David was on his last day here on Islay, after being here for a week and had seen 104 species while he was over.
James had a White tailed Sea Eagle over the reserve at Gruinart today. All I can offer was around 50 Twite here at home, late afternoon! There were also 5 Redwing up the drive earlier on, mid afternoon.

Friday, 25 March 2011

Friday 25th March

The first Swallow for this year was seen on Wednesday at Port Charlotte by David Clugston from Ayr. David Mason who is a "vol" with RSPB down on the Oa had 3 Swallows yesterday, and today David had a 2nd year Iceland Gull off the Oa.
Catherine gave me some sightings through from the Oa for the past few days, 2 Goldeneye, 1 Tufted Duck, 8 Greylag, 405 Whitefronted Geese, 1 Dipper, 1 Dunnock, 114 Starling, 216 Twite, 1 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine, 2 Golden Eagle, 2 Whooper Swan, an Adder and also a Lizard.
Last night, on her way home after work, Mary had 10 Pale bellied Brent Geese down at the coal yard on Loch Indaal. This morning at Uiskentuie, there were 6 Red breasted Merganser and 12 Eider as well as a raft of Gulls out on Loch Indaal.

Thursday, 24 March 2011

Thursday 24th March

Yesterday was Paul Beresford's last day of his short visit, but he made the most of it. From "The Battery", the path leading out from Bowmore along the shore towards Gartbreck, Paul had a Long tailed Duck on Loch Indaal. He also had another 2 while looking out over Loch Indaal, but this time from the power generating station. Later on at Killinallan, he counted over 200 Twite in the fields, and down on the shoreline there were 70 Bar tailed Godwit. Before leaving Port Askaig in the afternoon, Paul saw 2 distant Golden Eagles over Jura, while from the ferry he had a total of 63 Great Northern Divers and 10 Red throated Diver. Many thanks to Paul for his sightings over the past few days.
Jamie, one of the "vols" at Gruinart at present had a count of 20 Canada Geese on Loch Gorm on Tuesday. Also down on the Oa reserve, Mary had a Dipper.
Today, over at Gruinart, and it was the annual count of the Red Deer on the reserve. There was a total of 82, a few down on the year. Also seen were 7 Hen Harrier, 3 male and 4 female, 3 Red Grouse, 3 Lizard, 1 Adder, 24 Whooper Swan and 1 Woodcock.

Wednesday, 23 March 2011

Wednesday 23rd March

Another great Spring day again although the haar came in off the sea late afternoon.
David Formby, our resident dentist here on Islay and Jura had a Willow Warbler this morning. I have had 3 different locals in touch today saying that they had seen Chough at different locations carrying in nesting material. One of the cock Pheasants here at home was seen mating with one of the hen birds, so it is all starting to happen.
There were 2 Wheatears along at Saligo this afternoon and also a single bird behind Machir Bay. In the ploughed field beside the Coastguards 150 Golden Plover were counted. James had 16 Whooper Swans arriving from the South at Gruinart, they had been flying quite high, so possibly the first of them heading North again.
There was also a message through of good sightings of Crossbills at Avonvoggie, better still, from the car on the road....
138 Common Scoter were counted off Port Charlotte this morning as well as numerous Divers.
Steve Ash one of our visiting birders has headed home now, Steve saw the first Wheatear up at Persabus last week. On the ferry this morning Steve had "dozens of Guillemots, Razorbills and Black Guiilemots, 30 Great Northern, 10 Black throated and 10 Red thoated Divers, plus a pair of Common Scoter. Steve really enjoyed his stay and is already talking of a return visit! Many thanks for your sightings.
Bob had been over on Jura yesterday and in a brief 2 hour visit, just North of Craighouse, he had a count of 46 species including a Tree Pipit, a pair of Stonechats, a pair of Canada Geese as well as an Otter!

Tuesday, 22 March 2011

Tuesday 22nd March

More signs of Spring here today... James had his first Bumblebee of the year, in response all I could offer was my first Ladybird.
Bob yesterday on his way home from here had a flock of 40 Fieldfare along with a single Redwing along at Sunderland.
James had a single Pinkfoot on the reserve at Gruinart and also a Peregrine. One of the visitors had seen the Canada hutchinsii sp amongst the geese on the flats this afternoon. Up at Ardnave he had an Otter and also a Long tailed Duck. The other visitor had also been Gruinart and Ardnave this morning, but had a "superb 1st year Golden Eagle". At Ardnave he had around 20 Great Nothern and Black throated Divers. Later on at the dusk, Loch Indaal was flat calm, and he was able to get a count of 26 divers, Great Northern and Red throated and also 8 Slavonian Grebes.

Monday, 21 March 2011

Monday 21st March

Almost a Spring day here, no need to wear a jacket when outside doing some work....
A visiting birder from Nottingham over for a few days, had been at the reserve at Gruinart today. Apart from the geese, he had 6 Whooper Swan, a Greenshank, 10 Greylags, a ring tailed Hen Harrier and a few Golden Plover. Yesterday at Gruinart, he saw the Hen Harrier again and also a distant Golden Eagle. This morning down on the Oa reserve he had a flock over 200 Twite being preyed upon by a female Merlin. On Loch Indaal, this afternoon plenty of divers were around, a summer plumage Slavonian Grebe, a Great Northern Diver, 5 Black throated Divers and 10 Red throated Divers. There were also 100 Common Scoter and a Black Guillemot, but no sign of any Scaup or any long tailed Ducks!
Another visitor, this time from Oxfordshire, had been up at Rhuvaal lighthouse and had seen a Peacock Butterfly in the garden, a poor looking specimen! Whilst there, offshore he had 5 Great Northern Divers, 2 Black guillemot, 2 Razorbill, 2 Guillemot, 50+ Assorted Auks and 4 Gannets. Yesterday when he was up at Ardnave, he counted 53 Eider over on Nave Island and also 10 Shag. He had also seen a Snipe while walking around Ardnave Point in the marshy ground.
Bob in his garden this morning 6 different finches! 25 Goldfinch, 50 Chaffinch, 1 male Greenfinch, 4 Twite, 2 Siskin and 2 Redpolls.

Sunday, 20 March 2011

Sunday 20th March

After a misty morning, when we could not even see the crag, the mist burnt off and we had a beautiful afternoon, the temperature rising into double figures....
The other night Mary had a hedgehog out on the road down at Portnahaven. This afternoon, she had a Wheatear at her her granny's house at Claddich, and later on a female Hen Harrier hunting a Hare, not sure who won! Last night on our way home, we had a Barn Owl out just after McNichol's croft.
This afternoon, Malcolm had an adult Gannnet plunge diving into the water in Loch Indaal, the first he has seen there for a while. Yesterday Bob had 6 Linnets in his garden, and today on the roadside beside his house, he had a count of 20 Twite.
As the weather was being kind to us this afternoon, we took a run over to Avonvoggie where we saw the Crossbills on the pine cones. We carried on up the Glen road over to Ballygrant and up between Barr Farm and Storakaig there were quite a few Red Deer Stags close to the road, resplendent in their antlers. There were a pair of Great Tits seen, along with a Dunnock, a Reed Bunting, several Herons at different places, 2 pairs of Hen Harriers, again at different locations. We also saw a White tailed Sea Eagle on our travels. We also noted on the fact that there appears to be more Hooded Crows around this Spring

Saturday, 19 March 2011

Saturday 19th March

Bob was on the phone this morning with some sightings he had on Thursday, over at Gartbreck, below Bowmore. He had 98 Curlew, 30 Shelduck, 1 Grey Plover, 15 Cormorants, 120 Golden Plover and a pair of Sparrowhawks. This morning he was down at Frenchman's Rocks at Portnahaven and had 200 Gannets flying South, 3 Manx Shearwaters heading North, 20 Fulmar flying South, 2 Black Guillemot flying South, some Common Gulls, some Razorbills flying South, 1 Curlew and a Redshank. He also 3 Wheatear down at Portnahaven, and counted 50 Rock Pipits whilst he was out.

Friday, 18 March 2011

Friday 18th March

The other day, here at home I forgot to mention that there had been a flock of 20 Chough out on a flypast, no doubt youngsters on a day away... On Wednesday, 3 White tailed Sea Eagles were seen here on Islay.
Back to today and a Sparrowhawk flew out of the wood, over the cottages, up past the old church at the top of the hill and away out of sight. With this cooler air, the bird tables have been busy again, and the Pheasants are here in numbers too. We are regularly having more than 20 hens along with the 2 cock Pheasants. The cock birds are in beautiful plumage at present as are the male Greenfiches.

Thursday, 17 March 2011

Thursday 17th March

Another great Spring day over here again. At the back of breakfast time, on top of one of the trees in the wood, a Song Thrush was singing away without a care in the world, while on the other side of the wood, a Robin was in full song too. Not content with that, a pair of Chough flew past, a good start to the day...and there were also 13 Fulmar up on the crag and later on a Kestrel on the wing.
James had done a count of the geese on the reserve at Gruinart yesterday. The tallies were as follows, 6,667 Barnies, 178 Whitefronts, 3 Greylags and also 2 Greenshank.
Mary had been out and about round the Loch Gorm area and had seen 2 Wheatear, a pair of Stonechats, along with a Peregrine, 2 Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 1 Merlin along with several Meadow Pipits.

Wednesday, 16 March 2011

Wednesday 16th March

Yes, the days are certainly starting to draw out now. Signs that Spring are here are coming at us from all directions, Daffodils are starting to bloom around Islay, the only problem is that the winds are whipping them about. The Rooks are starting to build their nests in the trees down in Carl's garden in Port Charlotte, but the most important pointer was the sighting today of a Wheatear over at Persabus today by a visiting birder. We are easy pleased over here!!!
The other day over at Keills, George had seen a male Hen Harrier. Back at home, George had a female Sparrowhawk, a single Teal on his ponds, and in his fields he has a pair of "tamish" Greylags, they are not easily spooked like the other Greylags! Also today, George had seen some Otter spraints up beside his ponds, the first he has seen there.
Carl today had a Sparrowhawk in his garden, James saw a pair of Hen Harriers displaying over the reserve at Gruinart and round Loch Gorm this afternoon we saw 3 male Stonechats and also a female. On the road up to Sanaigmore, a few Reed Buntings were seen.

Tuesday, 15 March 2011

Tuesday 15th March

A great day out here today and to finish it off a beautiful sunset...
While James had carried a count on the floods yesterday, Mary McGregor who is covering for Louise at present, along with Mark one of the vols, the 2 of them had been up the east side of Loch Gruinart. It was Mary and Mark who saw the White tailed Sea Eagle yesterday, and Mary reckons it was because of it being around, that the figures for some of the waders could be on the low side! Anyway, here are their figures, 401 Oystercatcher, 1 Cormorant, 1 Great Northern Diver, 268 Shelduck, 168 Wigeon, 7 Eider, 8 Red breasted Merganser, 16 Ringed Plover, 245 Bar tailed Godwit, 177 Curlew, 6 Redshank, 16 Turnstone, 121 Black headed Gulls (many with summer plumage), 87 Common Gulls, 51 Herring Gulls, 7 Greater Black backed Gulls, 7 Raven, 770 Barnies and the White tailed Sea Eagle! Afterwards they had checked out Ardnave Loch where they had the following birds, 16 Common Gulls, 24 Oystercatcher, 34 Lapwing, 2 Mute Swan, 15 Whooper Swan, 1 Mallard, 14 Greylag, 14 Wigeon, 5 Goldeneye, 10 Tufted Duck, 1 Black tailed Godwit, 5 Curlew and a Heron.
A visiting birder had told Mary that he had seen 10 Whimbrel on the Eastern side of Loch Gruinart yesterday

Monday, 14 March 2011

Monday 14th March

A dry day, thank goodness...
Loch Gruinart was the place to be today, with a White tailed Sea Eagle seen catching a fish. It had no wing tags and was reckoned to be a 3rd year bird.
On the floods at the reserve, a count was carried out with "the scores on the doors" reading as follows. 591 Teal, 4 Red breasted Merganser, 2 Gadwall, 72 Wigeon, 82 Mallard, 34 Pintail, 25 Shoveler, 2 Shelduck, 10 Mute Swan, 2 Whooper Swan, 17 Greylag Geese, 6 Heron, 5 Snipe, 9 Curlew, 32 Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 225 Lapwing and a Water Rail at Erasaid. James saw a Merlin up beside his house. A visitor had a Peregrine from the platform, and told me that it did not half put the ducks up off the floods!

Sunday, 13 March 2011

Sunday 13th March
Another wet day here again, it has rained all day, although not heavily.... Mind you the ground is saturated, with pools appearing all over the place.
James was over this afternoon with some sightings from the past few days on the reserve at Gruinart. On Friday, he had an Otter and 9 Whooper Swans while out working on the sluices. Yesterday there was a Golden Eagle, a male Hen Harrier and 70 Skylark. Today, a Merlin, a Sparrowhawk, a female Hen Harrier and the Canada Goose hutchinsii sp

Saturday, 12 March 2011

Saturday 12th March

A great image of a Red Kite taken by Armin Grewe not here on Islay but down in Berkshire! I know Armin has been talking for a while of seeing the Red Kites often when he is out, so here is the proof. As far as I know, there have not been any recent sightings here of any Red Kites on Islay since back in January.
The weather today was not much to write home about. Yes, it has been cold all day with it trying to snow all the time to no avail. We saw a male Hen Harrier along at McNichol's croft this morning when we went out for the papers. It was quite impressive against the dark sky, the camera was at home, what's new.....

Friday, 11 March 2011

Friday 11th March

Rather cool over here today with the odd shower of hailstones thrown in for good measure...
Bob was on the phone, earlier this evening with some sightings. The last couple of days, Bob has been out Goose counting on different "routes" around Islay. Yesterday down in the Cornabus area behind Port Ellen, he had seen the 2 large Canada geese amongst the other geese present. He had seen 2 different Golden Eagles on his travels yesterday and today whilst doing another route, at the other end of Islay, he had seen a White tailed Sea Eagle, and on Ardnahoe Loch 4 Goosanders were seen. Back at home and on the feeders in his garden, Bob had a count of 30 Goldfinch, 40 House Sparrows and a few Greenfinch. Like George, a Greenfinch is not that common to Bob's garden. Over in the fields beside Bob's house the Lapwings are displaying and the Curlews, or Whaups, as some folk know them as, are calling away. A sign that Spring cannot be that far away!

Thursday, 10 March 2011

Thursday 10th March

Another great image through from Mike Cartwright, taken last weekend over at Bunnahabhain. No doubt the Iceland Gull felt at home today with the dirty, squally showers that were around off and on through the day...
In the trees here at home, there were 12 Goldfinch present at breakfast time yesterday, so much for saying that I had not seen any for a wee while! Down towards the lochans at the Rockside road end, a male Hen Harrier was out on the wing this morning. A Snow Bunting was present on the track between the new houses up the back of Kilnaughton Bay, mid afternoon.

Wednesday, 9 March 2011

Wednesday 9th March

This image of the the Richardsons Canada Goose was taken on Monday by Mike Cartwright up at Mulindry. Mike for over for a few days, over the weekend and by the sounds of it was well impressed with his first visit to Islay! On Sunday, along with his brother, they watch a pod of around 15 Bottle nosed Dolphins hunting off Ardnave Point. Thanks to Mike for the image.
James on the flats today counted 90 Curlew along with 3 Greenshank.

Tuesday, 8 March 2011

Tuesday 8th March

The weather has certainly changed over here today, the wind has picked up quite a bit and surprise, surprise we have had some rain, the first this month, and also the temperature has dropped too. Not really that great a day for the birds or us humans either!
In last night's entry I made a mistake, I could not make my notes out and said that a visitor had seen 45 Siskin, it should have been 45 Skylarks, sorry about that folks...
With the temperature dropping, the numbers of birds on the feeders rose, with a lot more Chaffinches present, I have not seen many Goldfinches here of late and another bird I have not seen much of late is a Wren. I heard one singing on Sunday, the first for a while. Also on Sunday, out the back of the crag, a male Hen Harrier was on the wing.

Monday, 7 March 2011

Monday 7th March

Catherine phoned in some sightings seen down on the Oa this past week, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Golden Eagle, 2 Buzzards, 8 Chough, 156 Twite, 54 Rock Dove, 149 Starling, 286 Greenland Whitefronts, 3 Goldeneye, 13 Tufted Duck, 80 Fulmar 4 Raven, and the Tree Sparrow. A good cross section to get one going...
A visiting birder gave me through a few of his sightings over the past few days, 100 Gannets off Portnahaven, 20 Lesser Black Backed Gulls on the flats at Bridgend, at Killinallan 45 Skylarks and 180 Twite. Ardnave Loch, the other day had 28 Whooper Swan and 3 Mutes. This afternoon on Loch Gorm, there were 30 Tufted Duck and 5 male Pochard. Coming over on the ferry on Saturday 26th February, he had seen a Mediterranean Gull. If I remember correctly he has seen 117 species so far....Still time for a few more....

Sunday, 6 March 2011

Sunday 6th March

It is not that often that we get many geese in the fields around our house, but this morning there were 23 Greylags in the small field beside the old church. We sometimes get a few Whitefronts along with the odd Barnie up in the field the cave, but today it was only the Greylags to be seen. Over at the reserve at Gruinart, James had a Pink footed Goose on the flats, also present was the Canada Goose, hutchinsii sp
Back here at home this afternoon, a Peregrine flew low over the wood, over the garage and out towards the crag, no doubt on the lookout for some food.

Saturday, 5 March 2011

Saturday 5th March

Weather better over here today, got in the mood and up the ladder and cleaned some nest boxes out! Even put a new one up with a camera in it, so all we need is a tenant...
Carl had a pair of Bullfinches in his garden eating the apple buds, and down at Carn on the way to Portnahaven, Carl had a count of 20 Twite.
James reported in the other day to say that "2 large Canada Geese" had been seen down towards Portnahaven, these geese have been seen again and another one seen over towards Mulindry, a total of 3 in all.
There was a Goldfinch on the feeders here at home, the first for a few days, and Margaret had seen a pair of Kestrel on the wing later this afternoon.

Friday, 4 March 2011

Friday 4th March

The mist kept rolling in and out from the sea today, sometimes you saw the crag and other times not at all, just have to put up with it I suppose...
George had managed to see out to his feeders. 2 Grenfinches were present, a Coal Tit too, along with a Siskin, the first for this winter, 15 Chaffinches and 2 House Sparrows. The number of House Sparrows having dropped off lately. In the trees just behind the feeders, there was a Long tailed Tit.
Back here at home, the Pheasants are hanging about a lot, must be feeding them too much grain!

Thursday, 3 March 2011

Thursday 3rd March

Almost a Spring day out here today, it was possibly overcast, no blue sky to be seen, but it was quite mild, no complaints at all. Margaret found some more frog spawn in a different place this afternoon.
George had seen 2 Goosanders at the top of Loch Indaal, just where the River Sorn joins the sea. Back home, he had a Coal Tit on his feeders along with a couple of Greenfinches. While at Ardgaty the other day, I noticed that a yellow wing tag on the Red Kite was an indication that it was a bird from the Chilterns, and the other month one of the Kites here on Islay had a yellow wing tag, so I will have to check this out with James. The lady at Ardgaty said that a Kite from Bellymack (in Galloway) had been seen there one day, then seen in Devon the following day only to return to the Bellymack area on Day 3...
Many thanks to Gordon and Pauline Yates for their sightings over the past fortnight.

Wednesday, 2 March 2011

Wednesday 2nd March

Forgot to say last night about the rainfall figures for February, a wet month, 5.75" is what I made it to be, even more than the totals for 2009 and 2010 added together, still the last few days have been dry....
Bob was in touch this morning to say that he had 45 Fieldfares in the field in front of his house at Port Charlotte. He had seen 2 White tailed Sea Eagles when he was over at Bunnahabhain the other day, and down at Carn below Port Charlotte he saw 5 pairs of Lapwings displaying.
James had 2 Golden Eagles up at Ardnave this afternoon. One of the "vols" at Gruinart had seen some frog spawn last week, and Malcolm had seen some as well over towards Scarrabus while Margaret found some here at home.

Tuesday, 1 March 2011

Tuesday 1st March

Many thanks to James for writing the blog since Thursday when I was out on the mainland.....
While we were out I did manage to spot a few things not seen on Islay, molehills and Grey Squirrels, double decker buses, trains, traffic lights, where does one stop? On the bird front we saw Great spotted Woodpeckers on feeders in the middle of Bearsden, also there, was a Brambling and a Coal Tit. We went and saw the Red Kites at Ardgaty near to Doune. We also saw Magpies too, 6 at one point alone! Coming home on the ferry yesterday afternoon, in the Sound of Islay we had a pod of 10 Dolphins close in beside the ferry, leaping out of the water. They stayed alongside for over 5 minutes before going to visit a freighter which was following us up the Sound. We saw a Golden Eagle on the wing. Also on the ferry was Rory who we first met back in The Seychelles a few years back, and he came and worked at Gruinart and on the Oa reserves the following summer.
This afternoon, Margaret saw a Peregrine up the back of Bridgend.