Sunday 16th September

Yes, the combines certainly would not have moved an inch today, unless the farmers decided to bring them back from the field to the shelter of the shed, in other words it has not been great today, and not much sign of any change through the week either...The other night when we came up from the ferry, there was a Barn Owl sitting on a fence post down close to Sunderland Farm. Paul Graham had a male Hen Harrier come up from Loch Gorm earlier during the week too. Yesterday, James had a Siskin in the woods at Gruinart when he was leading a walk for folk at the Islay Jazz Festival. Up at Ardnave, James had a leucistic Bar tailed Godwit, could this be the same bird that was up at Ardnave through last winter? On Loch Gruinart itself there were 4 Pale bellied Brent Geese. Last night as we came back home from Bruichladdich, there was a Barn Owl out hunting before Foreland House.This afternoon, James had 23 Black tailed Godwit, 1 Ruff and 4 Pale bellied Brent out in front of the new hide and on Loch Gruinart amongst the waders present were 13 Knot with a Peregrine out hunting... Bob, today at home had a Sparrowhawk on his garden gate, a Short eared Owl hunting earlier on and also a male and also a ringtail Hen Harrier also seen. Bob reckons that the male Hen Harrier was probably a young bird as it was not in full adult plumage.