Wednesday 23rd October

A few sightings through from last week to start with, George Newall had 150 Golden Plover down Machir Bay, Andy Robinson saw a juv WTSE down close to Kintra, it was even walking along the beach there! Mary on Monday had an Arctic Tern at Uiskentuie on Monday. Yesterday, the Horwich birders had a GND flying up Loch Gruinart, later on a further 2 were seen at Traigh Nostaig, with a flock of at least 60 Twite seen there too while in the sea there, there were 2 Otters having a bit of a squabble!!. They had 3 Snow Buntings in the dunes behind Ardnave Point. Coming back down from Ardnave, they had seen the Red breasted Shrike at Gruinart Farm. From the hide there was a Peregrine putting up the Teal and Lapwings from the floods, they also saw a Blackwit from the hide as well. Today there have been quite a few Whoopers coming and going, James counted 64 coming in to Loch Gruinart, Malcolm had 30 flying South down Loch Indaal , we had 19 coming to land at Rockside late afternoon. James was saying that there were more Whitefronts arriving today as well. The Bancrofts awoke to the Red Deer roaring away, and headed over to Jura where they had 3 Mute Swan, 3 Buzzards, several Pheasants, Hooded Crows, Chaffinches, Redwing all between Feolin and Craighouse and also a Red breasted Merganser at Small Isles Bay. Back on Islay, they spotted a Merlin down close to the airport. Finally, Clan Collinson had seen 2 Pinkies amongst the other geese at the top of Loch Indaal. They too had the Red breasted Shrike today, so it is still around!