Thursday 20th February

Just as well that I emptied our rain guage yesterday as we had another inch through the night, the ground is laden with water, out on the Machir in places that I have not seen before, water everywhere... Yesterday,the Hampshire birders had a Dipper on the River Sorn, out on the Sound of Islay they had seen Black Guillemots, Eider and GND. Over Jura they saw a pr of White tailed Sea Eagles. They also saw a pr of Stonechats on Islay. Visitors from Cambridge had seen a male and a female Hen Harrier, a Brambling, a GND, Canada Goose hutchinsii sp and 10 Barwits while out and about round Gruinart and the Loch Gorm area. The Rochdale birders were telling me that the flock of lbj's at Corsapol has turned to mainly Chaffinches rather than as many Linnets seen there. James had some birds seen from the ferry when he was away for a few days. He saw a White tailed Sea Eagle on the Sound of Islay, both coming and returning! Also seen were "loads" of Tysties in summer plumage in the Sound of Islay, as well as Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, GNDs, a Red throated Diver, Black throated Diver, 2 Common Scoter, 5 Slavnian Grebes. Highlight for James was a Great crested Grebe in West Loch Tarbert