Monday 21st April

Yesyerday Michal walked from Ardtalla round the coast to Port Askaig. At Ardtalla, Michal heard a Cuckoo and saw several Redpoll as well as a Goldcrest. On his actual walk Michal had 3 Peregrines, 2 pairs of Ravens, a Mute swan on the nest, possibly the same Mute that Armin had seen, and Michal also saw 2 Common Sandpipers. Marsali Thomson had heard a Cuckoo and seen Swallows over at Mulindry. Carl Mitchell on Saturday before he headed home, had 2 Common Sandpiper at Bunnahabhain and a further 2 at Kintra as well as 5 Sandwich Terns there too. Carl R yesterday had 150 Golden Plover at Ardnave and also "lots" of Wheatear seen there too. Bob yesterday done the Bowmore to Gartbreck count, with the count being, 3 GND, 10 Shag, 3 Cormorant, 10 Barnies, 30 Shelduck, 3 Wigeon, 78 RBM, 110 Eider, 40 Oystercatcher, 15 Curlew, 80 Dunlin, 7 Turnstone, 81 Ringed Plover, 4 Lapwing, 2 GBB Gull, 12 Herring Gull, 12 Common Gull, 22 BH Gull, 4 Sandwich Terns, 6 White Wagtails, 4 Wheatears and a female Merlin hunting around the wee islands. In the afternoon, at Octomore, a female Sparrowhawk, a male Hen Harrier, with a Blackwit and 32 Golden Plover in the flooded fields beside Port Charlotte. James yesterday counted 340 Barnies still on the reserve at Gruinart, he also had a Golden Eagle and also 6 Wheatears. Later on, leaving Kilchoman, down close the Coastguards a Merlin sped past, just fresh in from the eea, or that general direction....