Monday 23rd June

David Livingstone kindly sent through this image he took of a Rose coloured Starling down in a garden in Port Ellen. It was there yesterday as well and seen again today! Thanks David! James had a Spotted Flycatcher on the reserve at Gruinart yesterday, while today Mary had seen an Osprey mid morning, flying over Loch Gruinart carrying a fish and being mobbed by Oystercatchers!!! The Horwich birders are back for a week and yesterday up at Ardnave they saw broods of young Eiders, and many families of Wheatears, Choughs were seen as well and they commented on how vocal they were. Along the shoreline, they had Oystercatchers and Ringed Plovers with Gannets and Black Guillemots offshore. At Traigh Nostaig there were a pr of Shelduck with 12 ducklings, also there was a creche of Eiders. Returning back though the dunes, a male Hen Harrier was seen as were some Linnets. Back on Ardnave Loch, the pr of Mute Swan were present with their 6 cygnets. Over at Sanaigmore a Corncrake was heard briefly and a few more Linnets seen. Also yesterday, David and Jane Griffiths had seen a male Hen Harrier up at Storakaig, with a Cuckoo calling at Loch Ballygrant where there was another pr of Mute Swans with 6 youngsters.