Thursday 21st August

Some sightings through from Mary from over at Gruinart. Out in front of the Visitor centre today, Mary counted 1400 Greylags along with a hybrid Canada, 2 Blackwits and a Ruff. Out along by the new hide, there were 20 more Greylags and 5 Canada Geese. Out on the salt marsh on Loch Gruinart itself, a Peregrine and a Buzzard were seen. On the gravel bank in the middle of the loch, an Osprey was seen preening itself with another Blackwit and 20 Shelduck. There were many waders noted, mainly Ringed Plover and Dunlin along with some Sanderling and Knot and a small group of 15 Redshank. Later on, over at Craigens, 4 Ravens were present with an Osprey seen taking a fish! Also seen from there was a Whooper Swan, 25 Knot and 79 Redshank. On a different tack, there was a large luxury cruise ship sail past this morning, the Ruby Princess, on her way from Dublin, to Belfast then Gourock and when we saw her en route up to Kirkwall. When I say large it was massive....