Wednesday 24th September

A better day again with the weather, so I have made the most of it and been in the garden all day, think we are all making the most of it while this weather is here....Peter e mailed to say that he has heard that the Pale bellied Brent goose which he saw down at Portnahaven the other day has now been seen across the water on Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland. Late afternoon, Bob had been up in the hide at Gruinart where he counted 150 pale belied Brent Geese flying on South. From the hide, Bob had a Peregrine, 6 Snipe, 4 Herons a ringtail Hen Harrier and many ducks. Earlier on at home Bob had seen between 30 and 40 Stonechats moving through. Today, Per Anders and his Swedish fiends Tore, Jan and Karin had gone out to the Oa and walked back in to Port Ellen. A walk out around the American monument there produced 400 Gannets on passage, 3 Shag, 10 Rock Dove, 1 Snipe, 150 Twite, 5 Stonechat, male Hen Harrier, Sparrowhawk, 10 Eider, 40 Skylark, 4 Raven, Meadow Pipit, 10 Hooded Crow and 2 Goldfinch. On their walk to Port Ellen after lunch they saw 4 Chough, 10 Buzzard, imm Hen Harrier, 10 Raven, 2 Redpoll, 30 Stonechat, 2 Linnet, 10 Goldfinch, 20 Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, 10 Song Thrush, 20 Collared Dove, 10 Rook, Rock Pipit and 10 Hooded Crows.