Sunday 5th October

A bit windy over here today with the wind set to increase through the night, the evening ferry this evening, came early and left early but already the 7am ferries to and from Islay tomorrow have been cancelled... On the bird front, Bob had been out and about this morning. On Loch Gorm, he saw a Glaucous Gull, a family of 7 Whoopers (probably the same swans that James saw at Gruinart yesterday), 1,800 Barnies, 3,000 Greylags 300 Tufted Duck, 120 Mallard and 10 Teal. Round at Ballinaby, he saw 2 Greenland Whitefonted Geese, one with a collar on, but could not make out the lettering. At Gruinart, Bob counted around 5,000 Barnies, 100 Pale belled Brent and 14 Whitefronts. Over at Ballitarsin today, David Formby had a flock of 153 Golden Plover, with a few still in summer plumage. Late afternoon, on the reserve at Gruinart, James counted 6,230 Barnies, 88 Pale bellied Brents a Merlin and the Canada Goose (parvipes sp) was also seen. Here at home, there was a mixed group of Chough and Jackdaws "bouncing about" in the wind out around the crag, quite a spectacle!!!