Tuesday 21st October

Some sightings for you from yesterday as I do not think there will be many coming in tonight due to the high winds... the ferry never came although the plane through this morning, mind you I do not think it would be a calm flight!! The Horwich birders had seen 11 adult Whoopers along with 4 young down at Rockside. On Loch Gorm they counted 105 Tufted Duck and also a Pochard. A male Merlin was seen over the coalyard. Late morning over at Claggain Bay, they had a GND with 4 Reed Buntings at the Ardtalla gate. On the beach below Ardtalla, 2 Mute Swans were present ,12 Whoopers along with 12 RB Merganser, a Heron and also a Buzzard. Kilnaugton Wood held 2 Goldcrest and 2 Buzzards just after lunchtime. Late afternoon, on the edge of the merse at Bridgend, 13 Pale bellied Brents were seen and finally down on Machir Bay, 35 Ringed Plover, 25 Dunlin, 3 Sanderling and 4 Chough were noted. New visiting birders from East Anglia had been down on the Oa where they counted 350 Redwing together in a flock, 2 Merlin, 2 Hen Harriers, 2000 Barnies, 1000 Greylags, 6 Whitefronts, 2 Chough, 6 Whoopers and 2 Mistle Thush. I also bumped into a group from Speyside Wildlife led by John Picton and Darren Rees who are over for a few days, bet you never made Jura today!!! They had seen a Canada Goose amongst the Barnies down below Rocksidetowards the Coastguards Houses. Today Robin from Malham Tarn had seen some flocks of Chaffinches, after Ardbeg out towards Claggain Bay and he was saying that there had been the odd Brambling in each flock.