Wednesday 29th October

Another good day with the weather.... Danny Arnold had been over last week and sent some highlights through. He had a Wheatear at Coullabus, a ringtail Hen Harrier was seen every day from the kitchen window in the cottage where he was staying, Golden Eagles most days, a White tailed Sea Eagle at Loch Gorm on the 18th, 19th and 20th. He was also saying that he noticed plenty of Stonechats around the Loch Gorm area. A Peregrine was seen from the hide at Gruinart. On his way to the ferry on Friday morning they saw a Barn Owl. Yesterday, was Phil and the Heatherlea team's last day. Down on the Oa, they saw a Merlin attacking a flock of around 350 Twite. At the car park there, a male Hen Harrier was seen with a Golden Eagle seen from the American Monument. Later on, at Blackrock a raft of Scaup were present and from the Visitor Centre at Gruinart, Dabchick, Pintail and Shoveler were noted. Thanks to Danny and Phil for your sightings, and tomorrow if the computer is working, some of Danny's images...Amanda and and Glen are over at present with their highlights so far being, 3 Golden Eagles, 2 Peregrines in The Gorm area, on the Oa, Merlin, Hen harrier and Gannets seen while other birds included Ravens, Chough, Twite, Pect. Sandpiper and Redwing. Here at home, out over the crag a Peregrine was out and about as was a ringtail Hen Harrier. Down at the reedbed beside the Coastguard's there were around 100 Twite. The Rochdale birders had gone to Jura today where they saw 15 Turnstone, a male Merlin nabbing a Pipit and plucking it on a fence post. At Feolin, they saw a Dolphin. Back on Islay, a female Sparrowhawk, Loch Gorm area, a male Hen Harrier, at Coull, 72 Curlew. Ballinaby held a mixed finch flock of around 100 birds, up at Ardnave, they counted 68 Chough and finally at PortBhan , on their way back to Port Charlotte, a large female Sparrowhawk was spotted. Ed today had a Golden Eagle a mere 10 yards from his car at Carrabus, 2 Choughs there who got a shock of their lives! On his travels today, Ed had 2 ringtails, one at Machrie, the other at Kinnabus. He also had 2 Pinkies, one at Port Charlotte, the other over at Cornabus. I think that most of the Whoopers must have moved through as I only saw one group of 6 fly past the whole day. One of the fields at Coull, late afternoon, was literally black with Barnies, wonder how many were there all together???