Saturday 17th January

What a different day it has been today...at one point I had to double check that the weather station was registering no wind, right enough it was flat calm , no wind at all, possibly the first time this year... mid morning there was a dirty snow shower. I believe that it was heavier over on the Oa, with the runway at the airport having to be cleared of the snow before the plane touched down. The other problem was that there was no de-icer for the wings!!! As far as I know the ferries all sailed according to the timetable. Some highlights from Rob Lambert and Lucy McRobert who were over for a few days at the start of the month. 3rd Jan, over 50 Chough at Ardnave with 30 Whoopers counted on Ardnave Loch. 4th, at least 10 Fulmars on the sea cliffs down on the Oa, a Merlin, 2 Golden Eagles and a ringtail Hen Harrier were seen on the same day down on the Oa too, over at Bruichladdich, 8 Snipe were on the shore. Over on Jura on the 6th, a Treecreeper was seen in a garden in Craighouse with a Grey Wagtail on the beach there too. Out on the sea around Small Isles, a Black Guillemot. Later on, Rob and Lucy saw a Golden Eagle a 2 different White tailed Sea Eagles. They also saw 2 Otters in Craighouse Bay! The following day, a Peregrine was on prey on the shoreline at Bridgend, 3 Pale bellied Brent in the Mulindry area, with a Richardson's cackling goose close to Bridgend. On their last day, they saw a Dabchick on Loch Skerrols and from the ferry on their way back to Kennacraig, 6 Kittiwake and a Fulmar were added to their tally.