Friday 17th April

Breaking news.... There is a Great White Egret over at RSPB Gruinart, the best place to view it is from up beside the visitor centre and look over to the extreme right in the far floods, it was actively fishing in the pools there around midday. More sightings later on as usual.. Later on now, so here we go, been a great day with lots of sightings coming through...There was a reported sighting of an albino Swallow seen the other day down at the Limekilns up past Newton out of Bridgend. One was seen there a few years ago... Also from earlier this week Joan Brown had heard a Corncrake on her croft at Cruach out of Bowmore. Yesterday, a Common Sandpiper was seen by a visitor down at Carraig Fhada at Port Ellen. Yesterday evening, whilst we were out looking at the International space Station pass by, several Snipe were heard drumming away. Earlier on, we saw a close male Hen Harrier out quartering his patch down beside Loch Gorm. This morning Jack Fleming had seen a Corncrake on the reserve at Gruinart. There seem to be more Swallows and Sand Martins around with James also seeing 2 House Martins today at Gruinart, certainly a lot of Willow Warblers around now too!!! On the walk over on Jura today, the walkers had seen a White tailed Sea Eagle, Golden Eagle far out, a Short eared Owl took off from the track they were walking on, 2 Ravens and a Cuckoo heard at Kinuacdrach, they heard another Cuckoo close to Ardlussa on their way back to their vehicles. They also had seen 2 Adders and a Lizard out in the sun!!! James also heard a Cuckoo at Gruinart, 2 Blackwits, a count of 1690 Barnies along with 9 Whitefronts