Thursday 9th april

What a suntan I am getting this week, other weeks it could be weather beaten....Yesterday, Dave and his team had carried a survey round the coast down on the Oa with a good number of returning birds seen with their tally being as follows, 5 Swallows, 3 Sand Martins, 2 House Martins, 1 Wheatear, 1 Black throated Diver, 1 Cormorant, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Peregrines and 4 Hen Harriers. Today, Dave had a Willow Warbler on the Oa. This morning there was a reported sighting of a Corncrake round at Ballinaby. Also today, Bob had seen a male Greater spotted Woodpecker over near to Eallobus and shortly after heard another one drumming away in the woods around Bridgend. This evening, Carl had seen a Sandwich Tern off Port Charlotte. Peter Gill yesterday had taken a walk out from Ballygrant down to the Sound of Islay, they had 2 Grey Wagtails just out of Ballygrant, and a Golden Eagle over the broch above Lossit Farm. Further on they had a pair of Hen Harriers, also on their walk they had heard a Tawny Owl hooting away in the middle of the day. Yesterday evening, they seen some Sand Martins and returning back into Port Charlotte, 3 Hooded crows were seen mobbing a Buzzard, and then a Golden Eagle joined in the fray... Today along the road to Gartbreck, they saw their first Kestrel of this trip. Down on the shoreline, there were 50 Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin, another first. Finally up at Gruinart, they had a Willow Warbler in the scrub opposite the car park.