Monday 25th May

A better sort of a day here today, I even took a wobbly and looked out a paint brush and started to paint the garage with some wood preservative, better still, yes, the correct shade too, might even get some more done tomorrow all going well...The Rochdale birders are back for another "Islay fix", yesterday on their travels round Islay, they had seen 4 male Hen Harriers. Today down at Bruichladdich, they saw 2 Shelducks taking their brood of 7 youngsters down onto Loch Indaal. Other returnees , the Teme Valley birders yesterday had seen a Cuckoo on a fence post at Machir Bay, needless to say a Meadow Pipit was mobbing it. Later on over at the reserve at Gruinart, they saw 2 ringtail Hen Harriers. Today, down past the Coastguards Houses, they counted 17 Greylag geese and the along at Coull, there were another 17 Greylags including the one with the red neck collar , again to far to read... Also at Coull were 6 Curlews. At Coulererach they saw their first Whitethroat of the year. As they went round Loch Gorm , they commented on seeing more Linnets and also more Wheatears than they usually see when they are here.