Tuesday 28th July

Rather a miserable sort of a day with rain, more rain and even more rain, infact rather a wet sort of a day, having said that, it did fair up for the bird nerds earlier this evening! Martin saw an Osprey over on the far side of Loch Gruinart, later on Peter spotted an Arctic Skua and also a Peregrine coming up the loch, and then they both flew back towards the head of the loch. A Whimbrel was calling away as it flew past. A group of Oystercatchers along with a few Redshank flew out towards the mouth of Loch Gruinart. Some Ringed Plovers were on the near shoreline with a lot over the far side from us, too far to be positively identified. It was David Formby's last meeting with us as he is heading over to live close to Carlisle, so we all wish David, Margaret and their son John "all the best". As we came home round by Loch Gorm, we had the good fortune of a really close sighting of a Barn Owl out in broad daylight, at Ballinaby, the first that we have seen out in daylight for some time. On the BBC news today, our old (not his age!) friend Ed Burrell was in a feature about Common scoters. Good to see you Ed!! Ed as some you may recall spent some time here on Islay over the past 2 winters doing research into the Greenland Whitefronts.