Monday 12th October

The Bolton birders sent through their sightings after I had done the entry last night, so here are their birds from yesterday, all seen on the Rhinns...a day of raptors.. Peregrine, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and a male Hen Harrier. On Loch Indaal, from Carn they saw 3 RTD and 3 GND with a flock of 50 Twite seen at Carn, but over the land! The Sound of Orsay, 6 Pale belied Brent and 2 Swallows were present, at Portnahaven, 2 Chough and finally up at Cladville, 30 Lapwing were seen and also 10 Stonechats along the roadside on their travels. Today, they started off with 60 Barnies at Octomore, along at Blackrock on Loch Indaal, 30 Scaup and 3 Slavonian Grebe were seen. Up at Ardnave, on the Loch itself, 150 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, 1 Dabchick, 7 Mallard and 29 Whoopers were present with 12 Golden Plover noted in an adjacent field. A walk round Ardnave Point produced 50 Twite, 20 Chough, 2 Raven, 3 Buzzard, 7 Ringed Plover, 8 Turnstone, 7 Teal, Rock Pipit, Pheasant, Kestrel and Snipe. Birds seen coming in off the sea included 20 Greenland Whitefronts, 10 Whoopers, and around 500 Barnies over 3 hours. Late afternoon, we counted 40 Whoopers resting up on the water of Loch Gorm. James sent through the Barnies tally for today on the reserve at Gruinart which came to 17,150 an impressive sight...