Monday 26th October

Yesterday, Gary and Sam went for a "blustery" walk down on the Oa. Apart from seeing the many Redwings all over the place, they saw 3 Chough, a juv male Hen Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawks and loads of Twite...On their way home they had an adult male Hen Harrier close to Storakaig on the Glen road over to Ballygrant. Returning friends, Danny and Wanda had headed over to Port Ellen the other evening to meet the ferry and bring home their guests for the week and had seen a Barn Owl out on the high road beside the sign to the Duich Lots. Yesterday, they seen the Whoopers over at Coull. Yesterday, James had a Greylag at Gruinart with a neck Collar on, and Bob Swann kindly sent through the info on it last night. It was originally caught and fitted with the neck collar up behind Bruichladdich in January and was last seen was at the end of May on Mull, but has returned back to Islay. Our Bob this morning had counted 70 Whoopers on one of the lochans at Rockside, none seen at Coull, but there were quite a few there this evening on the barley stubbles as the light started to fade. This morning around 8 am, the wee garden birds were spoofed all of a sudden and then a male Hen Harrier flew past....There were some reported sightings of Whitefronts arriving today. Before I forget, it is that time again, as tomorrow night is when the Bird nerds meet up at 7.30pm in the Lochside Hotel in Bowmore for a catch up, so if you are around, feel free to drop in for a blether.