Thursday 15th October

Another great day with the weather and also some good birds as well, long may it last... Yesterday, returning birders, Wally and Jude had spent a very productive hour in at Loch Skerrols. Jude had seen a Kingfisher and while Wally was watching the geese and other ducks present on the water, they were all spoofed and took off, a quick scan into the sky, with a White tailed Eagle seen being chased by 5 Buzzards...Later on, over at Craigens, on the overhead wires were some Linnets, that was before a Merlin came along and spoofed them all away! Louise, while waiting at Feolin on Jura for the ferry coming over from Port Askaig, had counted a flock of 52 Goldfinches. Noel and Anne Hand had seen the Rose coloured Starling along with 2 Collared Doves down at "The hedges" below Sunderland. Bob had seen 8 Redwings down towards Laggan Point, at the Point itself 2 Cormorant, 20 Shag, 2 Heron, 3 Whoopers flying South, also seen were 18 Golden Plover,40 Rock Pipits, 6 Stonechats and 4 Chough. On the Laundry Loch, 13 Mallard, 20 Wigeon and 8 Teal were present. Returning back to the road a Peregrine and 3 Buzzard were seen. On Loch Indaal, from the ICCI, 458 Wigeon, 10 R b Mergasnser, 40 Eider, 125 Golden Plover, 164 Barwits with 24 Pb Brent were there amongst the Barnies. From the road, leading to Gruinart from Loch Gorm, a Peregrine and a Kestrel were seen Finally, Bob had a Grey Wagtail along at Bruichladdich. The Bowland birders had 3 Dabchick, along with Tufted Duck and Goldeneye on Loch Gorm, while on the roadside there 30 Chaffinches with some Dunnock and Reed Bunting. Down on Machir Bay, 5 Sanderling, 39 Ringed Plover and 6 Turnstone. On their way back to their cottage, they were checking out the Starlings, looking for the Rose coloured Starling when a Sparrowhawk put them all up and away! Mike and Elspeth had counted at least 20 Whooper and 12 Mutes on Ardnave along with the Wigeon. They also had 2 Swallows hawking over the Loch too this morning. They also saw a ringtail Hen Harrier as they headed back, between Ardnave and Gruinart. This morning, earlier on there were 8 Whoopers resting up on the stubbles at Rockside. The sky last night was a sight to be seen, full of shining, twinkling little stars and the International Space Station was seen, last night and again earlier on this evening.