Tuesday 6th October

A not bad day with the weather today and quite a few birds seen too... Yesterday, Malcolm had seen 8 Whoopers at Gartmain with 20 Pale bellied Brent as he entered Bowmore where the Islay Farmers complex once stood. Today, Mandy had a Grey Wagtail at Gruinart and also a Snipe flew over the RSPB office at Bushmills. On Loch Skerrols, Bob counted 12 Whoopers, 7 Whitefronted Geese, 7 Tufted Duck, 48 Mallard and 2 Dabchicks at lunchtime. Some Bullfinches were heard calling away in the trees there as well. Mid afternoon, we met in with Bob at the old hide at Gruiart, from there we saw a Wheatear on the scrape directly in front of the hide, Mallard, Teal, Wren, Skylarks, Pheasant and 4 Jackdaws as well. From the viewing platform, we had over 400 Golden Plover out on Loch Gruinart, and a count of 500 Barnies with a male Hen Harrier flying above the sea wall. Overhead, we had 17 Swallows. We then went round and drove up to Bun an Uillt, our birds along this stretch included Greylags(not sure of the count!), Curlews, Knot, Redshank, Oystercatcher, pr of Shelduck, Redshank, a Heron, 34 Pale bellied Brent, 70 Lapwing, 2 Kestrel, 40 Twite, a female Sparrowhawk and a Raven having a difference of opinion for sometime, a further 2 female Wheatears, Finally, Malcolm had 7 Whoopers fly from Loch Indaal inland towards Loch Gorm, late afternoon.