Wednesday 14th October

Yesterday Peter Roberts had a great sighting of an immature Golden Eagle, on the road that goes over the hill between Carnain and Gruinart up beyond Carrabus. With the water being so clear on Loch Indaal, Peter spotted dense shoals of small fish there at Bruichladdich Pier, also seen were 4- 5 Black Guillemots in winter plumage, offshore there were over 50 Eiders. Also yesterday, Mary had been up at Ardnave where she had Kestrel, 2 ringtail Hen Harrier, 2 Buzzard, Skylark. At Traigh Nostaig, 27 Ringed Plover, 30 Oystercatcher, a Turnstone, a Redshank, and 7 Teal. Out on Eilean Beag, 109 Barnies and 12 Grey Seal pups. Nave Island held 65 seal pups, 29 GBB Gull, 3 Cormorant, 37 Shag, 11 Eider,10 Oystercatcher and a Buzzard. On Ardnave Loch, the American Wigeon was seen along180 Wigeon, 1 Tufted Duck, 5 Mallard,4 Teal, 23 Whooper, 19 Mute and 2 Swallows. Today, Mary saw a Kestrel close to Bushmills at Gruinart, the small Canada Goose (parvipes sp.)was seen out in front of the Visitor centre, 20 Greenland whitefronts were present along the flats along with 9 Whoopers while out on the estuary/salt marsh, 39 Pale bellied Brent were seen. Gary today had counted 2300 Barnies, 57 Pale bellied Brent, 4 Whitefront, 21 Pintail, 250 Wigeon, 99 RB Merganser, 179 Curlew, 750 Golden Plover, 30 Grey Plover, 123 Ringed Plover and 70 Dunlin, all at the top end of Loch Indaal. Gary saw the Rose coloured Starling amongst the Starling flock near to wee lane that leads down to Loch Gorm after Sunderland Farm. Loch Gorm held 116 Tufted Duck, 3 Goldeneye, a juv White tailed Sea Eagle harassing the Greylags. Also round the scrubby trees there, a Sparrowhawk was spooking the finch flock which also included a 1st winter Brambling. Dave, down on the Oa, had a Yellow browed Warbler in his garden on a Sycamore tree and also a Grey wagtail. James sent through the tally for the Barnies on reserve at Gruinart which came to 21,055 with a Pink footed Goose present too. Mike and Elspeth today had had 16 Choughs at the American Monument on the Oa, a male Hen harrier at Kintra this afternoon with 7 Pale bellied Brent amongst the rocks there. Off Blackrock, late afternoon, another 7 Brent were seen. The Bowland birders had started their day off at Killinallan where Greenshank, Merlin, Sanderling and a male Hen Harrier, they saw the wee Canada goose along the flats while out from the new hide, Pintails, Shoveller, a ringtail Hen Harrier were seen with the Brent seen out on the estuary/ salt marsh. Late afternoon, the Sparrowhawk as ever flew through the garden....