Sunday 1st November

What a great day out here today, hard to believe that it is November, even noticed someone cutting their grass. The rain gauge read 3.3 inches when I emptied it out for the month of October, another dryish sort of a month... Yesterday George Jackson (visitor) had seen the Todd's Canada Goose down at Rockside, and then went out round the loop round the Rhinns from Port Charlotte. First up was a male Merlin just out of Port Charlotte, a female Merlin further on towards Lossit, with a tally of 200 Redwings and also 200 Redwings seen as they crossed the fields down to Lossit Bay itself. They also saw a ringtail Hen Harrier there too. Many more Redwings and Fieldfares were seen as they continued their trip back round to Port Charlotte. This morning, Bob heard a commotion out over the forestry behind Octomore, on checking it out there were 5 Sparrowhawks being mobbed by Jackdaws and other birds, similar to what we had the other week here at home! On our way over to meet in with James at Gruinart this morning, we had a male Hen Harrier, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel all flying above the reserve. Later on, we saw "our" George Jackson up at Ardnave Loch, what a spectacle, 230 Swans and at least 330 Wigeon. Mike from Dunblane is back for the week, and had been up to Ardnave and had counted the Swans as well, and reckons there were 210 Whoopers and 17 Mutes, there were 17 juv amongst the Whoopers. Mike also counted 420 Wigeon, 2 Goldeneye, 7 Shoveler, and saw a ringtail Hen Harrier. Out at Traigh Nostaig, he saw 25 Turnstone, 2 Turnstone and 16 Rock Pipits. On the other side of Ardnave Point, Mike had 59 Ringed Plover and 6 Twite. Between Bridgend and Bowmore, he had 54 Pale bellied Brents, a small Canada Goose amongst the Barnies, 449 Wigeon, 4 Pintail, 68 Eider, 7 Long tailed Duck (including 5 drakes), 34 R B Merganser, 3 GND, 1 RTD and a Slav Grebe. Down from Bowmore, 940 Golden Plover, 2 Grey Plover, 83 Ringed Plover, 6 Knot, 91 Dunlin, 113 Barwits and 16 Turnstone seen. Back at the floods at Gruinart, 75 Pintail, 700 Teal, 3 PBB Geese, a flock of 1350 Golden Plovers, a ringtail and also a male Hen Harrier were added to his birds. Finally, Mike had 2 Pinkfooted Geese amongst the Greylags and Whitefronts at Coull. His tally for Whoopers there in the morning was 58 including 15 juveniles. Mike reckons that the Golden Plovers were different flocks, so giving a total of around 2300.