Sunday 22nd November

What a glorious day it has been, a beautiful sunrise, and as I write today's entry a sunset over to Ireland, well words are hard to find to describe it, and in between the day was not bad either.... Just great to live out here!! Yesterday the Aberdeen RSPB group had spent their day down on the bottom end round about Port Ellen . On their way out to the Oa, they had seen 2 Red Grouse and a Golden Eagle. They also had a flock of 250 Twite at Kinnabus. Around 500 Redwing, Fieldfare, Blackbirds and Song Thrushes were seen on passage. 2 Kestrels were seen as they headed out to the American monument on the Oa. On their return too the car park, they saw a stunning Snow Bunting. A total of 5 GND were seen as they headed out towards Claggain Bay. As Lesley put it, the "group" are well impressed (choughed?) with birding on Islay! Just what we want to hear... This morning, Bob, Gary and myself carried out the WeBS count, a week late but the weather has not been that kind to us ... Our birds were as follows, 2 GND, 1 RTD, 32 Shag, 2 Whoopers, 2 Greylag, 900 Barnies, 8 Whitefronts, 52 Mallard, 210 Teal, 432 Wigeon, a female Pintail, 22 R B Merganser, 2 Goldeneye, 1 Heron, 57 Oystercatcher,31 Curlew, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 20 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 44 Dunlin, 15 Knot, 6 Sanderling, 14 Turnstone, 3 Snipe, 1 Grey Plover, 8 Golden Plover, 40 Ringed Plover, 41 Lapwing, 9 GBB Gull, 296 H Gull, 109 C Gull, 18 BH Gull. Bob also counted 61 Scaup at Blackrock on his way home, and this afternoon Bob and Pat had a Short eared Owl up on Bolsay Moor. Today also, James had 7 Long tailed Tits and 2 Goldcrests in the wood at Gruinart. In front of the hides, he had a Goldeneye and a Tufted Duck, which are not that common in the hides! At his house, there was a Woodcock amongst his chickens and a count of 55 Redwing in the trees close to his house. Here at home this morning, Margaret had a Redpoll out on the bird table.