Monday 14th December

A different day again, no ice on puddles and it did feel a bit warmer than yesterday! Forgot to mention that Bob had seen 5 Bullfinches up on Bolsay Moor on Saturday. Yesterday, Mike had carried out his WeBS count on Outer Loch Indaal, basically from Port Charlotte down towards Portnahaven. Mike's birds were as follows, 58 GND, 25 RTD, 36 Common Scoter, 2 Eider, 10 Shag, 11 RB Merganser, 59 Common Gull and 6 Guillemot. Val, Mike's wife had seen 4 Bullfinches and a male Hen Harrier while out walking at The Gearach. Today, we had a ringtail Hen Harrier coming off the south side of Loch Gorm and flying away over the moorland. Mary, today carried out her WeBs Counts as well. Before coming to work this morning, while she was walking her dogs, she saw a Barn Owl down at Portnahaven. Her WeBS counts were as follows, Ardnave Loch held 21 Wigeon, 31 Teal, 2 Mallard, 7 Goldeneye, 90 Lapwing, 2 Herring Gul,8 Mute, 8 Whoopers, 3 Pochard and 2 Tufted Duck. The tally for Loch Gruinart was 3 GND, 1 Shag, 13 Heron, 43 Shelduck, 84 Wigeon, 37 Mallard, 5 Goldeneye,11 RBM, 127 Oystercatcher, 13 Ringed Plover,350 Golden Plover, 230 Dunlin, 55 Barwits, 94 Curlew, 59 Redshank, 60 Turnstone, 6 C Gull, 39 H Gull, 7 GBB Gull, 2 Snipe and 4 Greenshank. There was also a Kestrel present at the head of Loch Gruinart.