Friday 26th February

A not bad day out here with the weather, so much so that I took the chance to get the tractor out with the rotavator on and cultivated some of the ground which we intend to sow with a "Pheasant and Finch" seed mix later this year... watch this space! David and Jenny had a good day yesterday. Up at Sanaigmore they had a mixed flock of 10 Fieldfare, 20 Redwing, 50 Skylark, 30 Meadow Pipit and 12 Reed Bunting. Down on the beach there were some Ringed Plovers along with Turnstones. On Loch Indaal, close to "smelly corner" they saw 14RTD, 3 GND, 11 Slav Grebe, 6 Common Scoter and at least 6 L T Ducks. Bruichladdich held 6 Tysties, 2 GND, 3 RTD, 4 Common Scoter and 6 Purple Sandpipers. Off Portnahaven, their birds included 20 Gannets, a Fulmar, a Kittiwake, a passage of around 4,000 Auks (mainly Guillemots and a few Razorbills) in 30 minutes, all flying south. They also saw a ringtail up behind the village as well. Coming over the hill, back to Port Charlotte, they saw a Grey Wagtail at Kilchiaran and finally, a female Merlin was spotted in the Loch Gorm area. The Rochdale birders were over on Jura, first thing yesterday morning and commented on seeing so many Red Deer down close to the road, no doubt not liking the wintry weather on the hills! They also saw a distant Otter in the Sound of Islay. A ringtail was seen on the "glen road" while at the dusk, 4 Woodcock were at Foreland and also a Hen Harrier seen nearby. Mandy ad been down on the Machir Bay and found a dead Puffin.