Monday 24th October

Over the past few days Gary has been seeing groups of Long tailed Tit, Goldcrest and also Treecreeper in his garden. Yesterday, Lee and Aileen Thickett had seen a Peregrine spoofing the geese at the top of Loch Indaal, but with no success. Back out in the trees at their cottage, they saw a Treecreeper. Michal, along with James and his family had made the most of the great spell of weather and climbed up Bheinn Bheigier yesterday, they saw a Dipper on the stream close to where they parked their car, and other birds seen included 2 Peregrine, 12 Golden Plover and 3 Raven. Yesterday also, Mandy had seen a Pink footed Goose amongst the mixed flock of 800 Barnies and 75 Greenland Whitefronts at Rockside. In the early evening, at Rockside as well, Mandy spotted a Barn Owl perched on top of the stone wall beside the road. Bob was in touch today to say an increase in numbers of wee birds in his garden this morning. More House Sparrows, Chaffinches and Goldfinches with 6 Greenfinch, 12 Great Tit, Blue Tits all seen on his sunflower heads! Other birds present were Goldcrest and also a Willow Warbler. Phil Hampson saw the Long tailed Duck out on Loch Gruinart this morning again, a Greenshank too with a "tired looking" Wheatear on the shore.  While Phil was visiting here this afternoon, 30 Chough graced us with a flypast! Today, John Wilson had gone over to Jura. He had between 250 - 300 Fieldfare helping themselves to the plentiful Rowan berries present. Back on Loch Indaal, at Bowmore, John had 17 Pale bellied Brent Geese, and yesterday evening down on Machir Bay, he counted 39 Ringed Plover.