Sunday 9th April

Hope you all sitting comfortably, as there is a LOT of birds for you to read about tonight...

Today was the day that some of us help carry out the WeBS count on Islay.  Gary counted his patch from Port Charlotte to Blackrock, so his birds seen were as follows 39 GND, 11 RTD, 26 RBM, 5 Cormorant, 22 Shag, 6 Razorbill, 28 Comon Guillemot, 16 Tysties, 34 Eider, 26 Common Scoter, 114 Oystercatcher, 2 Curlew, 1 Redshank, 31 Ringed Plover, 4 Purple Sandpiper, 4 Gbb Gull, 83 H Gull, 219 C gull, 34 Bh Gull, 6 Sandwich Tern, 3 Greylag, 2 Shelduck and 11 Pale bellied Brent. He also saw a further 22 Pbb Geese at smelly corner and then 42 Shelduck on the sand on the estuary at the head of Loch Indaal beside the merse there. Lesley and myself carried  out the count that Bob normally leads, so here we go with our sightings, 3 GND, 1 Mute Swan, 4 Greylags, 650 Barnies, 6 Shag, 1 Cormorant, 1 Heron, 2 Goosanders, 165 Eider, 4 Mallard, 2 Wigeon, 44 Rb Merganser, 27 Shoveler,  4 Grey Plover, 5 Lapwing, 19 Ringed Plover, 58 Oystercatcher, 2 Turnstone, 7 Redshank, 13 Curlew, 1 Blackwit, 3 Gbb Gull, 65 C Gull, 60 H Gull and 37 Bh Gull. While I was away, Margaret had 3 Rock Doves and a Collared Dove in the garden on the ground, new birds to the house list!!! Dave Wood had led the first walk today for the Walkislay week down on the Oa, Dave's top birds were 2 House Martins, 1 Swallow, Golden Eagle, Chough, Redpoll, Sparrowhawk, Back at his house he had also seen 2 Siskins in his garden. Peter had also seen the same group of Brents along at smelly corner but noted that none of them had any leg rings on. Carl yesterday had seen many Willow Warblers ... spotted yesterday at Lyrabus Croft, Bruichladdich, Ballygrant Loch, Bridgend Woods and Foreland. today they were noted at An Gleann. A Mistle Thrush and 8 Tufted Duck were also present at Ballygrant Loch, and finally Carl had Greenfinch singing in his garden down in Port Charlotte. Carl also sent a email which told me about 7 Sandwich Terns at Gortan last Sunday, the 2nd of April.

Think that will do for tonight folks...