Friday 21st February

Mike and Lesley's report through for you  to appreciate...

"We had a great morning at Gruinart yesterday. The sun brought out the birds on the woodland trail so it was nice to record Long-tailed Tit,  Goldcrest and Treecreeper. From the hide there were plenty of the usual ducks, Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler, Pintail plus lots of Curlew and a single Greenshank.

There were a couple of Oystercatchers feeding right in front of the hide when a female Sparrowhawk came hurtling towards one but just missed one and then sat on a fence post right next to the hide for a while. A distant Golden Eagle sitting on top of the hill, before we noticed 2 hunting juvenile White-tailed Eagles on of which downed a Barnacle Goose and began to eat the poor thing while it was still alive!  A very dramatic morning!"

Chris Corrigan's birds were as follows

"The best place today was the back road between Blackpark and Gruinart (B8017). Wonderful views of 2 Golden Eagles north of Lyrabus in the morning and a briefer view of a roadside Merlin in the afternoon. 

33 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Carnain late afternoon.

We also got a free exfoliation beauty treatment courtesy of a horrible driving hail shower!!!"

Garry and Wendy had made to most of yesterday

"What a change to have some bright sunshine. We walked from Ballygrant, up past Lossit Farm to Islay Sound. Our sightings for the day:
Carnain: Barnies, Greylags, Oystercatchers, Curlew, Mute Swans
Loch Lossit: Tufted Ducks
Flanks of Beinn Dubh: Herd of Red Deer
Traigh Bhan: White tailed  Eagle, GN Diver, and 11 Grey Seals"

John Matthews and his friends "The Port Ellen 4", headed home yesterday, but they had sent their final entry for this visit...

"I'm now safety back home after a 7.5h drive.  

Anyway, on our drive to Port Askaig this morning via the back road to Ballygrant we saw another superb male Merlin sitting on a fence post about 1 mile north of Barr.  Great little bird that sat for about 4 minutes before flying off."