Monday 2nd November

Some birds seen from Mike Bell yesterday... 

"Coullabus: 25 Redwing.

Near Skerrols House: 4 Pinkfeet in a field on their own.

Lack of wee birds Ballygrant woods to Loch Allan, best sightings 1 Woodcock, 2 Grey Wagtail & 2 Redpoll with 5 Dabchicks on the loch.

Near Keills: 1 male hen harrier

The lack of eagles in the air was particularly disappointing until the Ballinaby pair showed well at 3.45 pm. "

Ed Hutchings sent me through his birds seen yesteday...

"I braved the less severe weather today and saw the following: 2 Chough on the putting green in front of The Machrie at noon, with a further chattering of 3 seen at Machir Bay an hour later. On the way I encountered the large Chaffinch flock between Sunderland Farm and Kilchoman Distillery with at least 1 Brambling still present. After lunch, I drove the northern route around Loch Gorm. Lots of Barnacle, Greylag and White-fronted Geese on the fields south of the road, as well as 9 Fieldfare, a female Kestrel and an adult Whooper Swan. A ringtail Hen Harrier flew over the moorland north of the road. A deceit of 70 Lapwing was on the fields around Sanaigmore. A Raven was in the small glen north of Port Wemyss mid-afternoon."

Gary yesterday had seen the followings birds seen when out and about...

"Male Hen Harrier over moorland at airport, WTE over fields above the Gaelic collage, Adult Golden Eagle at Tallant plantation on high road, Male Sparrowhawk on Cruach Rd, Male Hen Harrier there also. Sub. ad WTE at Finlaggan, Male Hen Harrier at Aluchga"

Yesterday was Teresa Morris's final day of this trip.... "sadly but been a fantastic day for the birds. This morning over Craigens Cottage was the male and female Hen Harrier and Golden Eagle ! A walk to the more sheltered east side of Ardnave this afternoon was superb with great views of 7 Snow Buntings, 4 Ring Plovers, 10 Turnstones. Several Barnacle Geese were still flying in from the Atlantic battling the gales. Back on the flats a large flock of Golden Plover approx 500. 

A few days ago worth noting I saw a lone Bridled Gulliemot at Ardnave point. "

Nick Gates sent this list of the pick ofthe birds seen by him  yesterday...  

A few more sightings from today: just outside Bowmore today I had an adult male goldeneye, 3 GND (summer plumage), a Tystie (winter plumage), Eiders, Scaup and RBM. 

 Dan Brown had ben out and about over the last couple of days...

"We did a little storm watching at Portnahaven on Saturday - very impressive and we kept our fingers crossed for the young seal pups on the island getting battered by huge waves. Not a lot to report bird-wise though.  

I was on the flats all day yesterday; my sightings were: A Curlew Sandpiper with Dunlin in the golden plover flock, a Brambling over, Todd’s Canada Goose with the Barnies, and on the floods - 6 Greenshank and a pair of Gadwall. Impressive numbers of waders roosting on the floods this evening with the very high tide inc 15+ Grey Plover. Birds everywhere."

Some sightings through from Gary today:

In at Loch Skerrols, the Amercan Wigeon was still present, he also had a Golden Eagle and also a WTE there as well, and also he had at least 80 Whoopers, 2 Goldeneye and 50+ Tufted Duck. When parked up in the lay by at Gartmain, he had a continual stream of  573 Whoopers flying overhead, all flying south. After that wee bit of exitement, 12 Yellowhammers along the road towards the Gaelic College.   Further exitement just in on from Gary, late Monday afternoon, to say that he had seen a COMMON CRANE flying overhead and then when speaking to me , he saw a probable MARSH HARRIER, nice ones Gary!!!