Tuesday 31 August

Quiet day here from the reporters. Luckily I was out walking the dogs this morning and spotted a solo tufted duck on Claddach Loch with 4 mallard, and a ring-tailed hen harrier spooking a large flock of 20+ goldfinch. There were 2 skylark dust bathing on the track. Down by the village off the Orsay lighthouse island 3 gannets flew by.

In the garden in Port Wemyss the garden has been frequently visited by around 30 starlings.  Must be finding plenty in the short grass. 

George sent through some sightings from yesterday evening - a red legged partridge was near the road at Sunderland, apparently a popular spot for them.  In Coultorsay gardens robins were heard singing again after their summer moult.

Monday 30 August

Nice autumn-feeling chill in the air today, had to put on my long sleeves at last.  Plenty brambles ready to eat in the bushes and rowan berries are colouring up well. 

George emailed in with some sighting from yesterday: A group of around 24 diving ducks busy doing co-ordinated dives watched from the road to Kilchoman; light not great but likely scoters.  On the garden at Rockside, a wheatear.

At Claddach today the wheatear by the house was there again plus an other in the nearby fields. A flock of 15 goldfinch feeding on the thistle heads. 3 sparrowhawk on the drive up country today (one near Easter Ellister, an other at Uiskentui, the 3rd at Octofad on the way home).  Plenty swallows about at Ellister too.

Jim reported 2 adult sandwich terns at the head of Loch Indaal.  A juvenile whinchat at Sligo, plus an other 2 near the RSPB visitor centre at Loch Gruinart, with 4 ruff spotted on the loch itself.

Mark reported a later count of 5 ruff at Loch Gruinart, and noted a sparrowhawk and a white-tailed eagle in the area too.

Bird Nerds catch up tomorrow at Cornabus around 6ish.

Sunday 29 August

 Thanks to Mark for covering the blog yesterday.

James reported 3 ruff, an osprey, a sparrowhawk, approx 50 black tailed godwits, and 12 knot among the waders. All at Loch Gruinart.

Jim reported the following:  "Carnain, Loch Indaal - 45 knot, 120+ meadow pipits & 40+ alba wagtails (mostly whites on sand), 160+ sand Martin, 35 swallow, 42 teal and one male hen harrier."

Later from Bruichladdich Jim spotted a dark phase Arctic Skua flying East.

At Claddach there was a wheatear by the house all day.  Nearby Ballameanach croft had around a dozen wagtails near the house.

Bird Nerds will be meeting on the last Tuesday of the month as usual - details tomorrow.

Tonight is also the last night for Lesley, who sadly leaves Islay tomorrow.  Wishing you safe travels Lesley, I'm sure we'll see you back as a visitor in the future. 

Saturday 28th August

Waders on the move continues to be the theme during this prolonged period of settled weather. Dave Wood and Ed had groups of curlew at the south of the island, whilst on Loch Gruinart itself the mixed wader flock is still in the low 1000's, including 2 ruff and with knot, turnstone, dunlin, sanderling and ringed plover all present. 

Someone else on the move is Jim, who is on Islay for the next two weeks. Stay tuned, seagull fans! At Kennacraig, he had 6 greenshank and 2 f/imm goldeneye. From the ferry, 1 GND, 30 kittiwake, lots of auks, 1 puffin, 4 common dolphin and 6 porpoise were seen. On Loch Indaal there were 2 white-tailed eagles, 14 knot, 2 turnstone, 40 sand martin, 15 white wagtails and 18 common scoter. Up at Bun an Uillt, there were 7 p-b brent geese. Good to have you back, Jim. 

Inspired by this haul, Dave Wood went out and found Bird of the Day - a pied flycatcher at Kinnabus. Dave wins a copy of Birds of Argyll. Well done, Dave. 

Friday 27 August

Nicer day here today. I saw a solitary swallow in Port Charlotte earlier, so not quite winter yet.

Gary reported over 50 Linnet in a flock along with 25 goldfinch and 2 reed bunting near Finlaggan, along with a family group of 4 buzzards hunting rabbits in nearby fields and a adult white tailed eagle in the same area.

Continuing in his non-bird photo theme, Mark sent the following lovely image of a black darter from Loch Gruinart reserve. 

Malcolm kindly got in touch with an update on yesterdays emerald damselfly - not rare, but not as common as others!

Thursday 26th August

 Pea soup day here today, not much visibility down the south of the island anyway.

I did see a daft young sparrowhawk drop down in front of my car and slowly follow the road, before slipping into a field.  Hopefully it will learn to speed up in front of cars.

In my porch this morning the local wren was picking off the small moths and flies from the light as usual, but this time was followed by a meadow pipit which wasn't so familiar with the way out! Quickly caught and released with hopefully a full belly for its troubles.

Mark sent me through the following from Loch Gruinart:

"A juvenile white-tailed eagle was over the flats earlier. Ringtail hen harriers were seen chasing the growing mixed finch flock (mostly linnet and goldfinch)."

Not a bird sighting but a nice photo of a pair of emerald damselflies from Lauren, which may be a rarity for Islay (Mark and Lauren to confirm).

Weds 25 August

 Apologies for late entry.  

Gary noted a building of duck numbers on the lochs at Finlaggan and Skerrolls.  He also watched the white-tailed eagle near Bridgend again. Wonder how often it is the same bird.

Mary-Ann noted over 70 twice at Kildalton last night. 

At Claddach loch there are often big numbers of greylag geese at the moment; 100-200. 

Near Currie Sands, a greenshank flew overhead towards the lighthouse islands. 

Tuesday 24th August

 

Counter to yesterday's blog, some more astute readers have notified us that tomorrow isn’t the Last Tuesday in August – so if anyone has come up with some ideas in the next few days, there may yet be a Bird Nerds gathering on the 31^st.

Today’s weather continued to be dominated by a high pressure system providing clear, calm and sunny weather with quite high temperatures – briefly back to summer and very pleasant indeed.

David Dinsley noted a flock of c.100 Twite including many juvenile birds on the cliffs between the American Monument and Lower Killeyan this morning and Mary-Ann Featherstone saw 70 or more near Kildalton this evening, with photos of birds on the telegraph wires.

Later, David Dinsley sent in a sighting of an Osprey seen fishing at Loch Kinnabus by visitor Kane Brides, while Gary Turnbull saw 2 adult White-tailed Eagles sat on their favourite perch – the rocky island at the top of Loch Indaal near Bridgend.

Over on Loch Gruinart James How had a bumper count of 1405 Greylag Geese along with a couple of Peregrines, a Sparrowhawk and 10 Black-tailed Godwits.

Monday 23rd August

 

Late news from last Friday was the WEBS count at Loch Gruinart carried out by Alex Mangan (a new RSPB residential volunteer) and Lauren Stewart. These are some of the highlights, with some impressive numbers of Ringed Plover and Dunlin.:

 579 Ringed Plover, 60 Knot, 76 Sanderling, 1519 Dunlin, 3 Bar tailed Godwits, 153 Curlew, 19 Redshank, 4 Turnstone, 7 Greenshank, 4 Whimbrel.

Today there were 3 White Wagtails seen by David Dinsley at Kintra and 3 Sparrowhawks together on thermals over Upper Killeyan. These sparked a debate on the Islay Birder’s WhatsApp group about whether they are migrating or merely dispersing – and brings into question whether there is a difference, or where dispersal might become migration? The Migration Atlas produced by the BTO back in 2002 does seem to indicate that British birds are very sedentary and talks of “dispersal” rather than migration, noting that it is the continental birds of Northern Europe that are more truly migratory. But they also note that birds in the NW of UK generally disperse greater distances than those in the south. Jim Dickson notes that he once saw no less than 10 fly in over the sea in Kintyre coming from the direction of Islay in an hour or so one early September, which he tactfully calls neither dispersal or migration, but a “distinct movement”.

Traditionally there would be a Bird Nerds meeting tomorrow, being the last Tuesday of the month. We haven’t quite got up to speed with organising and reconvening these yet since Ian Brooke passed away, but hope to do so in the near future. We’d like to hear your views on where and what you’d like these meetings to be. It is thought that perhaps any indoor get-togethers could include brief talks and discussion topics to give the meetings more of a focus. Let us know your thoughts and we’ll try and restart for the last Tuesday of next month.

Sunday 22nd August

 An Osprey was seen this early afternoon at Loch Gorm while David Dinsley had 2 Greenshanks, a Peregrine and a Bonxie (Great Skua) at Ardnave . More tantalising was a report from David Wood of a possible Honey Buzzard along the cliffs at The Oa this afternoon. He didn't get enough detail on the bird to be 100%, but it certainly looked like the "real deal".  Unless it hangs about on Islay and shows up again tomorrow, then it will sadly be "one that got away".

Saturday 21st August

A few late bird notes came in this evening: Hannah Stanger reports a couple of Barn Owls on the low road near the Machrie and another seen by David Dinsley at Kinnabus.

More unusual was a rather out of season sighting of a Redwing near Kilchoman. More unusual still was it being caught after falling down a chimney and released unharmed, but obviously seen up close and all salient ID features noted.

Thursday 19th August

 Not much to report today except a pleasant change for the better in the weather - especially this afternoon and evening which is bright, sunny, calm and warm - just like summer again!

Gary Turnbull saw another Osprey this morning at the top of loch Indaal shortly before a WTE flew in. There were also 2 Ruff with Redshanks at Gartmain.

Down on The Oa, David Dinsley had another WTE over the RSPB car park, carrying prey, while Ed Burrel had 2 Chiffchaffs .

Wednesday 18th August

 A third day in a row with mostly grey skies with light/moderate rain-showers and cooling light winds from the NW. 

A quick look at the flats at the top of Loch Indaal produced nothing too sensational:  16 Great Black-backed Gulls, 45 Bar-tailed Godwits, 15 Knot, a single Whimbrel and 380 Greylags. There were 30+ Eiders on the water - all looking very drab at this time of year.

At Loch Gruinart, James How reports 27 Black-tailed Godwits, 32 Knot plus an Osprey and a Peregrine.

Tuesday 17th August

What a difference a day makes! Visitor Ben Rackstraw either wasn’t put off by tales here of a duff sea-watch yesterday – or just hadn't read the blog - so popped down to Frenchman's Rocks for a sea-watch between 6.45 and 9.45 am today and, by contrast, did rather well:

 Highlights were 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 European Storm-petrels and 7 Great Skuas along with 10 Arctic Terns and a Diver spp. against a constant passage of Manx Shearwaters - up to 20 per minute.

 On Sunday 15^th Ben was at Ardnave and noted 31 Chough, 1 ringtail Hen Harrier, 1 immature Peregrine around the farm/dunes near Ardnave Loch, plus an immature White-tailed Eagle sat on the skyline on the opposite shore of Loch Gruinart. 

The only bird notes today are from James How who counted 20 Black-tailed Godwits on Loch Gruinart - possibly the same 20 seen on Sunday??

Monday 16th August

With 1-2 Sooty Shearwaters being seen off Tiree and Mull and even a Cory’s reported off Kintyre – and with winds turning moderate NW, it seemed worth a try to do a sea-watch off Frenchman’s Rocks this morning. Sadly it wasn’t worth a try! An hour and a half from 6.45 – 8.15am produced nothing unusual and very small numbers of “the expected”. 25 Manx Shearwaters, 10 Kittiwakes, 6 Fulmars and the usual local Gannets and Shags going back and forth. Not a single Auk! The most vaguely interesting thing was seeing quite a few Gannets cutting corners and flying over the land behind me rather than staying out at sea.

Mary Redman saw 3 Bonxies on Claddach Loch near Portnahaven this morning (+ 4 Teal – some of the first arrivals of the autumn/winter?).

David Dinsley had 9 Chough on the trail towards the American Monument at The Oa, plus a Greenshank at Loch Kinnabus and a White-tailed Eagle on the coast near Glen Astle.

Gary Turnbull was back at the top of Loch Indaal again this morning watching a White-tailed Eagle having Greylag Goose for breakfast.

Gary also noted “loads of small waders” – so often far out on the sand and mudflats on both Loch Indaal and difficult to count. James How also confirms “loads of small waders” on Loch Gruinart today – 600 of them, mostly Dunlin, Sanderling and Ringed Plover, plus the odd Turnstone and 27 Knot.

The day finished grey, misty, cool, cloudy and drizzling - very autumnal indeed.

Sunday 15th August

 White-tailed Eagles were still being seen at the top of Loch Indaal this morning - Gary had 3 (2 adults and a juvenile) perched out on the wreck and rocks before heading away later..

Visitors Stu and Angela were out towards Beinn Mhor on The Oa where they had adult and young Golden Eagles plus a couple of Hen Harriers.

(Both eagle species were seen down towards Kildalton by Mary-Ann Featherstone yesterday).

A late afternoon look over Loch Gruinart confirmed that waders were building up as autumn progresses. Amongst large numbers of Dunlin and Ringed Plover were 50-100 Sanderling, 20 Black-tailed Godwits, 114 Curlew, plenty of Redshank and 5-10 Knot.

Saturday 14th August

Raptors seem very much in evidence at the moment and providing some exciting birdwatching. Fledged young White-tailed Eagles are wandering about with one at Craighouse, Jura on Thursday; another at Kinnabus, plus an adult over The Machrie yesterday seen by visiting birder Fiona Morton. Also yesterday - a Merlin at Craighouse, Jura, while there was a Peregrine over Bowmore High Street.

Today there were 2 Golden Eagles over Kildalton, Hen Harrier harrying Meadow Pipits over the merse at Bridgend and a White-tailed Eagle mobbed by Buzzards at Ballygrant with 2 seen later over towards Ballimartin. Visiting birder Martin Douglas had yet another White-tailed Eagle being mobbed by gulls at Ardfin on Jura. But Gary hit the jackpot with an adult White-tailed Eagle chasing Greylags on Loch Indaal towards Bridgend, then being mobbed by an Osprey. The Osprey later caught a fish, got mobbed by gulls, dropped its prey and had the White-tailed Eagle swoop in and take it off to eat perched on the old wreck in the middle of the sands there..

Waders today included 2 breeding-plumaged Black-tailed godwits at Gartmain on Loch Indaal and a Greenshank at Kinnabus..

Friday 13th August

 

With reference to previous comments on Barn Owl breeding success, Malcolm Ogilvie gives below some more information on the species on Islay.

Malcolm and Mike Peacock monitored Barn Owls on Islay from 1987 to 2000, covering a fair percentage of the island in that time and finding 39 sites with at least 1 bird present in the 14 years. In the last 5 years of the study, they annually checked up to 30 sites, which held 16-17 breeding pairs each year. A total of 393 (42 of them adults) were ringed. Interesting results included movements between sites: a chick from Gortantaoid beyond Killinallan bred at Stremnishmore on the south-east corner of the Oa at one year old. Only 3 recoveries off Islay were two in Argyll and one found dead at 210 km away at Gullane east of Edinburgh – a long way for this species. It was ringed in July and found dead the following March.

Several former sites no longer exist - ruins that have fallen down or been turned back into houses. But there are more recently deserted properties and older barns that could
provide new nest sites.

Malcolm notes that the study ended in 2000 when Mike moved to Oronsay and he was finding that rotten roof joists in the ruins were no longer supporting his weight!

 

Thursday 12th August

 Louise Muir notes that an Osprey was seen daily from 9^th – 11^th August on Jura flying over the small isles as it came and went from Jura to the mainland.

Bird records sent in today include:

• A Great Skua circling over Risabus and Kinnabus from David Dinsley
• Flocks of Meadow Pipits and Goldfinches in fields at Mulreesh and Balulive from Gary Turnbull – indication of autumn migration building up
• Bullfinch, Peregrine and Sparrowhawk at Gruinart from James How
• White-tailed Eagle down at Gleann on the south of the Rhinns from Mary Redman – the first WTE down that way for a while I think?
• Another White-tailed Eagle seen by visitors Stu & Ange (sorry - don't know your surname) flying with a fish in its talons over the hills behind Finlaggan and dropping into the forestry there. They provide a photo below - not bad considering it was over a mile away!

• ·  More raptor action from David Dinsley with 2 Peregrines, a Hen Harrier and Sparrowhawk hunting the build-up of small passerines around Kinnabus this afternoon.

Wednesday 11th August

Following on from the note about Barn Owls on Islay in Monday's blog, John Miles made the following interesting comment:

"Thought your readers would be interested in our records in the North Pennines. For the first year ever we recorded a nil return for breeding in 2021. 2020 was a vole year with large numbers of young creating exceptional numbers of pairs in spring 2021.With the vole collapse and little else in the form of mice, rats or shrews, It seems the pairs just said 'not this year'!"

It would be interesting to know what percentage of our resident Barn Owl population on Islay have had a successful breeding season.

A day trip to Colonsay and Oronsay today produced a couple of dark phase Arctic Skuas flying along together between Islay and Jura as the ferry steamed north towards Colonsay. Is there a chance that there is still the occasional pair breeding on Jura? On Oronsay a pair of Great Skuas was seen  wheeling around the island at various times.

Monday 9th August

 Little to report today - a day of mixed sunshine and stormy showers. Birding on the east (Killiinallan) side of Loch Gruinart indicated good numbers of migrant waders on the move: many hundreds of Dunlin along with plenty of Redshank, Ringed Plovers, a few Curlews with well-developed fledged young, a handful of Golden Plover, Sanderling, both godwit species and single Greenshank. A count of the masses of Greylags on the exposed flats totalled 680+.

Notes came in of Barn Owls seen recently in several widespread locations across the island including the successful pair in Ian and Margaret Brooke's owl box - all a reminder of a hopefully still healthy population of the species on Islay.

Sunday 8th August

 

The only bird note coming in today was from Gary Turnbull who had a very high count of 34 Mistle Thrushes on the telephone lines at Ballygrant today.

Yesterday's tern photo has been confirmed as a juvenile Common Tern by our local Argyll "Seagull Supremo" Jim Dickson.

Saturday 7th August

 Another warm day of light winds and intermittent, localised rain showers (some quite heavy) between brighter sunny spells.

Mark Shields heard a Greenshank high over Loch Gruinart and Margaret Brooke noted 5 Ravens, 2 Buzzards and 1 Golden Eagle over the crags at Kilchoman today, with a Ringtail Hen Harrier hunting over by the War Graves.

At the opposite end of the Island, Mary-Ann Featherstone counted 70+ terns including quite a few young birds, on the SE Skerries between Kildalton and Ardmore with others further out. Although Arctic Terns are generally a more common breeding species than Common Tern on Islay, the photo attached here looks like a juvenile Common Tern to me with its dark carpal bar and richer/heavier gingery-brown markings on the mantle and upperparts - though the bill isn't that long? Your opinions welcome!

Friday 6th August

 

A warm, humid and somewhat sultry day at times with rain in the afternoon, but a brighter evening.

 The only bird records today are from the Oa: a group of 34 Ravens using the thermals and heading NE seen by David Wood while David Dinsley recorded another Great Skua.

Thursday 5th August

 

It was “Nature Red In Tooth And Claw” yesterday as David Protheroe watched a Sparrowhawk take down an Oystercatcher on the 6^th fairway at the Machrie, while Mary Redman had a couple of Hen Harriers tussling with Hooded Crows at Currie Sands. She also noted a young Cuckoo being fed by a Meadow Pipit at Claddach. Margaret Brooke had a ringtail Hen Harrier hunting over the garden at Shepherd’s Cottage, Kilchoman yesterday along with increased numbers of Song Thrushes and Blackbirds feeding on the lawns after our first decent rain shower in many days.

Today, after a long spell of warm/hot dry weather we returned to cloudy and cool conditions with moderate ESE winds and a fair bit of rain throughout the day.

Today’s contributions continue the raptor theme with Andrew Kelly seeing a female Hen Harrier hunting and a Kestrel being mobbed by a pair of Arctic Terns all just south of Rhuvaal Lighthouse. He also recorded Peregrine and 2 Common Buzzards on the Bunnahabhain Road and a further ringtail Hen Harrier near Mulindry. Margaret Brooke also saw a Kestrel mobbing and being mobbed by the Jackdaws on the church at Kilchoman. Despite being one of the UK’s more widespread raptors, Kestrels are one of the least abundant birds of prey on Islay.

Wednesday 4th August

 

Visiting birder Andrew Kelly writes:

“I was very sorry to read of Ian's sudden passing: we made our first trip to Islay last August when I sent in some contributions, and Ian was so friendly and helpful. As a naive visitor, the blog has proved invaluable. I was looking forward to exchanging info again during this year’s visit, and was shocked to go on to the blog and read the news. My heartfelt commiserations.
At the time we left home, the blog was in suspension, and have only just caught up with its revival - great news.”

Some records from his visit this week (seeing 69 species so far) include:

Sunday Aug 1^st: Great Skua flying north near Kilchoman Bay

Monday Aug 2^nd: Flock of 12 Bar-tailed Godwit near Bowmore and 3 Red-throated Divers, 12 Dunlin, 6 Sanderling and “masses” of Ringed Plovers at Laggan Bay

Tuesday Aug 3^rd: Ardnave - 2 female Tufted Duck with 4 and 2 young respectively on the loch.

Another noteworthy record from yesterday is from Mary Ann Featherstone with a count of 7 Spotted Flycatchers in her garden at Kildalton. Spotted Flycatchers typically arrive late into UK from African wintering grounds and depart early – so these are likely to be the first migrants heading south. Once a common bird of gardens, orchards and parkland in the UK it is now Red-listed with a breeding population decline of 89% between 1967 and 2010.

Tuesday 3rd August

 

Nothing sensational of note today, though Mary-Ann Featherstone reports a build-up of Willow Warblers (c.50) over at Kildalton – presumably the start of autumn movements for this early migrant.

On a different subject: We are privileged to have fairly good numbers of nesting Hen Harriers on Islay. Some other parts of UK aren’t so lucky, with lots of suitable habitat but very few breeding birds due to ongoing illegal persecution. To highlight this and celebrate the species there is an annual Hen Harrier Day coming up on Saturday 7^th August that may be of interest to blog readers: https://wildjustice.org.uk/henharrierday/

(Photo courtesy of Armin Grewe)

Monday 2nd August

 

The only birds flagged up today come from David Wood: 3 Greenshanks at Kinnabus

Since Ian Brooke’s last post on the Islay Bird Blog on 8^th June, there has been a long gap in reporting birds of interest, so here is a summary of the more noteworthy sightings. This midsummer period has been a fairly quiet time for birds, but a series of Rose-coloured Starlings stole the show:

Mid-June: A Turtle Dove in Port Ellen

13^th June: A Spotted Crake heard near Gartmain at the top of Loch Indaal

14^th June: Grey Plover at Kintra

17^th June: Bright pink and black adult Rose-coloured Starling seen at Ardnave and Barnhill Jura. 2 Black-tailed Godwits at RSPB Gruinart South Hide

18^th June: Several Crossbills near Loch Skerrols

20^th June: Another (or the same) Rose-coloured Starling at Port Charlotte

22nd June: Single Carrion Crow at Kinnabus and the drake Velvet Scoter paired with a female Common Scoter back at Easter Ellister for another season

25^th June; Long-eared Owl at Kinnabus

26th June: 3 Grasshopper Warblers still singing at Cornabus/The Oa

30^th June: Two Rose-coloured Starlings appeared in a garden at Conisby plus one at Craighouse on Jura – so apparently at least 3 birds involved in this series of sightings. (These were part of a large influx this spring of this Asian/Eastern European species into Western Europe and the UK)

3^rd July: A Swift over Kinnabus with another on 10th

5^th July: A Great Skua over the American Monument at the Oa, with another on the Oa on 27^th

18^th July: Single Great Northern Diver off Port Charlotte

24^th July: A dark-phase Arctic Skua off Port Askaig, plus a Sandwich Tern

26^th:July 3 Greenshank at Kintra

29^th July: Post-breeding Twite flocks building up, with 60 near the Car Park at RSPB The Oa

In addition:

Ospreys continued to be seen occasionally throughout mid-June into late July in widespread locations across the island. Some seen fishing at Finlaggan, Loch Gorm, Loch Nan Chadian, Loch Gruinart

Several observers noted renewed singing in mid-late July from our warblers – Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Chiffchaff included

(The Ardnave Rose-coloured Starling courtesy of Brian Small & Naturetrek)

Sunday 1st August 2021

 Mandy reports a Magpie in Port Ellen today that was seen and photographed by local, Susan McDougall. A scarce bird on Islay. A single Whimbrel near Gartbreck on Loch Indaal is perhaps the first of the autumn. Wader passage should be picking up over the next few weeks. James How was at the "Kilchoman Reserve" - aka Shepherd's Cottage today and reports 2 Kestrels plus a young Whinchat.