Saturday, 18 September 2021

Saturday 18th September

 Better weather than forecast today – mostly dry, warm and quite sunny with light winds.

The main birding event of the day was a rather early first arrival of a small group of Barnacle Geese, with James noting a flock 13 flying over Gruinart. Odd to be thinking of the first signs of winter arriving on such a nice day!

Otherwise there were reports of single Curlew Sandpiper and Golden Plover from James at Gruinart and Chiffchaff and Whitethroat from Clive McKay up towards Ardnave, plus a high tide roost of c.135 Bar-tailed Godwits on Loch Gruinart being watched over by one of the resident Peregrines. On the other side of Islay Willow Warbler, Merlin and Greenshank noted at Loch Kinnabus from David Dinsley. Clive also sent in an account of a particularly voracious Stoat tucking into a dead Hare in his garden on Friday, and a Rabbit today. Malcolm reports lots of eagle activity over at Fairy Hill/Kildalton, including at least 3 White-tailed Eagles. Mary-Ann Featherstone saw probably the same 3 birds (an adult and two young) all perched together in a tree this afternoon in the same area.

James How's Curlew Sandpiper

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