Monday 11 October

It felt a lot warmer today, which explains an adder spotted by Anna Hock near Ballameanach cottages today. I was out the other night with the dog and he appeared with a huge (healthy) hedgehog from the overgrown verges near Portnahaven Village Hall, much to delight and amazement of my 5 year old who was hedgehog hunting! (definately unharmed) Tonight, 2 tiny toadlets were crossing the road near the old Manse outside Port Wemyss.  October can often be a fair month right enough, but it is forecast to get even warmer this week so be mindful of your dog when out walking in case of grumpy adders! But winter is coming...

A lot of reports received today, apologies if I miss anything - I may save some for tomorrow so don't be disheartened! 

Among the day's records was a grey phalarope spotted by Tim Daley in a rock pool just North of Saligo Bay.  It allowed close views and the opportunity for good photos. Lovely bird to see, thanks Tim.  Tim  was at RSPB Loch Gruinart in the morning, and enjoyed a ring-tailed hen harrier 'cruise across the field'.  In the pools, among the 100s of wigeon and teal there was a male shoveler seen as well as a pair of pintail and 15 black-tailed godwits.  Up to 100 golden plover were in flight overhead, while he noted 8 mistle thrush from the roadside.  In the Saligo area, near the phalarope, 2 pairs of chough and 16 pied wagtails were counted.

The geese have continued to trickle in, Teresa was at Ardnave today and counted 1204 barnies arriving in the 5 hours she was there. Lauren has been in touch with today's totals from Loch Gruinart: 23 white front, 21 pale-bellied brents, 1 pink footed goose (all on the loch) and 6895 barnacle geese feeding on the flats.

Teresa was at Ardnave point for 5 hours this afternoon at low tide. On the east side she enjoyed a good day, her highlights were 37 twite, 4 male snow bunting, 3 cormorants, 13 turnstone, 11 chough, 14 oystercatcher, 3 red-breasted merganser, 6 curlew and 4 seals.  At Lech Gruinart one female/ringtail hen harrier hunting at dusk.

Out with his camera Billy Stitchell had a brambling with the house sparrows, feeding on a rowan tree in Ballygrant woods.

David Dinsley counted 2 Greenland whitefront and 3 wigeon at Cornabus.  He also kindly sent in the following image of a merlin at the Oa, happily digesting one of the resident twite. Resident no more.

Margaret had a flock of whoopers fly over the house heading towards Ireland, the first of the season for her. She also enjoyed views of a male hen harrier hunting below the crag.

David Livingstone had nice views of a white-tailed eagle at Leorin, spooking the geese there. 

Thank you everyone.