Sunday 10th October

The weather was slightly better than yesterday, with prolonged sunny periods punctuated by showers.

Tim Daley had 30 Twite, 12 Reed Buntings and a couple of Swallows at Carnduncan – plus a Wheatear at Killinallan. Later in the day his other highlights were sightings of a White tailed Eagle soaring over the Beinn Ghibheach, east of Gruinart; 2 Choughs in the fields on the walk back to Kilinallan and at the junction of Kilchoman and Sanaigmore roads, a Peregrine, probably female, gliding overhead, holding position into the wind for several minutes, being shadowed by a Buzzard. 

Teresa Morris , staying up towards Craigens, counted 1,200 Barnacle Geese, 123 Lapwing, 47 Brent Geese, 52 Bar-tailed Godwits and 350+ Golden Plovers on that side of Loch Gruinart this morning. 

Chris & Tony (The Horwich Birders) had been out early to Machir Bay finding a flock of 12 Skylarks and the usual 2 Chough flyby with 35 Ringed Plovers and 10 Sanderling on the beach. A later visit to Lily Loch at Dunlossit produced a large mixed flock in the woodland including Bullfinch, Goldcrest, Siskin, Redpoll and tits.  A group of 6 Mistle Thrushes flew in, but still no Redwing or Fieldfares yet.They also ventured down the Glen Road and at the high point had an immature Golden Eagle. and a very vocal pair of chough. Further down the road at Barr Farm was a flock of at least 30 twite and a solitary Goldfinch.

Mark Shields and I had a look for the Red-breasted Goose in the afternoon but didn’t have any luck. On Loch Gruinart we scoped through the large flock of Barnacles with Pale-bellied Brents mixed in with them that Teresa had counted this morning – but to no avail. We did see the 5 Whooper Swans that Teresa had first recorded a little earlier. We then went on to Loch Indaal. On the way, Blackrock produced 3 Scaup and 12 Common Scoter. At the top of the loch as far as Gartmain were a further 256 Barnacle Geese, 146 Greylags and 42 Brent Geese. The Wigeon flock totalled 175, with just 22 Mallard. 2 juvenile White-tailed Eagles were in their usual positions with possibly a 3rd bird at one point. As I returned home in the evening there were 6 Pink-footed Geese in with a handful of Greylags and Barnacle Geese on the RSPB flats, which had also been noted by Richard Belter this afternoon.

A late note came in from Mary-Ann & Jenny Featherstone for 4th October of 3 Barn Owls on the High Road near Buildbase plus another on the Glen Road..