Tuesday 2 November

 An other lovely photo shared from Teresa.  She had 21 whoopers fly over Craigens today. 

A nice day today, with the usual heavy showers of course! Warm enough for butterflies: red admiral, small tortoiseshell and peacock butterfly all noted on Jura today. The Nature Scot (nee SNH) crew were out goose counting, hopefully I'll hear of the findings over the next couple days.  The island is a lot quieter now the October school holidays are over. I heard today that this October was among the busiest on record for RSPB Loch Gruinart.  Going forward into November the farms are busy prepared to put the tups (rams) out with the ewe for lambing in Spring. 

Dan was on Jura today, he had a Siberian chiffchaff near the school in Craighouse. His notes: "Very nice day on Jura today but incredibly just one Golden Eagle. Really fantastic passage of passerines along the east side of the island today with hundreds of finches and thrushes arriving including a number of flocks in off the sea over Sound of Jura. Rough totals are 550 Fieldfare, 1000 Redwing, 70 Brambling (largest flock 35 feeding on timeline just north of Craighouses), 350 Chaff, 175 Siskin, 7 Redpoll, 110 Goldfinch. Plus aforementioned Sibe Chiff. Also 3 Ringtail Harriers, Merlin, 2 Otters. "

Peter checked Loch Gorm today and counted 230 tufted ducks and 5 Pochards and a ring-necked duck (female).  He also counted 200 rock doves at Sunderland. 

Jonathon Willet "Two Little Egret at Tràigh Cill an Rubha at dusk. Earlier on 3 Slav Grebes seen to SW of Carraig Dubh, one female Scaup with some Eider there too. 5 Lt Duck seen far off in the middle of Loch Indaal. 4 Bottlenose Dolphin off Port Charlotte first thing this morning plus 10 GND, 3 Rtd and 2 Black-throated Diver. Tens of Sanderling, Blackwit and 3 Grey Plover from the viewpoint nr. the south hide at Gruinart. Plus m and f Hen Harrier. Pintail, Shoveler, Teal and Wigeon in the N pool. A few Barnacle Geese too, plus the RB Goose, seen at same location as the previous posts today."

The red-breasted goose he mentioned was seen today on the Gruinart flats, visible from the hides. 

Mark Shields