Friday, 25 February 2022

Friday 25th February

Slightly better weather today allowed a bit more activity from all our visiting birders.

Will Scott had an adult winter-plumaged White-billed Diver in Kilnaughton Bay (record shot photo below) with a total of 23 Great Northern Divers. There have been only 3 previous Islay records of White-billed – and one of those was dead! Later Will was back at Bowmore and reported 5 Brent Geese, 11 Eider, 58 Common Scoter, 3 Long-tailed Duck, 8 Goldeneye, 5 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Red-throated Diver,and 19 Great Northern Diver (that makes a total of 42 between there and Kilnaughton – a good tally).

Ashley Saunders saw a 3CY Iceland Gull at Uiskentuie and David Dinsley had a couple of drake Goosanders at Aros Bay.

Meanwhile Kathy Evans had also been to Kilnaughton, presumably missing the White-billed Diver but noting an adult Golden Eagle chasing geese inland. Then, back at Loch Skerrols, she found the Lesser Scaup still in situ – the adult male, immature male and a female along with a possible Tufted Duck/Ring-necked Duck hybrid. At Uiskentuie she upped the Iceland Gull tally to 3 birds – 2 3CY and 1 2CY.

Chris Mills found a 2CY Glaucous Gull opposite Port Askaig on a visit to Jura where he saw 3 White-tailed Eagles.



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