Sunday 20th February

A dry(ish) sunny(ish) morning deteriorated into the expected rain and gales by mid/late afternoon. But at least it was comparatively mild with a westerly gale instead of a northerly storm! It is forecast to be extremely windy overnight, gradually lightening to a breezy, but sunny afternoon tomorrow.

Despite nasty weather our visiting birders were out and about and turning up some good birds.

Will Scott sent in the following: “Please find below some summaries of today’s sightings from myself, Graham Scott and Poppy Rummery. We spent most of the day exploring by car given the weather!”

Lipachlairy to Carraig Fhada lighthouse - 25 Kittiwake offshore, 3 GN Diver present. A846 B8016 junction north of Port Ellen - ringtail Hen Harrier. Saltmarsh off Bridgend - 10 Pale-bellied Brent at high tide.Red-breasted Goose with 891 Barnacles south of Carrabus farms. Kittiwake sheltering at Port Wemyss. No sign of the Cackling Goose near Ellister amongst 100 Barnacles. Carrion Crow present with Hoodies - not sure if they’re scarce”. (Yes over here on Islay they are quite uncommon).

Will found the Red-breasted Goose at 1pm and kindly put the sighting straight onto the Islay Birds WhatsApp group, which gave myself and Iain Leach a chance to see it this afternoon. It is a long-staying, but very elusive bird, and was still in the same field with the c.900 Barnacle Geese at Carrabus at 4pm - a really gorgeous bird..

I walked the beach from Traigh san Luig to Uiskentuie this morning finding a couple of dead Fulmars on the tideline – I wonder how many seabirds have perished out at sea in these ferociously windy and wet conditions?