Sunday 27th February

Another blustery cloudy day of southerly winds, mostly dry, just a bit of rain in the evening. But the visiting birders have been doing the rounds again today despite the very windy conditions that caused the ferries to be cancelled again.

Iceland Gulls have been popping up feeding along the turbulent tideline around Uiskentuie/Blackrock for much of the day. The tally is at least 3 birds – 1 x 3cy, & 2x 2cy seen together by Chris Mills. Mike Coleman with the Heatherlea group found the Cackling Goose with Barnacle flocks at Ballymeanach – so still loitering towards the southern end of the Rhinns. He, like several others including Kathy Evans went to Loch Skerrols (where it was comparatively sheltered and the waters almost calm) to get their fix of Lesser Scaup. Both observers reported just the adult male and female today. Mike also had a 3cy Iceland Gull in the fields near Skerrols – possibly a 4^th bird? Today’s report of White-tailed Eagles was one at Skerrols from Heatherlea and and two at Finlaggan from Chris Mills. Kathy Evans had 20 Twite in the car parking area at Ardnave and an adult Golden Eagle south of Saligo. Chris Mills got his Golden Eagles up at Mulindry and Bunnahabhain. Becoming almost rarer than Lesser Scaup, Chris noted that a female Great Scaup was present in Loch Indaal at the Gaelic Centre and nearby 2 Long-tailed Ducks and a Slavonian Grebe.

On a more sombre note, Avian Flu has now been confirmed in at least one Barnacle Goose found dead a couple of weeks back. Since then there have been several reports of sickly looking birds including one seen by George Jackson at Crosshouse yesterday.  Let us hope it doesn’t rip through our Greenland Barnacle Geese as severely as it has done with the Svalbard birds on the Solway.

Kathy Evans sent in this photo of the Cackling goose at Easter Ellister yesterday. (I think because of the perspective and the fact it is in front of the Barnacle, the picture makes it look bigger than it actually was - which was distinctly smaller than a Barny!)