Tuesday 19th April

A day of mixed showers and sunshine.

Firstly some late sightings for yesterday evening: Dan Brown heard our first Grasshopper Warbler of the year, plus 6 Water Rails, 3 Snipe and a Woodcock around the woodland at Gruinart flats.

There were more “firsts” of summer arrivals today here on Islay and across the water on Jura. Dan Brown, watching at Gruinart this morning found a first Sedge Warbler and Tree Pipit (along with another Cuckoo sighting and 3 White-tailed Eagles). Later, on Jura he found our first Whinchat of the year between Feolin and Craighouse and an estimated 10 more Tree Pipits. Other birds of interest on Jura were a total of 9, Hen Harriers, Common Sandpiper, Carrion Crow and hybrids, 35 Skylarks, Merlin and Peregrine.

While on Jura the expected gradual increase in feral Canada Geese was recorded. Nests and groups were noted thus: Ardlussa (3); Ardlussa Bay (3); Lussagiven (1 nest); Craighouse (12); Pladda (11); Eilean nan Gabhar (2); Islets at south end of the sound of Islay (“many”). There were also 8 at Ardnave and 6 at Gruinart today. Yikes that is a total of 45 + “many” = far too many!

Back on Islay, David Wood scored another Whinchat and Grasshopper Warbler on The Oa, where Ed Burrel noted another Cuckoo and a pair of Pintail on his “puddle” at Cornabus and David Dinsley had a tally of 6 Wheatears together at Kinnabus.

I took a stroll to the North hide at Gruinart this afternoon where a flock of c.485 Barnacle Geese are still hanging on along with a pale-bellied Brent Goose and the three odd Canada x Barnacle hybrids. 68 of the Black-tailed Godwits seen in previous days from the south hide popped over to the pools on the north where 65 or more Sand Martins and a lone Swallow were feeding and another Carrion Crow showed well.

There is also a report of a Corncrake "crexing" near Carnduncan this morning