Sunday 23rd October

Despite yesterday's drizzle, we received plenty reports from sites all across the island. 

Firstly, Richard Belter brings us his final report of his holiday on Islay: 200 Greenland white-fronts at Loch Skerrols.

Dan Brown had a ridiculously productive day out, kicking things off with sightings of 4 WTE, a GE, merlin, a hen harrier two chough, an otter and large flocks of reed bunting and redwing, all on the East side of Loch Gruinart. Then at the top of Loch Indaal, he witnessed a female peregrine scoop a common gull off the water, before being put in its place with an attack from a WTE. Also in the vicinity were 8 scaup, 4 slavonian grebes, 20 common scoter, a kingfisher, little egret, snow bunting and 18 pale-bellied Brents. Later on, he spotted two drake long-tailed ducks on the Big Strand, and a another pale-bellied Brent amongst a mixed goose flock on the High Road just north of Port Ellen.

Neil McMahon was watching the same flock, noting a pink-footed goose. Earlier in the day he was at Ardnave where he saw 2 WTE on Nave Island - presumably lured there by the prospect of a seal pup buffet - and a red-throated diver nearby. Later on, he found a purple sandpiper feeding on the beach in Port Ellen.

Liam Price enjoyed a lunchtime stroll between Carraig Fhada and Kilnaughton Bay, during which he spotted 2 chough, a RTD and a GND, and a mystery hawk... unfortunately no other sightings to confirm ID!

Dave Wood reports lots of birds moving through the Oa: brambling, 2 blackcap, chiffchaff, 4 goldcrest, 2 whoopers, and lots of redwing, chaffinch and reed buntings. 

Martin Armstrong took a drive along the Glen Road where he saw 2 male hen harriers, and some large thrush flocks - mainly redwing.

Visiting birder Owen Roberts watched a WTE lazily drift southwards along the shore from Bruichladdich, and later on went to Machair Bay where he counted at least 70 ringed plover accompanied by 5 sanderling.  

Judith Hooper spent the last day of her trip up at Ardnave, bringing us the following sightings: female HH, marsh harrier, a plethora of waders incl 12 barwits and 3 turnstone feeding on the beach at Nostaig, 6 whoopers, little grebe and two snipe at Ardnave Loch.

Thanks all for sending in your sightings. Having seen lots of big lenses around the island over the last couple of weeks, I know that many of you are keen photographers: if you have any good snaps you'd like to share, do send them in along with your reports!