Tuesday 18th October

Sad tidings today as the grey phalarope sighted on Sunday looks to have met a sticky end, spotted by Mary on Currie Sands. On the plus side though, its death does not look to be AI-related, and we now have some photos that confirm that this unlucky creature was indeed a grey phalarope. Mary's walk was not all doom and gloom however, as she also saw two WTEs, a ringtail hen harrier and a buzzard, all alive and well.

Up on the Oa, David D reports two fieldfare near Lenavore, as well as a single pink-foot amongst 63 Greenland white-fronts, 201 Barnies and a straggling willow warbler at Kinnabus, while Dave W spotted two merlins at Kinnabus and three goldcrests at Risabus.

Over at Kildalton, Mary-Ann was watching a male hen harrier harrying ducks on the loch. 

Judith Hooper also reports a male hen harrier, this one north of Smaull, along with a WTE and a whinchat. She then visited Saligo where she was treated to views of three snow buntings and a jack snipe before heading to Canduncan where she spotted a peregrine.

Ian Ford spent the day on Jura, where he witnessed a "raptor fest" at Lagg, sighting male and female sparrowhawks and hen harriers , an immature peregrine, three immature WTEs (being mobbed by at least eight ravens)... and - mobbing a golden eagle - an immature male goshawk! If this sighting is accepted it will be the first record on Islay or Jura for around a decade.

In non-raptor news, Ian also saw two Great Northern Divers off Lagg Pier.

Richard Belter had yet another productive birding day, sending in this report: "Ardnave at first light showed good numbers of chough, approx 20-30. From Killinallan track was a little egret and a WTE. At Blackrock were 10 scaup, 2 scoter, 4 merganser. From Bruichladdich pier were 9 red throated diver, and from Uiskentuie were 5 slav grebes, 15 scoter, 1 great northern diver and 1 red throated, plus 20 merganser".

And lastly, Kate Coombes reports 12 whooper swans overhead on what sounds like an idyllic sunset run along Kilnaughton Bay. 

Thanks to all for your numerous reports today!