Thursday 6th April

 The wind has gone round to a light NW in a beautiful sunny day. 

But the wind may not be to the liking of the remaining Barnacle Geese. Malcolm O. noted : "A flock of about 100 circling noisily over Bruichladdich this lunchtime wondering where all their friends have gone, and doubtless hoping today's north-west wind won't last too long, which it doesn't look as if it is going to." Mark Shields also noted some lingering Barnies - 800 at Sanaig and 550 at Craigens - so still a few to get on their way.

But the emphasis is on summer with the first Swallow of the year on Islay - seen by David Dinsley at Ineraval out on The Oa this morning. He also had a female Wheatear at Kilnaughton. A second Swallow was notched up by Annie Rudd at Loch Gruinart at lunchtime. 

Other odds and ends up at Gruinart included 3 Little Egrets and a couple of Sand Martins seen by Mark. 

STOP PRESS: Mark S. revised his count of Little Egrets having just seen a total of 6 - certainly the highest number together on Islay, equalled I think only once before in recent months.