Sunday 13th August

A mix of sunshine and occasional moderate showers with a light to medium southerly breeze.

After all the talk of exciting seabirds around other parts of the Scottish and Irish coast two intrepid observers tried their luck peering wistfully off the coast of Islay today.

David Wood down on The Oa  did a two hour stretch finding an Arctic Skua, 5 Sandwich Terns, c. 1000 Gannets, 80 Manxies, 40 Fulmar, 15 Kittiwakes and just 2 auk sp.

At Frenchman's Rocks Alistair Hart managed a bit of time before heading off the island for home.  He had lots of Manxies, Fulmars and Gannets, but particularly enjoyed good views of 2 Arctic Skuas and his first Islay Puffin. (Thanks Alistair for sharing all your sightings while over on Islay - see you again soon).

Meanwhile, Jim Dickson was trying his luck by spending the day on the return ferry journey from Oban to Tiree. Still no sign of those mythical Cory's Shearwaters, but some interesting species and numbers of birds in much more open seas. Sooty and Balearic Shearwaters were noted along with Storm Petrels, Grey Phalaropes and Arctic Skuas.

Elsewhere on Islay Steve and Lynn Rogers had a single White-tailed Eagle over Kilnaughton this morning and Margaret Brooke noted a Sparrowhawk perched on her fence.