Tuesday 26 September 2023

Tuesday 26th September

The wind and rain finally gave way in the afternoon to a bit of dry and sunshine.

First bird note of the day came from Val Peacock looking outside of her window on the seafront at Port Charlotte where she photographed a couple of geese:

A single Brent with a lone Pink-footed Goose - the odd couple!

Later, Alan Bowie, newly arrived on the island, whilst watching a White-tailed Eagle down at Gruinart got brief looks at what he reckoned might be a female Marsh Harrier. Down at the opposite end of the island, Ed Burrell had 5 Whooper Swans drop in to Cornabus where a flock of 200 Rock Doves were resting up after eating barley at Ballivicar. Gary Turnbull took a quick look at the top of Loch Indaal at Bridgend noting 3 White-tailed Eagles out on the grassy saltmarsh islands where a Little Egret fed. Down at Portnahaven Mary Redman was counting crows - well Choughs and Ravens to be precise - 5 Chough at Claddach and 2 more on the beach later followed by 11 Ravens over her house at Port Wemyss.

As the sun came out, so did I. A look at Loch Indaal at Gartnatra produced a Greylag Goose with an orange neck-collar that I'll try and find out about in due course. Later up at Gruinart, the S. Hide wasn't too productive, but the N. Hide held 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Ruff and 2 Little Egrets seen far out on the flats at high tide.


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