Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th November

Sorry for the absence of a blog yesterday, unfortunately the Islay Birds Blog is currently at the whim of the RSPB office WiFi – a notoriously labile beast.

Yesterday we had the high drama of a White-Tailed Eagle taking a Barnie in mid-air, then being joined by a second bird on the ground, where they were both seen enjoying their feast – spotted near Leorin and first reported by Martin Armstrong. Two more White-Tailed Eagles were seen at Finlaggan by Gary Turnbull. A third pair flew over the machir at Kichoman, spotted by Margaret. And the seventh White-Tailed Eagle of the day was flying low by Black Rock, sighted by Mary Redman.

Ed Burrell took this picture of the well-fed pair at Leorin

Today, however, Islay could only muster up 6 White-Tailed Eagles, Ed Burrell had a pair at Cornabus, Gary Turnbull saw two by Bridgend, and Lucy Atkinson spotted two on the flats of Loch Gruinart.

Mary Redman seemed to have a lovely walk in the Bridgend woods this morning, accompanied by Goldcrests, Blue Tit, Great Tit, and Wren.

Driving around today I saw two Golden Eagles flushing Barnacle Geese east of Kilchoman; the Glaucus Gull was causing some sort of fuss amongst the Herring Gulls at Uiskentuie; and a Sparrowhawk was disturbing traffic, sat (with its Starling prey) on the road to Port Askaig.