Friday 22 December 2023

Friday 22nd December

Still wet and windy, but perhaps not quite as dire as previous forecasts and miraculously Calmac are still running ferries. Today's ferry brought over a regular Christmas visiting birder Phil Edwards. He reported a not too bumpy crossing with a few birds along the way -  "two male Common Scoter, a Fulmar, four Kittiwakes, one Great Northern Diver, and a Shag that decided to use the ferry for shelter while flying the same route (see photo below).  The Sound of Islay produced two Black Guillemots, nine Great Northern Divers and nine pairs of Eider".

"Driving across the island from Port Askaig to Smaull at dusk, we had a Golden Eagle over the hill on the little road just south of Lagstoban (poor photo taken in fading light)".

Other than that, there are multiple reports of Barn Owls today. Mary Redman saw singles at Portnahaven at 2pm, and another near Bowmore at 4pm. Sam Turnbull had a third at Finlaggan.




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