Thursday 21st March

 Grey, windy and drizzly - not very pleasant at all - and nobody out there recording birds today.

Malcolm Ogilvie pointed out that my comment yesterday that a few Barnacle Geese linger on is incorrect - in fact most of them are lingering on, as they often do into late March and early April. With the next few days threatening strong west and WNW winds, they are unlikely to be heading towards Iceland and Greenland in a hurry.

Louise Muir had a fleeting view of a probable Common Sandpiper yesterday - that would be the earliest ever on Islay, the previous earliest being 25th March 2021. Jim Dickson reports that one had been seen in Scotland a couple of days ago.

David Dinsley saw a colour-ringed Oystercatcher at Kintra yesterday, prompting Joanne Dailey to send in a photograph she had taken of the bird on 29th February - also at Kintra. The big yellow ring on the right leg has the number 46 on it. We should be able to find out where it was ringed.