Storm Kathleen has passed by and the weather was fairly pleasant today - lighter winds and a bit of sunshine. Sadly the sunshine and clearer skies turned into thicker cloud by the evening when it would have been possible to see a partial eclipse of the sun - lets hope Texas, where the eclipse was total, had better luck.
Bird news kicked off today with David D. reporting a Yellowhammer at Kinnabus and 6 Long-tailed ducks, a Wheatear and 2 White Wagtails at Kintra. Then news turned to Swallows and Martins - 4 House Martins seen at Kildalton by Mary-Ann Featherstone, then reports of increasing numbers of Swallows. Mary Redman, lambing down at Claddach noted a couple to start with, then 5 or 6 more just minutes later followed soon after by 2 House Martins and then a passage of hirundines thereafter, with a peak count of 30 Swallows at Currie Sands.
Alistair was at Cladville sighting a lone Redwing and a White-tailed Eagle and confirming more Swallows and Martins. Not to be left out, Ed Burrell scored the year's first Blackcap - a male - down at Cornabus.
Later this afternoon, down at Loch Kinnabus, a sharp-eyed David D. noticed the gull in the photo he provided below, thinking it may well be a Caspian Gull. Jim Dickson, Argyll's "seagull specialist" confirms it is a good candidate for this species, split some years ago from Herring Gull, and potentially a first for Argyll. Hopefully David will find it again tomorrow to get further confirmation of the very subtle features that would clinch the ID.
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