Thursday 10th October

A largely very pleasant day of sunshine and light northerly breezes, with just the occasional very light isolated shower.

Ed Burrell down at Cornabus was reading rings and neck collars of the first handful of Greenland White-fronts on his patch calling them "old faithfuls" suggesting they have been down that way before! Ed also saw the first Redwings of the autumn in his area.

Thereafter there was much noting of arrivals of groups of White-fronts and Barnacle Geese and Whooper Swans throughout the day and across much of the island. Ed had 6 adult Whoopers at Cornabus, Gary T. had 7 on Loch Indaal at Bridgend, Mary Redman saw further groups of 12 then 9 at Claddach, Patrick Styles another group of 8 near Bridgend while Jackie Wedd had a bumper 160, including 25-30 young birds, at Kilchoman in the early afternoon. Clive Mc. had 16 passing straight through to the south at Gruinart while Theo with a Nature Scotland group just in today bumped up the Bridgend total to 12 and added 6 more on Loch Skerrols. Exact numbers for the day are anybody's guess, but mine is c.200.

Other birds of note included 5 Little Egrets seen by Tim Gifford at Killinallan, a pair of Hen Harriers, a Sparrowhawk and 6 Buzzards found by Andy Bunten near Port Ellen, 2 Grey Wagtails on the Moorland Trail at Gruinart RSPB c/o Jackie and 42 Pink-footed Geese at Bridgend c/o Patrick.

However Bird of the Day certainly goes to the Nature Scotland group who found a drake Ring-necked Duck (photo below) consorting with 32 Tufties and 200 Greenland White-fronted Geese on Loch Skerrols. They aslo added 200 Golden Plover and 12 Pintail at Gruinart.