Two more mostly dreary, damp, overcast days - light winds on Monday picking up a bit on Tuesday.
Monday produced few notes - 1-2 Gannets in Loch Indaal off Port Charlotte, a pair of Peregrines perched up below The Oa RSPB car park and a Water Rail at Gruinart - thanks to Gary T., David D. and James H. respectively.
Ed Burrell spotted a neck-collared Greenland White-fronted Goose on the flats at Gruinart in the afternoon which had been first caught as an adult bird at Ballinaby in December 2012. David D. reported the flock size of this species at Kinnabus was now at 133.
Today, Neil McMahon was back on Islay with another Naturetrek group. He sends in a good list of sightings:
70 Whooper Swans, 64 Brent Geese, 2 Greenshank, 2 White-tailed Eagles, 2 Kingfishers, a Grey Wagtail and plenty of Bar-tailed godwits and Knot all at the top of Loch Indaal between Bridgend and Bowmore. Between Port Charlotte and Black Rock he counted no less than 4 different Otters, plus 4 Slavonian Grebes up at Black Rock itself.
Up at Nave Island he had a good count of more White-tailed Eagles - 4 juveniles and 1 second year bird, Three of these flew towards Gruinart and Ardnave Loch where there was a Golden Eagle, Goldeneye, 9 Whooper Swans and 27 Chough.
Further looks along Loch Indaal later in the day produced c.40 Eiders, 2 Great Northern Divers, 6 Canada Geese (big feral types!), 2 Hen Harriers and another small group of Whooper Swans at Coulabus.
Malcolm O. tells us that after recently doubling the size of the niger seed feeder in his garden from one with two portals to one with four, the Goldfinches have increased from 6 to 20 - not a bad return on his investment!
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