Thursday 15th May

Slightly cooler today with a breeze from a more northerly direction, but still dry and sunny.

Martin Harris sent in a few interesting and useful records from the last three days:

Tuesday 13th - a Tawny Owl calling over at Kildalton.

Wednesday 14th - singing Stonechat and Sedge Warbler at Port Mhor with 9 Common Scoter offshore.

Today - 2 Golden Eagles and 2 Hen Harriers on the RSPB Gruinart moorland trail. Lapwing with chicks at the South Hide where Grey Heron, Shoveler, Snipe drumming and Sedge Warblers sang. Up at Ardnave he counted 24 Whimbrel, 6 Chough, plus Wheatears, Snipe and of course, many Meadow Pipits and Skylarks.

I spent a large part of the day on The Oa, with a good chunk of the time looking for yesterday's Woodchat Shrike with no luck. However, it was a fine day to be out, I saw my first Whinchats and Spotted Flycatchers of the year (David D. scored at least 5 on The Oa today) and watched some great aerial displays from a couple of adult and an immature White-tailed Eagle over Cragabus.

On the small wetland loch at Cornabus I noticed the drake Wigeon still present and Ed B. was pleased to find Teal with young there for the second year running.

Darrell Lawson was out and about with his camera today and sent us these great images - thanks Darrell.

A Corn Crake peering out from cover:

A Cuckoo being mobbed by a Meadow Pipit:

The male Velvet Scoter at Easter Ellister

The drake Velvet with a drake Common Scoter and what appears to be a female Common Scoter for company.

Wednesday 14th May

A bit breezier during the day today, but still bright, dry and sunny.

The day started off with interesting non-avian records of first arrivals of Painted Lady butterflies and continued during the day at various locations across Islay. The first records were followed swiftly by a sighting of a distinctly uncommon species for Islay - a Magpie seen by Mary R. down at Portnahaven - Jim Dickson commenting that there has been a bit of a recent influx into areas of Argyll where they are less usual.

A little later Steve & Julia Garnier located the Snow Goose, still on Loch Gorm with a bunch of Greylags. I popped down to Easter Ellister to check out the scoter sightings of yesterday, finding a drake Common and drake Velvet Scoter on the loch, but no sign of the female.

Martin Harris, visiting for a few days noted 10 Choughs at Machir Bay and a further 12 at Sanaigmore, plus 6 Arctic Terns off Port Mhor.

David D. upped the non-avian sightings at lunch-time with a record of Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-Moth on The Oa. Later still he and Hannah Stanger very much upped the day's bird sightings with a fantastic find of a male Woodchat Shrike at Upper Cragabus. This is only the 3rd Argyll record, the first was a juvenile at Kilnaughton Bay, Port Ellen on 16 September 1996 and the second was in May 2013 on Tiree.

Tuesday 13th May

The hot, dry, sunny weather continues................

The RAFOS team reported that the drake Velvet Scoter that turns up every summer on Easter Ellister loch has turned up again - it must be an ancient bird! It was accompanied by not one, but two female scoters reported as also being Velvet, though in previous years it has always been accompanied by a female Common Scoter. It would be good to check them out....

Elsewhere, Andrew Lear found a pair of Kestrels at Port Askaig, while Steven and Julia Garner hiked to the top of Beinn Bheiger and confirmed that despite the invigorating climb, birds are few and far between up there! Their best find was a Grasshopper Warbler halfway up the climb.

Our American birding friend Darrell Lawson found a Snow Goose on Loch Gorm and provided the photo below - an interesting/rare find, but as always with this species, its origins are suspect.

By way of contrast, Fiona McG. sent in this lovely photo of a very common bird caught in full flight by a camera trap at Shorefield near Bruichladdich today.

Monday 12th May

Light rain for a sustained period overnight was a welcome change, but the day progressed again into a sunny, warm, calm summer's day.

Bird news today included a note from David D. that an immature White-tailed Eagle was doing its best at keeping the ever-increasing Greylag Goose population in check as it went after goslings at Kinnabus.

Up at Craigens, Clive McK. was delighted to see a fine male Greenland Wheatear and a full summer-plumaged Golden Plover along with 50 Ringed Plover.

The RAFOS team are back on Islay again, enjoying a week of birding and survey work including very useful WeBS counts. They counted 70 Whimbrel at Kilchoman yesterday and 50 today in what has become a record year for numbers of this species passing through Islay on spring migration. They also saw a Spotted Flycatcher at Kilchoman.

Visitor Darrell Lawson enjoyed a boat trip to The Oa today seeing all the usual seabirds and sent in a couple of photos for us.

Sunday 11th May

 Clear skies, sunshine and light winds with a high pressure system hanging over the UK suggesting this amazing weather may continue for some time yet.

An addition to yesterday's bird sightings comes from Martin Armstrong and Bob Davison who were at the S. Hide Gruinart in the evening finding 6 Ruff and a Wood Sandpiper. Two broods of Greylag goslings were noted near Sanaigmore by Andrew Lear.

Today there were further reports of Spotted Flycatchers - one at Coullabus on the Oa c/o David W. and 2 at Lagavulin c/o Martin A. Other notable sightings included a Black-tailed Godwit at the S. Hide, Gruinart seen by Andrew Lear with David D. finding a Marsh Harrier near Risabus on The Oa. Steve & Julia Garner are visiting again and found 6 Crossbills in the pines near Bunnahabhain this morning.

Othe than that, there are various records on Cuckoos here and there, a White-tailed Eagle way up towards Rhuvaal, a few Sanderlings at Rhuba Ban, plus several adders and an early Marsh Fritillary butterfly.

Friday & Saturday, 9th & 10th May

 The weather continues to be almost too good to be true - sunny, dry and bright, warm in the day, cooler at night with light winds. 

Yesterday Gary T. had another Osprey sighting over Gartness. I saw 4 superb, breeding-plumaged Great Northern Divers in Kilnaughton/Port Ellen Bay. Clive McK. was out at Gruinart again in the evening  and found a male and 4 female Ruffs, 45 Dunlin, but no sign of the Dowitcher on the floods.

Today James H. had what I believe is our first of the year Spotted Flycatcher for Islay in his garden at Gruinart, while Clive Mck. scored our first Swift of the year over his house a little further up the road towards Ardnave.

Wednesday 7th & Thursday 8th May

Further bright, dry and sunny weather today, with a light, cooling breeze at times, though seas flat calm.

Clive McK. reports a fine Golden Eagle over his house at Gruinart in the morning and the LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER still at the North Hide RSPB Gruinart this evening. Wayne Speight had a couple of Grasshopper Warblers near Fairy Hill, Kildalton and Christine Menzies sent in this fine photo of a male Hen Harrier from Kilnaughton.

Today, (Thursday) I was on Jura for the day and found 2 Tree Pipits at Tarbert, had a trio of Hen Harriers high in the air at Lussa and a Golden Eagle overhead at Lealt. Whilst buying a bottle of the very fine Lussa Gin at the Lussa distillery, Claire Fletcher told me of a Magpie seen on Jura at Inverlussa and Lussagiven on 6th April - only the 5th record I have for the species on Jura.

Tuesday 6th May

 Another day of fine sunny weather with almost calm conditions.

The unusually large numbers of Whimbrel passing through and stopping over on Islay continues, with Ed B. counting 186 at Kintra (up from 64 yesterday). I was on Machir Bay in the afternoon and there were 50+ out on the sands for a while - no idea what they might have been feeding on there, but Clive McK. reported 20+ at Creag Mhor, Gruinart feeding on leatherjackets in the fields. 

In the afternoon James H. was watching from the North Hide at RSPB Gruinart and found a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER - only the 5th recorded on Islay and possibly only the 6th for Argyll. Clive found it a little later into the evening and added single Ruff and a Stock Dove which flew over to Craigens.

Sunday 4th & Monday 5th May

Two days of bright, dry and sunny weather, though with a cool breeze at times.

Many thanks to Malcolm O. for doing the blog in my absence. I appear to have returned at a fairly quiet time with few bird notes reported.

Yesterday Wayne Speight noted a couple of Cuckoos at Ballivicar and Mary-Ann Featherstone found a lovely Hummingbird Hawkmoth at her home in Kildalton.

Today Mark Cubitt found a Wheatear near Gruinart, Louise Muir had the Osprey again over Loch Skerrols and James How counted a whopping 185 Whimbrel at Machir Bay in the afternoon.

Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd May 2025

A bit of drizzle Friday morning, then becoming sunny again, but rather spoilt by the cold northerly wind.

Friday was a quiet day for birds, but Alan and Karami found a Golden Eagle, a male Blackcap and a Grasshopper Warbler at Loch Skerrols. On Saturday, their last day, they had some more nice sightings, including another Golden Eagle, this time at Ardnave, where they also saw a Turnstone and watched a Great Skua off the NW side of the peninsula, and there were still some Whooper Swans on the Gruinart Flats. Their best sighting, though, was in the afternoon of 2 Ospreys fishing in Loch Skerrols. There's been one around for a while, but 2 together is unusual, but maybe promising for the future. It is surely only a matter of time before this species breeds here, but they need to arrive in March if they are going to, but there's no harm in prospecting a year or two beforehand!

More Whimbrels were seen on Saturday, including 74 by Ed at Cornabus and 30 on the golf course seen by Mark Cubitt.

Thank you to Alan and Karami for your daily contributions to the blog.

Here's a Gordon Langsbury photo of an Osprey. I think a fish maybe about to be caught!

 

Thursday 1st May 2025

Some rain overnight and a few very light showers in the morning, before clearing to mostly overcast, while it was noticeably cooler during the day.

Visitors Alan and Karami reported a flock of about 15 Whooper Swans on the Gruinart Flats, which are quite late migrants, considering that the first birds seen moving north this spring were in the middle of March.

Whimbrels were present in record numbers, with Dave Wood  counting 126 at Laggan Point, which would have been a a new record flock, the previous highest being 106, if visitor Ian Mears hadn't seen, at almost the same time, no less than 232 at Ardnave, made up of a single flock of 150 feeding among the cattle, plus another 70 on Nave Island and 12 other heading north. In addition to all those, Gary had earlier seen 30-40 in the fields behind Gortain. We've probably had over 200 on the island before, but not, I'm certain, nearly 400.

Tuesda7 29th & Wednesday 30th April 2025

Two fine days, Wednesday in particular becoming sunny and warm.

Tuesday's bird records came largely from Alan and Karami Ure, who saw a female Hen Harrier on the moorland south west of Loch Allan, and heard a cuckoo at Lily Loch. Swallows were flying in the fields near Newton, while along the shore between Bridgend and Bowmore were a pair of Barnacle Geese, presumably the pair I saw last week, as well as Black-tailed Godwits and Knots. They also had a clear view of two Common Terns from the pier at Bowmore.

On Wednesday, returning visitors Steve Murray and Alan Cole were back on the island for a 70th birthday celebration, and while normally they come to see the geese they are enjoying the migrants that aren't here in March. Staying near Bridgend, they saw a Cuckoo before breakfast, a Grasshopper Warbler reeling near Carnain, with many Sedge Warblers and also a Snipe sitting out in the sunshine. 

James had a good morning on the Gruinart reserve with 6 Common Whitethroats, 3 Whinchats, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, 3 Cuckoos. 1 calling Corncrake, a water rail, and an Osprey flying north. And Mary Redman reported a Common Sandpiper on the beach at Claddach and two flocks of Whimbrels in the fields.

Finally, DeeDee MacGowan posted a recording of no less than 4 Corncrakes calling at Port Wemyss/Portnaven first thing in the morning.

Monday 28th April 2025

A dry day but less sun than promised/hoped for, but lots of bird records came in so here goes.

David D started it off with a Merlin hunting Swallows at Upper Killeyan, while Mary saw a leucistic Collared Dove at Port Charlotte Primary School. There was a Concrake calling at Gruinart in the middle of the day, reported by Ella, and then Gary had an Osprey fly over his house, being mobbed by gulls from the nearby Loch nan Cadhan, Ed Burrell saw the first House Martins of the spring, two of them flying over the Laphroaig warehouses, and later heard a Sedge Warbler singing at Lagavulin. Clive finished off the day with, as he said, a hint of Iceland on the Gruinart Flats with several Greenland Wheatears and White Wagtails, along with 20+ rusty-coloured and very vocal Black-tailed Godwits, plus 300 Dunlin on the north floods. He also posted this amazing video of a pair of Lapwings nesting on the Flats trying to see off a male Pheasant who seemed very reluctant to move away.

 

Thanks to everyone for their records. And welcome back to Alan and Karami Ure returning to Islay after a two-year gap and delighted to report seeing and hearing Sedge Warblers, Willow Warblers and Snipe at on Monday at the RSPB at Gruinart, as well as watching the Snow Goose fly in with five Greylags. Their mammal highlight yesterday was a pod of dolphins, they thought Bottle-nosed, swimming along the shoreline at Machir Bay. This is not a usual place for them to be seen.

Friday 25th, Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th April 2025

Friday was damp all day, Saturday was rather better though with some rain, and Sunday cleared up after a damp start.

Not a lot happening on the birding front, but the Magpie was still in Port Ellen on Friday, although, on Sunday evening, Mandy said there had been a report of one at Carnduncan, which might or might not mean there are two on the island. Swallows were reported in three different places on Friday, two at the High School, one at Nerabus and 10 feeding in the lee of the Gruinart plantation, seen by Mary-Ann, myself and Clive, respectively.

On Saturday, David D headed to the mainland and saw 15 Great-northern Divers at sea and a tight raft of 12 Black-throated Divers and 4 Common Scoters in West Loch Tarbert, Here on Islay, Gary found a nice summer plumage Black-tailed Godwit in the creek pools east of Bridgend and watched a Peregrine having a go at some small waders. 

On Sunday, Clive saw 17 Whimbrel in Loch Gruinart, while Ed saw his first Greenland-type Wheatear of the spring at Cornabus. Clive also posted details from a website which records UK weather, which reported that, on Saturday, Islay was the wettest place in the UK, with no less than 5.6 mm of rain during the 24 hours. That's about a quarter of an inch for those who prefer imperial units to metric. Not really very much in whichever units.

Billy Stitchell is clearly still feeding the birds in his garden at Caol Ila as he sent in this photo of two male Siskins and two Goldfinches queuing up to feed at his bird table. Thanks again, Billy.

 

 

 

 Thursday 24th April 2025

Another lovely sunny day though with an increasing SE wind, and only really warm in sheltered spots.

There's very little to report, although Clive reminded us that, on this day in 1988, he spotted Britain's first-ever Brown-headed Cowbird at Ardnave, a Starling-sized bird blown across the Atlantic from North America, where it is not much loved because it is parasitic on some of their warblers. There have been a mere handful of records in Britain since. There's no photograph of the bird Clive saw, and I was about to find one on the internet when David Livingstone sent this splendid photo of a visitor to his garden in Port Ellen yesterday. I know the saying goes "One for sorrow", but this bird looks entirely content to be here on Islay.

 

 

Tuesday 22nd April & Wednesday 23rd April 2025

Tuesday was a bit damp, but Wednesday was sunny and warm all day. Lovely!

On Tuesday, Mary Redman heard a Corncrake calling in Portnahaven, one of the most regular locations for this species, while James How had the first Sedge Warbler of the season singing at Gruinart.

On Wednesday morning, Clive watched, and heard, c.115 Pinkfeet flying NW over Gruinart, migrants from further south in the UK, perhaps Lancashire or the Solway, heading to their breeding grounds in Iceland. Other birds seen today were two White-tailed Eagles hanging about over Loch Cornabus in the late afternoon. Where were you, Ed? And Mandy reported a Cuckoo in the vicinity of Carnduncan and a Grasshopper Warbler reeling closer to Loch Gorm. On my way to and from Bowmore this morning, there were two Barnacle Geese, behaving like a pair, at the mouth of the Gartmain burn. I wonder if they are going to be fit enough to migrate or perhaps they will summer here, as happens from time to time.

The Swan Goose is still in the same field close to Port Mor, though, as Jim Dickson has pointed out, it doesn't really look like a pure Swan Goose but is probably a hybrid with a domestic Chinese Goose, but as the latter has been domesticated over the centuries including from Swan Geese, it's pretty close, just a bit bigger and with a slightly shorter bill than the true wild bird. Not that one can call an obvious escape a wild bird! 

Getting increasingly forgetful, I should report that a tern flew past Bruichladdich on Monday afternoon, though whether a Common or an Arctic I couldn't tell from the brief glimpse I had. 

Finally, Billy Stitchell has sent this superb photo of a female Crossbill seen at Loch Allan. Thanks Billy.

 

 

Monday 21st April 2025 

Easter Monday, which was rather damp during the day, but clearing up in the late afternoon, has produced a new species for the island, but, before we get on to that, I'm happy to report the first Corncrake of the summer, heard yesterday at Conisby by Peter Dewar.

Val Peacock came round to see me for a chat early this afternoon and, on getting back home to Port Charlotte, phoned to say she had seen a very pale goose in a field with Greylag Geese close to Port Mor. She wasn't able to stop to look more closely so, although I wouldn't call myself a twitcher, I do tend to make an exception for odd-looking geese, and therefore drove along the road to Port Mor and there, in the first field on the left past the memorial, was an easily identifiable bird which I believe to be the first record for Islay of a Swan Goose. Well spotted, Val. I somehow doubt there will be a mass twitch to see it, as they are native to the far east of Russia, Mongolia and northern China, wintering further south in China, and not only not on the British List but rather unlikely to ever be on it. However, they are quite widely kept in captivity in the UK. We've recently had a spell of quite strong easterly winds, so perhaps some wildfowl collection on the mainland is wondering where one of their geese has got to.

And for those who want to know what it looks like, here it is.

 

 Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th April 2025

The weather forecast for Saturday was only too accurate, as it rained on and off all day. Sunday was almost dry, but overcast. Unsurprisingly, bird observations on either day were few, starting with Peter Gill reporting 40-50 Manx Shearwaters seen from the Saturday morning ferry between Port Ellen and Kennacraig as he set off home. Thanks for your sightings, Peter, and we hope it won't be long before you return. The only other record that day was of a reeling Grasshopper Warbler heard by Alistair near Portnahaven.

Sunday was a little more productive, with Ed out and about, seeing a Whimbrel at Knockangle Point on the Big Strand, and 3 Sandwich and 2 Common Terns at Kintra, before spotting a late Redwing at Cornabus, while Hannah saw a male Whinchat on the RSPB's Oa reserve.

Here is a cracking photograph of a male Whinchat taken by the late Gordon Langsbury.

 

Thursday 17th & Friday 18th April 2025

On Thursday, Cuckoos were reported at Kildalton Churchyard by Peter Gill and at the Finlaggan road end by Gary. In the evening, Clive saw 10 Curlews disappearing high and to the north while 11 Whimbrel passed through.

Undoubted bird of the day on Friday was a male Marsh Harrier seen by Clive flying SE passed Kilnave, while other sightings included a Whinchat seen by Peter Gill near Carnduncan, a Blackcap was heard on the woodland walk at Gruinart by Alastair, and Hannah Stanger saw Common Sandpiper in Lagavulin Bay. Hannah also saw two Cormorant nests on the south side of Eilean a'Chuirn, the most easterly of the SE Islay Skerries, which is exactly where Peter Roberts spotted three young in a nest back in 2019, itself the first proven breeding of this species on Islay since the 1988-91 BTO Atlas. It's nice to see the population has doubled!

A few Barnacle Geese remain, with Gary seeing two at the Gartmain burn, while Clive had 55+ at Ardnave, presumably waiting for a bit nicer weather before heading, belatedly to Iceland. The two days haven't been too bad with some rain and some sun, but the forecast for the weekend doesn't look nice.

Although this blog is about birds, regular readers will have noticed that it sometimes strays into moths and, as a keen mother, I'm not going to resist posting two photographs of a very unusual moth, the Belted Beauty, taken by visitor Christian Heintzen at Ardnave. They are of a male and a female, the difference between them being very striking as the female is wingless. The species is restricted to the Inner and Outer Hebrides and to areas of machair and sanddune. On Islay, it has been found at Ardnave, Killinallan and Machir Bay.

 

Wednesday 16th April

A major change in the weather today being cold, breezy, largely overcast with some substantial rain.

In keeping with the more wintry weather, David D. saw a Fieldfare at Kinnabus.

I counted 98 Oystercatchers at a high tide roost at Gartmain at the top of Loch Indaal - 4 Sandwich Terns roosting with them.

Monday 14th & Tuesday 15th April

 The weather is now a little more changeable: cooler, light westerly winds, and a few showers, some heavy, but largely bright and sunny - classic "April showers".

Various bits of belated bird news came in - sadly too late for anyone to take advantage of:

Harry & Denise Failey report a Little Gull off Bowmore on the morning of 18th March.

Guy Belcher and his son relocated the drake Surf Scoter from the Port Charlotte campsite on the 10th April. It was with one of the scattered Common Scoter flocks that evening, along with 2 female Velvet Scoter.

Richard & Barbara Mearns sent in a photo of the Black Redstart that they saw at Gruinart/Ardnave on 6th April.

Yesterday's sightings were: A doubling of the numbers of Tree Sparrows at my feeders in Bruichladdich from one to two! David D. had a Whimbrel and 2 latish Long-tailed Ducks at Kintra at the Oa end of Laggan Bay. Peter Gill had a Great Spotted Woodpecker in Bridgend Woods near Islay House Square entrance/car park and 3 Common Sandpipers up at Bunnahabhain. Alistair Hart is back for a visit and reported a generally pleasant stroll at Portnahaven, but no black and white corvids evident.

Billy Stitchell was out and about with his camera yesterday and kindly contributed some photos of the local breeding birds:

Today, Clive McK. commented on Curlews overhead in migration mode at Bridgend and reminded us of a Curlew chick ringed at Stavanger, Norway that was found (ring only) on Islay. Peter Gill noted 2 Whimbrel plus 2 Common Sandpipers at Gartbreck, while Marc Eden left Islay after a 3 week stay with an impressive tally of 130 species seen on Islay or in, what he described as, "Islay's territorial waters"! Well done Marc, that is impressive.

Alistair had another enjoyable day of birding from Portnahaven to Lossit watching 8 Fulmars on the cliffs looking ready to start nesting and being disturbed by the local Ravens which were mobbed and possibly oiled by the Fulmars.

Non avian news came from Gary T. who found a Streamer Moth, possibly only the 2nd record for Islay.

Sunday 13th April

The change in the weather that could be considered more "normal" for the time of year, continued today.  There was quite a bit of cloud cover and a few almost icy rain rain showers at times with a distinct drop in temperatures despite a fairly southerly airstream.

Ed B. had Islay's first 2025 record of Grasshopper Warbler singing at Cornabus this morning. Clive McK. was watching on Gruinart Floods at the two RSPB hides and noted 40 Sand Martins, 2 Swallows, 39 Redshank, 4 White Wagtails and 2 Black-tailed Godwits.

Here at Bruichladdich I was excited to see a lone Tree Sparrow on my feeders in the garden - a first for me here of a species that is recorded only very occasionally and erratically on Islay with little if any pattern to their occurrence.

Yesterday, in Port Ellen, Duncan MacNeill took the photo below of a pair of resting Sandwich Terns:

Saturday 12th April

At last - a slight change in the weather with some light hazy cloud and cooler temperatures followed by light drizzly rain in the evening.

Chris Hind found a Whimbrel at Gartbreck this morning and  a couple of Whooper Swans at the loch at Laggan Point later on. Mary Redman watched a White-tailed Eagle terrorising the gulls and geese at Claddach. 

Best birds of the day went to Gary T. who watched an Osprey with fish at the top of Loch Indaal and Peter Gill who saw the drake Ring-necked Duck on Ballygrant Loch.

Friday 11th April

Further sunny, dry and warm weather.

Peter Gill was over on Jura today and noted a Kestrel near Feolin and our first Common Sandpipers of the year north of Craighouse.

Various sightings of our White-tailed Eagles included one from David D. of an eagle hunting Fulmars offshore on The Oa. Marc Eden was at Sanaigmore this evening and counted 37 Manx Shearwaters moving south offshore.

I met up with Jim Dickson and David Jardine this morning for a day visit to try see if the Pied Crow, Hoopoe or Ring-necked Duck were present. We failed to rediscover the crow or hoopoe and eventually ran out of time for the duck as I took them to the ferry at Port Askaig at 3pm. On my return I decided on a quick look at Loch Ballygrant and was delighted (for me, but saddened for them) in seeing great views of a male Ring-necked Duck in bright sunshine, quite close with three Tufties and a female Goldeneye. The Ring-necked Duck that was reported a few days ago was a female, so this must be a second bird. However, We saw a good selection of species including Islay's first Whimbrel of the year at Portnahaven and numerous Wheatears, Sand Martins and 1-2 Swallows, with a selection of wildfowl at the RSPB Hides including 2-3 Gadwall and a handful of lingering Greenland White-fronts and Barnies. Loch Indaal near Port Charlotte produced plenty of Red-throated Divers (20+), Red-breasted Mergansers and eiders along with a few Guillemots and Razorbills.

Thursday 10th April

Another day of dry, sunny weather with a light breeze that has gone around more westerly and may portend a change in the weather soon?

Hannah Stanger noted 2 pairs of Sandwich Terns on the buoys at Ardbeg today. Gary T. reported Cuckoo near Ballygrant, David D. finding another this evening at Seal Bay. An Osprey was seen over Balaclava by local vet Samara this afternoon. Along with the birds there were plenty more sightings of butterflies across the island - Orange-tips and Green-veined Whites.

Billy Stitchell was out and about with his camera today and got some remarkable shots of a very predatory Mistle Thrush taking a Common Lizard on the road near to Lily Loch. Malcolm O. has done a bit of initial research of the literature and could only find a note by Eric Simms in 1966 of Mistle Thrushes and Blackbirds attacking and occasionally flying off with Sand Lizards in Merseyside. Malcolm has sent the record off but suggests that this might be the first record of Mistle Thrush taking a Common Lizard.

Wednesday 9th April

Weather? "Same old" - warm, sunny, dry, very light breeze - glorious!

Birds being reported from all quarters today: This morning Chris Hind had a Greenshank at Ardnave and I counted 24 Red-throated divers off Port Charlotte - only 2-3 in breeding plumage. Clive McK. had a latish Redwing at Creag Mhor, Gruinart and David D. had a Cuckoo over at Kinnabus. Mary-Ann Featherstone watching at Kildalton had another Cuckoo, and singles of Tawny Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, White-tailed Eagle. Up at Port Askaig this afternoon David Jardine had another Great Spotted Woodpecker by the entrance to Dunlossit, with a couple of Crossbills at Lily Loch. (It is good to hear that the woodpeckers are being reported from all the previous nesting spots on the island and seem to be holding their own in the last 12+ years of colonisation).

David Jardine had been on Jura today and had some good sightings: A male Ring Ouzel at Inver House was the star find, with a pair of Yellowhammers there and another at Cnocbreac. There were 4 pairs of Canada Geese at Loch a Chnuic Bhric along with 7 pairs of Greylag Geese and 4 Goldeneye. There were a further 5 pairs of Canada Geese at Glas Eilean. Also on Jura, Louise M. had 3 Red-throated Divers off Craighouse this morning.

Tuesday 8th April

 Wall-to-wall sunshine today, and with the wind dropping, it was distinctly warm too.

Despite the fantastic weather there were precious few birds noted today, though a few good records:

Clive McK. had Islay's first House Martin of the year up at Creag Mhor, Gruinart, while Gary T. had an Osprey high over Finlaggan Loch where there was a Crossbill in the trees around Finlaggan House.

Monday 7th April

 The sunshine never ends!

There was a belated report of a female Black Redstart on the road between Gruinart and Ardnave yesterday, where Clive McK. found the Hoopoe again today. There has been a second large influx of Hoopoes into the UK, but we are assuming this is the same bird that has been in the same area intermittently for well over a week now, disappearing for days at a time. Another surprise reappearance today was of the Pied Crow seen by Mary R. back at Port Wemyss.

It is definitely summer as the Cuckoos have arrived! Mary-Ann Featherstone reported one near Lagavulin yesterday, with others seen today by Marc Eden at Loch Ballygrant and by Peter Gill at Loch Skerrols, where he also recorded Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers singing.

At Loch Gruinart, Clive McK. had a Great Skua fly over, disappearing towards Loch Indaal and  flushing all the birds in a panic as it passed by. He also enjoyed a lovely sunny afternoon/evening visit to the RSPB South Hide, full of nesting Redshanks and Lapwings - the latter giving the few Golden Plovers a hard time. Swallows were passing through and Sparrowhawks making hunting passes.

Sunday 6th April

These weather reports are becoming very repetitive! Yes - another dry, sunny day with a light to moderate breeze from the east.

Marc Eden started the day's recording with a fine Ring Ouzel down at Sanaigmore this morning. Marc was up at Killinallan later in the day finding 20+ Snipe and a Jack Snipe, but noting a dearth of Twite compared to Linnets in places where he'd seen more Twite in previous visits.

There were numerous notes coming in of Willow Warblers dotted about the island and on Jura, with other summer migrants such as 7 Sand Martins and a Swallow at Kinnabus from David D.  Mary Redman was unfortunately minus her optics when she saw what was probably an Osprey over Claddach this evening.

I ventured to the Gruinart hides this morning finding among all the regular species a single Little Egret, a total of 11 Whooper Swans. An odd Wigeon that stuck out like a sore thumb had me going for a while, thinking it might be a hybrid American x Eurasian. But on closer inspection of my photos once home, the green on the head was not a full crescentic eye-stripe, but more blotchy and broken. It looks more like one of these occasional males that has flashes of green on its head - apparently more common in Russian birds? Anyway, a cautionary tale about jumping to conclusions..............

Friday 4th & Saturday 5th April

Two more days of dry, sunny weather with a cool easterly breeze. However, there has been very little bird news to report. Yesterday Clive McK. reported on further movements of geese heading north - some small flocks well after dark, with seemingly few geese left today . Today Ed B. found 10 Black-tailed Godwits on his patch at Loch Cornabus. Clive McK. walked around the Ardnave area finding a Swallow, several Sand Martins, 2 White and sevral Pied Wagtails, 230 Bar-tailed Godwits, 40 Sanderling and a Sparrowhawk, with a Willow Warbler at home at Creag Mhor.

Thursday 3rd April

Continuing high pressure providing dry, sunny weather with a moderate SE wind - very pleasant weather indeed!

More conversations on the WhatsApp today about the Barnacle and White-fronted Geese gradually departing, though James H. reported 3,540 Barnacle Geese still on RSPB Gruinart present along with the leucistic individual that has been around for a while and 8 Black-tailed Godwits. 15 Canada Geese flying north at Gruinart today seemingly only got as far as Ardnave Loch where Clive McK. counted 21 later on. Other geese seen today were 3 Pink-footed Geese at Gruinart and a Brent Goose (plus 2 Sandwich Terns) at Bridgend seen by Andrew Whitehouse.

Valerie Wilson found the female Ring-necked Duck still present but difficult to see on Ballygrant Loch and David D. had 3 Willow Warblers at Ballychatrigan on The Oa. The only other summer migrant reported to day was a Swallow seen by James H. at Gruinart.

Wednesday 2nd April

Another splendid dry day of sunshine and light easterly winds.

A few more geese were noted heading away today, but there was more emphasis on other birds seen:

Ed B. is still seeing Woodcock flighting over the forestry at Cornabus. Valerie Wilson found 50 Golden Plovers and 3 Carrion Crows, then up at the old abattoir at Avenvogie had a Great Spotted Woodpecker,  4 Crossbills and 10 Redpolls.  This afternoon on the Ardnave road she found a Golden Eagle a Swallow and a couple of Hen Harriers and up at Craigens found a Brent Goose with the remaining Barnacle Geese.

Andrew Whitehouse had 6 Whooper Swans over Kilchoman this morning, then our first Blackcap of the summer at Loch Skerrols. It, like a Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff there, was in song. He finished the day's birding in style, finding a female Ring-necked Duck on Loch Ballygrant in amongst the Tufted Ducks.

Tuesday 1st April

A bright sunny and dry day with a strong SE breeze.

The wind is now favourable for our winter geese to head directly to Iceland en route to their breeding grounds in Greenland and there were several observations of exactly that, with confirmation from Steve Percival that the first Barnacle Geese had arrived in Iceland this evening. Clive McK. was videoing thousands of Barnacle Geese (5,000+) setting off early this morning with smaller numbers of White-fronted Geese and 4 Whooper Swans. However, not all the geese have yet departed, and still lingering are the two star attractions: Red-breasted Goose and Cackling Goose found by Marc Eden at Craigens and near the RSPB Visitor Centre, who, earlier, had also been watching the geese disappearing north fast at Sanaigmore along with a flock of 12 Whooper Swans, while a pair of our resident Peregrines were busy copulating!

Other bird news includes mating Wigeon at Cornabus reported by Ed B. That would be a great breeding record for Islay if it comes to anything. Gary Turnbull had a Kingfisher up at Bridgend Merse and a Barn Owl on the fence between Esknish and Eorrabus. Valerie Wilson counted 40 Sand Martins at Easter Ellister and 12 Whooper Swans flying NW over Kilchiaran this afternoon. Clive McK. had a Chiffchaff up at Creag Mhor this morning while Andrew Whitehouse found our first Willow Warbler at Gruinart this afternoon.

A search for the Pied Crow down at Portnahaven yesterday and today didn't find the bird - perhaps it has moved on or is lurking elsewhere on the island.

Monday 31st March

Fairly cloudy, but only light winds and no rain.

Lots of discussion on the WhatsApp group today about migrating Greenland White-fronted Geese as small groups were noted headed NW more or less into the wind. The discussion revolved around whether they'd be better off waiting for the wind to swing round in their favour, with tales of tracked groups going north before that had to just island-hop or return from whence they came when setting off with the wind against them.

Ed Burrell  noted Lapwings incubating eggs on nests, Pied Wagtails nest building and Grey Wagtails nest prospecting at Cornabus. Val Wilson spotted a Pink-footed Goose with White-fronts on the High Road and Mary R. had 20 Brent Geese at Blackrock and a pair of Bullfinches at Carnain.

Andrew Whitehouse was birding in various locations on the Rhinns with the following results:  Loch Gorm - 1 Slavonian Grebe (unusual to find this species on freshwater lochs on Islay), Loch Gruinart - 6 Black-tailed Godwits and single White-tailed Eagle and Little Grebe, Blackrock - 6 Slavonian Grebes, 7 Long-tailed Duck, 27 Red-breasted Mergansers, 5 Great Northern Divers, Bridgend - 4 Sandwich Terns, Loch Skerrols - 50 Sand Martins.

Sunday 30th March

A fine, dry, quite calm day, with more of the same in the offing, with a substantial high pressure system over the UK for much of the coming week.

There were 4 Pink-footed Geese at the top of Loch Indaal seen by Andrew Whitehouse and Valerie Wilson, both of whom noted 2-3 Sandwich Terns there. Later Valerie found the Hoopoe still with us up the Ardnave road north of RSPB Gruinart offices. Andrew later noted Great Spotted Woodpecker calling and Chiffchaff singing at Loch Skerrols and 2 White Wagtails at Ardilistry.

Mary R. down at Claddach scored Islay's first Swallow of summer - well done Mary!

Clive was out birding on a flat calm Loch Indaal this evening finding that a lot of the species more associated with winter are still with us: 52 Great Northern Divers, 41 Eider, 26 Long-tailed Ducks and 23 SDalvonian Grebe - many of the latter now in their lovely breeding plumage.

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Saturday 29th March

A quite cloudy, windy day, starting out dryish, but increasingly with squally rain showers blowing in.

There were several of us heading down to the Portnahaven area this morning to see the Pied Crow. Mary Redman was watching it early on, when it had moved over to Port Wemyss, where I found it a little later. Still very approachable, but being bothered at times by gulls and Hooded Crows. However, it was still managing to scavenge food from back gardens and was seen by others right through the day. Below are a couple of photos that I took on my visit.

Other than that, it has been a quiet day for bird sightings, with Andrew Whitehouse reporting 4 Sand Martins at Easter Ellister and 11 Manx shearwaters off Frenchman's Rocks this afternoon and a high count of 7-8 Siskins on Val P.'s feeders at Port Charlotte.

Friday 28th March

A quite cold day with blustery winds from the north-west and occasional sleety downpours between bright sunshine.

An extra record of 25+ Sand Martins over Loch Skerrols yesterday came in from Nigel Scriven who also noted the following for today: White-tailed Eagle adult Kildalton Chapel, Çlaggain Bay 2 Shelduck, 2 Great Northern Diver, Ardtalla Farm fields 33 Golden Plover, 17 Ringed Plover, plus uncountable mixed flock of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks.

Andrew Whitehouse saw the first White Wagtail for Islay o 2025 today at Machir Bay. 

Other than that, there were no sightings sent in today until the afternoon, so I was going to have to make do with mention of the 40 Goldfinches on my feeders supplemented by 20-25 at Malcolm O's further along in Bruichladdich and the 15 or so at Val Peacock's feeders in Port Charlotte.

Then a message came in this afternoon from Fiona McG. of a PIED CROW at Portnahaven that had been there apparently for a few days feeding on suet in people's back gardens! This is an odd record to say the least as Pied Crow is native to sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and some of the Indian Ocean islands and not on the British List. Outside of the species' native area there has been presumed genuine vagrancy in N. Africa and the Middle East, but most that have rarely been found in Europe have been considered escapees (quite a few are apparently kept in captivity) or ship-assisted birds. I think the first British record that wasn't traced back to being an escapee was in summer 2018, and that wandered widely across the UK - but that bird is still, I believe, "in limbo" as far as its status.

However, there has been a recent flurry of records in UK and elsewhere in Europe in 2025, with 2-3 still present over a long period of time in Ireland and the Scilly Isles, these individuals also wandering quite long distances with the latter thought to now be in Northern France.

Whatever the verdict (wild or escapee) on this and the current birds elsewhere in the UK, it is a fascinating record, a first for Argyll and I'll be on a twitch to Portnahaven tomorrow morning! Here are a couple of photos courtesy of Mary Redman:

Thursday 27th March

An overcast, cloudy and rainy sort of day, though winds still light.

The only bird news today was of 15 Fieldfares seen by Wendy & John Mattingley at Lyrabus. But there are further bird notes from yesterday.

Wendy & John Mattingley report "We had a group of 110 Common Scoter and another of 66 on Loch Indaal, also 4 Slavonian Grebe, with another at Kilnaughton Bay. A flock of 18 Ravens with 4 Buzzards near Mulindry Bridge and 17 Tufted Duck on Ballygrant Loch. At Loch Skerrols there was 1 Chiffchaff, but no Sand Martins. Highlights at Gruinart 4 Little Egrets, 2 Black-tailed Godwits going into summer plumage and 60 Pintail".

(They had also counted 20 Great Northern Divers in Kilnaughton Bay on Monday 24th).

Nigel Scriven (Chairman of Argyll Bird Club) was on the island on Monday 24th and sent in some notes from Ardnave: 75 Bar-tailed Godwits, 60 Sanderling a Wheatear and a flock of 17 Chough.

There has been no further definite indication of why so many small dead fish washed up at Port Ellen yesterday, though apparently two prawn boats were tied up in Port Ellen on Tuesday evening and it is thought that they might have been cleaning out their holds. Whether this is correct and is the source of the fish, and if so a legal thing to do is all uncertain. Lets hope that it wasn't a poisoning incident and that at least the gulls, corvids, and perhaps a White-tailed Eagle or two benefitted from it?

 

Tuesday 25th & Wednesday 26th March

 Two days of reasonable springlike weather - mostly, dry, sunny with light winds.

Not much of the news on the posts was very pleasant though!

Yesterday there was a report of a roadkill Buzzard that probably met its end while scavenging a roadkill Pheasant. There were also several reports of Wheatears arriving in ones and twos at Cornabus, Ardnave, Gruinart and Portnahaven.

Today, Martin Armstrong posted a note of large numbers of fish washed up dead on the beach at Port Ellen. I'm still unclear what caused this - it was suggested that it could be discards from trawlers as they were all small. If anyone knows of a definite answer, then do let me know,

Bird-wise, Louise M. had a Crossbill at Sanaig forest on Jura. David D. had 2 Wheatears at Lower Killeyan (plus a pod of Bottle-nosed Dolphins off Glen Astle), while Andrew Whitehouse saw the Hoopoe again, still along the road north of Gruinart for a 6th day. Finally, Gary T. had a tern sp. off Blackrock.

Monday 24th March

The day started out fairly sunny and dry, but clouded over in the afternoon and began to rain, becoming quite persistent by evening with an increase in the wind from a westerly direction.

Some additional records for yesterday from Andrew Whitehouse included: 6 Sanderling, 8 Black Guillemots, 6 Great Northern Divers, 1 Redwing, 2 Stonechats at Machir Bay/Kilchoman. Up at Ardnave were 4 Wheatears, 4 Canada Geese, single Golden and White-tailed Eagles, a pair of Hen Harriers, 16 Choughs. Back at Gruinart he found 3 Little Egrets, 1 Greenshank, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 15 Whooper Swans, 4 Gadwall, 44 Pintail and single Little Grebe and Fieldfare. Another  Wheatear weas at Blackrock and a count on Loch Indaal from Blackrock to Bruichladdich produced 4 Slavonian Grebes (some coming into summer plumage), 20 Great Northern Divers, two Red-throated Divers, 17 Red-breasted Mergansers, 18 Common Scoters.

Over at Kilnaughton and Carraig Fhada Wendy & John Mattingley found a dead Kestrel plus adult and immature White-tailed Eagles, with a female Hen Harrier on The Oa.

Today was the first (quite late) record of Chiffchaff, found singing at Kinnabus by Hannah Stanger. Wendy & john Mattingley confirm that the Hoopoe is still with us, and still in much the same area - about a mile north of the Gruinart RSPB car park. Marc Eden had 4 Pink-footed Geese at Ard-Chruaidh/Gartnatra where a couple of Sandwich Terns were displaying to each other. Later at Loch Skerrols he found 20 Sand Martins hawking for insects over the loch.

This evening Clive McK. was up at Bridgend Merse looking at the gull roost and found a first winter Mediterranean Gull.

Sunday 23rd March

 Back to pleasant sunny weather with a light breeze again today.

John and Wendy Mattingley, over on Islay for another visit, found our first Sandwich Terns of the year - two this morning in Kilnaughton Bay.

Saturday 22nd March

Cloudier with a moderate northerly breeze and light rain a lot of the time from late morning onwards.

The Hoopoe was present again in the same area of the road between Gruinart and Ardnave - Martin Armstrong taking some better photos. The bird is still keenly feeding a lot of the time on the grass growing down the middle of the road - a dangerous thing to do, but apparently productive, with Clive McK. identifying Cranefly larvae and pupae in its diet.

Other news:

A total of 6 Coal Tits seen by Louise Muir at Craighouse on Jura this morning, apparently rallying round another that had flown against a window and was temporarily out of action. Clive McK. had a count of 36 Lesser Black-backed Gulls at the Bridgend gull roost this evening, and arriving visitor Andrew Whitehouse had an impressive count of birds from the ferry this afternoon - most of them between Kennacraig and Gigha: Great Northern Divers 89, Red-throated Divers 17, Red-breasted Mergansers 33, Common Scoters 8 and a single Manx Shearwater.

Thursday 20th & Friday 21st March

The fine weather continued on Thursday - dry, sunny, light breeze from the SE. This continued into Friday morning, but, as predicted, the clouds came in, the wind increased and began turning to come from the NW and it became colder.

For yesterday there were two reports, both from Jura - a Wheatear seen by Louise M. and a flock of 45 Skylarks at Ardfin golf course noted by Malcolm O. On Islay, Billy Stitchell had a drumming Great spotted Woodpecker at Lily Loch up at Dunlossit - the site where breeding was first proven in 2013.

The first posting today was from Clive McK. in mid-morning who was alerted by his neighbour, Kate Hannet, to a Hoopoe in their garden, which obligingly popped into his garden too. I went up after lunch with Val P. David & Ruth Beaumont to try and find it. No luck for ages, checking form Clive's at Creag Mhor all the way to Ardnave. Back at Clive's we gave up and started driving down to Gruinart when it popped up on the road in front of us. It seemed fixated on feeding on the grass growing down the middle of the road, gave some fine views and only flew up when it dodged a passing Hen Harrier. Malcolm O. points out that this is Islay's 12th record, six of them being in spring with the previous earliest on 22nd April.

Other news comes from David W. of a Sand Martin at Kinnabus this morning, and "lots of divers" including 5 Black-throated seen by James H. as he returned on the ferry this afternoon.

Morven Laurie from NatureScot kindly sent in the last goose count of the winter, carried out on 18th & 19th March. Totals were:

31,566 Barnacle Geese; 4,268 Greater White-fronted Geese; 1,364 Greylag Geese.