Monday 7th September

Moderate SW winds, mostly dry, fairly sunny.

Yesterday evening Clive McK. watched a Little Gull at sea from the ferry off Gigha.

Mary Redman noted large numbers of feeding Gannets off the islands around Portnahaven this morning through till evening.

Jim Dickson was very busy again - quite a marathon - producing several good records. This morning off the Gaelic College in Loch Indaal he noted an adult Sandwich Tern, 89 Red-breasted Mergansers, 390 Mallard 76 Wigeon a single Pintail, 7 adult Red-throated Divers and 38 Brent Geese flying SW. A White-tailed Eagle was feeding on the Gruinart flats where a juvenile Peregrine flew by. He also noted groups of Pied/White Wagtails, 115 Black-headed Gulls a probable total of 13 Greenshanks, 35 Turnstone a couple of Wheatears and 3 more White Wagtails. Better still was an Osprey  which moved on to Loch Gorm where it was seen hunting. Up at Braigo a Golden Eagle was seen hunting low over the ground and further on at Sanaigmore there were 3 Arctic Terns and 70+ Manx Shearwaters offshore in 20 minutes of sea-watching. Back at Loch Indaal Jim relocated a couple of Curlew Sandpipers along with 150 Rock Doves at Carrabus. and scored the best bird of the day with a lovely adult Mediterranean Gull (photos below) - possibly the same bird as seen by Clive McK. a few weeks ago? Back at Gruinart there were 3 Curlew Sandpipers and a Little Stint.

Other observations came in from Rogan W. with a Sparrowhawk at Eas Fora and a juvenile Corn Crake seen by David D. at Kinnabus.

Sunday 6th September

Blustery winds from the south , so quite warm despite lots of cloud but surprisingly little rain.

Rogan W. started the ball rolling this morning with a juvenile White-tailed Eagle over Keills (probably the same bird I saw there in the afternoon). At Gruinart he noted another White-tailed Eagle a Little Egret, 27 Brent Geese and 11 Pintail with a Yellowhammer by the Oyster Shed on the Killinallan side. Jim Dickson was also up that way finding an all-white Starling at Craigens.

 Visitors Wendy and John Mattingley increased the Brent Goose count at Gruinart to 33 and added a Sparrowhawk and Golden Eagle to the day's sightings. 

Over at Coullabus Jim took a photo of a juvenile Whinchat and noted a count of 10 Wheatears since Thursday with 5 together at Carrabus. The Brent Goose count rose to 36 birds with 3 at Carnain. Over at Gartnatra on Loch Indaal there was a large count of 51 Red-breasted Mergansers on the shore, thought to be post-moulting males.

I tried my luck at doing a sea-watch from the fery to Kennacaig and back this morning finding an adult White-tailed Eagle perched atop Glas Eilean off Jura, 2 Puffins, 2 Arctic Skuas and a Great Skua on the outward trip, but precious little on the return.

Saturday 5th September

 A dry, mostly sunny day with moderate winds.

Jim Dickson and Rogan W. have been out birding the island for much of the day. They found the first (3) Brent Geese of the autumn at Gartnatra and Carnain. In the same area were 3 Curlew Sandpipers and a Little Stint, 2 Little Egrets and later I added 7 Black-tailed Godwits and 33 Wigeon to the mix. 

Jim counted 46 Common Scoter off Blackrock along with 3 immature Arctic Terns, with an adult and juvenile Peregrine there too. Later at Loch Gruinart he counted the first sizeable arrival of Teal with a total of 130 birds and 11 Pintail. Other raptors were an immature Golden Eagle watched above Gruinart Farm, 2 White-tailed Eagles on the mud at Bridgend and a Kestrel at Craigens. Back up at Loch Alan Rogan W. had a pair of Bullfinch and 12 Redpolls.

David Jardine did a ferry journey to/from Islay with a bit of birding on Jura in between. He counted 10 Turnstone at Inver and a Great spotted Woodpecker at Inver plantation. On the return ferry crossing he had 2 Great Skuas and a Storm Petrel.

Friday 4th September

Fairly strong blustery westerly winds brought plenty of heavy rain showers between sunny spells.

Jim Dickson the Argyll Bird Club Recorder is over for a week and began finding a few birds of interest despite appalling weather: 5 Curlew Sandpipers (phot below of 2) and 3 juvenile Little Stints at Carnain and a Great Skua, Little Egret and 8 Black-tailed Godwits on Loch Indaal off Bridgend plus 2 Hen Harriers at Cruach to start with. This was followed by 10 Pintail up at Gruinart and a Peregrine at Craigens.

There had been suggestions that sea-watching might be productive today and the only to follow this up was David W. watching off The Oa who noted an expected constant stream of Manx Shearwaters and a few Gannets, Fulmars, Kittiwakes and auks, with a trio of Arctic Skuas being the best find in a 2 hour watch.

Rogan W. counted 68 Gannets heading south down the Sound of Islay and David D. reports a Corn Crake seen by one of the stockmen on the RSPB The Oa reserve.

Thursday 3rd September

Another changeable day - light winds with rain and cloud between sunny periods.

Rogan W. saw a Kingfisher plus a fishing Cormorant on Loch Allan and 3 Little Grebes on Loch Ballygrant. Later a White-tailed Eagle flew over Keills.

Wednesday 2nd September

Breezy with rain showers and cloud between bouts of sunshine.

Today's notes come from Rogan W. who heard the Tawny Owls calling at Dunlossit last night and then 2 Whimbrel calling as they passed by Port Askaig this morning. In the garden at Dunlossit were 2 Crossbills, single Spotted Flycatcher, Great spotted Woodpecker, a small flock of Redpolls and an Arctic Skua seen flying along the sound.

He also sent in the non-avian, but appealing photo below:

Tuesday 1st September

Overcast with light winds but rain throughout much of the day - quite heavy at times.

Rogan W. had a Great Spotted Woodpecker and Spotted Flycatcher in the woodland around Lily Loch.

I had a quick look around Gruinart and found a flock of 32 Black-tailed Godwits with an accompanying Ruff on the floods near to the Visitor Centre. On the way home I checked Blackrock and counted 26 Common Scoter offshore.

Monday 31st August

Rain overnight and a few further light showers during a day of variably breezy westerlies and mostly cloudy skies.

Colin McGregor sent in  a sighting of the Kingfisher at Bowmore and a Golden Eagle over the Machrie Golf Course on 28th August.

Rogan W. found the leucistic Greylag again on Loch Indaal and Ed B. had a Corn Crake at Cornabus.

Billy Stitchell sent in some photos of bow wave-riding dolphins to brighten up the blog. 

Sunday 30th August

A dry, fairly calm day with patchy sunshine between cloudier skies.

All observations today are from Rogan W. who had some good sightings around Loch Indaal. This morning he spotted a couple of White-tailed Eagles perched up on the rocks towards Bridgend with the Kingfisher still at the Gaelic College where he heard a Quail calling. A little later he found the first Little Stint of autumn with other waders out on the mud and sand flats. Later still he carefully watched a duck that looks a good candidate for an immature American Wigeon, though there is the possibility of a Eurasian x American hybrid, so perhaps further scrutiny will be required - but nevertheless an intriguing and unusual sighting. Below are some of his photos taken today.

Saturday 29th August

 A dry, fairly calm, cloudy sort of day.

Mary R. was out and about today finding 3 very vocal White-tailed Eagles around Claddach and the islands this morning, a Golden Eagle over Sanaigmore and a record count of 119 Collared Doves at Octofad in the afternoon. Presumably the doves are gathered there to feed on barley split from the trailers going in to Ocofad to be dried.

On Loch Indaal, viewing from the Gaelic College where some of us were gathered for the Islay Book Festival, Fiona McG. noted the first Wigeons of the autumn/winter - a count of 41 birds. Rogan W. was watching here too and recorded a Kingfisher, a Greenshank, 4 Black-tailed and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits. He also noted a female Common Scoter, Tufted Duck with chicks and a White-tailed Eagle on Loch Gorm.

Friday 28th August

Dry, mostly sunny, with light northerly winds.

There were 3 migrant White Wagtails at Ghiol on The Oa seen by David D. this morning and a Carrion Crow at Kilnaughton found by Fiona McG. Down at Claddach Mary R. had 3 White-tailed Eagles plus groups of 10 and 3 Choughs. Along the coast she counted groups of 93 and 60 Shags with others in the sea accompanied by 12 Bottle-nosed and 1 Common Dolphin. David Boggon had a further 2 White-tailed Eagles over the Sound of Islay.

Thursday 27th August

Dry with light easterly winds.

David Boggon saw the first White-tailed Eagle of the day this morning at Gruinart with David D. reporting 4 different White-tailed Eagles on The Oa during the day along with a Peregrine near the RSPB car park on The Oa and a Greenshank on Loch Kinnabus.

James H. found the autumn's first Curlew Sandpiper amongst the usual range of more common waders on Loch Gruinart in the afternoon - all flushed by possibly the same White-tailed Eagle that had been seen there in the morning. Rogan W. counted some substantial numbers of Siskins (80) and Redpolls (20) in a mixed feeding flock at Lily Loch in the afternoon.

Mary-Ann F. noted a Whimbrel and Greenshank at Cnoc and Ardilistry Bays where her two families of Red-breasted Mergansers still survive and thrive.

Otherwise there was much interest in lepidoptera with Mary-Ann F. reporting good numbers of Painted Lady, Peacock, and Red Admiral butterflies including some fine photos and mention of Hummingbird Hawk Moth, which were also noted in recent days across the island by Fiona McG., Rogan W. and Mary R.

Wednesday 26th August

Stronger east/south-east winds and some cloud and rain today, but still quite warm and occasional sunnier spells.

Visitor David Boggon had a Great Skua flying north up Loch Indaal at Port Charlotte this morning and a male Hen Harrier at Killinallan in the afternoon.

Ed B. reports a couple of well-grown Snipe chicks on his fark at Cornabus plus a couple of Choughs and 2 Moorhens - the latter considered unusual out on The Oa!

Rogan W. up at Loch Allan found a pair of Crossbills and 8 Grey Herons. By coincidence, Jo Rosser-Owen sent in this photo of a Grey Heron taken at Old Gortan Schoolhouse on Loch Indaal.

Tuesday 25th August

 A dry, sunny day with a light to moderate breeze from the east and south.

Yesterday Mary R. noticed birds flocking together in an "autumnal way": 20 Meadow Pipits and 12 Goldfinches included, plus young Wheatears and a trio of young Choughs. There was a White-tailed Eagle over Claddach this morning.

David D. had a Whimbrel on The Oa this afternoon while I took a quick look at Gruinart, finding 32 summery Knots and 20 equally summery Black-tailed Godwits on the flats along with a White-tailed Eagle and 4-5 Buzzards - the eagle very sluggish, the Buzzards very active. There were also 8 Canada Geese seen from the North Hide, but not much else.

Later in the afternoon visitor Andy Harris was at Loch Gruinart and was treated to the sight of an Osprey catching a flat fish and then being pursued by a White-tailed Eagle. The Osprey dropped the fish but it was not apparently retrieved by the eagle. Later Andy saw two White-tailed Eagles back sitting on the flats.

Talking of Canada Geese, there was a recent note to the effect that the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC) have been reviewing all records of what are considered truly vagrant Canada Geese in the UK and the first accepted record is now a bird at Kilchoman from 24 October - 3 November 1986, pre-dating the previously accepted first record. There are now 65 accepted records of vagrant Canada Geese in the UK.

Sunday 23rd & Monday 24th August

 Two pleasant days of sunshine and light winds.

Alastair McCormick sent in a couple of photos of a Water Rail that showed up in his garden at Craigens overnight on Saturday.

On Sunday Martin A. saw 3 Little Egrets, 2 Greenshanks and 2 White-tailed Eagles at the top of Loch Indaal by the mouth of the Sorn, while David W. counted 8 Greenshanks on Loch Gruinart by the Oystershed. Rogan W. was counting on Loch Indaal near Bridgend - 363 Greylag Geese, 163 Oystercatchers and 2 Cormorants. 

Today Louise Muir reports "thousands" of seabirds active in the Sound of Jura this morning - mostly Razorbills, Guillemots and Gannets, presumably feeding on fish shoals.

Saturday 22nd August

Dry with a light northerly breeze.

Thanks to Malcolm O. for keeping the blog going in my absence. 

David Jardine was on the ferry from Kennacraig this morning and saw c.10 Storm Petrels. Rogan W. saw a Little Egret, a Wigeon and a few Black-tailed Godwits at the top of Loch Indaal and heard the Tawny Owls calling loudly at Port Askaig.

Friday 21st August

A dry fairly sunny day, but with a cool northerly breeze.

The only bird sighting came from Rogan W. whose garden at Dunlossit was visited by 3 Red Crossbills. The birds perched and were silhouetted against the light, but, as he said, "Thank goodness for the bill."

 

 

Thursday 20th August

A fine day with some sunshine but a cool northerly wind.

Jim Dickson started the day off with more news of the GPS-marked Knot, which arrived at Gruinart yesterday morning, to say that it had returned to North Uist which it had visited before coming to Islay. Speculation about this unusual movement centered round it possibly wanting to return to a larger flock, but that really is just speculation. Whatever the reason, there's no doubt that large gaps in our knowledge of bird migration are being filled by the use of GPS tags. What is also of interest is that Clive McK saw Knot moving south from Gruinart yesterday evening, but clearly not including this bird.

In the late afternoon. Clive saw 4 Arctic Skuas, including a superb pale adult, heading south low over his house above the west shore of Loch Gruinart. They climbed and circled as they headed towards Bushmill, then turned west high over Carnduncan, ignoring Loch Indaal and heading to Loch Gorm/Machir Bay. Clive has seen Arctic Skuas follow this line before, and thinks that they might have come from the east coast of Scotland, following the Great Glen to the west coast on the back of the NE and N winds.

And here is a photograph by the late Gordon Langsbury of a pale phase Arctic Skua.

 

 

Wednesday 19th August

A wet morning gradually dried up to a sunny afternoon, but with more rain during the night.

Clive McK once again supplied almost all the bird records for today, starting off at midday with 50 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Ruff, and 1 juvenile Marsh Harrier on or over the Gruinart Flats. During the afternoon, Jim Dickson, the Argyll Bird Recorder, reported the details of a Knot carrying a GPS tag which had arrived at Gruinart about 07.00. It is part of a Dutch study, with the bird ringed in the Netherlands back in February, presumed to have bred in East Greenland, and picked up in North Uist on its way south. The bird was colour ringed, but, although Clive went to look for it later in the day, it may well have moved on as he saw Knots leaving for the south in the late afternoon. However, a consolation for him was a Glossy Ibis on the Flats. There was a large influx of this species into Britain last September, with 2 spending some time in the Gruinart area.

Clive spent from 19.30 to 20.50 monitoring bird movements at Gruinart and noted the following, all moving south: 17 Oystercatchers, 1 Ringed Plover, 2 Whimbrel, 68 Redshanks, 22 Knots, 1 Ruff and 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. He also counted 9 Common Snipe feeding in the fields.

Tuesday 18th August 

 Several showers during the day.

 The only reports today came from Clive McK who was at Carnain in the early afternoon, where he found a juvenile Wood Sandpiper, while there were 400 Dunlin, 200 Ringed Plover, 30 Sanderling and 10 Knot on the Bridgend Flats. Wood Sandpipers, almost always single birds, turn up pretty much every year, though more in the spring than in late summer/autumn.

Clive also tried a seawatch at Portnahaven, but it was pretty quiet, though, in the morning, he saw a total of 12 Lesser Blackback Gulls migrating south over Gruinart. In the early evening, there were 4 Ruffs feeding on the Gruinart flats fields.

Monday 17th August 

Rather a damp day, with rain most of the afternoon.

Bird of the month, possibly year, was an adult Mediterranean Gull, "loafing" at Gartbreck in the rain, according to Clive McK, who spotted this rare visitor. 'Birds of Islay and Jura" states that this is about the 13th record for the island since the first in 2010, and only the second adult. Sightings have been slowly increasing in recent years, with 3 last year, although those were the first since 2022.

The only other observation received came from Rogan W., who saw a Little Egret and a Greenshank while driving (!) between Bridgend and Bowmore. 

 

Sunday 16th August 

A quiet, mainly overcast day after overnight rain.

Not much to report today. David D watched a White-tailed eagle flying below the American Monument and also saw 2 Chough on the cliffs below, while Rogan W posted this photograph of a House Sparrow with a beakful of food which he reckons includes both a spider and a caterpillar. It's important to offer one's offspring a nicely varied diet.

 

Saturday 15th August 

Another fine day with light winds.

Rogan W. spotted a pure white goose among a flock of Greylags on Loch na Cachie, which lies between Kilchoman Distillery and Loch Gorm. It is either a leucistic or an albino Greylag, but a closer look is needed, the former retaining normal coloured eyes, bill and legs, whereas in the latter those would be pink/red.

Clive McKay had a late afternoon walk around Ardnave, seeing 5 Sandwich Terns and 15 Common Terns at Ardnave Point, as well as 20 Choughs, 2 Whimbrel flying south, and the usual mix of waders on Traigh Nostaig beach, including 47 Ringed Plovers and a Greenshank. He also had a high count of 440 Grey Seals hauled out on the Loch Gruinart sandbanks. In  the evening a Barn Owl was hunting near the RSPB office, while he noted an evening wader emigration from Loch Griunart of 21 Black-tailed Godwits, 68 Oystercatchers and 8 Sandwich Terns.

 

Friday 14th August 

A dry day with light winds and mainly overcast skies. Yesterday evening, cloud obscured most of the sky, preventing more than very partial views (glimpses) of the eclipse of the sun and almost nothing of the Perseid meteor shower.

Only two bird records received for today. Louise M had a lone Curlew in Small Isles Bay, while Rog W continues his exploration of the northeast of the island, noting 8 Grey Herons, including juveniles, perched on trees at Lily Loch. This is the site of one of the several small heronries on Islay. It survived the felling of some of the nesting trees a few years ago as they had become dangerous, but there were plenty of alternative trees, including at adjacent Loch Allan. Peter Roberts, in his book 'Birds of Islay and Jura', lists no less than 18 heronries that have been noted in the last nearly 100 years since the very first National Heronry Survey of 1928, but attendance at several of them seems to be intermittent, while a number are definitely extinct. Peter estimates up to 30 breeding pairs on the island, of which 8-9 were at Lily Loch in 2023, the last time they were counted, making it one of the largest heronries that year.

This makes a perfect cue for one of the late Gordon Langsbury's photographs.

 

Thursday 13th August

Apart from a short sharp rain shower this morning it was a hot sunny day with light southerly winds for the annual Islay and Jura Show.

Ed Burrell sent in a map lotting the recent movements of one of his tagged Greylag Geese, wandering up and down the island over the past couple of weeks.

Otherwise, Rogan W. watched his fledged Buzzard  attempting to hunt at Dunlossit and witnessed another/the same as a few days ago, White-tailed Eagle journeying from Islay to Jura this morning.

Wednesday 12th August

A warm sunny start with only the slightest attempt of rain, but clouding sufficiently to make the eclipse of the sun this evening somewhat underwhelming.

Mary R. reports a Kestrel at Claddach yesterday. Today Rogan W. confirms the Buzzard breeding on his home patch at Dunlossit with sightings of adult and juvenile flying about. 

 

Tuesday 11th August

 A fine sunny day!

Rogan W. confirms that the Bullfinch pair in the gardens at Dunlossit have fledged two young. He also had a Crossbill flying over.

Up at Kilinallan this afternoon I had a young White-tailed Eagle being harassed by a Buzzard and Hen Harrier. Also a couple of Greenshanks and the Little Egret present.

Monday 10th August

A pleasant, fairly calm, warm, dry and sunny day for a change.

Some further reports for yesterday from Rogan W. include a Sparrowhawk at the airport.

Today, Rogan saw another Sparrowhawk - probably a nesting bird - in woodland near Port Askaig. Clive McK. counted 25 Black-tailed Godwits at the head of Loch Gruinart. I saw a Whooper Swan on Loch Gorm (presumably different to the seemingly resident/damaged bird at Gruinart?) and counted 530 Greylags on Loch Gorm with  further 60 on the shoreline at Bruichladdich - the autumn build-up of the species begins!

Sunday 9th August

The day started out cloudy with drizzle but brightened to sunny and dry with a moderate westerly breeze.

George Jackson sent in some notes for the previous two days:  on Friday a juvenile Grey Wagtail at Coultorsay and 60 Ringed Plovers and c.20 Dunlin at Crosshouses. (over half these in summer plumage). On Saturday at Gartbreck 5 adult Mute Swans and a Ringtail Hen Harrier. 

Val Peacock saw a Little Egret flying up Loch Indaal at Port Charlotte. Jo Rosser-Owen recorded Willow Warbler in Bridgend Woods and Steve & Lyn Rogers had 2 young Spotted Flycatchers in their garden at Kilnaughton Bay this morning. James H. noted an increase in waders  in Loch Gruinart with 40 Redshank, 20 Black-tailed Godwits,  and 16 Canada Geese. Clive McK. checked further on the waders there a counted 120 Dunlin, 180 Ringed Plover, 2 Sanderlings and a flock of 66 Oystercatchers passing through. He also noted a Barn Owl hunting in the fields near Mill Cottage. Here at Bruichladdich there was a juvenile Sandwich Tern sat on the rocks for a while. Crystal Maw and friends were up at the RSPB hides in the morning and had, amongst other birds, a White-tailed Eagle, H2 Hen Harriers and a Peregrine.

Friday 7th & Saturday 8th August

Still a very strong contrast here to the drought and heatwaves of southern England and Wales! Winds swinging about and cloud coming and going, bringing increasing amounts of light rain with it - especially on Saturday.

Clive McK. sent in a record for Thursday of a Red-throated Diver feeding on Loch Finlaggan then taking off into the hills, returning 30 minutes later - an obvious sign of feeding young on one of the higher moorland lochs nearby.

Yesterday Rogan W. was birding his patch at Dunlossit and sent in some useful breeding records of Mute Swan with cygnets on Loch Ballygrant, where he also noted a Little Grebe and young Goldcrests.

Today he had Tawny Owls calling overnight, a Buzzard nesting along the Sound of Islay  near Port Askaig, where a family of Spotted Flycatchers was photographed.

Later he watched a White-tailed Eagle flying over to Islay from Jura.

Over at Ardilistry Bay David D. found a Little Egret and a Greenshank - an unusual place for these species more often found on Lochs Indaal and Gruinart.

Thursday 6th August

A slightly better day with no rain, winds dropping and sunshine increasing as the day progressed - until the evening when cloud and showers resumed.

Rogan W. reports a pair of Bullfinches at his home near Port Askaig, plus Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Siskins and families of fledged Great and Blue Tits.

Clive was also down at Port Askaig and noted good numbers of butterflies - 14 Red Admirals, 3 Peacocks, 2 Small Tortoiseshells and this Painted Lady.

Mary-Ann F. also reported lots of butterflies from her Kildalton garden - 20+ Peacocks, a few Painted Ladies, Red Admirals, Small Tortoiseshells and Whites. There was also a Hummingbird Hawk Moth on Buddleia.

Monday; 3rd, Tuesday 4th & Wednesday 5th August

Three days of changeable weather - generally changing for the worse! Winds going round to an easterly direction and increasingly strong by Wednesday, more cloud and increasing amounts of rain.

Further sightings from Sunday include 2 Little Egrets, a juvenile Peregrine, 2 Sandwich and 5 Common Terns noted by Clive McK.

Records for Monday come from Clive McK. and Mark Livingston who found a family of Tufted Ducks (8 well-grown ducklings with parent) on Ardnave Loch where there was also a family of Mute Swans with 4 cygnets. They also had a Greenshank on the west side of Ardnave and a juvenile Cuckoo by the Loch

On Tuesday Rogan Wolhuter watched 42+ Guillemots in the Sound of Islay by Port Askaig and Mark Livingston counted 200 Dunlin on Loch Indaal by the Gaelic College.

No sightings for Wednesday so far.

Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd August

Two further days of light westerly winds, mostly sunny.

Yesterday Rogan W. was up at Bunnahabhain finding a pair of Grey Wagtails with 2 young with a dark-phase Arctic Skua passing by. Today he was at Machir Bay in the afternoon where there were counts of 23 Ringed Plovers, 2 Dunlin, 13 Sanderling and two Wheatears - a couple of photos below.

Thursday 30th & Friday 31st July

Two more days of mixed rain showers and sunshine with moderate westerly winds.

Yesterday Rogan Wolhuter had a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the woodland just south of Port Askaig and sent in this fine photo. Otherwise it was all about White-tailed Eagles: Karim Labib saw one approaching the dead Minke Whale on Machir Bay, but being mobbed by a Buzzard and flying off. He also saw 2 sub-adult White-tailed Eagles there a little later along with a substantial count of 13 Wheatears. Later he was on Jura and found a male Hen Harrier 3-4 miles north of the Feolin ferry.

Clive McKay had 2 Whinchats at Gruinart - an adult with young. Later, Clive and I were over on Jura and watched an  adult pair of White-tailed Eagles that ended up happily sitting on the same branch in a fine woodland tree for upwards of 5 hours without doing anything much apart from stretching wings and legs whenever the sun came out.

Today Bill Bealey had 2 White-tailed Eagles at the Ard, Port Ellen and Jo Rosser-Owen had a Sparrowhawk in Bridgend Woods. Clive McK. a Little Egret and 175 Bar-tailed Godwits at Gartnatra and a juv cuckoo at Coullabus. Karim saw an Arctic Skua in Loch Indaal from Port Charlotte and Rogan found 3 Greenshanks on Loch Gruinart by The Oystershed, plus a few birds in the woods around Dunlossit: Bullfinch, Treecreeper, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 14 Redpolls and 5 Grey Herons including an adult with young on nest around Lily loch/Loch Allan. Val Peacock heard a quite late Corn Crake calling briefly at the north end of Port Charlotte in fields by the new housing.

Theo from Nature Scotland kindly alerted us to a report he'd seen on ebird this morning of an adult Mediterranean Gull at Blackrock, Loch Indaal.

Wednesday 29th July

Cloud, quite heavy rain at times and pleasantly cool temperatures during the day, the westerly breezes dropping by an evening with a bit of sunshine.

Roger Wolhuter, newly arrived resident birder on Islay, sent in a record of 2 Tawny Owls calling all night up at Port Askaig. He also noted 12 Redpolls, 2 White-tailed Eagles, a Grey Wagtail and 4 Spotted Flycatchers - 2 adults with recently fledged young.

Karim Labib and a ring-tailed Hen Harrier at Loch Gruinart and a male Hen Harrier near Port Charlotte, plus 3 Twite at Sanaigmore and a Whinchat on the east side of Loch Gorm.

Monday 27th & Tuesday 28th July

SW moderate winds bringing in belts of drizzle, cloud, mist and rain between a few sunny periods.

Yesterday David D. had 3 Greenshank at Loch Kinnabus. Ed B. had a reeling Grasshopper Warbler at Cornabus. Bill Bealey had a Chough at Kilnaughton, Lucy Chadwick saw a Golden Eagle at Finlaggan, Roger Broad noted a Red-throated diver off Port Charlotte and Jo Rosser-Owen reports a Tree Pipit from the Daill Farm area of Bridgend Woods.

Today David D. counted a flock of 23 Twite at Upper Killeyan. There were also several reports of Bottle-nosed Dolphins high up into Loch Indaal (I counted 5 at one point off Port Charlotte heading north). Rogan Wolhuter, coming over to Islay on the ferry had a selection of seabirds including a Red-throated diver and 2 Sandwich Terns. There were two pairs of Little Grebe with young on Loch Ballygrant.

Sunday 26th July

 Moderate Westerly  winds, rain and shine between.

Very few bird records in today. Jo Rosser-Owen recorded Great Spotted Woodpecker in Bridgend Woods - good to know they are still there. Roger Broad took and afternoon look at the top of Loch Indaal and noted  20 Shelducks, 120 Dunlin, 5 Sanderling, 1 Greenshank,

120 Bar-tailed Godwits and 25 Ringed Plovers. Up at Loch Gruinart there was another small group of 18 Black-tailed godwits freshly in.

Other, more sad news, was of a Minke Whale washed up dead on Machir Bay.

Friday 24th & Saturday 25th July

Variable weather with light to moderate winds from the west, some cloud, some rain and quite cool temperatures.

Yesterday David D. had an unseasonably large flock of c.100 Chaffinches feeding on a topped field at Kintra.

Today Simon Tardivel reports a couple of Chough at Ardnave and a White-tailed Eagle at Machir Bay. Clive McK. had a flock of 19 Black-tailed godwits in summery plumage coming n ew in to Loch Gruinart and Roger Broad and I had a further 7 arriving later in the afternoon. We also counted 145 Curlews and the Little Egret at Gruinart plus a Peregrine sat on the shoreline. In the same area, Bill Bealey saw the summering Whooper Swan, 50 Greylag Geese, and single Buzzard and Snipe from the North Hide.

There were 19 Tufted Ducks on Loch Gorm and over at Kildalton, Mary-Ann F.  had a family of Great Black-backed Gulls on the shore where the two families of Red-breasted Mergansers hang on, bravely defending their chicks.

Thursday 23rd July

Cloud and very light drizzle at times, with cooler temperatures, but sunny spells between and light winds.

David D. reports intermittent calling of Quail at times over the past several days at Kinnabus. Ed B. had 2 Choughs at Cornabus, seemingly attracted to a "sandy dung heap". Clive McK. noted the first returning/post-breeding Little Egret at Gruinart. Visitor Simon Tardivel sent in a list of 19 species noted whilst camping at Port Mor.

Monday 20th, Tuesday 21st & Wednesday 22nd July

Further quite pleasant weather - lots of sunshine, but light winds from the north at times cooling temperatures and bringing intermittent cloud and very light attempts at rain on a few occasions.

Again, there has been very little bird news reported. Tom Pope sent in a note of a White-tailed Eagle at Lagavulin on Sunday. Also on Sunday, an Islay Facebook posting mentioned a possibly injured immature Golden Eagle along the Killinallan road on Sunday, but there has been no further news of it.

On Monday Jo Rosser-Owen noted Bullfinch in Bridgend Woods and today Ed B. reports a White-tailed Eagle chasing Greylag Geese - a staple of their diet here I imagine.

Friday 17th, Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th July

Three further days of glorious weather, though becoming slightly cooler by Sunday with a light northerly breeze, but otherwise dry and sunny.

There were no bird sightings for Friday. Yesterday  Mary R. noted a first year White-tailed Eagle at Claddach - presumably a fledged young from the pair in the large forestry area in the south of the Rhinns? Today David D. reported hearing the Quail again intermittently at Kinnabus - who knows if they are just off-course migrants or if there is breeding going on? Louise Muir, over on Jura had an Osprey at the head of Loch Tarbert with a White-tailed Eagle there later in the day.

Thursday 16th July

Another hot, dry and sunny day with temperatures between 20-25C.

Mary-Ann Featherstone recorded another brood of 7 Red-breasted Merganser ducklings at Cnoc Bay.

The count of the Starling roost on Bruichladdich pier this evening was at c.1,100 - a classic July peak of this post-breeding gathering of adult and young birds.

David Dinsley saw 2 Swifts this evening over Lagavulin distillery and sent in this fine photo of a leucistic Robin near Laphroaig distillery.

Monday 13th. Tuesday 14th & Wednesday 15th July

Hot, dry and sunny with light winds and high temperatures - our own little Islay heatwave with temperatures up in the low 20sC.

Despite the glorious weather (if you overlook the likelihood that it is all due to global warming!), it is a quiet time of year for birding and there were no sightings for Monday. Yesterday Steve & Lyn Rogers noted, amongst various regular species, Spotted Flycatcher at Cairnmore Woods, Kilnaughton. 

Clive McK. was over on Jura and had a group of 5 Swifts over the southern end of the island. This species has only been recorded on 8 previous occasions on Jura between 1974 and 2024, with 2-3 the previous maximum number - so a good record by all counts.

Today Jo Rosser-Owen reported continued nesting of Swallows in her garage up at Bridgend, while MaryAnn F. had a family of Red-breasted Mergansers (6 ducklings) at the Dower House, Kildalton. David D. saw a juvenile Cuckoo at Upper Cragabus and 2 Greenshanks on Loch Kinnabus where he heard 2, possibly 3 calling Quail this evening. Clive McK. had a further 6 Greenshanks at Bun an Uillt, Gruinart, a just -fledged Common Tern on Oitir Riabach (the small perilously low-lying shingle island in Loch Gruinart where terns often try, and often fail to breed due to flooding). Most odd was an observation of an Oystercatcher trying to feed a Common Gull fledgling with lugworms.

Roger Broad kindly sent in a report regarding White-tailed Eagle on Islay. Apparently Morven Laurie, NatureScot found the fairly freshly bird dead bird near Loch Gorm, back on 28th April 2026. It was good to know that the bird tested negative for HPAI. The bird was ringed by Roger as a chick on Mull 20 years previously on 29th June 2006. It was a female and was fitted with yellow wing tags. It was later seen at its subsequent breeding site on Islay with a male (also with yellow wing tags) in December 2009. These became the first breeding pair on Islay in 2010 when they bred successfully near Finlaggan. This bird was presumed to have bred in the same area in the following years - so may have been one of our pioneering breeding birds for 16 or more years.

Sunday 12th July

A bright, dry and sunny day of light wind and hot temperatures (I noted 26C at one point today).

Clive McK. was observing up at Gruinart and noted a sub-adult Golden Eagle being harassed by 5 Buzzards plus a flock of 15 Bar-tailed Godwits, some in summer plumage and 8 Arctic Terns. There was a juvenile Cuckoo at Coullabus, a roadkill recently fledged Barn Owl at Eorrabus and 7 Wood Pigeons at Gareallabus. Best of his sightings was a group of 7 Common Swifts, which prompted reports from Fiona McG. of 6 over Port Wemyss early this morning and Swifts over Kildalton yesterday from Mary Ann F. - though no numbers were given. This is not a common species on Islay, so do please send in all sightings.

Friday 10th & Saturday 11th July

Two pleasant days with a fair bit of sunshine between cloudier periods. Dry, light winds and not too hot.

Yesterday Ed B. saw a Tufted Duck on the loch at Cornabus - his first there, while David Wood had 100s of Common Dolphins between Gigha and the Sound of Islay.

Today I counted 26 Black Guillemots at Port Askaig and friends of Mary Ann F. watched a Corn Crake cross the road at Ardbeg, plus 3 Grey Herons off Cnoc Bay. Billy Stitchell was up at Lily loch seeing many of the usual species: several Wrens, a few juvenile robin, Redpoll, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Siskin, Swallows, Coal Tit, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher  and Greenfinch. 

Bruichladdich pier is, as usual, being used as a roost site to currently 300+ Starlings.

Thursday 9th July

A warmer day with little rain, light winds and a bit of sunshine  - also quite humid.

A Great Northern Diver was present off Port Charlotte yesterday and this morning Alistair H. saw a couple of Swifts near Claddach, and a male Hen Harrier and 30+ Skylarks near Gruinart. I was up at Finlaggan where there was a group of 14 Pied Wagtails.

Friends who came over this morning on the Kintyre Express from Ballycastle report 2-3 Minke Whales between Rathlin and The Oa.

Monday 6th, Tuesday 7th & Wednesday 8th July

Monday and Tuesday were miserable - drizzle, low cloud, mist and breezy. Wednesday saw a turn for the better with bright, calm and sunny weather by mid-morning.

On Monday Alistair Hart reported Grasshopper Warblers calling at Portnahaven.

There were no records for Tuesday.

Today Alistair reported lots of the usual species from his wanderings around the Portnahaven/Cladville area in the much better weather.

David Wood reports a Quail at Kinnabus and confirms that the Tree Sparrows reported a few weeks ago have successfully bred with fledged young in the Glen Astle area. This species only occurs erratically, with little pattern to their appearances on Islay and is even more erratic as a breeding bird - the last confirmed breeding (also on The Oa) was 2009.

Over on Jura today, David Jardine reports Yellowhammer, Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 singing Blackcaps at Port an Tarbairt. Girish Patel, also now on Jura saw a Yellowhammer at Cnocbreac and a singing Whitethroat at Inver Cottage.

Friday 3rd, Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th July

 The weather has been awful - cloudy, raining and breezy, with Port Ellen apparently being the wettest place in the UK a day or so ago!

Needless to say, that has meant no bird notes sent in and the three day gap in bothering to write the blog.

However, we welcome a new resident birder to Islay, Rogan Wolhuter, who pointed out that this day 13 years ago was a true "red letter day" for Islay's ornithology:

This was the second UK record - both in Argyll, the first 60 years before the Islay one - so not long to wait until the next!

Tuesday 30th June, Wednesday 1st & Thursday 2nd July

Very variable, quickly changing weather over the last three days. Mostly with cloudy conditions and light rain and stronger winds, but brightening up considerably by lunchtime on 2nd.

There were no bird notes posted for Tuesday or Wednesday.

Today Girish Patel was at Claggain Bay and reports 2 Red-throated Diver and one Great Northern Diver, along with Black Guillemots, Eiders and a Red-breasted Merganser.

Monday 29th June

 A mostly overcast rainy/drizzly day with light winds.

Mary R. reports a total of 9 Ravens along with the regular White-tailed Eagle at Claddach. Girish Patel watched a Golden Eagle at Ballymeanach, while Ruaridh Fotheringham saw 3 0r 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphins this evening off Port Charlotte.

Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June

Two days of mostly decent warm and sunny weather with occasional rain showers.

Thanks to Malcolm O. for covering the blog for me while I was over on Colonsay and Oronsay where we saw Oronsay's first confirmed breeding Hen Harriers and visited "Pig's Paradise" on Colonsay - a very spectacular seabird cliff packed full of Kittiwakes, Razorbills and Guillemots that we can only dream of here on Islay.

The only bird reports for yesterday came from Mary Redman who saw a fine male Kestrel down at Currie Sands the day before. Billy Stitchell sent in some interesting  photos from a walk around Lily Loch.

Today, Martin Armstrong found a family of Whinchats along the Glenastle track on The Oa, plus a pair of Mistle Thrushes.

There were also various messages about lepidoptera sightings including this fine photo of a Common Blue butterfly taken by Girish Patel on The Oa yesterday.

Friday 26th June

It was several degrees cooler today, After some spectacular lightning during the night, it was mainly overcast with a breeze varying between north-west and east! A handful of light showers occurred in the morning.

David D, on the RSPB's Oa reserve, reported a Treecreeper, a juvenile Cuckoo, and a Great Skua, as well as a pod of Harbour Porpoises below the American Monument. Andy and Clare Sharman  had a flypast by 2 Grey Herons and a male Hen Harrier while sitting on the beach at Port Ghillie Greamhair, just to the west of Sanaigmore Bay, where they later saw 2 Black Guillemots, 5 Choughs and 12 Oystercatchers. 

An enquiry about Corn Crake numbers on the island this summer was responded to by David D with information that it isn't a great year for them, with the number of calling males around 25, though some of these are as yet unconfirmed, with 12 of them on RSPB reserves. 

The summering Whooper Swan is still present on the flooded fields at Gruinart.

The attached photo was taken by Tony Church, then warden of the Islay Youth Hostel, back in 2007. He was driving along a road and spotted this bird on top of a wall. It ignored him as he stopped his car and backed up until level with it to take this photo.

 

 

Thursday 25th June

Today was hot! The temperature at the airport, where there is an official met station, reached 27°C (80.6°F), which, if Google is to be believed, is a new record for Islay, the previous highest being 26°C (78.8°F) in June 2018. Light and variable winds, mostly from the south and east, helped a little bit.

Andy and Clare Sharman reported that, the day before, on their walk at Killinallan, they came across a Sand Martin colony in the dunes, counting 14 birds, which prompted Steve R to say that he thought that the recently reduced access to Kilnaughton beach had benefitted the Sand Martins breeding there. Andy and Clare were on The Oa today seeing both Golden and White-tailed Eagles (see photo below). They also counted 8 Choughs by the American Monument and saw 14 Gannets offshore.

Fiona McG, over on Jura in the last 3 days, reported 1 definite Quail, but more probably 2. As already mentioned, this is a good year for Quail all across the country. 

Local resident Jo Rosser-Owen has been walking through Bridgend Woods with the Cornell University bird identification app, Merlin, on her phone, which heard the songs or calls of 14 different species, including Siskin and Blackcap. This appears to be the only regular site for Blackcaps on the island.

Clive McKay on the west side of Loch Gruinart was surprised to see a Great Skua swoop low over his garden. He also saw a Pink-footed Goose flying south from Ardnave with 4 Greylags.