Another fine, dry and sunny day with slightly breezier conditions from the SE.
David Dinsley noted our first Swift of the year coming in high off the sea over Ben Mhor, The Oa.
Ian Littlewood counted 50+ Whimbrel heading north on Loch Indaal and Ella Simpson had a Corn Crake up at Conisby.
Another fairly warm, very sunny, dry and pleasant day.
Mary R. saw a male Hen Harrier this morning at Claddach along with a regular pair of Canada Geese flying between Claddach Loch and McKenzie Island. Nick Bone was watching a female Hen Harrier at Lossit at the same time, flying towards Claddach.
This afternoon Martin A. found an Osprey eating its catch of fish on a fence post near Gartnatra and Clive McK. had a couple of Great Skuas up at Ardnave along with a Kestrel and a decent count of 70+ Whimbrel between Garra Eallabus and Ardnave. On Ardnave Loch he noted the 4 Scaup still present along with 6 Tufted Ducks.
Janice & Tim Scott are visiting and were pleased to actually see a Corn Crake at Portnahaven where they also heard a Grasshopper Warbler.
Visiting birder Ian Littlewood sent in records of birds seen this week including White-tailed Eagle and Hen Harrier at Bunnahabhain on 24th; Golden Eagle at Loch Ballygrant and Merlin near Loch Bharradail on 25th; White-tailed Eagle at Cnoc Cro a Mhail on 26th; 3 Corn Crakes at Portnahaven on 27th and "numerous flocks of Whimbrel ranging from 10-20 birds around the Rhinns with 52 at Kilchiaran Bay" plus Golden Eagle at Gearach and Whinchat at Kilchoman today.
Another basically dry and sunny day, though cloudy at times with a cool, light easterly breeze.
Nick Bone reports a Corncrake at Lossit and Clive McK. saw 47 Whimbrel at Gareallabus, a White-tailed Eagle mobbed by Greylags and, most unusual, 2 pairs of Scaup on Ardnave Loch.
James H. heard a Water Rail and saw a late Jack Snipe at Gruinart in the morning, and took a look over Gruinart Flats later in the day, reporting a/the pair of Garganey still present along with a Ruff, 16 Whimbrel, a pair of Gadwall and 9 Black-tailed Godwits.
I noted a flock of 15 Whimbrel at Bruichladdich, then did a walk in the Lily Loch area noting a pair of White-tailed Eagles flying about and 2 Great Northern Divers on the Sound of Islay. Billy Stitchell was also at Lily Loch during the day and sent in a couple of photos - one of possibly the same eagle and another typifying a pleasant spring day with plenty of bird song from summer migrants.
Two further days of pleasant, sunny and mild weather.
Thanks to Malcolm Ogilvie for doing the blog in my 3 weeks absence - and to Mary Redman for taking over from Malcolm when he was unavailable.
While I've been away there has been a major change in the island's birdlife as the wintering geese all got away to Greenland and a flurry of the summer visitors arrived. Reporting has quietened down a little since and there have been few posts over the last two days:
Yesterday Ed B. reported Arctic and Sandwich Terns at Kilnaughton and Louise M. had a Whimbrel in front of the Jura Hotel.
So far, there are no sightings posted today.
Saturday 25th April
The fine weather continues, though with some patches of cloud keeping the nights a little warmer.
The only reports come from James H at the RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve where the first Lapwing chicks have appeared, while, on the floods, the pair of Garganey was still present, as was a single Ruff.
Here's another Billy Stitchell photograph, of a Mistle Thrush surveying his territory.
Friday 24th April
A repeat of yesterday's weather, dry, sunny and getting warmer.
Peter Gill's dawn chorus on a stroll below Lyrabus consisted of 3 Cuckoos, 5 Grasshopper Warblers, 4 Sedge Warblers and 2 Common Whitethroats. A little later, he saw 2 Long-tailed Ducks off Bruichladdich. James How added to the songsters with a Grasshopper Warbler and no less than 3 Water Rails calling at Gruinart.
Peter Gill later had the delightful experience of the Little and Large of the raptor world when watching a Merlin on a roadside fence near Ardnave as a White-tailed Eagle flew past.
Louise M reported at least 30 Great Northern Divers in the Sound of Jura, on the east side of the island, and, later in the afternoon, Ed B saw a Moorhen and 3 Whimbrel at Cornabus. Moorhen is an elusive bird on Islay, with comparatively few breeding pairs, perhaps no more than 20. Cornabus would be a new site if Ed's bird can find a mate.
Billy Stitchell has been out with his camera again and contributed this fine one of a Pied Wagtail. I particularly like the lighting on it.
Thursday 23rd April
The nice big anticyclone persists, giving us blue skies and a southerly breeze, and very slowly getting warmer during the day.
Paul Miller saw what could well turn out to be the bird of the year, a Black Kite, floating in the wind above Sanaig, and heading up the coast towards Ardnave. This record has, naturally, to be scrutinised by the relevant rare bird committee, but, if accepted, will be the first for Islay and just the 5th or 6th for Argyll, as there's a pending record from last year seen on Kintyre, the full details of which are still awaited.
Paul also saw a Common Whitethroat at Sanaig, the first for the year duly clocking in, while Peter Gill had a Whinchat at Lyrabus. In the afternoon, James H. spotted 4 Ruffs from the Loch Gruinart south hide, Fiona McG found a brood of 8 Mallard ducklings at Shorefield, just outside Bruichladdich, while I watched 2 Sandwich Terns flying in front of the village. Grasshopper Warblers were vocal in the evening, with 3+ below Lyrabus heard by Peter Gill and 2 in Glen Astle, together with 3 Cuckoos, reported by David D. Mary McR also had a Cuckoo near Gearach earlier in the day.
Butterflies on the wing included a Red Admiral at Shorefield (Fiona McG) and Green Hairstreaks on The Oa (David D).
Wednesday 22nd April
Dry and sunny, though the persistent easterly breeze kept it cool.
The birds of the day were undoubtedly the pair of Garganey seen and photographed by Mark Livingston from the RSPB Loch Gruinart south hide. One or two, occasionally more, of this lovely small migrant duck turn up here most springs, with breeding proved in 1997 and suspected in five years since, the last time in 2014.
David Jardine, on the ferry to Colonsay, saw a single Puffin flying north off SE Jura and then c.15 Manx Shearwaters north of Rubha Mhail lighthouse. David Wood reported the first Whinchat of the year from Kinnabus, while, also on The Oa, David D spotted a White-tailed Eagle, in his words "performing pest control on a Greylag Goose nest." Over at Kildalton, Mary-Ann F saw a Redpoll, and also a Speckled Wood butterfly on the wing.
In the late afternoon, Mark Livingston found 3 immature White-tailed Eagles at Ardnave, while Ed B had a high count of 38 Wood Pigeons at Cornabus.
David Wood reported that an adult male Linnet killed by a cat in Port Ellen yesterday was wearing a ring put on 49 days ago in Wiltshire, so not a very nice Islay welcome for it.
And here are Mark's photos.
Tuesday 21st April
A dry and sunny day with a blue sky, but also white horses on the blue sea because of a strong easterly wind.
Only a few records today, of single Whimbrel at Saligo from Louise M and at Cornabus from Ed B, and of 3 singing Sedge Warblers near the south hide at Gruinart from James H.
Gordon Langsbury took this cracking photograph of a Sedge Warbler.
Monday 20th April
Sunny with blue skies, and white fluffy clouds gradually giving way to overcast and even a few spots of rain in the evening, with light variable winds.
Last night on the Gurinart Floods, Clive McK watched 70 Redshanks behaving like migrants, with 35 flying off to the NW in a tight flock, followed by 57 Golden Plover on the same track. There were a further 100 which stayed on the Flats, together with 7 Whimbrel, 28+ Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Greenland Whitefronts and 1 Common Sandpiper.
Records from different parts of the island included the first Sedge Warbler of the summer at Loch Gruinart (Paul Miller), a Cuckoo and Common Sandpipers at Kinnabus (David W), a single Golden Plover at Frenchman's Rocks (Mary McR), a Grasshopper Warbler at Lyrabus (Peter Gill), and a White Wagtail and a Whimbrel at Machir Bay (Clive McK).
To end the day, Mary McW reported a Corncrake calling away at Portnahaven. Around this time of year, one has to decide whether it was calling or singing!
Sunday 19th April 2026
I don't know whether to whisper it or shout it from the rooftops, but the sun shone all day, the skies were their bluest of blues, and the wind was a light breeze. What's more, these conditions look like continuing for the week, gradually warming.
This lovely weather brought with it the summer's first Corncrake, at Portnahaven, reported with delight by Louise M. Cuckoos were reported from Jura (2 on stereo at Ballard, according to Louise) and Ardillistry (Mary-Ann F).
Steve Rogers sent in his WeBS count from Loch an t-Sailein, finding: Oystercatcher 18, Greylag 25, Herring Gull 8, Heron 2, Curlew 2, Canada Goose 4, Shag 3, GBB Gull 2, Shelduck 2, RB Merganser 9, GN Diver 2, Dunlin 98, Sandwich Tern 2, and Common Gull 2, also seeing 2 Otters and 15+ Common Seals, while a Willow Warbler was singing close by. Steve also had his first-ever Twite in the mixed finch flock in his garden at Emerivale on The Oa side of Port Ellen. Thanks, Steve.
At lunchtime, Ed B reported his first Orange Tip butterfly of the summer at Cornabus and the 'ping' of his WhatsApp message disturbed me as I was watching my first one at Bruichladdich.
Saturday 18th April
High pressure moving in, at last, with the wind dropping and the sun coming out, though still not warm.
New migrants arriving by the day, with Ed B kicking off with a Grasshopper Warbler singing at Cornabus, and Clive McK seeing a Little Tern at Killinallan, as well as a Whimbrel there, with a single Curlew.
Peter Gill saw a Cuckoo fly over Lyrabus in the morning, while Ed B had a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming for the first time at Cornabus where he has seen them but not heard them before.
Here's a Gordon Langsbury photo of a Little Tern.
Friday 17th April 2026
Nothing new about the weather with strong mainly southerly winds carrying squalls.
Clive McK reported that "their" Cuckoo was back on the powerlines behind their garden at Gruinart for its brief summer sojourn on Islay. Peter Gill found both Blackcap and Chiffchaff at Lily Loch/Loch Allan in the morning and heard a Tawny Owl calling around midday from the woodland above the Port Askaig Hotel. Ed B. flushed a Jack Snipe at Cornabus in the afternoon, while James H. had another at Gruinart as well as a White Wagtail, 2 Cuckoos and still 19 Whooper Swans, 8 Barnacle and 6 White-fronted Geese, together with 58 Black-tailed Godwits. Towards the end of the day, Mary McR saw a Common Sandpiper at Claddach, while Clive McK watched an Osprey fly south over Loch Gruinart, while 8 Gannets flew up the loch and then back out again.
One of our local photographers, David Livingstone, sent in a photo of a female Hen Harrier hunting close to the Singing Sands, respectively. Thank you, David, for enlivening this blog.
Thursday 16th April
The same strong SE wind continued with showers, sometimes wandering around to SW.
Hirundines were mainly in evidence, with a House Martin at Cornabus seen by Ed B, another prospecting at Clive McK's house at Creag Mhor, David W saw 4 at Kinnabus, and Peter Gill saw "some" at the Woollen Mill. Later in the day, James H reported over 100 Sand Martins feeding over the Loch Gruinart floods, which also held 7 Gadwalls. Nick Bone had a Cuckoo at Gruinart in the morning, while Steve R watched a White-tailed Eagle being mobbed by gulls as it flew from Port Ellen towards Kilnaughton.
Clive McK filmed Linnet courtship in his garden, commenting that the male still had some "reddening up" to do.
Wednesday 15th April
The weather was on repeat, plus a bit of thunder in some of the afternoon squalls.
Only a few observations were sent in today, Peter Gill finding 3 Brent Geese at Blackrock in the morning and, later, 2 Sandwich Terns below the Gaelic College. Mary McR. had 2 Swallows at Claddach, while Nick Bone heard a Cuckoo at Gruinart.
IMPORTANT NOTICE!
Morven Laurie (NatureScot) reminds anyone finding dead birds on the shore to not handle them but to notify this link
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/
Finally, this fine photograph of a White-tailed Eagle carrying a rabbit was sent in on Sunday by David Livingstone. Sorry it got overlooked, David, but many thanks for it.
Tuesday 14th April
The strong south-easterlies continued all day with some rain, mostly in the afternoon.
If you're a Greenland White-fronted Goose on Islay in spring looking to head to Iceland on your way to where you breed in west Greenland, then a south-easterly wind is what you want. So, when Ed B. reported first thing that the last of the geese tagged during the winter at Cornabus was heading north, this was certainly to be expected, as was its arrival in Iceland later in the day. The details are wonderfully revealing. It left Glenastle on The Oa at about 4 am and arrived in south-east Iceland, a distance of c. 800 miles/1300 km, at about 5 pm. This suggests an average speed of 100 kph, or 62 mph. The south-east wind probably provided a boost of about 50%. Well done, that bird, and the rest of the flock it will have been in.
David W. reported 400+ Golden Plovers and a Swallow at Kinnabus in the morning, while Peter Gill had a Great Spotted Woodpecker by the carpark entrance to Loch Ballygrant and a Common Sandpiper beside the loch. Pat Jackson found the first Cuckoo of the year, also at Loch Ballygrant, where there were also "lots" of singing Willow Warblers. Billy Stitchell's garden was invaded by 10-15 Swallows around 6 pm in the evening.
Finally, one of Ed B's neighbours at Cornabus think they saw a Red Kite, so something to keep an eye open for.
Saturday 11th, Sunday 12th & Monday 13th April
First, my thanks to Mary Redman for stepping in at very short notice and doing the blog when I was flown off the island to hospital for a small emergency operation. During six boring days on the top floor of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow the undoubted highlight was an adult female Peregrine flying past my window!
Quite strong SE winds persisted through the three days, with occasional squally showers.
No bird records were received on Saturday, but Sunday was busier with Karim Labib counting 18 Brent Geese on the shore at Loch Gorm House, Bruichladdich, and about 500 Golden Plover on the Gruinart Flats, while Ed B. had 2 Sandwich Terns past the Gaelic College and an Osprey fishing at the mouth of the River Sorn.
On Monday, Martin Reid saw a male Hen Harrier near the Kildalton Cross, 2 probable Sandwich Terns and 2 Great Northern Divers in a bay near Ardbeg and 4 Gannets at Claggain Bay. In the morning, Clive McK watched 400+ Barnacle and 40+ Greenland White-fronted Geese head off NW, followed not long after by another 160 Barnacles and 15 Whitefronts. Peter Gill reported a single Redwing in the field beside the RSPB Gruinart reserve carpark, a single Pinkfooted Goose with Barnacles at Gruinart and then this spring's first Common Sandpiper close to the pier at Bruichladdich.
Other arriving summer visitors were 3 Swallows seen by Mary McR overhead at Claddach and a House Martin at Creag Mhor, Gruinart, seen by Clive McK, both in the morning.
Ed B. had 8 new Pinkfeet at Cornabus joining the family that's been there all winter, while, towards evening, soon after a male Merlin had "whizzed up" the side Loch Gruinart flushing everything, Clive watched 25 "very excitable" Redshanks getting up from the Gruinart floods and heading north. 7 Common Snipe looked as if they would follow but eventually turned back and landed. A single Greenland Whitefront was present, then 27 came into the Flats from on high, presumably staging from somewhere to the south.
Finally, during the afternoon, a Willow Warbler with white outer tail feathers was in Clive's garden, very likely the same bird as he saw there last July. Here's his video of it.
Good evening from a wild and windy south-west coast of Islay! This morning wasn't too bad, bright sunny spells but strong winds all day, building to this evenings blast. On my morning rounds of the lambing field it was unusually quiet, just 2 snipe leaping up from puddles as I approached. It seems there wasn't much going on with Islay's bird watchers today, just David on the Oa reported 4 pink-foot geese at Kinnabus. Lets see what tomorrow brings!
Back to the routine of strong winds, cold chills and showers. April at its finest. I'm glad of the shelter my hill ground affords the lambs on the ground in weather like this.
Mary-Ann reported a male hen harrier at Seal bay, and I had a large ring-tail hen harrier at Claddach Loch earlier. Every morning on my lambing rounds I spook a pair of teal from the pools near Frenchman's as well as numerous meadow and rock pipits, skylark, oystercatcher pairs, snipe, redshank and wheatear. Hooded crows are never far away, and the ravens often take a tour round the croft midday.
Steve reported a magpie at Emerivale: an Islay twitch! Billy at Ballygrant also had a visiting magpie to the garden on Tuesday. His normally tolerant ring-necked doves have apparently taken a real dislike of the bird and actively chase it!
Clive had found a dead guillemot at Kintra on Saturday, from its BTO ring he discovered the bird had been rung on the Treshnish isles as an adult in 2016. Clive is concerned with the number of dead birds he and others have discovered on islays shores recently - a result of bad weather? Bird flu?
Thanks to all for your sightings. Apologies again for the lack of photos, my computer just doesn't want to!
Good evening all from Claddach! I've been roped in to help for a few days. I'll do my best - today has been a 'spring event' with swallows, willow warblers, chiffchaff seen and/or heard across Islay and Jura. Though not a competition, Louise at Craighouse on Jura, heard them yesterday. So there.
Perhaps the best highlight was the common crane that was reported at Gruinart today. I'm sure the nearby cafes were delighted with the extra footfall! I'm afraid my computer won't let me upload photos for whatever reason, however if you head to the WhatsApp group the evidence is there.
Also on the group, Ed shared a data tracking map of a Greenland White-fronted goose satellite tag, showing its 15 hour journey from Islay to Greenland on Monday. Clive noted flocks of geese departing from Loch Gruinart, the next day there were swallows, sand martins and wheatear!
The wind returns tomorrow after a glorious day today then, just as the water levels in the fields were beginning to cheer up, a little rain is expected to top up the mud.
Saturday 4th April
A damp and increasingly windy day, a few of the early squalls being mostly hail. However, the worst of Storm Dave passed to the south, so the night wasn't perhaps as noisy as had been threatened.
David Hicklin spotted a/the Cackling Canada Goose on the Gruinart Flats in the morning (see photo), while Clive McK. noticed that the Barnacle Geese had been putting on weight prior to their migration (see photo). The geese are monitored for NatureScot each late winter/spring, using the shape of their back end between the legs and tail, known as their abdominal profile, which is where they store some of the fat which they will use up as they fly north. This gives an indication of how well they've managed to feed up prior to leaving. Fiona McG who carries out the monitoring rated this one as a 3-3.5, so getting close to the maximum. A bird without any fat shows an almost straight line between the legs and the base of the tail.
Later in the day, Clive was at Kintra on the Big Strand and noted 8 freshly dead Guillemots and one dead Manx Shearwater. One of the Guillemots had a British ring on its leg and we look forward to learning where it was ringed. It has already been identified as having been ringed as an adult in 2016.
Yet another day with very changeable weather - everything from overcast and rainy to bright and sunny with light winds to breezy conditions.
Billy Stitchell reporting from Caol Ila reckons birds at his feeders are down in numbers, but still recorded 8 Siskins, 2Great, 3 Blue and 4 Coal Tits, a few sparrows, 2 Starlings and Chaffinch with a flock of 20 Goldfinches last night accompanied by a few Chaffinch and a single Yellowhammer. He also noted this evening a Magpie that popped in briefly.
This morning Tom Skinner reported an Osprey - first of the year - perched atop a telegraph pole near Loch Gorm enjoying a large trout. James H. saw the wintering Green-winged Teal plus White-tailed and Golden Eagles over the flats at Gruinart, while visitor Brock Lueck saw a Wheatear up at Ardnave.
Following on from Nick Bone's excellent talk last night at the INHT centre about Terns on Islay, Val Peacock saw our first two terns of summer off Port Charlotte today, but too far to identify specifically.
Mary Ann F. sent in the two gruesome photos of a raptor found between Port Askaig and MacArthur's Head - anyone want to suggest what it is?
Another day with quickly changing weather - sunny and dry to start with increasing winds from the south with rain and cloud later in the day.
Clive McK. noted Barnacle Geese heading off north and west towards Iceland this morning, plus a Merlin up at Gruinart, with another Merlin seen by David D. at Stremnish on The Oa. Other than that Lauren Stewart saw the resident, feral Chinese Goose hanging out with a few Greylags in its usual area between Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte.
Moderate SW winds with overcast rainy conditions in the morning giving way to a dry sunnier afternoon.
Ed B. noticed the partially leucistic Barnacle Goose on his patch at Cornabus again this morning.
It was Mel Chown's last day on Islay today finding 150 Knot in Loch Indaal from the Gaelic College, plus 10 Common Scoter, a male Goldeneye and a lovely breeding plumaged Slavonian Grebe. Later at the Woollen Mill there were 3 Grey Wagtails and a Dipper. The day finished up at Ardnave with a White-tailed Eagle, 3 ring-tail Hen Harriers and this fine shot of a dapper male Wheatear.
Other records were all about a spring influx of Gannets, with several up and down Loch Indaal during the day and Mary-Ann F. counting at least 70 off Kildalton.
