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.