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.