Thursday 29th October

A basically dry, sunny at times day with light to moderate winds from a more southerly/ south-easterly direction.

Not a great amount of bird news posted today. Ed B. reported that the Snow goose had left Leorin and turned up at his farm at Cornabus. Mandy H. saw 11 adult and 9 young Whooper Swans in stubble fields near Rock Mountain. Rogan W. took a look at birds travelling south down the Sound of Islay in the afternoon, noting amongst other species 13 Kittiwakes, single Great Northern Diver and Black-headed Gull, 58 Shags and a Buzzard again seen flying from Jura to Islay.

Mike Bell sent in his notes for today, being pleased to have seen all 8 regular raptor species in one day - both eagles, Hen Harrier, a total of 13 Buzzards, plus Kestrel, Peregrine, Merlin and Sparrowhawk. Mike also counted a substantial number of Whoopers in the Kilchoman/Loch Gorm area - 156 in all.

Yesterday I commented on the number of Barn Owls being seen during the day and the attacks on them by Peregrine and White-tailed Eagle. Paul Handyside sent in his unique photos of the attack by the White-tailed Eagle, firstly the owl and the eagle, then the confrontation between the two: