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.

 

 

 

Wednesday 24th June 

Warm and mostly sunny with light mostly westerly wind.

Jackie Wedd and Dave departed today, seeing 3 Common Dolphins from the ferry, while yesterday they saw a White-tailed Eagle at Finlaggan, where a Common Whitethroat was singing nonstop. 

Another departing visitor, Stephen Garner, saw 5 Red-throated Divers off the Port Mor campsite, Port Charlotte, a Golden Eagle over the Gruinart Flats and a leucistic Collared Dove near the entrance to Aoradh Farm on the RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve

Clive McK reported a dramatic increase in Curlews on L Gruinart, from 25-30 two weeks ago to 147 today. Common Swifts continue to turn up, with David W. seeing two at Loch Kinnabus in the evening.

Andy and Clare Sharman had a walk along the beach at Killinallan and reported seeing a White-tailed Eagle, 5 Ringed Plovers, 17 Sanderlings, 1 Redshank, 4 Lapwings, about 20 Oystercatchers, and 3 Black-backed Gulls, the size, and therefore species, of these last not stated.

Tuesday 23rd June

A hot day with plenty of blue sky and sunshine with very little wind, though becoming fairly overcast and cooler by late afternoon.

Late news from yesterday from Clive McK. who was returning to Islay on the ferry and saw a Minke Whale off Ardtalla and a juvenile Great Tit sat on the ferry on the crossing!

Today's news started with reports of Common Dolphins off Jura and a range of interesting dragonflies and butterflies until Clive McK. reported a Quail calling at Gruinart near Creag Mhor. There has been quite a big influx of Quail into the UK this spring and this is the first for us on Islay. In the afternoon Fiona McG. heard another Quail over on Jura at Inver.  There had previously only been reports of the species back in the 19th century and this is the first modern record of the species on Jura.

Some of us were out overnight doing the second Corn Crake survey with David D. hearing a couple over near Gartbreck on Loch Indaal and myself noting 3 birds on my stretch of the Rhinns between Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte.

Andy Sharman noted a colour-ringed Oystercatcher at Kilnaughton which hopefully can be identified in due course. We've had a number of these sightings over the years of birds from Ireland and wintering birds in S, Wales and the south coast of England.

Stephen Garner was out and about and sent in the following account of his day: "This morning we stopped off at Bridgend Woods for a walk in the shade. Nice assemblage of woodland birds - Blackbird, Wood Pigeon, Chaffinch, Treecreeper, Robin (including juveniles), Coal Tit, Blue Tit, a fly-past by 3 Siskin and a Spotted Flycatcher hawking insects from a large conifer next to the meadow area.

Onward to Saligo via north side of Loch Gorm: female Hen Harrier just below the road over to Gruinart. On the right hand side wires beyond the junction but before the White House being painted on the left, a male Cuckoo and a male singing Whinchat. At the parking area for Saligo a Sedge Warbler was calling from the common reed fringe upstream of the bridge".

Monday 22nd June

Quite warm, but with a mix of cloud and sunshine with an attempt at rain in the morning.

Yesterday Jackie Wedd saw a couple of Spotted Flycatchers at the Ardmore House jetty and  3 Red-legged Partridges by Cattadale Farm - presumably released birds for shooting? David D. had 2 Swifts over Ben Mhor this morning.

Mary-Ann F. commented that there seemed to be plenty of sand eels in the shallows at Kildalton and David D. saw similarly good numbers at Ardtalla yesterday, while Jackie Wedd commented that she saw Arctic Terns carrying sand eels in suspected courtship feeding.

Stephen Garner was over on Jura successfully finding Otters and hearing Cuckoo calling, and noting the usual Willow Warblers, Redpoll and Yellowhammer around Inver Woods.