Tuesday 22nd October

Another big whack of birds to report through to you all... better late than never!!!

On Monday, Dave Pierce and Naturetrek had seen the following birds.. 2 common Guillemots, 6 Tysties, a single Common Scoter, and also RTDs and also GNDs off Bruichladdich. Over at Bunnahabhain they had a White tailed Eagle, while down at Carrabus, 2 Merlin were seen. Finally at Gruinart, they saw an immature Golden Eagle as well as an adult White tailed Eagle.

Also on Monday, Nick Skilbeck and the Worcs RSPB group had hired a boat and on a trip up the sound of Islay and into Loch Tarbert on Jura and returned out had seen 9 White tailed Eagles, a Merlin, a Peregrine, 2 Golden Eagles, 15 GND, 2 RTD, c. 20 Tysties and a dog Otter as well, just fantastic!!!

Today, Nick and his fellows had 25 Twite down on the Oa, 2 Golden Eagle, 2 Chough, a Merlin, a Peregrine. Offshore they had Gannets, Kittiwakes and Fulmars feeding. At Claggain Bay, they had 3 GND, Aros bay held 30 Curlew, and along on the Pheasant feeders at Kildalton, they counted 12 Yellowhammers. At Kintra, they saw 2 RTD. Nick also said that they had seen several flocks of geese around on their travels as well.

Dave Pierce and the Naturetrek group had seen an adult White tailed Eagle over the Sound of Jura and then another at Craighouse. Back on Islay, 3 Hen Harriers were seen between Gruinart and Ardnave plus an immature Golden Eagle at Ardnave which flew cross the loch  towards Killinallan. At Ardnave they had 12 Choughs present, while over the raised beach at Gruinart, they had another immature Golden Eagle.

James had seen a Bairds Sandpiper on Loch Gruinart along with some Dunlin and also 6 Grey Plovers. The Bairds Sandpiper was also seen later on by Nick and his group as well.

David Clugston along with his wife Pauline and also Val Wilson from the Clyde branch of the SOC are over for another "Islay fix". I was really pleased to meet up with them and an e mail later on from Val told me that they had a Kingfisher seen on the shoreline below the Generator station as you go into Bowmore. Val also told me that the record of the Kingfisher was their 88th species seen since they arrived only 2 days ago....

Monday 5th September

Jim Dickson saw the Baird's Sandpiper down at the pool at "smelly corner" again this morning. Yesterday, over the crag here at home, there were a pair of Peregrines flying about and later on in the afternoon a Kestrel was seen too. Today, another day and there were 6 Buzzards out over the crag all at the same time, I had to double check, but sure enough there were definitely SIX. Later on, beside Loch Gorm a male Hen Harrier was out quartering his patch. Down at Gartmain, there 26 Wigeon resting up, and finally when coming home, a Sparrowhawk flew across the road just after Rockside. Visitors had seen 2 Golden Eagles round the other side of Loch Gorm today out on the thermals.

Sunday 4th September

The other night while James was out walking his dog, he heard the Red Deer roaring away. Today down on Loch Gruinart, James had a count of 87 Redshank and later on Jim Dickson who is over for the week, had seen 3 Little Stint, 2 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank and 24 Black tailed Godwit, all on Loch Gruinart. This afternoon over on the reserve at Gruinart, Michal had a Golden Eagle being mobbed by a pair of Ravens, and then a Buzzard joined in to have a go too! Late afternoon, James had an Osprey between Rock Mountain and the turn off at the head of Loch Gorm heading over the hill to Gruinart. Jim Dickson was down at "smelly corner", around tea time and had more luck with the waders today, and had 5 Little Stint and also a juvenile Baird's Sandpiper.