Monday 28 Feb

 

Last day of February and the first day of the meteorological Spring comes tomorrow.  It is very spring-like with pairs of mallards visible in the nearby lochs of Claddach and Ellister, pairs of birds courting such as 2 chough in sync over Port Wemyss this morning and the local pair of raven at Claddach; oystercatchers and lapwing back in territory; skylarks singing at Claddach and the Oa; and Margaret reported a lot of frogs and spawn in the ponds at Kilchoman.  The weather next week finally looks settled, here's hoping a bigger gap to the next gale.

Chris Mills has had an eventful day, the highlights as follows:

Purple sandpiper at Port Ellen shoreline, plus 10 great northern diver in the bay.  2 adult WTE seen on the drive there.   At Kinnabus on the Oa, 2 golden eagle and nearby a lesser black back gull seen among the herring gulls. At Kilchoman later he enjoyed a view of 2 WTE being moved by a peregrine, then a sparrowhawk hunting nearby.  In the dunes 12 chough and a displaying pair of ravens.  Driving back from Kilchoman to Bowmore this evening, 2 barn owl and 2 woodcock. The first of the barn owl seen perched on a gravestone at the old Kirk.

Kathy reported an adult WTE in the Ardbeg area, and Mike located the red-breasted goose near Coullabus. 

Todays photos are more from local enthusiast Billy Stitchell, of the Caol Ila black guillemots and a great Northern Diver in yesterdays choppy waters.

Thanks to all for your sightings. 

Saturday 4th February

Over at Caol Ila today, Gary had seen 2 Gbb Gull, 21 Tysties and 9 Shag. His other half, Sam had seen a Dipper down on the stream below Kilmeny. Down at Bruichladdich, Carl had a Glaucous Gull, and he saw another white winged gull further out on the water, but too far away to make a positive id possible.  Just before lunchtime, we saw a ringtail Hen Harrier down at Sunderland Farm as it flew along the roadside looking for some prey.

Sunday 29th March

A tousy old day out here with the odd blatter of rain thrown in for good measure.... Yesterday over at Port Askaig while waiting on the ferry to depart, the Horwich birders had counted 16 Black Guillemots, a GND and 3 Gannets flew along the Sound. New birders who arrived yesterday, Nadia and Darren from Essex, had a choppy crossing coming over, and while coming into Port Askaig they had 2 pairs of Red breasted Merganser, a GND, pr of Mute Swans and several Black Guillemots. This morning, while not venturing out from their cottage over on the High road over at Glenegedale, they had managed to see a pr of Stonechats, pr of Whinchats, pr of Goldfinches a Robin and a Pied Wagtail. Perhaps they managed out this afternoon....

Wednesday 19th February

Forgot to mention last night that the Rochdale birders had 40 Barwits at the top of Loch Indaal yesterday. Today they had 22 Black Guillemots at Coal Ila with another 18 at Port Askaig. At Coal Ila, they saw a couple of Ravens carrying sticks into their nest,and a Rock Dove with an egg on its' nest! Over on Jura they had 2 Canada Geese. Down close to Portnahaven, they saw a male Hen Harrier out quartering its' patch. Dave down on the Oa reports that there are definate signs of Spring with Skylarks seen on the moor, Herring Gulls, Oystercatcher and Black Guillemots all starting to pair up and on their territories! Today Dave had 3 Buzzards, a ringtail Hen Harrier, a GND and 20 Rock Pipits all on reserve. Peter today had a flock of 50 Lapwing flying South past Bruichladdich offshore over Loch Indaal. There were also 10 Snipe following the shoreline along at the Oil Depot at Bruichladdich with a pr of Black Guillemots at the pier. Here at home there were 8 Fulmars in at the crag. This morning, I emptied out the rain guage with the best part of 5" in it, there is more rain forecast for later tonight and tomorrow!

Sunday 24th November

A beautiful calm day. Out along the coast today past Ardbeg, with Islay canoe club, we had two sightings of White-tailed Sea Eagles, 3 Black Guillemots, and 10 Great Northern Divers. The GND's were making their unusual eerie call constantly whilst we were on the water.
Pete tells me he has a fine male Blackcap in his garden hedge at Bruichladdich. Concerned for its well being he has been trying to coax it with one of his fat balls, but so far it seems disinterested.

Sunday 14th July

This morning we had a male Hen Harrier fly across the road in front of us while we going along past Rockside. Later on, up at Sanaigmore a Corncrake was calling away, as was one here at home last night. Peter this morning had his highest ever count of Black Guillemots at the pier at Bruichladdich, 11 adults in total. Today as I was "in the mood", nothing to do with Glenn Miller I hasten to add, the paint brush was out and getting big licks... am always a great believer if you are "in the mood" you will do a better job, if you are not in the mood, it takes longer and the job does not get done as well....

Sunday 29th July

Another month almost in, not quite but only a couple of days left... I know it is a bit overcast this evening, but as the locals say that once the Agricultural show is past (this year on Thursday 9th August) that the nights start to draw in....Tomorrow is another day anyway, and if  you did not read last night's entry the monthly meeting of the bird nerds is on Monday night, not Tuesday as the weather forecast for Tuesday evening does not look too good, and an odd midge could be out on that evening! If you are over here, meet up with us at Laggan at 7pm, we look forward to seeing you there. 

In the garden this morning there were 2 families of Goldfinches totalling around 12 birds on the willows, This evening down at Bruichladdich, a Heron was standing around just where the burn enters Loch Indaal just past the Distillery, no sign of an Otter but a Seal was swimming along beside the pier.Out on Loch Indaal itself, there was the odd Gannet flying past, with some plunging in too. Also there, at the pier was a Black Guillemot, while along the shore, there were a couple of Oystercatchers and also a Common Sandpiper on the rocks. There was no sign of any Eider in moult up at the usual spot towards Gortan where they normally hang out!

Sunday 17th July

Sounds a bit repetitive, but guess what, it has been damp again, not a lot but wet all the same. At one point I looked out at the bird table outside the kitchen window, and 24 birds were making the most of the food on offer, Starlings, House Sparrows, Great Tits, Chaffinches, Greenfinches and also a Siskin. The Great Tits were the most numerous with several young to the fore. Out on the grass were the "resident" Pheasants along with an odd Jackdaw and a Song Thrush there too. Luckily Peter had been out and about for something different yesterday. Up at Ardnave he saw the Rose coloured Starling, later on at Carnduncan there was a Whinchat feeding young. In the afternoon down close to the American Monument on the Oa, a pair of Wheatears were seen with their newly fledged youngsters. A Golden Eagle was also present on the Oa too. Back at Bruichladdich pier, the Black Guillemots are still active at their nest site, going by the noise and also the changeover of the adult birds.

Tuesday 7th June

Last night, I only managed to get the blog entry done by the skin of my teeth, as moments after it was done the power went off and did not come back on until around 1am, by that time I was sleeping, not really that dedicated.... As promised the figures through from Mary for the Sea bird count carried out yesterday. The area counted spread from Sanaigmore down to Smaull. The tally was 153 Fulmar, 69 Kittiwake, 155 Guillemot and 134 Razorbill. 59 Black Guillemot were counted overall, from Port Askaig round to Smaull. I forgot to mention that on Nave Island there were 2 Barnacle Geese, wonder if they were a wayward pair or just 2 Geese???

By the way it has been raining again today, some showers heavier than others, but another 0.75" so far since this time last night...

Mon 15th November

Another great day here, not much warmer, at least it stayed dry!

Carl on his commute to Bowmore today had seen a Grey Phalarope feeding at "smelly corner".

Yesterday when I was briefly at the hide at Gruinart, I saw obviously the Heron and also Mute Swan, 2 families of Whooper Swan, Barnacle Geese, Whitefronted Geese, Pintail, Shoveler, Teal and Dabchick. The light late afternoon was great. On the way back up to the car park, 2 Roe Deer were watching my every move!

Bob was out with Martin in the morning, and as well as their Long tailed Duck, on Loch Indaal they had 2 Slavonian Grebe, 6 Great northern Diver, 1 Black throated Diver, 1 Black Guillemot in winter plumage, 2 Purple Sandpiper amongst some Turnstone, 2 Goldeneye and a good showing of Ducks with Loch Indaal itself being flat calm.

Tues 20th July

A Swift was seen down at the Machrie last night around 7pm.

I knew that I spoke too soon about the Gannet, as I found it dead this afternoon, in around the same spot on the high water mark on Loch Indaal. It looked rather peaceful, not tangled up in any fishing line, in fact it was in quite good condition. Down off the pier at Bruichladdich, the Black Guillemots have proudly been presenting their young on the water. This evening, there was a flock of 24 Chough over the crag, presumably made up of mostly young birds before going into the roost.

Mon 8th March

This Black Guillemot is one of the pair that are often seen down at the pier at Bruichladdich. There were some more Guillemots down below Carn between Port Charlotte and Portnahaven the other day too. Returning back from Portnahaven late afternoon the same day, and we saw 6 different Buzzards, in fact there were 3 perched on the top of telegraph poles in the space of only 7 poles! Some of the Great Northern Divers appear to be losing their winter plumage. Another sign that Spring is not far away, is that some of the farmers have made a start to ploughing the fields in readiness for sowing crops come April.

Tracey e mailed the figures from the Goose count, carried out last week on the 3rd and 4th, in total, there were 35,752 Barnacle Geese and 6,234 Whitefronts. As ever many thanks for the figures.

Wed 15th Oct

Today our friends went down the bottom end and went past Ardbeg and out as far as Claggain Bay where they saw a Peregrine, a Red throated Diver and also 2 Black Guillemots. Near Ardbeg itself, they had a really good sighting of a female Merlin perched on a fence post. On their way home they had a male Hen Harrier close to the Airport and 22 Brent Geese on Loch Indaal. At Loch Gruinart they also saw a female Hen Harrier and a further male out on the wing beside Loch Gorm. They also had in the wood a Treecreeper along with Long tailed Tits before it got dark last night. The Long tailed Tits were still here this morning.

At tea time tonight, there was a brief shower of hailstones.

Sat 1st Mar.

March has come in like a lion with high winds and lashing rain, GDY drove a 1000 miles around the island during their 2 week stay and only saw a male Hen Harrier on their last mile going to the ferry this morning! He only remarked yesterday, it was the first time in over 25 years of visiting Islay and Jura that they had not seen a Hen Harrier.

This morning at Blackrock, Loch Indaal there were 4 male and 1 female Long-tailed duck close inshore. This afternoon from the same viewpoint, 4 male and 2 female Common Scoter along with a single male Velvet Scoter which was showing its prominent white wing patches were seen. Up at Bunnahabhain on the Sound of Islay 3 Great Northern Diver and 1 Red Throated Diver were observed. Inshore, 2 Mute Swan were there with 2 of last years cygnets, there were also numerous Black Guillemot flying up and down the Sound. Several Shag were fishing in the Sound also. C & TJ

On Jura, one day last week, 3 Hen Harrier were seen within a 3 mile stretch from the road. L G.