Monday 18th May

I really must pay a bit more attention when looking for some saved images, as I found the missing image taken by Morag Sinclair and sent to me yesterday by Karen Graham.

I only noticed tonight that apart from the Blackbird in the bath having a wash/ bath that there is also a House Sparrow ? possibly waiting patiently for its turn in the bird bath....

Friday 25th October

Well the weather forecast for today proved correct, with the air decidely on the the brassy side of things .. 

So I will start you off with some sightings that Margaret and myself seen from the warmth of our house!!! First birds seen were a couple of Golden Eagles soaring out over the big crag. Down on the ground there were around 20 Blackbirds out on the grass with at least 30 Redwings on the move through the garden. There obvoiusly more birds in at the feeders too, infact the first time this time round, that most of the feeders were empty and needing to be filled with some more food! The Blackbirds were noticed trying to munch some of the plentiful berries which we have this year.  James had carried out a count on the reserve at Gruinart late afternoon with his tallies coming to 17,295 Barnies, 582 Greenland Whitefronts, 81 Whoopers, 18 Pale bellied Brents, 13 Greylags, a single Canada Goose, parvipes sp., 595 Golden Plover (with a lot more seen off reserve over at Craigens) and also 3 Blackwits.

Before I forget on Tuesday evening, it is that time of the month again, the monthly catch up of the Islay Bird nerds, we will be meeting at the Visitor centre at Gruinart at 18.30. Please remember to bring a pound to help pay for your cuppa etc. So if you are around, feel free to come along and put a name to some of the locals who help us out etc, all will be made welcome!!!

Thursday 9th October

David Livingstone kindly sent this image that he had taken earlier this week of some Whoopers flying over Port Ellen. Teresa Morris yesterday had a count of 52 Whoopers flying South out past Saligo. She also had a flock of 28 Chough in the same area too. Back at Craigens, Teresa had 86 Pale bellied Brent being pushed in by the incoming tide. She also had 42 Curlews and 50 Oystercatchers there as well. Today, Louise had a count of 120 Blackbirds all together at Gatehouse on Jura where a White tailed Sea Eagle, a Kestrel and 2 Buzzards, not a bad start to the day! On the North side of Loch Gorm, Ballinaby side, Louise had a flock of 230 Golden Plover and also a Golden Eagle also present! Today on the guided walk at Gruinart, Emily's pick included 4 Pink footed Geese, pr of Bullfinches, Treecreeper, Merlin, Sparrowhawk and Stonechat. Mary had a count of 39 Pinkfeet, 96 Brents, 1 Canada, 12 Whitefronts, 161 Greylags and 5032 Barnies. The count would have been greater but 2 overflying jets spooked the geese before Mary had completed her count... She also commented in seeing more geese arriving through the day as well. Bob had been out and about today. He had 6 Fieldfare at Glenmor behind Port Charlotte. Over Bun an Uillt he had 10 Red breasted Merganser, 5 Redshank and a Greenshank. Up at Killinallan a female Kestrel, 2 Wheatear, 1 White Wagtail along with 6 Pied Wagtail were present. Back down at Craigens, a Grey Wagtail, 2 Mistle Thrushes along with "lots" of Reed Buntings. Over on Loch Skerrols, 3 Dabchicks, 1 Moorhen and 20 Whitefronts amongst the Greylags there. Finally at Gartmain there were 15 Pale bellied Brent and 520 Wigeon. Here at home, we had the sighting of 2 distant Golden Eagles, a good spot with the scope, well done Margaret! Another day out in the garden in the shirt sleeves, not bad for October!!!

Saturday 2nd February

A great day out here with the weather holding out, biggest problem is that it is turning a bit cooler now, time of year, winter time! Certainly the birds at the feeders have been scoffing the food today. I counted a Blackbird at the bird table this afternoon. Talk about being hungry, 153 pecks of seed before it decided that it had had enough! I saw one yesterday and it was just 50 pecks, but this one today tops it all... There was a flock of around 20 Blackbirds seen along the road at Sunderland this morning.

Tue 8th November 2011

A goose day- Malcolm e mailed with a record of 37 pale bellied brent geese on Loch Indaal near the Foreland road end. At Gruinart, Mary and I did a reserve goose count and found most of the geese in one massive flock. We counted a total of 9588 barnacle geese, 516 white-fronted geese and 50 greylags. Whilst looking for geese, we saw 130 lapwing, 15 whooper swans and a kestrel all at Gruinart.

Blackbirds were everywhere today, in small flocks along all the roadsides, including one unfortunate in the claws of a sparrowhawk.

Mon 27th December

The weather over here today has been miserable, no snow, but what I call a wetting smurry rain which seemed to persist all day, so I did not venture far today...

Looking back to the other day when we had the snow, and at one time I looked out towards the bird feeders, there were 15 Blackbirds present. The other morning, up in the field beside the sheep shed I counted 27 Red legged Partridge, no doubt all released birds from Rockside!

Sun 21st Feb

Another cracking image sent in by our friends who are over on holiday for a few days. This time of a Golden Plover, and please note the snow on the ground, something which we do not normally get over here! As well as the Golden Plover they had also seen 120 Lapwing at Ballygrant. At Bunnahabhain, they saw 3 groups of Bullfinch on the heather eating the seed heads, there were 4 in one small group, 10 in another and 15 in the final group. This group had 6 males and 9 females in it.

Other visitors reported in seeing 20 Purple Sandpiper up at Ardnave this afternoon.

Back here at home, there were 10 Blackbirds on the food on the ground today, while earlier on a female Hen Harrier was seen along the bottom of the crag.

Fri 5th Feb

18 Fulmar were on the crag yesterday, a possible sign that the weather is in for a turn, and today they have flown back out to sea again.

Down at Gartmain yesterday afternoon, on the way into Bowmore, there were 105 Sanderling, 48 Oystercatcher, 121 Bar tailed Godwits, 30 Lapwing, 34 Mallard, 2 Wigeon, 7 Common Gull, 8 Curlew and 6 Eider off shore.

Today, there were 3 groups of Pale bellied Brent geese totalling 34 on the way to Bruichladdich and down at Sunderland Farm 16 Blackbirds were in a field.

James had the Little egret out on the floods out in front of the hide this afternoon, and also a Peregrine flew over at the same time. There were 200 Lapwing along with 5 Snipe present. James also managed a Goose count for the reserve, the totals were 3,153 Barnacle Geese, 267 Whitefronts, 22 Greylag and the lesser Canada Goose, hutchinsii. James said it was a low count.

Sun 14th Sept

As I have been busy here at home today, not much birding has been done. Having said that, mid morning there was a Peregrine struggling with a Jackdaw as it flew past, certainly the remaining Jackdaws were not amused about losing one of their mates. Early evening, and a Sparrowhawk did a "fly past" through the wood. There was a Goldcrest in the wood on Friday, and there were 20 Blackbirds down at Sunderland the same day.

Mon 30th March

This is one of the 3 Wheatear that were seen down at Machir Bay on Sunday evening. Also on Sunday evening, the Geese appeared to be flying much higher back to their roost. IKB

George reported in saying that he had seen 30 Common Scoter far out in Loch Indaal, whilst at home he had heard the first Blackbird singing this year. GJ