Tuesday 8th December

Gary was on the phone at around lunch time today and he was saying that he had just had seen 3  Canada Geese amongst the Barnacle geese over at Eorrabus.

Meanwhile James had seen 2 Little Egrets over at Gruinart, out on the loch.  

Tuesday 8th October

A miserable sort of a day with the weather out here today, with plenty of dirty squally showers appearing out of nowhere, thankfully I was never caught in any of them!!!   Needless to say, we have had the big fire burning away for most of the day... bring a bit of cheer, into one's day!!!

Yesterday morning, at Machir Bay, George E. Jackson had seen a female Goldeneye in the newly formed pool beside the car park down there!!!. George also had the usual Whoopers present at Rockside. Early afternoon, he saw over 150 Greylags come to land on the wee lochans at the SE end of Loch Gorm, and then later on, George counted a further 100 Greylags in the fields over at Saligo. Nick Brown and Kath Patrick had seen a male Hen Harrier and also a Merlin down on the Oa and then up at Gruinart, late afternoon, they saw another male and also 3 ringtails. James How, late  yesterday afternoon, had counted 7 Canada Geese and a total of 11 Grey Plovers on the reserve at Gruinart.

Today, returning birder Richard Belter braved the weather on the ferry to get here for a week's birdfix. He ventured out from where he is staying and had a male and then a ringtail Hen Harrier.

Monday10th June

Not a lot for the blog tonight, but James had counted 39 Canada Geese on the islands in the Sound of Islay as he returned home to Islay this afternoon.

Saturday 8th June

Yesterday Roger and Hazel Ferris had seen 4 different  Cuckoos sitting on top of the telegraph wires as they drove up from Portnahaven, they also had seen the 2 Velvet Scoter on the pond at Easter Ellister.

Peter had been helping out David Wood who had organised a boat trip to carry out the Sea bird Breeding survey along the coastline of Islay and Jura. Highlights included seeing some Canada geese along with 10 goslings over at Proaig., this was the first definite sighting of Canada geese breeding since 1984 which was at Gearach. Mark Shields saw a Cormorant with 3 young amongst some Shags, again the first confirmed breeding. They had also seen a GND in summer plumage. Down towards Ardbeg,  a pod of 12 Bottle nosed Dolphins was present. They had also seen several Golden Eagles and White tailed Eagles. Up Loch Tarbert on Jura, Hen Harrier and Peregrines were present.

Earlier on today, Distillery Dave, had seen a Blue Tit entering one of his net boxes, the second pair to breed if successful this year with Dave..

This evening, at Kennacraig, while waiting on the ferry, Armin had seen an Osprey. Initially it was being mobbed by some gulls who were trying to get the fish from the Osprey, but no joy with that, as the Osprey flew off with its' prey in its' talons.

Sunday 28th April

The day started off with being a bit warmer and dry, but by lunchtime, we had a spot or two of rain, not a lot but... and then the temperature fell as well, another jumper day...

Round at Rockside today, there were  9 Canada Geese, a solitary Barnacle goose and also 25 Greylags on the Barley fields. Up behind the steading, Distillery Dave had counted 146 Golden Plover, all in in summer plumage, great to see...

Up here at home, I watched a Hare hop along the edge of the bird seed crop, in effect chasing off some Linnets in the process. Out on the crag there are now 3 pairs of Fulmars sitting, for how long, we will have to wait and see if the Jackdaws move them on...

Saturday 29th April

The wind may have veered round from the North, but it still feels rather cold.... 

Bob yesterday evening had been over at Gruinart for some birding. He had counted 600 Barnies,  also present were 7 Whitefronts and a Pink footed Goose. On the flats, he had 58 Blackwits. Out from the South hide, he had a further 90 Blackwits, 30 Redshank, 20 Snipe, the drake Green winged Teal and also 14 Whoopers. While he was there Bob reckons that around half the Barnies flew off North, straight up Loch Gruinart....James yesterday had seen/ heard a Cornrake along the flats, saw the Pinkie too, counted 9 White Wagtails, counted 72 Pale bellied Brent at Blackrock and saw 4 Gadwall on the floods. Today, James had a Chiffchaff in his garden and heard another Corncrake on the reserve. This afternoon, we counted at least 180 Golden Plover at Ballinaby. Also seen there were 15 Greylags, 2 large Canada Geese, 3 Shelduck and 2 pairs of Stonechats.

Saturday 7th May

Hope yesterday was not a one day wonder, as the rain has now come, mind you it will possibly help the potatoes which are poking their shoots through the ground, and also help the seeds sown yesterday as well. Gary emailed through last night to say that he too has had a couple of Siskins on his feeders, and like quite a few of us, he has been hearing a Cuckoo calling, from the adjacent wood and moorland behind his house with a Gropper reeling away on the other side of Gary's house. Peter yesterday had counted 40 Whimbrel down at Bruichladdich, flying between the rocks on the shore and the fields, but none were calling. This morning on a trip round Loch Gorm, Bob had seen a Whitefronted goose at Ballinaby. Also present were 8 Whimbrel, 30 Golden Plover and 3 Dunlin. Down at the field where the geese were the other day with me, Bob saw another 2 Whitefronts, the 3 Canadas and 34 Greylags. Back at home Bob has got 4 pairs of House Martins checking out some of last years' nest sites. Up on Bolsay Moor, Bob saw a Curlew seeing a Peregrine off and later on, a male Merlin was spotted. Also, on the Moor, Bob had his first Stonechat chick out this morning, he has already had young Blackbird out in his garden for over a week. When Bob was in for a natter this morning, a Siskin was out on the feeders along with the Goldfinches.

Wednesday 27th April

Oops, last night I made a large error on the entry by writing that James had 6 Garganey on the floods at Gruinart, it should have been 6 Gadwall, must have got lost in translation, somewhere along the line, more likely I could not make my own hand writing/ scrawl....

Mary, on Monday had a Glaucous Gull at Claadach,  a Sparrowhawk was also there while she had a Wheatear and also a Mistle Thrush as she headed back to the village. Yesterday on Claddach Loch she counted 8 Canada Geese then watched a Hooded Crow and a Hare having a go at each other... Along at Gortan (coal yard) Mary saw a House Martin and then a GND off Carn as she headed home. Last night at the bird nerds' stroll in Bridgend Woods we saw Coal Tit, Long tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Robin, Wood Pigeon, Sand Martins swooping low over the River Sorn, a couple of Dippers, a pair of Mallard flew past. A couple of Treecreeper were seen on the trees while out on the fields some White Wagtails and also Pied Wagtails were present.

Michal e mailed through to say that there is a Cuckoo calling all hours along at Mill Cottage...

Wednesday 3rd June

What a cracking day, it has been with wall to wall sunshine, just need some more of the same please... Yesterday the Teme valley birders had seen a family of 5 Whooper Swans over on the reserve at Gruinart, they had also heard a couple of calling Corncrakes up at Sanaigmore. Today, they had headed over to Jura for the day. A Whitethroat was as seen in the bushes just after Coull, a Lapwing with young were present at Ballinaby, a male Hen Harrier was seen close to the road between Lyrabus and Uiskentuie, with another seen even closer to hand over on Jura just after Jura House. Coming out of Craighouse there were 24 Canada Geese, a Chiffchaff was heard singing in the trees as they approached the 3 arch bridge. Several Stonechats and also some Whinchats were also noted on their day out. A couple of Dunlin were seen on the shore along with a couple of Ringed Plovers and some Oystercatchers at Small Isles Bay on the way back. On the water were a few Eiders , 2 pairs of mute Swans and some Shelduck, but no sign of any youngsters.

Wednesday 1st April

Well, that is another month in with the rainfall tallying at 4.7 inches, mind you some days could have been even more but the rain just kept going past the collecting funnel, rather than actually falling into the funnel, one of the problems of horizontal rain....This afternoon, we had a male Hen Harrier out at McNichol's croft. Danny and Wanda saw another one today over close to Buildbase above Glenegedale on the "high road", earlier on they had counted around 50 young Reed Buntings at Ballinaby. Bob had been out with Malcolm goose counting on the Port Ellen route... They had an adult Glaucous Gull amongst some Herring Gulls up at the "sea shell dump" up behind Kilnaughton Bay. While having their sandwiches at lunchtime, a Kestrel screamed over Port Ellen Bay, just above the waves. Finally out towards Ardtalla they spotted 2 large Canada Geese...As I write this entry I am watching the hares in the garden, they appear completely oblivious of us humans through the big glass windows!!!

Tuesday 5th June

It's been a long day, been up since the early hours this morning, but back home now so time for a quick blog. I notice that I put the wrong date for yesterday's entry...but on double checking I am correct that this is Tuesday and it is the 5th, back on track again!!! Mary had been busy over the weekend carrying out survey work. She had a pair of Canada Geese over on Nave Island on Saturday and also an elusive Barnacle Goose there too. At Ardnave point, there were 3 Golden Plover in summer plumage. Round at the lobster ponds, a pair of Shelduck was seen along with  8 ducklings, also there was a pair of Greylags with their young. There were a large flock of 50 Curlew and nearly 60 Oystercatcher. Round the corner, 8 Whimbrel were seen, 19 Dunlin, 1 Turnstone in summer plumage, 3 Dunlin, 3 Ringed Plover and 6 Sanderling in varying different stages of moult. Yesterday, Mary had a Black tailed Godwit in full summer plumage at Ardnave, several young Lapwings in flight and 3 pairs with very young chicks as well. Back down in the woods behind the office Mary had a couple of Blackcaps calling away, as well as some Willow Warblers there too. Returning back down to the office, a male Hen Harrier was seen, and later on a couple of Ravens were heard calling away. Today, Mary had a couple of Cuckoos on the reserve at Gruinart, and down on the Rhinns she saw a Short eared Owl. Yesterday, Dave saw 3 Risso's Dolphins off the Oa.

Friday 30th December

David Willis, who has been over for a few days, saw 2 small Canada Geese over at Eorrabus yesterday, and today Peter saw one up the Mulindry road at Ballitarsin. At Gartmain this morning, Peter had a count of 53 Pale bellied Brent Geese, along with 8 Long tailed Ducks, around 12 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Black throated Diver and 10 Common Scoter. This afternoon, he had a male Merlin up at Ardnahoe and saw the Iceland Gull at Bunnahabhain. Today the weather has not been great, no sun, but plenty of the wet stuff, rain, rain and more rain, how much can we take? Out on the bird table today there were 3 House Sparrows, after saying a couple of days ago that I had not seen any for a while! This evening out in the garden there is a Guillemot on the grass, now about 30 minutes later it is looking a bit more alert, sitting up and preening itself!

Thursday 24th March

Yesterday was Paul Beresford's last day of his short visit, but he made the most of it. From "The Battery", the path leading out from Bowmore along the shore towards Gartbreck, Paul had a Long tailed Duck on Loch Indaal. He also had another 2 while looking out over Loch Indaal, but this time from the power generating station. Later on at Killinallan, he counted over 200 Twite in the fields, and down on the shoreline there were 70 Bar tailed Godwit. Before leaving Port Askaig in the afternoon, Paul saw 2 distant Golden Eagles over Jura, while from the ferry he had a total of 63 Great Northern Divers and 10 Red throated Diver. Many thanks to Paul for his sightings over the past few days.

Jamie, one of the "vols" at Gruinart at present had a count of 20 Canada Geese on Loch Gorm on Tuesday. Also down on the Oa reserve, Mary had a Dipper.

Today, over at Gruinart, and it was the annual count of the Red Deer on the reserve. There was a total of 82, a few down on the year. Also seen were 7 Hen Harrier, 3 male and 4 female, 3 Red Grouse, 3 Lizard, 1 Adder, 24 Whooper Swan and 1 Woodcock.

Fri 21st May

Michal had been out on the prowl last night to try to hear any new Corncrakes. It is still early days yet but so far he has over 30 calling birds. As well as the corncrakes, he also had heard 9 Grasshopper warblers and a Water rail on his travels! Wonder if Michal heard that Cuckoo that keeps calling up here?

Carl today had a pair of Guillemot at Bruichladdich and on the Uiskentuie Strand, the Little Terns are most definitely defending their territory!

Today Malcolm had seen 3 large Canada Geese, larger than the ones that we normally get here in the winter.

While the van was in at the garage this morning, we took time to do a bit of birding ourselves. On Loch Indaal from Bowmore we could only see one Great northern Diver, (have the other Divers moved through now?) At Gartmain there 91 Bar tailed Godwits, 131 Dunlin, 17 Oystercatcher, 1 Knot, 3 Mallard, a few Eider and some Shelduck. Up from The Woolen Mill and beside the River Sorn, we had a Spotted Flycatcher, Coal Tit, Great Tit, male Bullfinch with Siskin on the feeders at The Mill itself. Further on a Kestrel was seen, as were several Buzzards at different places.

Friends had a Grey Wagtail with 3 young on the River Sorn below Bridgend. They too had a Spotted Flycatcher and also a Treecreeper in the same locality.

Wed 30th Sept

James's count for today tallied through at 6,695 Barnacle Geese, 185 Pale bellied Brent Geese, 1 Canada Goose hutchinsii sp, 4 Pink footed Geese & 5 Greenland

Whitefronted Geese. Most of the Geese arrived this afternoon, rather than in the morning. The Whoopers that were here yesterday, took off for Ireland this morning, with no new birds coming in. James also had a flock of 265 Linnet, while Jack Fleming, James's boss here on Islay, had 4 Jack Snipe amongst the Snipe on the floods. All the above birds were on the reserve at Gruinart.

Back over this side of Islay, and there were 3 Whoopers in this morning at Ballinaby as well as 11 Whitefronts amongst a very large flock of Greylags, needless to say they all took off before I could get a count of the Greylags! This afternoon, down at Rockside there were 24 Whooper Swan, consisting of 20 adult and 4 young. There were fewer geese to be seen today along at Sunderland. Just at Rockside road end, there were around 150 Linnet and coming back in, at the Coastguard cottages, there were 50 Twite. Back home there was a flock of 45 Rock Doves on the wing.

The 4 Arctic Terns were still to be seen at Bruichladdich, and George has had some Teal returning to his ponds beside his house over the past few days.

Sat 4th Oct

This afternoon the weather has calmed down a bit, and a settled sky showed itself off, not a cloud to be seen over here!

James has been busy counting the Geese, this morning at 10.30am, there were only 2425 Barnacle Geese and 32 Whitefronts, but by 5.30 this afternoon it was a different story. The figures had shot up to 26,625 Barnies, 205 Whitefronts, 8 Pinkfoots, 21 Pale bellied Brent, 2 Canada, hutchinsii sp, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Greenland Wheatear and 32 Pied Wagtail all in one flock. All these birds were on the reserve at Loch Gruinart and James reckons that there were at least another 8,000 Geese at Craigens. I queried James on his geese figures and he assured me that he counts in 5s, so who am I to doubt his figures? JRH

James also said that these figures were a record for the reserve. The vast majority of the birds that came in were coming up from the South, similar to yesterday, and certainly here at home, there were a lot flying up the West coast of Islay. George also had seen a lot of the Geese flying up Loch Indaal. So can we presume that all these birds had overshot Islay with the strong winds of late? James said that there were some birds flying in from the North, from the Colonsay direction. Malcolm e mailed to say there had been a record back in the 60s of a Greenland rung bird being recovered in the Azores.

George also had a Red throated Diver in Loch Indaal off Bruichladdich., and Macolm had a couple of Swallows again in Bruichladdich. GJ MAO

Tues 1st - Wed 2nd Jan

A Happy New Year to you all, Greetings fom Islay.

There is not a tremendous amount to report for the last 2 days, not that we are suffering from the after effects of alcohol.......

A group of Birdwatchers from Ayrshire had reported seeing 22 Crossbills over at Avonvogie, so we will need to try to have a closer look to see how many more are in the plantation. The same birders also turned up a juvenile female Black Redstart on the dyke at Carnain while up at Ardnave they had seen a dead Turtle. I believe that they had a tally of 110 species on their visit which is not bad for time of year.

2 Separate sightings of Canada Geese, one over at Bowmore on Monday, the other over at Loch Gruinart this morning. SP

On the RSPB reserve at Gruinart today there was a count of 754 Lapwing, and a Moorhen was also seen, as was a Merlin, which has been quite a regular sighting recently. JRH

There were 19 Pale bellied Brent Geese on the water down at Bruichladdich. MAO

There have been several sightings of Fieldfares recently too all around the island. IKB

Sun 13th May 07

Some late entries from last week.
The Green Winged Teal was observed over at Gruinart on Friday. G.J.
Also on Friday, 3 Canada Geese and a single Black tailed Gowit were seen. C.F.
Late Friday evening at Gruinart, 2 Spotted Crake and 7 Corncrake were heard, and another single Black tailed Godwit was seen. J.R.H.
Today, several Gannets were fishing in Loch Indaal close to the rocky shore line below Port Charlotte. Later on 30 chough were flying in the Machir Bay area. On a previous occasion some of the chough were seen mobbing a Buzzard! I.K.B.
Also today, in Bruichladdich, there was the return of a "tame" Lesser Black-backed Gull which feeds off the bird table, absent for over a year at least! G.J.