Sunday 8th May

So the main news is there is no more news of the junco. Despite the best efforts of several folk, it has not been seen at all today. Peter and his group stopped by a couple of times as they covered South Islay. They did get a pair of whinchat at Kinnabus, "a few" twite at Upper Killeyan, 2 common sandpipers at Uiskentuie, and a pair of WTE. 

Jim made it over in search of the junco but had to be happy with winning Bird Of The Day for 2 dark-bellied brents with one pale-belly at Carnain, plus a lone blackwit. Later in the day he had this young goldie at Gruinart...

Visitor Nick is over for a week and emailed us his sightings from his walk around the Battery at Bowmore, including whimbrel, whitethroat, ringed plover, turnstone, shelduck and wheatear. 

We finish with worrying news from bandit country, aka Portnahaven, where Mary has apparently lost her mind, as she claims the below photo "clearly" shows the bonxie she saw at Claddach Loch earlier. If anyone has seen Mary's mind, or indeed her bonxie, please let us know. 

Thanks to all for reading and sending stuff in. Tioraidh!

Saturday 18th January

You should know the old saying.. " better late than never".  I was reading elsewhere of a reported sighting of 4 Dark bellied Brent Geese seen last week down at Gartbreck.. so I will await any further news on that one, as ever I will keep you posted on it should I hear any further news about it!!!

Monday 4th November

Another glorious day with the weather out here again today, with the sun streaming in through the window as I attempt to write this entry... 

MB had a good day's birding yesterday, his birds started off with 95 Fieldfares counted in the wood down at Kilchoman. A look out over Loch Indaal bewteen 08.25 and 10.00 betwen Port Charlotte round to Carnain/ Smelly Corner produced 33 RTD, 42 GND (including a raft of 21 Divers), 39 Slav Grebe ( all seen between Gortan and Smelly Corner), 21 Scaup, 153 Eider, 113 Common Scoter, 18 L t Ducks (11 drakes), 75 R b Meganser, 3 Goldeneye, and at where the Grey River enters Loch Indaal at Uisketuie, he saw a Grey Wagtail. On a rising high tide, up at Gruinart he had 8 P b Brent Geese, 24 Shelduck, 2,120 Golden Plover, 11 Knot, 46 Sanderling, 540 Dunlin, 351 Barwits, 7 Greenshank, 62 Turnstone with 2 L t Ducks in from Bun an Uillt. Killinallan held 42 Whitefronts, 2,700 Barnies,  35 Ringed Plover, 62 Golden PLover, 253 Lapwing, 31 Sanderling, 31 Sanderling, 12 Curlew, 80 Redwing, 40 Twite and also a Mistle Thrush, an imm. Golden Eagle flew over from Ardnave and flew on Eastwards.  On the hills inland from there, he saw  a W t Eagle and another Golden Eagle. Ardnave Point held a Golden Eagle, and a Hen Harrier. On the floods at Gruinart MB counted 960 Teal, 51 Pintail and a Hen Harrier . Coming back to his cottage where he is staying when over here, he had seen another H H along below Carndunacn with a final ringtail seen  at Kilchoman.

Yesterday, Colin Bushell along with his group from Limosa Holidays had also carried out a watch on Loch Indaal, from Bowmore round to Bruichladdich. They had some birds which MB had not spotted including 2 Purple Sandpipers, 20 L Tt Ducks, a Pinkie, 19 Whoopers, 78 Wigeon, 42 Teal, 9 Goldeneye, 9 Tysties, a Bt Diver as well as a distant Golden Eagle and a W t Eagle. When driving up to Gruinart, they saw a ringtail HH and then a Brambling was seen out from the Visitor Centre. 

On Loch Gorm, they had seen 2 Pochard, 38 Tufted Duck and a Slav Grebe, they also had another W t Eagle and another ringtail and saw 20 Rock Doves. Along amongst the Barnies seen down towards Machir Bay, they had 4 Dark bellied Brent Geese, on the beach itself they had 41 Ringed Plover. Also seen there were 20 Chough, a Peregrine as well as a Merlin. 

The other day Gary had seen a small flock of Redpolls down towards the Lily Loch,. Today, he had a Merlin at Kilchiaran and then later on, another one seen at Foreland. This morning, we saw a Golden Eagle away out over the far crag with 2 Roe Deer on the top of another part of the crag. As per usual, the Sparrowhawk came through the garden and decided to have a wee rest for a few minutes sitting on top of one of the garden fence posts...Up at Sanaigmore today, LT had a count of 50 Fieldfare.

Marsali was in touch with her rainfall for October coming to a heady 7.12" while James told me yesterday that his figure for the month came to 6.5", so I can hear you all moaning about up here on the dry West with our tally coming in at only 6.0" exactly...

Thursday 22nd November

An early entry, but here goes anyway...
Yesterday, Mark and Sally Johnson had seen a Pink footed Goose amongst some Whitefronts in a field up towards Red Houses, past Newton out of Bridgend. Shortly afterwards, a Merlin flew across the road  and then round at Mulindry they saw a ringtail Hen Harrier. Over at Rockside, amongst the Barnacle Geese, a Dark belied Brent Goose was present.

Monday 13th October

Another beautiful day, again with a sunset at present to finish the day off, and yes another shirt sleeves day out in the garden. Becky sent through some highlights from George Newall from Dunoon who was over last week. Mon 6th Oct, a Great Skua over Port Ellen Bay, Swallow Ardbeg on Thurs 9th, on Saturday, male Blackcap near Ardbeg , 2 Pochard on Loch Skerrols, Swallow nr Ballygrant. On Sunday, he had over 40 Shag fishing in Kilnaughton Bay along with an Otter! Yesterday George Jackson had a count of 25 Whoopers flying over the land along the coast line, could they have been the same Swans that we saw while doing the count? Today he had a large female Sparrowhawk at home at Bruichladdich. Yesterday Andrew and Jane ("The Bowland birders") had done the loop round the Rhinns from Port Charlotte. They started off at Octomore with a Greenfinch, down at Port Charlotte a Great Tit and a Grey Wagtail were seen, along at Carn, out on Loch Indaal a Red throated Diver and 5 GND. Off Nerabus, there was a Shag and a raft of Common Scoter. At Easter Ellister 3 Wrens, 3 adult Whoopers along with 6 juvs, pr of Wigeon, 2 Chough, Collared Dove, Goldfinch,and 2 White Wagtails. A female Long tailed Duck was seen between Orsay and Port Wemyss with a steady passage of Gannets noted towards Frenchman's Rocks. A female Hen Harrier at Portnahaven, at Tormisdale, a Dunnock and also a Song Thrush were seen. Finally at Gearach, 2 Tawny Owls were spotted. They reckon that they saw between 40 - 50 Stonechats while they were out. Yesterday as well, Carl had seen the Whoopers at Ellister. Today he had a Goldcrest and Grey Wagtail at Lorgba, Port Charlotte and also a Blackwit at Bruichladdich. Bob and Johno had Willow Warbler and a Redwing up on Bolsay Moor, up at Bun an uillt there were 20 Redshank and an Otter. Out from the visitor Centre at Gruinart, amongst the geese, they saw a Pink footed goose. Up at Ardnave Loch there were 18 Whoopers and 50 Wigeon and at the top of Loch Indaal they had a a GND. Tom Morton along with 5 friends, members of the Wigan RSPB members group had done an hour between 5 and 6 pm this evening below Bruichladdich. On Loch Indaal they counted 14 RTD, 3 GND, 1 Black throated Diver, 6 Slavonian Grebes, 3 Long tailed Ducks, 40 Common Scoter, 16 Whoopers and 20 Red breasted Merganser, They also counted around 20 - 25 Pink footed Geese fly overhead. Mary this morning had a count of the geese at Gruinart which tallied through at 16,201 Barnies, 92 Whitefronts, 97 Greylags, 30 Pale bellied Brents. Just after Mary completed her count, 2 juv Golden eagles flew up Gruinart and spoofed the whole lot and they then flew upwards out of eyeshot. Up at Kilnave, Mary had a juv Sparrowhawk with a male Hen Harrier at Ardnave. Back at the visitor centre, a Brambling was seen amongst the Chaffinches present. In the morning too from the old hide, 15 Snipe were seen feeding away and out on the sea wall, a dark belied Brent goose was seen. This evening here at home the Red Deer Stags are roaring away out on the hill...

Friday 2nd March

Malcolm had been out on goose counting for SNH today, and at Ballivicar close to Port Ellen, he had a Dark bellied Brent Goose feeding along with the Barnies present there.

Yesterday, David & Jenny had been looking over Loch Indaal from Bowmore. Their birds were as follows, 2 Long tailed Ducks, at least 6 Slavonian Grebe, 17 Goldeneye, 34 Common Scoter, 9 Red throated Diver, 4 Great Northern Diver, a 2nd winter Iceland Gull & 20 Red breasted Merganser. Close to Ballygrant, they had a male Hen Harrier and at Finlaggan they had a Little Grebe and 6 Crossbills. On Loch Gruinart, from the West side they had 3 Greenshank, 4 Grey Plover, 5 Knot, 10 Dunlin, 20 Turnstone, 250 Barwits as well as some Oystercatchers and Curlews. A Merlin was also seen there too. Finally 2 Short eared Owls were seen in the Loch Gorm area.

Sat 29th October 2011

A busy day with lots of birdwatchers out and about on the Island, all being rewarded with good birds, as ever. I was out at dawn at Gruinart and watched the spectacle of the geese rising from the roost, as well as 2 greenshank and 9 black tailed godwits. David reported from around Loch Gorm: 6 dark bellied brent and 75 whoopers at Sunderland farm, 8 snow buntings and a peregrine at Machir bay, on Loch Gorm 24 scaup and 300-400 Geenland white-fronts. On Loch Skerrols the American wigeon is still present and at least 2 juv golden eagles.

Sun 26th Oct

Rather a long report from several contributors tonight, due to the fact that I never sat down to write a report last night, still 2 for the price of 1! Here we go then.....

James had been out and about on Friday and Saturday, and while out with Andy Schofield and Michal on the RSPB Oa reserve, they had a flock of over 100 Twite and also 2 Snow Bunting. On to Saturday itself, and on Loch Gruinart, James had 29 Pale bellied Brent Geese, 3 Black tailed Godwits, 19 Whooper swans, 1 Greenshank, a Peregrine and also 387 Lapwing. JRH

A visitor had seen a late Wheatear down towards Portnahaven through the week. On the barley stubble at Rockside, there was a flock of 66 Whoopers at the back of lunchtime yesterday, including 16 immature birds. While speaking with James today, he too had been noticing larger numbers of younger birds in the groups of Swans that he has seen lately, so perhaps they have had a good breeding season.

George had seen a couple of Swallows at Bruichladdich today, and yesterday he had a dark bellied Brent goose along with a pale bellied Brent Goose and was fortunate to get some images of them. George also told me though Malcolm that a Grey Phalarope had been seen, near to the former smiddy between Bridgend and Bowmore. GJ

Our friends from Lancashire had seen a rung Whooper Swan today, the first one here this year we believe. They also had a really view of a dog Otter on the Sound of Islay today.

Other visitors phoned to tell us of a flock of 80 Curlew at Port Charlotte today, they had also seen 2 Swallows still at Port Charlotte, an Arctic Tern, and yesterday they had the good fortune to see a young Golden Eagle on a post at Gruinart. The Snow Buntings were still at Ardnave.

The final comment for today comes from folk from Essex who were on the ferry yesterday afternoon returning home, and they noted that they had seen several Great Northern Divers from the ferry. They too had seen Golden Eagles during their stay here on Islay.