Saturday 22nd August

 Visitor Andrew Kelly sent through the following list of birds that he had seen yesterday....

"Sightings other than 'regulars' from yesterday:

Loch Indaal shore just north of Bruichladdich: 2 eclipse male Eider

Machir Bay: dozen Sanderling, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 juvenile Dunlin

Road to Sanaigmore: juv Whinchat (and loads of Stonechat!).

Sanaigmore area: 2 Common Sandpiper, masses of Twite (mixed with Linnet and some Goldfinch), Fulmar off shore

Plenty of Buzzards  also seen while out and about!"

He also had seen a Common Whitethroat sitting on top of a dyke/ wall as he drove up to Sanaigmore. 

James today had been out doing a bit of birding looking out over Loch Gruinart where he counted the following birds...

"A few wader on Loch Gruinart

Dunlin -1040,  Ringed plover – 110,   Sanderling – 210,  Redshank – 26

Knot – 87 and Ruff = 1

A large flock of 40 Redpolls was interesting, being chased by a Sparrowhawk"

 

Friday 17th June

Today, Peter had noted a total of 45 moulting male Eiders in 2 groups between Uiskentuie and Bruichladdich. Earlier on he had been checking the colony of Black headed Gulls close to "smelly corner" and he was saying there were not so many with chicks as seen earlier on. Late afternoon today, Michal had seen 2 Peregrines out over the crag at Kilchoman. This evening, we spotted the hen Peregrine on the ground with a kill, plucking it away as if there was no tomorrow!! Today , the young Goldfinches have been busy on the feeders

Sunday 24th May

Andrew and Jane (the Bowland birders) yesterday while on the ferry going back to Kennacraig had seen a Bonxie on the water, just out of Port Ellen, 4 Arctic Skuas were present 3 off Ardbeg. They also saw many Guillemots and Razorbills from the ferry but no cetaceans. This morning I gave Bob a hand to carry out the monthly count from Bowmore out to Gartbreck along the shoreline of Loch Indaal. The tally came to 7 Shag, 21 Shelduck, 2 Mallard, 100 Eider, 42 Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew, 2 Whimbrel, 20 Barwit, 62 Dunlin, 24 Ringed Plover, 4 Lapwing, 24 Bh Gull, 6 Common Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 2 LBB Gull and 1 GBB Gull. We also saw a Willow Warbler and heard a Sedge Warbler as we walked down the lane leading to the shore. The weather was not great and quite windy, and we managed to avoid the showers, thank goodness!!! This coming Tuesday (26th May), the Islay Bird nerds will be meeting at the car park leading in to Islay House square. We will be taking a walk up the River Sorn and then returning back along the other side of the River, not really a strenuous walk, more a gentle stroll, so if you are around, come along ,all welcome.... by the way we will meet at 6.30pm

Wednesday 14th March

Forgot to mention last night that Bob had a count of 40 male Eider out on the Balach Rocks which are about 2 miles NNE of Ardnave Point. Bob reckons that there would probably be a similar number of females too, but proved difficult to see in their drab colours.

Here at home today, 10 Chough flew over the house at lunchtime, and later on the Raven and the Buzzard were having a set too again, wonder who end up top gun.....The Lapwings were displaying on territory quite unconcerned. Some of Margaret's frog spawn up the burn have now got tails on already... Changing the subject somewhat, I noticed back on Monday that someone has been cutting their grass down at Bruichladdich.

Friday 5th August

A not bad day out here, no complaints, even had the flymo out cutting those awkward pieces of grass.....George had 2 young Herons and an adult Heron down at Bruichladdich. He also saw an adult Linnet feeding young. A Greenfinch was in at his feeders, and he has seen a few more Wrens around of late. A visitor told me last night that they had seen a dead Puffin over at Saligo Bay, wonder if it was the same bird that was seen over there in poor condition. Bob had been over at Kintra this afternoon and had seen a Merlin, 2 Red throated Divers, 10 Chough, a flock of around 100 moulting Eider, 150 Greylags and 2 Common Sandpiper.

Sunday 17th April

A busy day again, James had led one of the walks today, going round Ardnave Point and then following the coast along to Sanaigmore, with over 50 folk on the walk. James had 4 Arctic Terns off Ardnave Point. This evening Margaret saw a Cuckoo on the overhead cables down at Foreland. Malcolm had 200 Pale bellied Brent Geese flying South down Loch Indaal, trust they have realised they should be heading North...

George had seen a Barn Owl in his shelter belt today, the first he reckons in over 25 years. He had 60 Barnies heading North mid afternoon. James reckons that most of the geese have gone, with only a few stragglers left. George had a flock of 700 Barnies at Sanaigmore on Thursday, he also saw 3 Stonechats. Today he heard a Whimbrel calling while earlier this week he saw an Oystercatcher sitting on eggs down on the shore. Down on the shore today he had a Mistle Thrush as well as a couple of Song Thrush.

Yesterday Bob had 2 Arctic Terns and 2 Common Sandpiper at Ardistillery. He had Chiffchaff, Blackcaps and Bullfinches in Bridgend Woods, with another Bullfinch down at Cairnsmore Wood at Port Ellen. Later on there was a large flock of Golden Plover in the fields up towards his house. The Iceland Gull was still present at Bunnahabhain, with a White tailed Sea Eagle over the Sound of Islay. Today, over at Gartbreck there were around 200 Eider Duck displaying, a Merlin was also seen there and a few Knot were present at Gartmain.

Mon 20th July

George was on the phone earlier with some sightings over the past few days. On Friday, he had seen a young female Peregrine Falcon take off and fly away, on closer inspection by George, at where the bird had flown from, there was the remnants of a young Rook! On Saturday, he had heard a Whimbrel, so that must be the start of the Whimbrels moving through now. It has been quite noticeable of late, that the male Eiders have gone into moult.

Tues 29th July

Michal had been out at the weekend on one of his walkabouts and had been over on the shore at Killinallan and followed it round to Gortantaoid, and managed to get this Ringed Plover en route. Michal commented that bird wise, things were a bit quieter, as obviously the breeding season is now past, although he did see and hear Pipits, Skylark, Stonechats, the odd Hoodie Crow and a few Herring Gulls. MS

4 Sand Martins were seen flying South over Kinnabus. RAS

Here at home, later on Sunday evening there were 73 House Martins and Swallows on the 'phone wires, but on Tuesday, there were certainly not so many to be seen, so that could possibly have been the first of them moving South. Round Loch Gorm we counted 253 Greylag, in 5 different sites, with 134 on silage aftermath at Rockside. Down below the coal yard at the head of Loch Indaal there were 2 Turnstone. Flying South towards Bruichladdich was a group of around 20 Knot, while on the rocks there were 40 Eider mainly in eclipse plumage. MAB