Thursday 3 February

(Photo credit Islay.org.uk)

Yesterday NatureScot announced the suspension of shooting of Greenland Barnacle geese on Islay, as Avian flu cases in Ireland increases in Ireland.  Given the proximity and the evidence of the interchange between geese and swans wintering in Ireland and Islay, it is a real concern.  Indeed, Shona-Isla reported a dead goose found at Ardtalla on 30 Jan. This bird was originally ringed 4 years ago in Donegal.

Counts of the Svalbard population that overwinter on the Solway has shown a 38% decline on last year. I have yet to receive any reports on Islay but it seems unlikely it will be avoided.

Elsewhere on the Island at Guinart, James had a count of 110 fieldfare. It is noticeably colder this evening as yet more strong winds and heavy rain builds up.

Tuesday 23 November

Orsay Island and Lighthouse, Portnahaven in a rather lovely sunset, around half 3 last Saturday.

The evenings are drawing in and thankfully it is getting colder at last.  Feels cleaner somehow. The crop of autumn berries have been cleared away, but there is a fantastic crop of berries in the Hawthorn bushes along the roadside throughout the island. As they can't be turned into jam or gin, the birds have no apparent competition. Though perhaps they aren't as tasty as the brambles! Driving through Bridgend there was a small flock of fieldfare in one bush at the edge of the woodland, and nearer the Gaelic College there were 3 pheasants that had taken the effort to fly up into the branches for a feed. 

The flock of lesser scaup at Loch Skerrols has been confirmed, reported as 5 in total: one female and 4 males. Nice record for Islay.  Peter also counted 9 whooper, 12 mute swan, 26 mallard, 27 tufted duck, 65 teal, 31 wigeon, 3 little grebe and the lone long-tailed duck is still present.  Peter also counted 25 whooper on Loch Indaal just outside Bowmore along with 6 mute, but no sign of 'my' little whooper yet.

Gary reported 6 bullfinch at Achnaclach woodland at Finlaggan, and 2 common crossbills at Finlaggan house.  A young golden eagle was spoofing the barnacle geese by the loch there.

Mary

Friday 19 November

Stuart located the red-breasted goose and the cackling goos in the same barnacle flock below the RSPB Loch Gruinart Visitor Centre this morning.  His notes from yesterday - a black throated diver near Port Charlotte, 4 purple sandpiper at Bruichladdich, a pair of golden eagle at the Oa plus around 90 fieldfare and 30 twite.  Thank you Stuart for your sightings this week.

I counted a flock of 60 fieldfare at Claddach, and was feeling pretty pleased with that high count until Dave Wood at the Oa got in touch with a count of over 400 at Lower Killeyan.  

Marin noted 2 little egret at Gartmain.

Tuesday 16 November

The weather is a back to normal, wet and windy as seen in the view of Port Charlotte above. Still unseasonably warm though with the temperature hovering around 10 degrees. The wind is to get up for an other fierce day tomorrow.  Despite this the The Ribble Bird Tours were out and about, spying no less than 5 WTE over Ellister this morning, being mobbed by 2 ravens and a buzzard.  They also successfully located a cackling goose by Kilchoman Distillery and the 'star birds' at Loch Skerrols.

Mark at Loch Gruinart counted 1428 golden plover there today, that'll help him get to sleep tonight! Also 583 Greenland white-fronted geese were counted in a roost count yesterday.

David at The Oa reported a flock of 270 fieldfare there at the visitor carpark.  David also kindly sent in the following images from last Thursday when over 100 twite were ringed.

Friday 5 November

 

With Teresa away, we are without the rather spectacular photos she kindly shared during her stay. Above is the view looking out from Port Charlotte. There is a great norther diver in view, and (about 20 seconds before my phone eventually responded), there was around 100 barnacle geese in loose flocks flying overhead.  The wind got up by the evening in time for the forecast gale tomorrow. The Portnahaven Bonfire night went ahead and was, as usual, fabulous.  

What the wildlife must think to Bonfire night I don't know, but Portnahaven is known for its wild nights so perhaps it's all too familiar...

November has brought us the first glaucous gull (Dan Brown) of the season, so it is officially winter now, not just chilly! A snow bunting was seen by Dave flying over Kinnabus on The Oa.  White-tailed eagles today were seen at a few different locations; 2 at Loch Gruinart (Pete Hughs), 2 adults and 2 juvenile Gartbreck (Dan Brown), one immature at Portnahaven (Phil Hyde), one at the top of Loch Indaal (Dan Brown).

Phil also had 8 pale-bellied Brent geese go by Portnahaven early morning, and later on Loch Skerrols the lesser scaup, American wigeon, and long-tailed duck. On Loch Gorm Dave Wood noted a ring-necked duck with 4 pochard and some tufted ducks.

Martin Armstrong was on the Woodland Trial at Loch Gruinart and had a fleeting sight of a phyllosopus warbler there.

I had my first fieldfare of the season with 8 near Octofad farm on the drive up county.

Saturday 14th March

Yesterday Dave and Jean Killick
" We spent the day on Jura where the highlights were a juvenile White-tailed Eagle, Merlin, single Rock Pipit, several Great Northern Divers along with a single Redwing and a small flock of 12 Fieldfares. 

On our way home there was a juvenile Golden Eagle just off the road between Loch Indaal and Coullabus close to Cnoc nan Nathrach. "

Monday 6th January

Well, today the wind has huffed and puffed all day and fortunately enough for us not a lot of rain in the mix for once, the ferry has sailed back and forward, not like a lot of other places on the West of Scotland where the ferries were cancelled out...

Returning visiting birders, Iola Williams, John Miles and his son Ewan are over for a few days  leading a group of birders. They came over this afternoon with John coming in for a welcome cuppa in return for payment for some birds seen since arriving...

They saw a ringtail Hen Harrier fly across the Sound of Islay to Jura as the ferry approached Port Askaig. Down on the merse at Bridgend, the Little Egret was present, along with Greenshank and a number of Teal were seen there as well. On their way on towards their accommodation at Kilchoman, they had seen a male Hen Harrier up from Grainel. Shortly afterwards, a flock of 20 Fieldfares and 6 Redwing and finally they had seen a couple of Buzzards.

Mid morning, here at home, the pesky Sparrowhawk came past and had the brass neck to perch up on the feeding station before deciding to move on... and I did not get in a panic about him being as close to me at all!!! About another 30 minutes elapsed before, and we had another regular grace us with his presence, the male Hen Harrier floated past us along the fence line and not much above it either, great to see so close...

Wednesday 30th October

Quite a few birds for you, as when I came back in from our Islay bird nerds meeting, I was just knackered... a right good chance for us all there to hear about some interesting news..

Coming home last night, we saw a Barn Owl out at Sunderland Farm.. Phill Catton had seen a Tawny Owl when driving up from Port Ellen along the High road to the meeting, and then on his way home after the meeting, he had a Barn Owl when going home along the High Road. Yesterday, Philll had seen the following birds on the Oa, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, 4 Chough, 39 Golden Plover, a Buzzard, 2 Hen Harriers, 2 Cormorant and also 2 Snipe.

Yesterday, JD and Bob had a flock of 120 Fieldfare close to Grainel over at Gruinart. 

Also yesterday, the Rochdale birders had gone over to Jura, and they saw 4 Otters, a flock of Fieldfare, a Golden Eagle and also a Woodcock. Back on Islay, they had a White tailed Eagle in at Loch Skerrols and  Woodcock seen up at Gearach up behind Port Charlotte.

MB yesterday had a male Pochard and 6 Goldeneye (2 M+ 4 F). Off the Big Strand and up towards Laggan Point he saw 6 RTD, 8 GND, 9 Eider and also counted 23 Long tailed Duck (15M +8F). Down at the Airport, 6 Chough were present. In at Loch Skerrols, MB had a Hen Harrier, a juv Golden Eagle, a Peregrine and 3 flocks of  Fieldfare (25, 32 + 40). Up over, Carn nan Gillean, a White tailed Eagle and also 2 Golden Eagles. He had also spotted a Stoat at Erasaid. Along at the VC at RSPB Loch Gruinart, he saw 6 L T Tits, and then finally, he had a Hen Harrier along at Coull.

The team  from RAFOS had been down doing some counting of the Twite down on the Oa today with a count of 100 in the crop at Upper Killeyan and the flock at Kinnabus came to 135 Twite and also a Brambling seen among them too. On their way back up from the Oa, they had seen a White tailed Eagle seen down at Gartbreck. On the fields, there were over 2,000 Barnies, with a Grey Plover seen down on the foreshore there as well as 5 Ringed Plover, around 40 Teal, some Mallard and also 2 flocks of Herring Gulls totalling 100 birds. Back down at Machir Bay, one their members had seen 16 Chough, late afternoon.

Gary had been down on Machir Bay this morning, where he had 2 Sanderling with Reed Buntings, Twite and he heard the Snow Bunting up above in the dunes. 2 Chough flew overhead, noisey and nosey a ever. Over Coull Point, Gary saw a Golden Eagle

Monday 28th October

Before I forget, please remember to come along to the Islay Bird nerds monthly catch up. We will be meeting up in the Visitor centre at RSPB LOch Gruinart at 18.30 tomorrow evening, for a cuppa and a catch up, so hopefully see you there... Please mind to bring your money to help pay our way!!!

The Rochdale birders are back again arriving yesterday... They had seen a Sparrowhawk up behind Port Charlotte yesterday. Today, they had a flock of over 50 Fieldfare up beside the former Kilchoman School as well as plenty of Redwings present on their travels around today. 

Another fellow visitor JW had been up for a visit this afternoon, and gave me some birds seen by his wife and also some seen by their fellow birders. Up at Ardnave, they had seen 3 Snow Buntings as well as a ringtail Hen Harrier. Down at Gruinart, they had 8 Whoopers and also 20 Whitefronts. On Loch Indaal, they had 22 Scaup, 40 R B Merganser with 40 Ringed Plover seen on the shore.

MB had an early start this morning ... At 7.50 am, he had counted a flock of 47 Fieldfare along with 2 Redwing out from his cottage at Kilchoman. Down at Machir Bay, he saw 2 Snow Bunting just at the car park, with 3 Pb Brent Geese, 24 Ringed Plover and 16 Curlew seen out on the tide's edge in the bay. Along at Rockside road end, he had counted another 25 Fieldfare with  48 Tufted Duck seen out on Loch Gorm. Down on the Oa, he had seen 3 Golden Eagles (2 AD + a juv)and also a male Merlin and counted 47 Hooded Crows on his way through the Oa. He saw 10 Whitefronts fly in from the South. Finally, at Kinnabus, he counted 300 Twite and 35 Redwing. Kilnaugton Bay held 3 GND, and also 2 Tysties. Up past Island House, he had a male Hen Harrier. Over at Bun an Uillt, MB had a Long tailed Duck, 3 Goldeneye, 19 R b Merganser and also 39 Knot present there as well. Down at the head of Loch Gruinart, on the floods , he had seen 44 Pintail, 25 Shoveler, 6 Blackwit, 5 Greenshank and also 1200 Golden Plover.

JD had been out and about as well, counting 42 RTD, 37 GND, 2 BTD, a Long tailed Duck and also 108 Common Scoters, all present on Loch Indaal 

Some sightings through from RAFOS for you now... They had counted over 1,000 Barnies seen at Leorin. Out past Ardbeg, they had  a Kingfisher flypast over at Loch a' Chnuich. Shortly afterwards they spotted 2 White tailed Eagles perched out on some rocks. Then a Golden Eagle was seen and almost the same place, 3 Buzzards were seen as well...Back up at Smelly corner, another Kingfisher was present with 150 Oystercatcher, some Barwits and some Knot seen along the top of Loch Indaal.

Thursday 9th May

Yesterday, Derbyshire Bob had seen a White tailed Eagle out over the hills behind Ballygrant. Later on, while walking through Bridgend Woods, Bob had seen a Dipper on the River Sorn and a Bullfinch and some Siskins in the trees.
Louise was in touch to say that over the weekend and earlier on this week she has been seeing a Fieldfare close to her home at Gatehouse over on Jura, but she said that it is no longer present!!!

Wednesday 6th February

Yesterday, Ashley Saunders and his group of birders from Oriole Birding had found a Todd's Canada Goose amongst a flock of Barnies over close to Leorin which is over on the High road down at Port Ellen. Needless to say,  today they have had no joy in finding either the Cackling goose or the Todd's ... that's birding for you !!!

Also yesterday, before the weather broke down, Gary and Wendy Ruffel had walked up from Scarrabus and up to Loch Cam. Birds seen included a flock of Fieldfare, Buzzard,  a group of Teal on Loch Cam itself with Raven and also Kestrel. 

Up here at home this morning, the 2 local young Choughs were back having a nosey around, so fingers crossed that they are here to stay. Late afternoon, and a male Hen Harrier was seen flying over the bird seed crop, and on out over the rushes (next door!!) and away over the machir.

Monday 15th October

Mike Peacock had carried out his WeBS count this afternoon from Port Charlotte down to Portnahaven. Mike had 32 GND swimming out of Loch Indaal. Also seen by Mike were 6 RTD, 2 Tysties, 9 Eider, plus a Little Egret flying down Loch Indaal towards Nerabus. Mike also had a mixed flock of over 500 Gulls on the stubble behind the Port Mor Campsite, just out of Port Charlotte. This morning Mike had seen 2 Fieldfare up the track to Bolsay.
This morning up at Gruinart, visiting birders Andrew and Kirsty Lamb had a Little Egret around 9.30am. They also saw a total of 6 Hen Harriers on their travels today.. what will they have tomorrow??? I wonder if their Egret was the other Egret from Whinpark the other week, as 2 had been seen there, or was it just the same bird that Mike had seen????
Got some sightings from returning birders Noel and Ann Hands from Warwickshire, but will save them for tomorrow nights blog. It was their 5th visit to Islay, with the worst weather encountered last week, but still a good lot of birds seen...

Sunday 8th April

A great day with the weather out here today folks, the temperature even creeped into double figures and that is on centigrade not fahrenheight scales..
Merja and Bjoern Olsen are back for another visit. Yesterday they had seen several Buzzard  at Bridgend, Port Charlotte and Kilchiaran. They also had a Peregrine out over the hill at Kilchiaran. Out from Kilchiaran, over the sea, they had several large groups of Gannets flying past. They also had a Grey Wagtail on the wee burn leading down to the bay at Kilchiaran.. Near Bridgend, they had a Sparrowhawk with 2 Barwits  seen nearby. Back on Friday, they had seen an Iceland Gull, in a field out towards Claddach. Yesterday, Pia had heard a woodpecker drumming while she was in at Loch Skerrols
Bob, this morning had a count of 400 Fieldfare between his garden and the adjacent field. Martin was over at Rockside visiting Distillery Dave this morning, and had seen several Goldcrest and some Goldfinch in the trees there. This afternoon, up towards Borichal Mor, we had  seen a Golden Eagle and a White tailed Eagle getting higher and higher on the same thermal, great to see them together for comparison, boy the White  tailed Eagle makes the Golden Eagle look so small. We also saw several small groups of Redwings as we drove around.... Peter this evening had seen 7 Pale bellied Brent on Loch Indaal out from his house in Bruichladdich
On a foot note, this evening, I went and gave a Distillery Dave a helping hand to rescue a ewe that was well and truly stuck in a muddy hole. Boy, was I glad to have a shower when I got home....the combined smell of mud and an old ewe is not too pleasant, trust me!!!!

Tuesday 13th February

The Rochdale birders had counted a flock of 60 Fieldfare over at Finlaggan, and then they had seen over 20 Raven up near to Storakaig on the "Glen road". Finally they saw a ringtail Hen Harrier along the far end of Loch Gorm.  Mike Peacock had seen 2 Glaucous Gulls down at Machir Bay. Our good friend "DJ" had been up the crag behind Kilchoman where he saw the pair of Ravens, a Sparrowhawk and also a male Hen Harrier. All I can add to todays sightings were 3 Reed Buntings seen beside the old church, here at home, seen while I was out "pootering" (not pottering!) around on the wee tractor, boys and their toys...

Sunday 11th February

Been a sort of a miserable sort of a day out here today, with plenty of dirty snow showers rolling in off the sea, not a pretty sight.. and not the warmest of days either!!!

Today, the Rochdale birders had been out, seeing the Iceland Gull at Ballinaby. Also seen there was a ringtail Hen Harrier, a flock of over 300 Golden Plover and also 30 Fieldfare. Round at the head of Loch Gorm (East end), over the moor,  they saw a male and also a ringtail Hen Harrier. They also had seen another pair flying, over at Gruinart. This afternoon, Fiona and Mandy saw a Golden Eagle eating away on a Barnacle Goose carcase down on the stubbles at Sunderland. The dead goose had been seen by Fiona in the same place this morning...

Here at home, there were over 500 Barnacle Geese plus 30+ Greylags on the Machir towards the war graves cemetery. They were the wrong side of the garden fence, so I could not class them as "house birds"!!! The feeders have been busy as ever, even more birds today with the snow, at one time we had 36 Goldfinches, and also a solitary Greenfinch in amongst the numerous Chaffinches. Skulking around,  making the most of the food on the ground, 22 Rock Doves were counted. 

Thursday 8th February

The Hampshire birders had a good bird watch along the coast line from Carnain to Bruichladdich. their top birds seen were  Eider Ducks, Purple Sandpipers, Lapwings, Pale bellied Brent Geese, Barnies and also Whitefronts. Today was Steve Holliday's final day for this visit.. Down on the Oa, at Kinnabus, he saw a small flock of over 80 Twite, with Claggain Bay producing 4 GND. Back up at Bowmore, out on Loch Indaal a GND, a Slav. Grebe and 13 Common Scoter were noted with the juv Iceland Gull seen there as well. Up at Gruinart, Steve had 58 Dunlin, 3 Ruff, 38 Redshank, 2 Whoopers and 40 Pied Wagtails and also a large flock of Golden Plover. Round at Coull, this morning, we had a Merlin who ducked and dived through the gorse bushes alongside the road and then just after the cattle grid at Ballinaby, 20 Fieldfare rose off the fields there.

Sunday 14th January

By the sound of things, the weather is going to be going downhill for the next few days....Today Distillery Dave had seen a group of 20 Ringed Plover and 8 Turnstone and also some Curlews in the field beside the car park at Machir Bay, up beside the old ruin of the former Kilchoman Church, in the surrounding fields there was a small flock of 12 Fieldfare seen.

Tuesday 14th February

Steve Percival sent through this image of a Canada Goose taken yesterday amongst the Barnies present at the top of Loch Indaal yesterday. Further along Loch Indaal, Steve had a Glaucous Gull as he approached Bowmore. Later on, he had a count of around 500 Golden Plover at Craigens. Kevin yesterday had spotted 4 Long tailed Ducks, making heavy weather trying to fly into a head wind at Carnain. Round, off the Gaelic College, he saw 2 small rafts of Common Scoter totalling 16 in all, a Slavonian Grebe, 4 Goldeneye and also 7 Pale bellied Brent Geese, all seen yesterday. Today down on the Oa, around Coillabus, Kevin had a small flock of 50 Starlings, and on closer examination, 6 Redwing and 12 Fieldfare were present as well and then a pair of Stonechats seen on the roadside, soon afterwards... This morning over the trees at Whinpark, Paul Graham saw a White tailed Eagle, soaring in the wind. The Rochdale birders today had seen 2 different pairs of Ravens, one at Carn beyond Port Charlotte, the other over at Caol Ila. Mandy had been out on the goose counts today, on the route taking in the South end of Islay... They had noted 13 Canadas just out of Port Ellen with 7 Redwing along at Ardbeg. There were also 7 Whoopers present on the lochan between Kilbride and Laphroaig. Out on the route towards the Oa, a Sparrowhawk was present at Mid Cragabus, a male Hen Harrier at Risabus and a Merlin was seen chasing a flock of around 100 Twite.  At  Kinnabus, a Pink footed Goose and also a small Canada were present amongst the Barnies. Also at Kinnabus were some Fieldfares. Late afternoon, Fiona had a male Hen Harrier and also a Peregrine between the former Kilchoman School and Culbuie.

Tuesday 25th October

Dave  Protherough last Friday had seen 20 Whoopers fly through Cornabus valley down at Port Ellen. Yesterday visitor, David Sanderson had a flock of around 100 Chaffinches along at Sunderland Farm. Here at home, we saw a Sparrowhawk fly past and today, the Hooded Crows were making the most of a rabbit in the edge of the garden.....Later on, we had between 250 - 300 Fieldfare drop in out of the sky as they moved through. Bob had heard the Willow Warbler in his garden again and also noted seeing more Blackbirds around too. John Wilson had seen 120 Greylags down on the stubbles at Rockside. Along the road, he had a mixed flock of Linnet and Twite. The group who have been over from Heatherlea had seen a  Snow Bunting at Sanaigmore and also a male Kingfisher at the mouth of the River Sorn at Bridgend.. Visitor Phil Hampson today had seen a raft of 49 Scaup at Blackrock. At Ardnave, he saw 25 Chough and also 30 Twite, and at Craigens a ringtail Hen Harrier while out on Loch Gruinart, 3 Greenshank were present.

Tuesday 18th October

Some sightings in from Richard Scott from Chesterfield... On Friday he saw a Peregrine out from Whin Park, over at Bowmore a total of 6 Swallows were there. From Whin Park on Saturday, 4 Grey Plover were present. On Sunday , over behind Ballygrant he watched a Golden Eagle, 2 Raven and 2 Buzzards soaring around in the wind. Yesterday at Gruinart, he had seen a ringtail Hen Harrier, 80 Twite with a Goldcrest while on the Woodland trail. From the hides many duck around including Pintail, Teal & Wigeon seen, as were 4 Buzzards up in the windy conditions. Yesterday, we saw 9 Fieldfare over at Coull Farm, Michal had seen 4 at Gruinart Farm as well as a Grey Wagtail. Martin Armstrong had seen a Marsh Harrier as he watched the geese yesterday afternoon. Steve Percival had counted 2750 Barnies at Gruinart this morning with a further 800 counted at  Loch Indaal. Steve also had a Wheatear out on the dunes at Ardnave with a Common Scoter seen on Ardnave Loch. Peter Donaldson had seen a ringtail Hen Harrier close to Ballymeanach on the Rhinns. Peter Duncan arrived the other day from Glasgow, seeing 2 Peregrine at Port Askaig, a Merlin in the dunes behind Machir Bay and then a White tailed Eagle over at Ardbeg, a great start to his visit!! The tally for the geese, this evening through from James, was 6,500 Barnies, 2 Pinkies, 2 Pale bellied Brent, and 16 Greenland Whitefronts. A small Canada Goose, hutchinsii sp was seen by Bob late afternoon, James had also seen it as well. The Brambling was still present here at home, along with 31 House Sparrows and over 60 Goldfinches along with the Linnets and a Grey Wagtail noted down beside the stream.