Monday 30th March

James yesterday had a Wheatear on the reserve at Gruinart, seen from his garden.

Peter has just noticed this evening from the house here in Bruichladdich, the first decent count of GNDs I’ve seen all winter out on Loch Indaal. A number of small groups were visible offshore totalling 36 birds. There were only 4-5 RTDs with them.

Please remember that there is NO bird nerds meeting tomorrow evening....  "STAY SAFE"

Sunday 26th May

Well, the rain certainly came as forecasted, but not as much as what was expected !!! From the Bruichladdich Distillery's point of view, it stopped raining just before they opened up around midday and it stayed dry though their event, or that is what we had. now the sun is shining again with the wind picking up as well, the evening ferry being diverted from Port Ellen to Port Askaig.

On the bird front, I have just heard that earlier on this week that a visitor had seen a pair of breeding GNDs, on a wee lochan up behind Port Ellen. 

With the damp / wet weather we have had, I noticed that the Swallows were not seen so often going back and forward to their nest sites and wondered where they have been sheltering up...

Saturday 29th December

On Thursday, Mike P. had seen a couple of Bullfinches over on the forest track at Avonvoggie. Yesterday Mike had counted a flock of 384 Twite on the overhead wires at Upper Killeyan. Also on the Oa, he saw  4 Chough and a Sparrowhawk. Late afternoon, from Port Charlotte, Mike counted 61 GND and also 5 RTD swimming out to their roost at Laggan Point.

Today, up here at home, the birds have been busy as ever scoffing all the food on offer. I saw a Brambling out from the hut and then out of the kitchen window, a Greenfinch was present.

Wednesday 5th December

Yesterday, Distillery Dave had seen 5 Turnstone down on Machir Bay. Up at Sanaigmore, "DD" had seen a single Turnstone and also a GND was present there as well.

Today as ever, the wee birds have been busy scoffing all the food on offer... I went out at one time with the trusty camera and took some images.. I downloaded them and counted an amazing total of 180 Birds on our feeders, all wee birds, no Starlings counted, no Jackdaws or Pheasants either, all wee birds.... Mid afternoon, the ringtail flew past , not paying any attention to those well fed, tasty morcels around the feeders...

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...

Monday 13th August

Yesterday afternoon, Bob and Distillery Dave carried out the WeBs count from Port Charlotte to Bruichladdich counting the following birds... 10 Arctic Terns, 32 Herring Gulls, 18 Common Gulls, 3 Lesser Black backed Gulls, 6 Great Black backed Gulls, 11 Gannets, 6  Curlew, 17 Ringed Plover, 8 Oystercatcher, 4 Dunlin, 34 Eider, 17 Cormorant, 3 Shag and a Great Northern Diver.
This evening, Helen Brown was in touch to say that she had counted 14 Greylags as they came in to land on Ardnahoe Loch.

Saturday 30th June

Some sightings through from Peter Roberts who has recently returned from leading a tour to Japan. Before I forget, I heard today that the weather or rather the temperature in Japan is lower at present this year, than it is here in Scotland.
Yesterday evening, Peter had heard 4 GNDs calling away out from Bruichladdich on Loch Indaal, 2 in full breeding plumage with the others in non breeding plumage.Back on Wednesday, Peter had seen another GND over at Claggain Bay., so we are definitely seeing some GNDs summering here on Islay...Back down at the pier at Bruichladdich, Peter had seen at least 8 Tysties, and wondered whether they were actually 4 pairs breeding there.

Tuesday 13th March

It might have been sunny, but the temperature was not that hot, in fact there has been a cool edge to the wind this afternoon, having said that I did some tidying up work outside this morning and then late afternoon, I got the paint brush out and put some preservative on the nest boxes which we received through from good friend Wally last week, so all gong well, if the weather is kind, we should get them up this weekend.

Peter Roberts had seen 4 pale bellied Brent Geese and counted 26 GND out on Loch Indaal from his lounge window in Bruichladdich. Today, James had counted 11,660 Barnies, 169 Whitefronts and 2 Greylags on the reserve at Gruinart. He also saw an Iceland Gull down at Bruichladdich.

Monday 20th November

Yesterday, Mandy spotted a Barn Owl on a fence post as she drove across the Gruinart flats. During the afternoon yesterday, she had a Kestrel sitting on a fence post below Carduncan, it took off and then started hovering, great sighting Mandy, her first Kestrel seen for over a year. Yesterday morning Mike had carried out hid WeBs count on Outer Loch Indaal, basically from Port Charlotte down to Portnahaven. Mike counted a total of  110 GND, mostly in groups, the largest group being 18 in number. Within each group they were calling to each other while on the surface, then all diving together. Other birds seen were 3 RTD, 24 Common Scoter, 6 Wigeon, 6 Eider, 13 Shag, 11 Guillemot and a Tystie.

Here at home, the Goldfinches were back at the big niger feeder, after being awol for a few days...

Sunday 20th November

Today Mary saw 3 great spotted woodpeckers in her garden in Portnahaven. In Ardnave there was 29 turnstone, 2 great northern divers, 45 twite, 280 starlings. On Ardnave Loch there was 15 mute swans, 15 whoopers, 30 wigeon, 45 whitefronts, 47 teal and couple lapwings.

Wednesday 4th November

An early entry tonight as I am going out this evening.... On the reserve at Gruinart today, James had the following count, 13855 Barnies, 601 Whitefronts, 46 Pale bellied Brent and 85 Greylags, other birds noted were 3 Gadwall and 372 Lapwing. Mike Peacock, now resident at Port Charlotte sent in some sightings from today... On Loch Indaal from Port Charlotte across the Loch to Gartbreck in flat conditions, 53 GND, including a group 37 fishing together and also 9 RTD. Along at Blackrock, Mike had a further 5 GND, 48 Scaup, a female Long tailed Duck, 32 Eider, 3 Goldeneye, 22 Common Scoter, 5 RB Merganser and 2 Pale bellied Brent. Thanks Mike.

Wednesday 10th June

Summer is still here, and as I write tonight's entry, I have got a great view all the way up to Mull and then turn round and views down to Donegal in the Irish Republic with a cruise liner sailing past, possibly heading to Killybegs in Donegal if the information on Marine traffic is correct! Yesterday, Mark and Sally had seen 2 male Hen Harriers while they were out, a Peregrine at Gruinart causing havoc with a GND in full summer plumage out on Loch Indaal. Up at Sanaigmore 3 Corncrakes present. This morning I saw 8 Lapwings, probably 4 pairs of Lapwings mobbing a raptor, before setting it on its' way up along the crag here at home. Later on tonight, or should it be early tomorrow morning, we are going to check out if there are any more Corncrakes around, at present there is not much wind, so hopefully we will be able to hear above the swell of the sea, fingers crossed, not an early night, might try to have 40 winks before heading out...

Monday 10th February

A few squally showers sped past today, but not enough to deter our birders....Mary and Amy from RSPB had been round Ardnave between the showers. They had a total of 41 GND as well as 1 Red throated Diver, 1 Black Guillemot, 12 Red breasted Merganser, 9 Shag, 4 Eider and also 9 GBB Gulls. Down at Tayovullin 3 Redshank, 21 Curlew (including 1 with colour rings on), 116 Lapwing, 21 Turnstone and 2 Ringed Plover. Later on Amy had 2 Bullfinches whilst along the woodland trail at Gruinart. Today, the Rochdale birders had a female Sparrowhawk in at Loch Skerrols, a really dark ringtail Hen Harrier close to Cladville, a Barn Owl out up the back of Port charlotte, over at Lagavullin Bay they saw 2 GND. The Sevenoaks birders had been out to Claggain Bay and had an Otter, 10 Black Guillemot, 5 Red breasted Merganser, 1 Dabchick, 8 GND, 12 Red throated Diver,15 Eider and 1 Shag. Aros Bay held 40 Oystercatcher, 6 Ringed Plover, 1 Redshank and a Turnstone. Just inland, there were 20 Meadow Pipits along with 6 Reed Buntings, then to top it all a female Merlin appeared out of nowhere within 10 feet of them! The wee lochan up behind Laphroaig had some Teal and Wigeon along with 5 Whoopers and also a pr of Goldeneye. Finally, they saw another female Merlin perched on a bough of a tree as they returned back to Port Ellen.

Sunday 24th November

A beautiful calm day. Out along the coast today past Ardbeg, with Islay canoe club, we had two sightings of White-tailed Sea Eagles, 3 Black Guillemots, and 10 Great Northern Divers. The GND's were making their unusual eerie call constantly whilst we were on the water.
Pete tells me he has a fine male Blackcap in his garden hedge at Bruichladdich. Concerned for its well being he has been trying to coax it with one of his fat balls, but so far it seems disinterested.

Monday 4th November

Loads of birds- Yesterday Bob and John O were out birding. At Laggan Point they had a White Tailed Eagle, at the Laundry Loch 1000 Teal, 400 Wigeon and 12 Whooper Swans. At Skerrols, Lots of swans- 54 Mute Swans, 52 Whooper Swans, 68 wigeon, 1 Little Grebe and a Coot, at Blackrock 158 Scaup and finally at Gartmain a Sparrowhawk. Also seen yesterday a Green winged teal from the hides at Gruinart. Today Micheal had - 59 Hoodies (the crow sort) at Rockside, 3 Hen Harriers, 54 Pintail and 280 Golden Plover at Gruinart. He then moved on to Ardnave- 15 Snow Buntings, 55 Twite, 29 Ringed Plovers and 14 Rock Pipits and on Loch Indaal 36 Red Throated Diver, 17 Great Northern Diver, 23 Slavonian Grebes, 80 Common Scoter, 13 Long Tailed ducks, 81 Red Breasted Mergansers and 34 Pale Bellied Brents. Amy on the Reserve at Gruinart also found 1 Redpoll and 40 Fieldfares.

Thursday 31st October

Due to technical issues I am Blogging tonite. While Ian tries to shake the spooks out of his computer. A few sightings from Bob today, birding between the heavy rain showers. A Merlin and 2 Grey Wagtails at Duich and a large flock of 320 White Fronted geese at Newton.
Some records from the Nature Trek group bird watching on the Island for the last few days: Loch Indaal -6 Great Northern Divers, 5 Red Throated Divers, 6 Slavonian Grebes and about 100 Scaup. Ardnave - Peregrine, 32 Chough, 13 Snow Buntings and a White Tailed Eagle. Bridgend Woods- Tawny Owl. Bowmore- 1 male Long Tailed Duck. The Oa- 200 Twite, 1 male Brambling, Golden Eagle, Hen Harrier and a Snow Bunting.
Jura- 3 White Tailed Eagles, 1 Golden Eagle, Merlin, 5 Hen Harriers, 4 Great Northern Divers, 15 Whooper Swans and a female Otter with 2 cub.
There is thunder and lightening now so I think I will publish this post.

Wednesday 7th March

Back on Monday when we were over at Ardbeg, out towards Kildalton, a Long tailed Tit was seen, and today here at home, the Coal Tit was busy on the bird table, the first time there for a few days, may be he has been eating up his stores before they were "out of date".

David and Jenny on their last day yesterday had been over at Claggain Bay and had seen a couple of Great Northern Divers, a Red throated Diver, 2 Shelduck and further out, 2 Gannets. Over at Port Askaig another G. N. D., and also 4 Black Guillemots. It was too wet to see anything off the ferry on the crossing, plus the fact that the outside doors were locked, so one could not get outside! Many thanks to David & Jenny for sharing their sightings with us.

Sunday 4th March

A bit cooler over here today, with the hills over on Mull wearing white caps, here on Islay there has been the odd shower of hailstones, and I heard that the gritters were out on the roads this morning!

Dave & Jenny have moved to stay down close to Port Ellen for their last few days. Yesterday at Claggain Bay they had a Golden Plover, Shelduck and a Great Northern Diver, along at Kildalton Cross, they had around 25 Skylark and a Sparrowhawk, and where they are staying on the road out to the Oa, plenty of Chaffinches are around. They still have not seen a Yellowhammer yet, but there is still time yet...Dave Pitman who was over last week with some birders from Lancs and who was at the "bird nerds" back on Tuesday e mailed through having had a good time. From the ferry coming over, they had 65 Great Northern Diver, 12 Red throated Diver, a White tailed Sea Eagle as well as a Golden Eagle, I was not sure whether they saw the Eagles over Jura or Islay! During their stay they had numerous white winged gulls on their travels around Islay and the Magpie at Ardbeg! On Loch Indaal from Bowmore they had 4 Long tailed Duck and 50 Common Scoter.

Saturday 3rd December

I know it is December, but all the same it has been a bit parky outside today, it was not that cold at this time last year, but then I was in Trinidad while the UK had the snow etc... Ewan and his friends left Islay on Thursday, but before they left, they managed to get out to Claggain Bay where they had an Otter, and counted 10 Great Northern Divers, 20 Common Scoter and a Slavonian Grebe. At Port Askaig, they had a Golden Eagle over Jura. They had " a great 4 days of birding and certainly we want to return". It was great to meet with them and good of them to pass on some of their sightings. James had 20 Whoopers at Gruinart today and also a Peregrine. There was a small group of 7 Whoopers taking off from the lochans below Rockside, and they appeared to be heading out en route to Ireland, as we headed out for our papers. On our way back there was a Merlin just before Sunderland Farm. Danny who came over yesterday had an Otter at Kennacraig as he waited on the midday ferry. Today on Ardnave Loch, he had 3 Whooopers, on his way there he had a male Hen Harrier on the reserve at Gruinart. At Bowmore, Danny had a couple of Goldeneye, 2 Red breasted Mergansers and a small group of Pale bellied Brent. There were also a few Curlews in a field beside Blackrock.

Sat 12th November 2011

A beautiful day not a cloud in the sky all day, then in the evening that lovely soft silvery Islay sky. I walked around Killinallen and had fantastic views all day. Bird wise- interestingly there was a flock of 29 great northern divers off the beach at Killinallen and on the sand a flock of 64 sanderling. Bob had 9 woodcock up at Rockside.

Last night on the way to Port charlotte there were 3 owls at Erasaid wood, 2 barn owls and 1 tawny, a good start to the evening.