Friday 8th and Saturday 9th December

The reason why that you never got an entry on the blog for Friday, last night when you should have done, well our satellite broadband system which we have went on the blink, and their engineers do not work after 6pm....say no more..

Yesterday Mary Redman had a probable Chiffchaff in her garden down at Port Wemyss/ Portnahaven. Garry had seen the Kingfisher at the mouth of the River Sorn. He also saw  2 White tailed Eagles up behind Ballygrant and then later on, another couple flying over Jura, up from Inver.

This morning, Paul Graham had a second year White tailed Eagle trying to spoof the Barnies off the merse at Bridgend. Bob came across a dead Great crested Grebe down at Carnain. Along at Bruichladdich he saw 2 Purple Sandpipers. Mike Peacock saw the 2 Bottle nosed Dolphins today at Port Charlotte. This afternoon, we saw a single Whooper Swan down on the wee lochans below Rockside as well as a Heron flying past there as well. Later on, in the gloaming, we saw a Barn Owl out on the wing, no doubt rather hungry after the windy weather over the past few days.

Wednesday 31st August

Yesterday afternoon, Bob had seen a Peregrine about 300 metres along the "high road"  from the junction at Springbank. He saw another Peregrine over close to the airport, down the big strand, he saw 6 Sanderling and 8 Ringed Plover were present. At the Bird nerds meeting held at the Gaelic College, the following birds were seen, 22 Wigeon, 30 Eider, a small flock of Dunlin of around 15 in total, a few Oystercatcher, some Curlew, 30 Greylag and 12 Mute Swan further out on Loch Indaal. We also saw a very inquisitive Stoat who was easily "squeaked in". Gary this morning, had seen Curlew, Whimbrel and Ringed Plover at Bruichladdich, along at Port Charlotte in the bay, there was a Great crested Grebe. This morning, Mike and Peter had done a stint down at Frenchman's Rocks, the wind was sou' westerly, 17 to 20 mph, birds flying with the wind.... the birds seen over their 2 hour stint was as follows,  2 Great Skua, 3023 Manx Shearwater, 35 Sooty Shearwater, 363 Gannets on passage with around 500 fishing around the rock itself, 193 Fulmar, 31 Shag, 23 Kittiwake, 8 Guillemot, 8 Turnstone, 2 Red Knot and 3 Tufted Duck. While out and about today, Michal had seen 4 different ringtail Hen Harriers between Bushmills and Ardnave Point. Michal also saw 11 Black tailed Godwit at Gruinart and a Whooper Swan on Loch Lageadail. All I can offer was a Wren as it hopped along in the shelter of the dyke from the wind here at home, the first I have seen for sometime.