Wednesday 6th May

Some more details regarding the Barnacle Goose found by Bob in a field close to his house up behind port Charlotte... It was originally rung as a young bird on the nest on the 19th of July last year, and Bob had found it on the 25th of March this year.. It had travelled/ flown 1071 km over 250 days...

When I was speaking to Bob earlier this evening, he was telling me that he had heard a Lesser Whitethroat singing in his garden this morning as well as 2 Sedge Warblers joining in as well.

Wednesday 16th May

Gary today had seen a distant Golden Eagle over Sgarbh Breac which is the big hill up towards the lighthouse at Rhuvaal. At Bunnahabhain, an Osprey was seen, with a Whinchat seen down at Torrabus. The RAFOS team had been down on the Oa today helping David Wood with some survey work there. While they were there they saw a Spotted Flycatcher at Kinnabus, the first of 2018 on the reserve there, and also a Golden Eagle. This afternoon, Mike Peacock heard a Corncrake calling down on the reed bed between the Coastguards and Machir Bay. Along at Rockside, Mike had also seen a Merlin and a ringtail Hen Harrier. Here at home the Tree Sparrows are still around.. and late afternoon we had the distant sightings of 3 large bird of prey soaring way up on some thermals and the jury is still out, was it 2 Buzzard and a Golden Eagle? Bob had been round at Rockside visiting DistilleryDave where they had  a Lesser Whitethroat.

Monday 23rd April

Yesterday visitors, Andrew and Anne Johnson had seen 7 Purple Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, 2 GND and a Sandwich Tern while down at Bruichladdich, Today, they had 5 Chough, 6  Wheatear, 10 Golden Plover, 2 GND and a Peregrine while walking up at Ardnave. Down at Machir Bay, they saw 20 Chough and also 8 Ringed Plover.
This morning, Mark heard a Sedge Warbler and a short time afterwards James heard a Grasshopper Warbler on the reserve at Gruinart. He had also heard a Whimbrel calling out on the estuary. Also today, Dave Wood had a Lesser Whitethroat at Upper Killeyan on the Oa

Friday 15th November

Martin was in touch last night to say that the Lesser Whitethroat he had been seen the Lesser Whitethroat in his garden over at Glenegedale. He has not seen  since the 19th of November... Good one Martin!!!
Also yesterday, James had seen a Short eared Owl at Bolsay, only the second one he has seen one in the winter time on Islay. Also yesterday, James had seen 5 Hen Harriers on the reserve at Gruinart, 3 female, a brown male and a grey male.

Tuesday 14th November

Today, Lesley Silcock reported through on a report of 2 Snow Buntings being seen down at Machir Bay. While she was there, in the Coull field adjacent to the car park, Lesley had a count of at least 24 Curlew, a Snipe along with 2 chough being present as well.

The Bowland birders have been out and about, making the most of a better day.. At Bruichladdich, opposite the mini market, 2 Purple Sandpipers were seen. From Blackrock, 8 Slavonian Grebes out on Loch Indaal, 57 Scaup counted close to the shore, with a pair of Stonechats seen in the car park there. From the hide old hide at Gruinart, they saw a Peregrine and also a Ringtail harassing around 100 Teal around. A flock of 12 Long tailed Tits were seen clos to the viewing platform. Along towards the visitor centre at Gruinart, they has a small Canada Goose, a male Hen Harrier, 2 Little Grebes, 6 Wigeon, 6 Whoopers including 2 Juvs. Along the flats they had a Whitefronted Goose with a radio collar on. A female Merlin flew along the road at the former Kilchoman School, and finally they saw 4 Woodcock, back at Octomore. Martin was over here visiting this morning us when a ringtail flew over the garden. The Lesser Whitethroat was still present on his feeders this morning with a Blackcap flitting around as well. We also had a small flock of 20 Redwing on the overhead cables leading up to our cottage

Friday 10th November

Gary, yesterday had a good day out birding with some clients. They saw the Kingfisher down at Bridgend, then 2 Peregrines on the South side of Loch Gorm. Along on the barley stubbles at Rockside, amongst the barnies present, they had a Todd's Canada Goose and also a cackling Goose. Back over the hill behind Sunderland, 2 Golden Eagles were seen. Finally along at Newton, 3 Brambling were present amongst the flock of finches.

Martin, this morning, had the Lesser Whitethroat on his feeders in his garden at Glenegedale.

Earlier on this week, we had a great evening with the staff from Speyside Wildlife who were over on Islay "team building". Great to see you all and trust you all got home safely!!

Tuesday 7th November

Islay seems to be the place to be tonight, with some great birds seen, or a we an easy to please lot of folk?? Martin had the Lesser whitethroat in his garden feeders this morning.

Martin took this image for to share it with you all. He also had a couple of female Brambling as well. Mike Peacock had seen a Little Egret this morning at Carnain. Martin had gone down this afternoon to Carnain, no joy with the Egret but he saw a Kingfisher on the Sorn. Fiona and Bob had seen a male Merlin at Rockside and up behind Sunderland, a juv White tailed Eagle being mobbed by some corvids. To finish their day off they saw 2 Little Egrets at Carnain. James had a quick look around Gruinart noting 494 Whitefronts, 32 Whoopers, a Cackling goose (hutchinsi sp), a Green winged Teal and counted 710 Teal   . The Green winged Teal was seen out to the left of the South /old hide...

Tuesday 26th April

Yesterday, Jack Fleming had seen a Corncrake along the flats at Gruinart. James had seen 2 Red Grouse out on the moor and then a Little Grebe as well as 6 Gadwall out on the floods. Also yesterday, returning birder Susan Miller had seen a Sparrowhawk, several Buzzards, Wheatear and some Song Thrushes on the Glen road, mostly seen close to Ballygrant, rather than the Mulindry end! Other highlights included seeing a pair of Peregrines out on the wing round Loch Gorm. The Leigh birders had been out about yesterday, seeing a group of around 15 Sand Martins at Bridge House/ Island Farm on the Low road out of Bowmore to Port Ellen with a few Hen Harriers seen on their travels and then a lesser Whitethroat heard up past Torra and then a male Whinchat along at Red Lodge. They had counted over 100 Ringed Plover at Rubha Ban at the top of Loch Indaal, past smelly corner. Further along Loch Indaal, a few "comic" terns were seen along with some Sandwich Terns there as well.

Tuesday 24th May

After the disruptions due to the weather yesterday life is getting back to normal again, although we have had a further power cut this evening, hence a late entry, honest....Jon and Angie are here for their second week, and they too had problems with no electricity. On the bird watching front they had a Kestrel over beside the car park on the Oa. At Kintra they saw a Carrion Crow and along at Kildalton, a pair of Yellowhammers were present. Other visitors had seen 2 Great Northern Divers over at Bunnahabhain and also a Peregrine on their way home. The Peregrine was only 20 yards away, so no need for the bins! James today had heard the Chiffchaff beside the RSPB office at Bushmills. On his way home this evening he had a "possible" Lesser Whitethroat. The Garganey was still present out in front of the hide. Up at Ardnave, 100 Dunlin were in the ploughed field. These were also seen by another visitor too. Both James and this visitor had both commented on the weather yesterday and the effect it would have had on the birds that nested along the shoreline, as yesterday with the tide and the wind, many nests would have been destroyed plus any new fledglings. here at home, the leaves on the trees are black today, the nettles too are black, not to worry the Corncrake was heard this morning and a Kestrel was out hovering this evening in the wind above the crag.