Friday 20th June

Yesterday, David and Jenny had heard and then saw a Corncrake at Carnduncan, up at Sanaigmore, they saw 4 Chough with 12 distant Manx Shearwater out over the sea. Later on, from the viewing platfrm at Gruinart, they saw an Osprey and also the Red necked Phalarope. Over Killinallan, they had a ringtail Hen Harrier and finally around Loch Gorm, an imm Golden Eagle was seen. On Wednesday, with the haar being around for most of the day, trying times but they had managed to spot a male Hen harrier and later on a ringtail, both round Loch Gorm. They also saw another male just behind Bowmore. David Griffiths had a family of 5 Great Tits on his feeders today, and this morning he saw 4 Herons along a Avonvoggie. This afternoon just around 4 pm there were 2 earth tremors heard rumbling away, look up the British Geological Survey's web page for more details!!!

Wednesday 18th June

A late entry, but better late than never...David and Jenny on Monday had seen a Peregrine over close to Coullabus, on Tuesday, they had seen 2 GND and 6 Arctic Terns at Claggain Bay. On the Oa, they had 2 Golden Eagles, 1 Hen Harrier, 2 Kestrel and 5 Whinchats. Peter Clements and his group from Naturetrek had been over on Jura yesterday and had seen a pr of White tailed Sea Eagles, at Small Isles Bay 2 GND were present as with a female Otter with her 2 cubs, and further on at Lowlandman's Bay, 2 Short eared Owls and also a male Hen Harrier were spotted. Today, they were up at Ardnave where they saw 2 Hen Harriers a family of Twite, a pr of Bonxies over Nave Island with a GND , Little Tern and 5 Arctic Terns over and on the water towards Nave island itself. James today had from the new hide at Gruinart, a Red necked Phalarope, Greenshank and a Blackwit

Monday 9th June

A bit of a late entry tonight folks, sorry about that folks... James phoned through late afternoon to say that there had been a Red necked Phalarope over in front of the hide at Gruinart. Here at home this morning, there were 4 Collared Doves down on the ground beside the bird table. Margaret this evening spotted the pr of Mute Swan from the lochans at Rockside road end, well this evening there were on Loch Gorm along beside the wee island where the "castle" is (according the OS map!!). They had at least 4 young still, but hard to get a right count as it was quite choppy...

Friday 23rd May

There was a reported sighting of a Red necked Phalarope down in front of the hide at Gruinart yesterday. The Bowland birders yesterday had been down on the Oa, and had done a spot of sea watching from Port nan Gallan where they saw Manxies, Black Guillemots, and a passage of around 60 Gannets/ hour fly past. They also saw plenty of Fulmars nesting on the cliffs there, near the American monument a male Hen Harrier and back at the car park, a Kestrel on the overhead wires. On their way back, 2 Swifts were seen at Island Farm and prior to that another male Hen Harrier close to the Machrie Golf course. Ken and Sal headed over to Jura and had a good day there with the following birds seen, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, a Tree Pipit calling, Garden Warbler seen, 2 Siskins, Yellowhammer and a few Greenfinches all past the River Lussa. North of Tarbert 2 Common Buzzards wereseen, Red breasted Merganser just North of Craighouse, and they also had a possible Pied Flycatcher as well. They also heard and saw many Cuckoos on Jura. Graham and Jo had started their day around Loch Gorm with Whitethroat, 2 Whinchats and a male Hen Harrier seen. From the car park at Machir Bay, they had 8 Chough, 2 Buzzard and 2 Twite, they also heard a Corncrake calling there as well. Up the North end of Machir Bay they saw at least 70 Ringed Plover, 30 Dunlin and 50 Sanderling. Later on they saw a Peregrine over Kilchoman Distillery and then a ringtail Hen Harrier on their way over to Loch Gruinart. From the visitor centre there, a Spotted Flycatcher was seen and a Corncrake was heard.

Tues 2nd November

Remember the entry the other day regarding the Grey Phalarope, well, delete it as it now turns out to be a Red necked Phalarope. One of the RAFOS members managed to get an image of it, and showed to Malcolm who in turn was in touch with John Bowler who confirmed it.

Other members of RAFOS today had a Swallow and also a House Martin while over at Kildalton.

David Formby, our local dentist here on Islay had 3 Swallows over the water when he was down in Bowmore on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday at home, in his garden David had 5 kinds of thrush, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Redwing and Fieldfare.