Sunday 20th September

 Dave Wood sent through some birds seen by him down on the RSPB reserve on the Oa today...

"Male Redstart on the reserve today. 8+Goldcrests and several migrant Robins also knocking about."

I read with interest the Fair Isle Observatory blog, and notice that on Friday the fund in place has risen to just short of £185,000, so keep sending the money through for a great cause.

Friday 21st August

 Not much to report through from Islay tonight, mainly because of  the weather but Andrew Kelly had managed out yesterday..."Not much to report: went for easy walk round woods at Bridgend. Pretty noisy, so difficult to pick up bird sound, and not a lot to see. Best seen was Treecreeper! Thought I heard Redstart, but willing to be told I'm wrong - reading Birds of Islay Celebration in Photography, it says Redstart not bred for some years? Appreciate it's a 2006 book, so don't know if changed. All birds in Clachan Strip which we struggled through!"   I spoke to James relating to Andrew's comments regarding the Redstart, and James agreed that it could have been a bird on passage rather than a resident bird. So another good spot for Andrew...

Christine Menzies sent through an email saying that she had just seen a Sparrowhawk down close to Port Ellen, it was sitting on a roof close by, being mobbed by some rather irate Swallows!!!!

Monday 2nd September

Just checking through some e mails earlier on and I read that George E. Jackson had a Redstsart over on Jura, when he was over there last month. Also Matthew his son, had been over on Jura last weekend and had counted 20 Grey Heron in a group at the head of Loch Tarbert. Back home on Islay and Matthew had 15 House Martins seen at his home at Rockside road end.

Today, well how can you describe the weather, apart from being "gie dreich" and windy with it as well, say no more!!! We even lit the big fire earlier on, giving us some cheer!!!

JD had seen 3 juv. Common Terns off Bruichladich, over at Gruinart he had 3 Hen Harriers, a male, a female and also a 2 cy male as well. He counted a flock of 110 Goldfinches at Coull with a flock of 180 Linnet present at Ballinaby.  Up here on the feeders were 2 Greenfinches seen in on the feeders, the first seen here for  some time...

Sunday 13th May

George Newall forgot to mention that the other day he had seen a male Goosander when in at Loch Skerrols. Yesterday Mike Peacock had watched an immature White tailed Eagle being mobbed for a total of 57 minutes, before being able to fly away. The attacking mob were a male Hen Harrier,  a pair of Ravens, 7 Hooded Crows and a Gbb Gull... Today, Mike had seen a GND in full summer plumage off Port Charlotte, 2 Common Sandpipers on the shore and also 18 Whimbrel flying high in a Northerly direction. This afternoon, George Newall had a probable Redstart when over at Claggain Bay. This morning, Distillery Dave, Bob and myself carried out a survey from the Woollen Mill down along the River Sorn to its mouth below Bridgend. top birds seen/ heard were 2 Bullfinch, a Spotted Flycatcher, 2 young Dippers and at least 6 Grey Wagtail. Distillery Dave had 3 Whimbrel as he walked down to his lift with me from Rockside. Down on Loch Gorm, we counted 30 Greylag on the water.

Some sightings now from today from the RAFOS team who over for this week, great to see all you folks again.. At Kilchoman, they saw a ringtail Hen Harrier. Down at the reed bed beside the Coastguards a Grasshopper Warbler was present, 3 Dunlin and also 3 Common Sandpiper were at the pool just past Saligo towards Ballinaby. A Whitethroat heard at Gortan, a ringtail at Gortan. South of Port Charlotte they saw 5 Greylags along with 5 young gosling and soon afterwards 9 Whimbrel. At Port Wemyss, they  had a Corncrake calling away, with 2 Common Sandpipers there as well. Back up at Port Charlotte, they saw both Arctic and Sandwich Terns, while at Bruichladdich, another Artic Tern was spotted with 9 Ringed Plover on the shore

Back here at home, late afternoon, some of the RAFOS team along with Distillery Dave and his wife Ann along with Margaret and myself did a wee bit of birding, noting the Tree Sparrows, a few Sand Martins, some Swallows as well as the antics of the Chough, great to watch as ever!!!

Friday 5th May

Another great day again, and last night we had a beautiful sunset. As I write tis entry, the sun is streaming in the big window, so there might be some typing errors coming  up!!

Yesterday evening, Mandy had heard a Corncrake calling behind Machir Bay. In the dunes she counted 23 Sand Martin nest holes, a Common Sandpiper was seen on the stream as it enters the bay and finally Mandy counted 60 Greylags flew in from Coull Farm... Yesterday, Bob had a Sparrowhawk fly past his house, and soon after a male Hen Harrier flew through as well. Today, Mandy heard a Chiffchaff at Carnduncan. David Wood had seen a male Redstart down on the Oa earlier this week. Phill today on the Oa had 2 Grasshopper Warbler, a Whitehroat, Wheatear, several pairs of Stonechats, a Buzzard successfully hunting an Adder. Phill commented that the only Adders he has seen lately are those being carried in a Buzzard's talons!!! This morning, Carl had a Whitethroat in his garden in Port Charlotte and later on a count of 60 Dunlin as they flew past Brichladdich. In his garden, Bob saw 3 Willow Warbler, a Sedge Warbler and also a Blackcap and while he was visiting Bob, Martin saw a Peregrine ...  Botswana Dave saw 2 "lonely" Barnies at Gruinart, and James and Joan heard a Corncrake close to the South hide. Gary had seen a Corncrake at Bun an Uillt and heard another at Ballinaby where he also saw a Whinchat.

Saturday 18th April

On the walk over the moor at Gruinart led by Mary on Thursday, they had a pair of Hen Harriers displaying, a Buzzard, large flocks of Barnies, 2 Chough, Peregrine Falcon, Wheatear, Reed Bunting, Skylark and Meadow Pipit. Yesterday, James had a Redstart on the reserve at Gruinart. Here at home this afternoon, in the glorious sunshine, in the garden a Wheatear and also 2 Swallows, and this evening I counted a flock of 26 Linnets. Bob and Martin had been over the hill from here at Kilchiaran Bay where they saw a pair of Common Sandpipers, 4 Wheatear, 20 Sand Martins inspecting nest holes and counted 9 pairs of Fulmar on nests. No word of the Egret today as our phone is the blink again, so messages through...

Thursday 22nd May

Another good day here, although I was told it had been raining down on the Oa....Yesterday, Ken and Sal had headed over to Claggain Bay where they counted 17 Arctic Terns, a GND, 2 prs of Buzzards and also an Osprey, with a Cuckoo calling away there as well. They heard a further 2 Cuckoos close to Kildalton Cross and also a Chiffchaff there too. Along at Loch an t-Saillein they saw another Osprey but wondered whether it might have been the same bird. Back over this side of Islay, at Sanaig they heard a Corncrake calling, another Cuckoo, 1 GND, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Chough, 12 Sanderling and 4 Dunlins. On the way back to their cottage, the newly sown field beside the Coastguard's still had the Ringed Plover as well as the Dunlin and also 3 Sanderling present. Peter and David had the Velvet Scoter on the Rhinns yesterday as had the Bowland birders who spent some time close to Portnahaven where they had 6 Maxies, 7 Turnstone, 2 Fulmar, over 20 Gannets, Guillemot, Razorbill, Shag and Cormorant. Graham & Jo had been on the Oa yesterday and saw 2 Stonechats, 2 Whinchats, 4 Ravens, 2 Northern wheatear, Sedge warbler and 2 Golden eagles, later on at Ardilistry Bay, they had 2 Common Sandpipers and a Red breasted Merganser. Yesterday, Michal had a Chiffchaff sing at Moulin, on the reserve at Gruinart, today between Ardilistry and Kintour Michal had heard a Cuckoo, seen several Blackcaps, Whitethroats, and heard a Redstart singing in the Oak woods there, back at Lagavulin, another Cuckoo was calling. David Livingstone today had 2 Golden Eagles down on the Oa, and we had 2 Golden Eagles as well over the crag, here at home. On the reserve at Gruinart, James had a Temminck's Stint and a Green winged Teal on the floods and out on the estuary amongst the Dunlin, was a Curlew Sandpiper, a good way to finish this entry....

Wednesday 30th April

Been one of those days, hence the late entry, so here goes. Last night the famous Islay Bird nerds met up at the hide at Gruinart, a bit of a crush with 20 folk coming along including 5 visitors, great to see you folks, as ever all made welcome with some food provided by Margaret and Pat, many thanks folks! On Monday, Mark had a Redstart down on the Oa and Richard Gordon who was on the guided walk there yesterday morning, spotted an immature Glaucous Gull following the plough. The nerds had a good time and from the hide we heard Snipe drumming, saw Whimbrel, Shelduck, Pintail, Shoveler, Mallard with young, Greylags, Redshank, Single Ruff , Lapwing but no Corncrake was heard last night! James was saying that thee is around 260 Barnies still present and the single Pale bellied Brent was seen up at Ardnave earlier on this week. Yesterday am, Michal heard 3 different Cuckoos between Port Ellen and Kildalton cross, and also 2 groppers and 3 Sedge Warblers too. He had a single Common sandpiper opposite Lagavulin Distillery and a Yellowhammer at Kildalton Cross. Today Michal saw a Whitethroat at Moulin on the reserve at Gruinart while over at Bunnahabhain, 2 Common sandpipers were present and 40 Black Guillemots as well. At Ardnahoe, a Cuckoo was heard, a Common Sandpiper seen and another Gropper heard. Finally above Caol Ila a Whinchat, Whitethroat, 2 Groppers. 1 Cuckoo and Mistle Thrush were all heard! Alistair staying down at Portnahaven saw 9 Whimbrel out at Claddach.

Thursday 30th May

Earlier in the week, Jack Fleming thought he had a possible Redstart over at Erasaid. Yesterday on the Oa, Michal had a male Kestrel mobbing a Cuckoo, and then later on it set about a female Hen Harrier. Also down on the Oa, Michal heard a Goldcrest singing away. This morning we had a Cuckoo on the overhead wires down below Rock Mountain, here at home a Collared Dove was out on the grass. This evening round the far end of Loch Gorm, a male Hen Harrier was out quartering his patch of ground.