Wednesday 9th December

Yet again a dreich kind of a day out here again, and to cap it all Calmac have announced this afternoon that we are down to a single ferry timetable until next Friday,as our other boat has broken down again, say no more on that topic please...

Last night I forgot to mention that we had seen a Peregrine scream across the garden and on its way out towards the machir.. This morning we had a small flock of 14 Rock Doves down on the ground, close to where we have had some "wild flower plots" in other years... 

Sunday 27th October

A few more sighhtings through from Dave Pierce and his group of birders from Naturetrek, all seen yesterday... They had counted 30 Pale bellied Brent Geese between Bridgend and Bowmore., with over 100 Greenland Whitefronts up at Cruach.. Down at Leorin, they had a flock of 500 Barnies present, before they were "erupted" by a juv Golden Eagle. Also  seen there was a Merlin and also a male Hen Harrier.  Along on the Oa, they had a count of around 100 Twite. They had also seen an adult Golden Eagle making an ("unidentified") kill in a field.  It then took off with it and landed some distance away and started to pluck and eat, before taking off with its' prey again and soaring around. A juv Golden Eagle appeared and flew around with it, with the adult bird went to land again, with the youngster following it to land. The adult bird then flew off leaving the prey for the youngster.

Many thanks to Dave and other visiting birders who have sent in their sightings to share on the blog, much appreciated as ever.

Out from the big window here at home just around 8.45 am, Margaret saw a White tailed Eagle fly past, flying in along towards Loch Gorm. Other birders from RAFOS who are over this week around the same time had seen another White tailed Eagle, with it noted flying out along the ridge and on towards Rockside.

"JD" this morning had carried out a seawatch from 7.15 this morning down at Frenchman's Rocks.  Nothing much seen apart from 380 Kittiwake and 1,350 Large Auks. On the stubbles at Port Charlotte, he had 4 Pinkies and a count of 130 Rock Doves. Loch Indaal held 12 GND, 21 Scaup, 6 Slavs and a single Goldeneye. Up at Sunderland Farm, 120 Rock Doves were present. Along on Loch Gorm, he had 2 male Common Pochard, and a total count of 112 Tufted Duck, seen between 2 different flocks, and also a Slav Grebe was on the water too... Over at Coullabus, JD had a juv Golden Eagle.

MB is back over again, great to see you again... This morning, he had statrted off up at Ardnave, no joy in seeing any Snow Bunings, but at Traigh Nostaig, he had seen the following birds, 39 Chough, 43 Ringed Plover, 4 Grey Plover, 6 Sanderling and 9 Barwits. When returning to his car, he had a juv Golden Eagle and also saw a ringtail Hen Harrier. Down on the reserve at Gruinart, he had 2 White tailed Eagles and a  juv Golden Eagle, (he wonders whether it might possibly be the same one that was up at Ardnave and over at Coullabus). On the floods, he had 790 Teal and also 23 Shoveler. Up on the edge, he counted 4 Greenshank, 6 Blackwit and 155 Barwit. Down at Bridgend, he saw 23 Pale bellied Brent Geese and also 78 Knot. Along at Blackrock, he had a count of 21 Scaup. late afternoon he saw an adult Golden Eagle over the crag behind Kilchoman.

Friday 9th November

Just as well that I have got some sightings up my sleeve from yesterday. The weather has not been that great here today, ferries cancelled with heavy, dirty squally showers in the mix as well as the wind huffing and puffing as well...

Back on Wednesday, the Bolton birders had seen 6 Snipe, a Jack Snipe, 2 Turnstone and they also counted 30 Dunlin at "smelly corner". Yesterday, they had seen a female Merlin as they drove up towards Rockside, and also 2 distant Golden Eagle were seen out over Gleann Osamail.. Over the moorland they saw 2 different ringtail Hen Harriers. Over behind Kilmeny, they had a Sparrowhawk, and past Storakaig 3 Golden Eagles. Down at Mulindry and towards Ballytarsin, 400 Whoopers were present. Mike Peacock had seen a male and a female Pochard on Loch Skerrols. Also yesterday,  James  had 2 Brambling, as well as a Golden Eagle on the reserve at Gruinart while up at Sanaigmore, he saw a Merlin. Mike Bell yesterday,  had counted 104 Whoopers at Rockside with a further 117 at Sunderland. He also had counted 240 Rock Doves at Sunderland. A walk from the car park at Bridgend up to wards Octovullin was quite productive...a total of 140 Redwing seen, 26 Fieldfare, 65 Skylarks, 450 Chaffinch along with 2 Brambling noted up close to Octovullin. Raptors/ birds of prey seen included an imm. White tailed Eagle and a Raven picking a carcass, a male and a ringtail Hen Harrier, an adult and also a imm. Golden Eagle, Mike also counted 180 Woodpigeons and he also saw the 2 Pochard on Loch Skerrols as well. On a drive from Ballygrant along the Glen road, he saw another adult and an imm. Golden Eagle in the air up past Knocklearoch while out past Storakaig another Golden Eagle away out over the hills. He also saw 65 Redwing and 3 Fieldfare at Barr Farm with 45 Redwing and 5 Fieldfare down at Cattadale. At Gruinart, on the floods, Mike counted  2,150Teal, 165 Wigeon, 65 Pintail, 20 Shoveler, 9 Blackwits, 1,500 Golden Plover and a ringtail. On his way back to his cottage, Mike had a male Hen Harrier at Carnduncan and then another seen past Ballinaby and then a ringtail just before Coull road end. Up at Coull, in at the farm steading, Mike had a Starling mumeration of around 1,000 birds in all