Sunday 2nd August

Alistair Hart is back over staying down in his house in Portnahaven... He has not been out much yet but has seen a pair of Common sandpipers in the bay keeping busy distracting gulls away. Plenty of Gannets were flying past. 

Peter did a walk with Val & Lesley Silcock around Ardnave yesterday. All very quiet, but a single flock of 110 Oystercatchers and another single flock of 35 Sanderling were noteworthy.

 

Thursday 2nd August

This morning down on mudflats at Bridgend, at the top of Loch Indaal, Mike had a count of over 250 Dunlin, along with 40 Sanderling. He also had a pair of RTDs flew over in from the moorland to feed out on Loch Indaal. This afternoon, at around 15.00 hrs Mike saw a pod of 7 Bottle nosed Dolphins off Port Charlotte  which then swam along the coast towards Nerabus.

Also today, Al Hart had walked from Ballygrant along to the Lily Loch. He saw a flock of 50 + Siskins, a Spotted Flycatcher. He also saw a group of 8 Mistle Thrush and wondered if they could possibly be a family together? Over on the far side of the Loch, Al saw a Dabchick feeding. He also commented on the amount of Buzzards being around as well.

Allen and Fiona Skinner saw a Merlin fly close past them as they walked up from the Coastguards to the former  Rockside school around lunch time.

This morning, first thing around 6.30am I saw a Goldfinch, a Lesser Redpoll, an adult and also a juv. Siskin on the niger feeder, and that was before filling it with any new seed...Later on, after filling the feeder up, the mix of birds on it was changed, up to 2 Goldfinches and a whopping 18 Siskins while on another small feeder there were another 4 Siskins...

Sunday 27th May

Yesterday evening, Mandy had a distant sighting of an Iceland Gull, seen out from Saligo. Today we welcome back the Bolton birders... Up at Sanaigmore they heard a Corncrake calling and then had the good fortune in seeing it. Down at the "disappearing pool" at Saligo they had the Greenshank along with  a mixed group of 30 + Dunlin and Ringed Plover. At Bruichladdich, they saw 2 Sanderling in summer plumage. They also had a Turnstone seen down on Currie Sands, below Claddach out of Portnahaven  

Friday 12th June

Another great day, and just as good are the sunsets that we had over the past few evenings, tremendous... Yesterday Ron from Islay info had been on the road Sanaigmore where he saw a Peregrine. Mark and Sally had seen 12 Sanderling, one in full summer plumage down close to Uiskentuie. At Blackrock they saw 3 Blackwits. Early this morning, Margaret spotted a couple of Shelduck out in front of our cottage, on top of the wall. It reminded us of Shelduck trying to take young from their nest burrow to the water, but we could not see any sign of any young ducklings. Mary reported through to say that she had heard a report that might be a pair of Bonxies (Great Skuas) nesting on Nave island! Many thanks to the Rochdale birders, Gordon and Pauline Yates for your birds while you have been over for the past three weeks, as ever great to catch up with them while they over, and see down at Rutland, Gordon!

Sunday 31st May

A mixed sort of a day, sunshine and showers with the odd shower with hailstones for a change rather than just the "normal rain". Just as well it is the end of the month, although the weather forecast for the next few days does not look too good, the wind is due to increase tomorrow with the possibility of disruption to the ferries later on, we will just have to take what comes... the Rochdale birders had taken a trip out and about yesterday and had seen a total of 5 male Hen Harriers, they also saw a Sanderling in summer plumage, 2 Peregrines but possibly the same bird seen twice, up at Ardnave Loch they saw the Mute Swans along with their clutch of 6 youngsters. No sign this year of any Mutes sitting on a nest at either Carnain or on the lochans at Loch Gorm.

Tuesday 27th May

Another beautiful day with blue skies and wall to wall sunshine, honest.... Yesterday the Rochdale birder, who is back over for some more of Islay, had a count of 41 Sanderling down on the reseed beside the Coastguards. A few moments later, a Peregrine screamed past, he also managed to hear 3 corncrakes calling away at 3 different locations round this end of Islay up around Machir Bay. Today he saw his first Marsh frit of the year and later on he also had a Red Admiral. Down at Claddach he saw 2 Turnstone. Michal today, had been up the top end of Islay and heard a Chiffchaff and also a Cuckoo calling at Bunnahabhain. On the track where he was walking, he also saw a basking Adder out in the sun!. Coming back from Bunnahabhain, Michal had a Grasshopper Warbler as well as a Common Sandpiper at Ardnahoe.

Thursday 5th September

This afternoon, Peter had been down on Machir Bay and noted more waders around. There were 18 Sanderling, 12 Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin on the beach feeding, with 9 Snipe, 14 Redshank and 18 Blackwits flying overhead. Yesterday, James had a Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and a Hen Harrier all on the reserve at Gruinart, on Loch Indaal there were over 50 Common Scoter and 2 Red Throated Divers. 

Tues 8th May 07

Many more Arctic Terns are around with two "colonies" already busy with display.
At a time when Lapwings are being overtly protective of their newly hatched young, it's a sobering thought to see increasing numbers of "high Arctic" waders arriving, such as Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Sanderling, which have yet to make the exhausting journey northwards to reach their breeding grounds and begin the process of mating, incubating eggs and nurturing young. Having said that, to see the emerging plumage of Dunlin and Turnstone is a real joy and, hopefully, refuelling here will ensure their safe journey to areas most of us will never have a chance of even seeing. J.S.A.
Ballygrant Woods produced a Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher, and also 2 Blackcaps, the lone Whooper still remains, and a group of 25 Whimbrel were seen near Loch Gorm. R.G.B. & C.B.
Last weeks sightings over on Jura, included a Grasshopper Warbler, Snipe drumming, several sightings of Hen Harrier out quartering looking for prey. A Willow Wabler in full song, 6 Yellowhammers and a pair of Siskins at a bird table. L.G., G.M.