Thursday 22nd October

Peter sent me though this e mail yesterday relating to the 2 Whooper Swans which he had seen down on Loch Skerrols on the 16th of October...

"I've had a super-quick response from WWT regarding the  2 colour ringed Whooper Swans that we saw on Loch Skerrols on 16th October. Here are the details:

Both are male birds and both were caught as adults at Caerlaverock on 14th February 2019. Both were seen back at Caerlaverock from October 2019 to late February 2020.

I presume that is where they might be headed this winter?"

Stewart and Alison McCormick had the following birds seen yesterday:  

Two ‘lines’ of Whooper Swans flying south west (a dozen in each) near Port Ellen, probably moving on.......    At the Oa, 2 Reed Buntings and a 2 Twite. Enjoyed watching 2 Choughs for twenty minutes not far from the car parking area on our return from the reserve walk.

Later on at Claggain Bay 3 GND and a pair of Red breasted Mergansers close in to shore provided fine views. 

Yesterday's birds from Richard came through as follows: At Gruinart he had 6 Eiders, several Turnstone, some RBM. also some Common Gulls and also a flock of over 200 Golden Plovers. Down at Blackrock, Richard counted 50 Common Scoter, 4 Scaup, 12 RTD, 1 GND, 12 Shag. Along at Bruichladdich, he saw 2 Ringed Plover and a Rock Pipit with 6 RTD and also a Gannet on the water , down at Port Charlotte, seen off the pier there, Richard had 5 RTD and also a Razorbill. Finally late afternoon, he saw some of the male Pintails displaying over at Gruinart, a distant W t Eagle and also a group of 15 Whoopers flew in.

This morning, we counted a fly past of 29 Whooper Swans heading out to the sea and on to Ireland. Then late afternoon, we watched a W t Eagle being chased by 2 Buzzards out over the crag. 

Friday 16th October

Yesterday, David and Nancy had ben over on Jura and by the sound of things, I take it be that they saw more or less the same birds that Jonathan Alder had seen. Today David and Nancy had seen a few Scaup as well as some Common Scoter off  Blackrock. They also saw the Cackling goose round amongst the Barnies present at Ballinaby.

Peter was in touch to say that yesterday, he had seen a Curlew Sandpiper amongst some Dunlin, up on Loch Gruinart... Val Peacock had a Brambling on her garden feeders down in Port Charlotte yesterday

Today Richard Belter had seen a GND and also a RTD over at Claggain Bay. Just after the Dower House, he had a Fallow Deer out in front of him as it crossed the road...  Later on, he had counted 8 Scaup at Blackrock, 40 Common Scoter and also 2 Slav Grebes present there too...

Peter today had seen and counted the following birds when in at Loch Skerrols.... "The loch was very lively with at least 155 Whooper Swans and 350 Wigeon. Several of the Whoopers had yellow colour rings with black letters on that could be read when they up-ended! Two were Z J S  & Z H V. I'll start trying to find out where they are from and report back."

This morning, we had the W t Eagle sitting out on the old wreck, seen from Whin Park out towards Bowmore a distant bird but a definite W t Eagle for sure!! Better was still to come as just before we had our tea, we saw another W t Eagle being chased along the crag by many corvids, what a sight. About 30 minutes earlier on we had the male Hen Harrier flying away over the top of the Lamb Hill and also watched some Choughs gracing us with a noisy flypast!!!

Saturday 10th October

Returning birder/ wildlife photographer Teressa Morris is back over for another Islay fix.. She kindly sent me this image through of some Whooper Swans taken yesterday at Craigens... okay, see this pc, why will it not behave and do as I ask it for once, sorry abut that folks.. so instead you can make do with the usual old text and no images... AS my report card used to say "must do better"

"On Friday, there were 92 Whooper Swans on the stubbles at Craigens  and more were seen later flying in. 

Teressa also saw late afternoon yesterday on the RSPB flats a female Hen Harrier and a W t Eagle."

Today was Jacqui and Neil Relph's final day and they had a not bad day by the sound of their sightings..

"We saw a Golden Eagle down on the Oa, the odd Barnacle Goose at Gruinart, WTE this afternoon  at Loch Indaal and a hunting Barn Owl about 6 pm this evening.

We have had a wonderful time in Islay and rewarded with great views and great birds."

Just great when visitors send some of their birds through for me to share with you to read what is available for folk to see when visiting Islay and Jura. So keep them coming through folks...

I was speaking to Islay Heads this afternoon who told me that he had seen a Barn Owl out hunting this morning as he drove up to his work at Kilchoman Distillery.

Friday 9th October

 Visitor Jacqui Relph sent me through last night,

"We had the Hen Harrier again at the Oa today and also, either a Peregrine or a Merlin, it was quite close but moving to fast to get a really good look, more brown than grey. Also a couple of Buzzards on the way off the reserve.  At Port An Eas, 2 Chough and a Whinchat, on the road just near the lighthouse at Singing Sands."

Another pair of visitors, Jonathan and Alison Alder, e mailed this set of birds seen yesterday

"We're staying on Islay for 10 days based at Port Ellen, having been many times before based at Portnahaven. Male Hen Harrier on minor road off B8016 about 2 miles before Ballygrant, plus Golden Eagle over ridge of Beinn Dubh. Ringtail Hen Harrier near Bridgend adjacent to A846, where we were parked looking over Loch Indaal waiting in vain for WT Eagle."

Peter Gill had a quieter sort of a day yesterday, but made up for it today.... Up at Gruinart, they counted 47 Whoopers, and out from the South hide at Gruinart, he had 40 GWF amongst the many Barnies and also Greylags seen there. Also present was a cracking male Hen Harrier there too. He then  had a Golden Eagle along the South side of Loch Gorm. There was a Peregrine and a Sparrowhawk noted there down by the side of the loch itself. Further along the road, he had 2WT Eagles and another Peregrine, along past Sunderland. He also had several Buzzards on his travels. 

Bob today had seen a Little Gull when he was coming back home out of Bowmore and then at Gartmain he had counted 70 P b Brent geese along with the ever increasing flock of barnies present there as well.

Gary emailed his birds seen today, as follows

"No sign of the Hoopoe this morning, spent an hour down at Whin Park.

Lots of Whooper Swans flying in from the north, found one flock of 40 at Bridgend.

Lots of Redwing flying through as well.

200+ Golden Plover on the sand at Bridgend. Two hybrid Canada / Barnacle Geese amongst the Barnies."

Around about 6pm , we saw 2 groups of Whooper Swans down on the stubble fields at Rockside, possibly around 70 birds in all.