Thursday 5th February

Dave at the Oa got in touch today with a sighting of an immature white-tailed eagle, and also a immature glaucous gull near Loch Kinnabus. Malcolm also got in touch to say he had a count of 41 light-bellied brent geese today feeding along Uiskentuie strand. The most he's noted all winter. His previous high count was 34 on New Years Day. He noted that they were feeding on the Zostera leaves washed in after all the recent bad weather. Thanks both for your sightings.

Thursday 2nd October

Another dry day, though I have had a jersey on.. and the wind has picked up too. This morning I managed to plant a few Willows, hoping to provide some cover/ shelter for the birds in the future... James had counted 28 Barnies on the reserve today and also saw a Peregrine and a Sparrowhawk. Adrian had been down at the hide at first light where he saw a White tailed Sea Eagle, was it waiting on a goose for breakfast? On his way down to the Oa, Adrian had a male Hen Harrier and coming home to Gruinart this evening he saw another along the flats. Bob had been up at the "old" hide at Gruinart today where he had a count of 8 Snipe, 400 Teal on the floods with a Sparrowhawk out hunting as was a Hen Harrier. Mary counted 53 Barnies coming in to land on Loch Gorm this afternoon.

Thursday 26th April

The Argyll birder kindly sent this image of a Shoveler taken at Gruinart yesterday. Also yesterday he had 6 Whimbrel down at Machir Bay, while at Gruinart he had a House Martin, Glaucous Gull, 1 Black tailed Godwit, 1 large Canada Goose, 132 Ringed Plover, 25 Golden Plover, 29 Dunlin, 1 Pale bellied brent & 69 Barnies.At Gartmain he had a Grey Plover and at Gortan, 6 Turnstone were present. Up at Ardnave, 106 Golden Plover and 22 Chough were seen. Carl had 4 Whimbrel at Gortan yesterday. On the reserve at Gruinart, James saw his first Lapwing chicks of the year, while down on Loch Indaal he had 3 Sandwich Tern. On Tuesday, our Hampshire birders recalled having seen "too many" Wheatears to count up at Sanaigmore, also there was a Common Sandpiper, 8 Whimbrel, 6 Ringed Plover, 10 Meadow Pipit, some Twite and Linnets too. At Ballinaby, they had 2 Whimbrel, Herring Gull with several Skylarks singing away with the good weather! Over at Coullabus, a Mistle Thrush was present. Yesterday they had a female Hen Harrier flying alongside them as they drove along past Rockside. On the River Sorn, they had 2 Dippers while at the feeders at The Woolen Mill, 3 Siskins were feeding. Down at Foreland, a male Hen Harrier flew across the road while at Bruichladdich, 2 Purple Sandpipers were seen along with 2 Rock Pipits, male and female Eider, 3 Ringed Plover and 4 Black Guillemot. Now, on to today, over close to the bonded warehouses at Laphroaig Distillery, there were 2 large Canada Geese along with a single Greylag, but they were all gone about an hour later on. Coming home late afternoon, on the low road, about a mile or so south of Island Farm 2 juv. White tailed Sea Eagles flew across the road, heading inland, just as well nobody was following, as we just had to stop and look as did the car about 100 m ahead of us... James today on the reserve at Gruinart had a Pectoral Sandpiper, Jack Snipe, 12 Whitefronts, 15 Golden Plover & 15 White Wagtails. Round at Ballinaby there were only arond 60 Golden Plover to be seen today. If you click on the link to the INHT blog, you can read all about the dead Ringed Plover which Pia found the other day.

Sunday 8th April

Along with 2 visitors, I went along with Bob and helped with Bob's count along Loch Indaal towards Gartbreck, we managed to do it before it got too wet! The tally was 5 Mallard, 21 Wigeon, 45 Teal, 56 Eider, 18 Red breasted Merganser, 15 Shelduck, 6 Greylag, 121 Barnies, 70 Oystercatcher, 22 Curlew, 12 Redshank, 33 Golden Plover, 13 Ringed Plover, 1 Bar tailed Godwit, 3 Lapwing, 4 Shag, 2 Great Northern Diver, an immature Greater Black backed Gull, 6 Lesser Black backed Gull, 30 Herring Gull, 20 Common Gull, 4 Black headed Gull, 6 Rock Pipit, 1 Heron & 3 Black Guillemot. George had an Otter on Thursday at Bruichladdich, the first he has seen there since August, and on Monday, he had 4 Shelduck, 4 Black headed Gull and 60 Common Gull. Today George had 3 Sandwich Terns, one with a BTO ring on, 2 Great Northern Diver & 1 Redshank all below Shorefield. The Song Thrush that George had found with a nest must have hatched out as he has seen food being carried towards the nest site. Along at the pier, a Gannet was present. On the old Distillery pond at Port Charlotte, Carl had a Snipe today. Visiting birders had been across to Jura, not a lot to report thanks to the weather, but had seen a few Stonechats, both male and female Hen Harrier, a Short eared Owl and at Feolin had an adult White tailed Sea Eagle with white tags, over the Sound of Islay. Back at Bruichladdich in the morning before setting out, they had seen a Sparrowhawk, and this evening on their return had Red throated Diver, Great Northern Diver and also the 3 Sandwich Terns.

Friday 25th November

Just before we set off for Glasgow, the weather took a nose dive with several spectacular lightning strikes as we drove to the airport, capped with high winds and hail showers, but no panic and the plane left on time. The flight was okay but coming into Glasgow there were a few hairy moments, but we landed fine and got home this evening none the worse..... James returned home today and had a Long tailed Duck and 2 Otters in West Loch Tarbert. There was a hardy group of birders on the ferry who had been plying back and forward all day, and they had 12 Bottle nosed Dolphins in the Sound of Islay as well as a Grey Phalarope while James had 2 White tailed Sea Eagles there too.

Saturday 22nd October

Forgot to say the other night that we had a great illustrated talk by Nigel Pope and John Aitchison down at the Islay Natural History Trust, well attended by over 80 folk of all ages. Nigel and John's stories and photography was better than first class.

From the ferry today, a Manx Shearwater was seen off Gigha and in the Sound of Islay, a pale phased Arctic Skua was noted. Today James had a count of 409 Whitefronts on the reserve at Gruinart along with 8 Gadwall, the Canada goose, hutchinsii sp. is still still present on the flats, while on the floods 2 Greenshank were seen. 2 Sparrowhawks and 2 Hen Harriers were also seen at Gruinart. A visitor had seen an Otter fishing in Loch Indaal, close to Bowmore, along at Gartmain a female Sparrowhawk took a Turnstone out of the air. Finally, at the top of Loch Indaal he had a White tailed Sea Eagle was on the merse eating a goose!!!

Monday 3rd October

A bit windier today compared to yesterday. White wagtail has been seen on the Loch Gruinart Reserve. Flock of 60 goldfinches and 20 redpolls were seen feeding on thistles. Down on the floods in front of the hide number of ducks is growing steadily with over 110 teal and 4 shovelers also a pair of mute swans with 7 cygnets. A visitor reported a white-tailed eagle from the top of Loch Gruinart. James had merlin, 4 mistle thrushes and male and female hen harrier on the reserve. Bob saw two different sparrowhawks at Port Charlotte as well as merlin and male hen harrier. Also at Gartmain he had 300 wigeon, 1 female pintail, 2 brent geese, 10 bar-tailed godwits and male peregrine. Visitors reported 30 choughs in Ardnave and male hen harrier at Lyrabus

Saturday 27th August

A rather late entry folks, should really have done it before I went out, but did n't.... Mark on his way over here this morning had seen a Merlin just before Rockside. Visitors who arrived here on Islay this afternoon had seen a couple of White tailed Sea Eagle as they were coming up the Sound of Islay, and later on they saw 10 Chough over the crag.

Wednesday 15th June

Full moon tonight, so might as well go out at midnight and hopefully hear a few Corncrakes calling, we wait eagerly in anticipation.....

Mark and Sally are on their second week of their holiday and around 9 pm at Gruinart last night had spotted an Osprey from the hide. Other visitors had seen a Peregrine fly over "smelly corner" today and in Bridgend woods they saw a pair of Goldcrest. They were commenting on the seabird colonies and on the stretch they know well, Guillemots are around 50% compared to last year, Razorbills fared better about 90% but Kittiwakes around only 50% again. Not good really. Peter yesterday had walked out from Bunnahabhain out to Giur- Bheinn. He commented on the "birdless plateau" once he was out of the forestry, even although the forestry held common species, Goldcrest, Robin, Blue Tit, Willow Warbler, Wren, Redpoll, Chaffinch, Coal Tit and Siskin. A Crossbill was seen too. Peter had a White tailed Sea Eagle soaring high over Sgarbh Breac. Other birds included Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Whitehroat, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Skylark and a male Hen Harrier. Back on the reserve at Gruinart, James had an adder close to the former Kilchoman School, and later on had a Spotted Flycathcher also on the reserve.

Monday 30th May

Could this be a record, a day in May 2011 with no rain, at least it was a change, for the better too! Carl this morning had 3 different Terns at Port Charlotte, Common, Arctic, and Sandwich. He also saw a pair of Red breasted Merganser, a Great Northern Diver in full summer plumage as well as a dark phase Arctic Skua. Bob was on the pier at Bowmore around the same time and had a pale phase Arctic Skua being chased by 8 Sandwich Terns, far out in the bay. Down at Gartbreck he heard a Corncrake and on his return home he saw 2 Golden Eagles out on thermals and 4 Buzzards out and about too. Over at Gruinart, James had a distant White tailed Sea Eagle as well as 25 Whimbrel closer to hand. Michal saw a male Bullfinch on the woodland trail at the reserve at Gruinart. Up on Nave Island he saw 2 Barnies and also 2 Canada Geese. Also counted were a Great Northern Diver, 35 Arctic Terns, 6 Little Terns, 4 Shelduck, 39 Greylag along with one lot of goslings, 40 Dunlin, 20 Ringed Plover, 2 Cormorants and 48 Grey Seals. We had a pair of Bullfinch down at the lime kiln below Foreland at lunchtime.

Monday 14th March

A dry day, thank goodness...

Loch Gruinart was the place to be today, with a White tailed Sea Eagle seen catching a fish. It had no wing tags and was reckoned to be a 3rd year bird.

On the floods at the reserve, a count was carried out with "the scores on the doors" reading as follows. 591 Teal, 4 Red breasted Merganser, 2 Gadwall, 72 Wigeon, 82 Mallard, 34 Pintail, 25 Shoveler, 2 Shelduck, 10 Mute Swan, 2 Whooper Swan, 17 Greylag Geese, 6 Heron, 5 Snipe, 9 Curlew, 32 Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 225 Lapwing and a Water Rail at Erasaid. James saw a Merlin up beside his house. A visitor had a Peregrine from the platform, and told me that it did not half put the ducks up off the floods!

Monday 21st February

A mixed day for the weather here today, with no sun shining through... It is only February!

Yesterday James had 2 Gadwall on the reserve at Gruinart, here at home a Sparrowhawk flew out of one of the bushes as we walked back down the drive!

Today, a White tailed Sea Eagle was seen over at Bunnahabhain, the Iceland Gull was there too, and out on the Sound of Islay, a Black throated Diver was present. Back down at Ardnahoe, 11 Red legged Partridges were counted, probably released birds from Islay Estate. Nearer to home a Peregrine was seen up at Sanaigmore. There was also a ringtail Hen Harrier over the reed bed down at the Coastguard Cottages

Thursday 17th February

A White tailed Sea Eagle was seen over the Rhinns of Islay today.

Down on Loch Astle, on the RSPB Oa reserve, 20 Tufted Duck were counted, a female Hen Harrier was on the reserve as well as a single Redwing.

On the East side of Loch Gruinart, 2 Greenshank were present, and around Ardnave Point, 24 Ravens were counted, 1 Sanderling, 2 Turnstone, 3 Grey Plover, 7 Bar tailed Godwit, 14 Ringed Plover, 50+ Twite with 3 Great Northern Diver off shore. Ardnave Loch held a Dabchick and 15 Whooper Swans while up at Sanaigmore a large female Sparrowhawk and at the coal yard 30 Pale bellied Brent Geese were present.

Thursday 27th January

Andy Schofield has now left Islay to take up another post within RSPB, with the net result being that Catherine has had a sideways shift from Gruinart to look after the reserve on the Oa. So, we wish them both luck in their new jobs.

Catherine had 12 members with the Mid Nene RSPB group down on the Oa today and they had seen 15 Brambling, 2 Chough, 2 large flocks of over 200 Chaffinch and 200 Twite, 2 Golden Eagle, 2 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Kestrel, 1 Merlin, and several Ravens. Many thanks to the visitors for their input and trust the weather holds good for them while they are over for a few days.

Will Miles who is a "vol" with RSPB on Islay at present, had a Lapland Bunting at Saligo, and back on Sunday had seen a White tailed Sea Eagle and also a Golden Eagle over at Bunnahabhain. Both were 1st year birds. On Loch Indaal, Will had a count of 24 Slavonian Grebes.

Monday 24th January

Here at home, the first sign of Spring is here, no it not the birth of the first lambs, but down in a sheltered spot beside the burn, the first Snowdrops are out. I always remember, years ago when I was a youngster (back in the 20th century) that we always had a rule of thumb guide to Snowdrops, that the first were normally out by the 21st of January, and it usually holds true, easy to remember as it was one of my sister's birthday too!

On to birds, and Paul Graham had been over towards Bunnahabhain this afternoon, and had seen 3 White tailed Sea Eagles tumbling about in the air.

Monday 17th January

Debby Reynolds e mailed through some sightings from yesterday. Up at Ardnave they had the good fortune to see the 2 Lapland Buntings. Over on the other side of Islay, at Loch Allan they had seen 6 Siskin, at the Lily Loch a female Bullfinch, in the same area they also had a White tailed Sea Eagle. Down at the Jura ferry they saw a Glaucous Gull. Many thanks to Debby and her friends who were over for the weekend.

Tracey from SNH gave me through the figures for the December International goose count, the tallies were 44,843 Barnacle geese and 6,384 Whitefronts. In 2009 the comparable count was 40,727 Barnies and 7,079 Whitefronts, in 2008 it was 41,613 Barnies and 6,783 Whitefronts while back in 2007 it was 44,529 Barnies and 6,617 Whitefronts. Many thanks to SNH for these figures.

Tuesday 11th January

Back on Sunday, Paul Graham from An Taigh Osda in Bruichladdich had been over at The Machrie for a quick round of golf, what flies over but a White tailed Sea Eagle. James was speaking to a visitor today who told him that he too had seen a Sea Eagle on Sunday, in the same locality, but it took a Barnacle Goose... It had a white wing tag on, so probably a 2007 bird!

Yesterday Carl had a couple of Chough at Uiskentuie and a flock of 100 Lapwing at Coultorsay

Peter had been up at Loch Skerrols today and the 6 Coots are still present. In the conifers they also had a pair of Crossbills.

Today George had his first Barn Owl at his house, that was the good news, the down side was that the poor bird was dead, in very poor condition. Possible proof that it was unable to get much food when the weather was so severe last month.

Malcolm had been goose counting with Bob today on the Rhinns, and was in touch to say that down at Portnahaven there were several groups of Fieldfare too be seen. Also at Port Bhan, between Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte, they had seen a Red Kite with a wing tag on. The colour was not easy to see.

Norman, James's father was down at the hide at the RSPB Gruinart reserve today and had a couple of Bullfinches. Later on, James had 5 Woodcock on the reserve, and this evening after dropping Norman off at airport, James had a Barn Owl over there.

Sunday 2nd January

James had been speaking with some visitors at Gruinart today. One family was telling him that they had seen 8 Coots on Loch Skerrols, other visitors had written in the diary that they had seen a White tailed Sea Eagle down at Bridgend. Visitors staying with us in the cottages had seen the Red Kite out over the Machir and commented that they thought this was a different Kite to the one they saw down towards Portnahaven as the plumage was different. They had also seen a Golden Eagle today. All I can add was that we saw a Peregrine sitting on top of its' prey, a Pheasant, along at Sunderland Farm, unfortunately the Peregrine flew off as we got closer to it, and then a Buzzard appeared and laid claim to the Pheasant!

Mon 22nd November

With the full moon out at night, many of the Barnies are out in the fields eating, with the net result being that through the day they are resting up when the tide is out on Loch Indaal, so here are just a few of them!

Yesterday Malcolm had counted 37 Pale bellied Brent Geese at Bruichladdich, so perhaps this is the 2 groups together, and forming our resident winter flock.

I had been speaking with DJ earlier on who was saying that he had seen 2 White tailed Sea Eagles together over his side of Islay this morning.

Mon 25th October

Another Waxwing day over here! This is one of the group of 17 that were seen and caught on camera over on Jura today. George had another 6 between Ballygrant and Keills, along with 2 Bullfinches. James had to make do with a single Waxwing in his garden at lunchtime! Mind you he made up with it by seeing a White tailed Sea Eagle over the reserve at Gruinart as well as a Peregrine. One of the visitors had a Barn Owl outside the cottages this evening.