Wednesday 8th May

Yesterday, Derbyshire Bob had been down on the Oa, where he had seen a Golden Eagle perched up on a crag. He also saw Twite on the feeders , a Peregrine flying along the cliffs, Shags were present on their nests. He also had seen some Rock Pipits. Below Ballinaby, he had a male Hen Harrier out quartering its patch.
Mandy returned back to Islay yesterday, and as the ferry approached Islay she had seen a White tailed Eagle. Back home at Carnduncan, she had heard Groppers reeling away below her house and also a Cuckoo calling as well.
James had seen a Merlin on the reserve at Gruinart, the other day.
Yesterday, Mike had a count of 30 Whimbrel at Blackrock.
Today, Mike had a productive walk down at Foreland hearing a Wood Warbler, 2 Groppers reeling away, a Blackcap, Whitethroats, "loads of Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers"
Around 6am this morning, Derbyshire Bob had a corncrake calling at Balinaby, close to where is staying...

Monday 11th July

Gary yesterday had walked down to through Ballygrant Woods to Loch Ballygrant itself. He had heard a Great spotted Woodpecker calling  in the trees, with its' young calling back!  Also, on the treetops, he heard Goldfinch and Siskin. In a clearing, Gary saw a Spotted Flycatcher and then 2 Wood Warblers. Blackcaps were still heard calling. On Loch Ballygrant itself, Dabchick and Tufted Duck were present with  couple of Buzzard flying overhead. Mary had a Corncrake cross over the road at Portnahaven, close to the church. She is still hearing a bird calling just out of the village each morning.  Here at home this morning, there were 3 Peregrines out on the wing, what a noise they were making... Later on, after lunch, we watched as a Raven was harassing 2 Peregrines, no doubt trying to get them to move on...

Saturday 16th April

Some sightings through from Thursday, Karen Sims, one of the RAFOS team had seen a Garden Warbler down in Bridgend Woods and there was a reported sighting through from Maggie Birtwell of a Wood Warbler again in Bridgend Woods in from East Lodge. David Formby had a Whitethroat in his garden at Ballitarsin Smiddy with another 2 seen along the road his house towards Neriby. The Bowland birders on Thursday had a female Whinchat at Foreland. Over at Ardnave, Chough, Arctic Terns and 2 Little Terns were seen. They also had 3 male Hen Harriers, one at Ardnave Loch, another at the mouth of Loch Gruinart being harried by Arctic Terns and the third back at Octomore. Other birds at Ardnave included 2 Turnstone in breeding plumage, Sanderling, Dunnock with 2 Corncrakes heard calling, they also spotted an Otter eating a crab! On Friday, on the feeders at Gruinart they saw a Tree Sparrow, from the old hide a drake Garganey, Gadwall with Dunlin displaying. Through the woodland walk, a Spotted flycatcher was present while from the new hide, they had at least 6 Gadwall with dozens of Sand Matins hawking over the water looking for food.

Monday 25th August

Another great day with the weather, with the farmers making the most of it with the barley getting cut, and now balers busy up behind the combines. Yesterday Bob had a busy day in his garden. Highlight was a Wood Warbler amongst the many Willow Warblers. In one bush, Bob counted 20 Sedge Warblers. Also noted were a Whinchat and 2 Stonechats. Meadow Pipits were seen on the move along with more Redpolls, Siskins, Chaffinches and Goldfinches around as well. Young Buzzards were heard to be more vocal calling away for to be fed! Tomorrow (Tuesday) evening is the monthly meeting of the Islay Bird nerds, so if you are around, come along at 7pm up towards Bun an Uillt (on the Eastern side of Loch Gruinart) where we will hope to see any waders etc around. Come along and put a name to the face, rather than just reading about us!

Monday 27th May

After last night's dollop of rain, it turned out to be not that bad a day... Yesterday Geoff had a male Hen Harrier out on the Rhinns, today he saw 3  Golden Eagles down on the Oa. Later on he met in with Dave and Danny and in the wood here they had a Cuckoo, a Spotted Flycatcher, Wood Warbler, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin and Redpoll with a Chough flying overhead! Danny had seen a Razorbill on Loch Indaal, just out from Bruichladdich. and this year Danny commented on seeing more Linnets around and hearing more Sedge Warblers as well. Out below the Gaelic Centre at Bowmore, Danny had 6 Whimbrel with some Curlews also present. Yesterday, the Blackbirds fledged at Bob's, with 4 reared. Bob was also saying that at the open day at Bruichladdich Distillery yesterday, a Peregrine flew over, wonder how many of the folk present saw it!

Sunday 3rd June

Forgot to mention last night that Dave had a Hen Harrier and also a Peregrine down on the reserve at the Oa. Becky Williamson and her daughter Lorna had a Wood Warbler over at Dunlossit yesterday. Today Michal had been up at Gortantoid and saw a Yellowhammer there. On his way there Michal also saw a Reed Bunting and Whitethroat.

Wednesday 2nd May

An early entry from here today, possibly better early rather than a late entry! To start off with, we welcome back Michal to Islay again, Michal came over to Islay way back in 2006 and has been a regular summer migrant to these shores, it's great to see you back. Michal had returned from his third winter spell on The Seychelles, okay for some...Michal was off to a good start this morning with a Wood Warbler in the wee wood opposite the office at Gruinart. He also heard a couple of Blackcaps calling away there too. Mary yesterday heard her first Corncrake of the year down at Portnahaven, last night from here at the cottages, another was heard by the Hampshire birders while this morning Eoin Brown heard one calling out in front of the Visitor centre at Gruinart, more summer migrants back!!!Mary is now into the survey season. Yesterday up at Ardnave, she had a Willow Warbler in song at the loch and a second just beyond the farm. Futher on, Mary had a pair of Peregrine out over the sea, flying over a huge dog Otter. She saw a pr of Stonechats with their 2 fledglings while out over the moorand she counted 9 Swallows flying North. Back in the fields around the steading, there were 68 Golden Plover, as well as a Lapwing protecting her 4 young from a Greylag which was a bit too close! Today, Mary had a juv Golden Eagle out at Ardnave Point, at the lobster ponds 5 Whimbrel were seen and also 10 Twite. Back at Tayvoulin there were 3 Dunlin, 65 Barwits, 2 Little Terns and also 12 Turnstone nearby. Off Nave Island, there were 7 GND and 2 Red throated Divers, all in summer plumage. Flying past were 3 Sandwich Terns, one of which was being hassled by a young Herrin Gull, hoping to get the sand eel off the Tern! Mary commented on seeing more Swallows around, and that one of the Portnaven Starlings has already started to mimick the Swallows!!!

Sunday 7th August

Yesterday Bob and Martin had been out, at Bruichladdich they had 4 Turnstone along with 2 Ringed Plover. At the spit on the strand along from Uiskentuie, 6 Dunlin, 10 Ringed Plover and a tired looking Redshank with coloured rings on its legs were seen. Martin has informed BTO so it will of interest to hear of its' history. Along on the merse at the head of Loch Indall, Greenshank, 6 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 250 Oystercatcher, 200 Curlew, 2 Knot, 80 Dunlin, 206 Bar tailed Godwit, 2 Turnstone and 2 Snipe. On the Gorse bushes there, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler and also a Wood Warbler were present. There was also a group of 10 Arctic Terns mobbing them at one point. 3 Herons were out on the edge of the merse, and back at home Bob had Blue Tits and Great Tits on his feeders, the first he has had for a while.

Wed 19th May

Friends arriving from Mull report seeing a colour ringed Twite. When the sighting was followed up by Alan Spellman, of Mull Birds, Raymond Duncan of the Grampian Ringing group responded.

"The Grampian colour ringing project started in winter 2008/9 in Foveran, Donside and Montrose. The summer sightings are almost entirely in the west, with this Mull record being the furthest south, and others stretching from Lewis to Skye and down to Tiree. Should you see Twite on Islay, keep an eye open for colour rings and please record the exact combinations and we will send them off to Raymond."

James had 17 Black tailed Godwit and a Short eared Owl on the reserve at Gruinart today.

Birders staying in the cottages had today been over the other side, down at Port Ellen that is. At Kilnaughton Bay they had Turnstone, Sanderling, Dunlin and 4 Great northern Diver. In Kildalton Woods they had a Chiffchaff and also heard a Wood Warbler. Claggain Bay there was an Oystercatcher with 4 young and a further 6 GND. In the woods at the back of Claggain Bay Sedge Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Reed Buntings, many Redpolls, Buzzard and a Cuckoo. On their way home they had a diver at Glenburn beside Blackrock, it was considered to be a Black throated Diver although seen from a distance.

Other visitors reported seeing a Hen Harrier down at Loch Gorm, a Whinchat and a pair of Stonechat.

Sat 13th June

Another week almost in and also another changeover day in the cottages too. Gordon and Pauline Yates who have been over for the last 3 weeks left today. Whilst waiting at Port Askaig this afternoon for the ferry, Gordon not only heard, but saw a male Redstart! When out and and about around Islay, they had heard a Wood warbler, and also through their stay had heard several Grasshopper warblers, but they felt not as many as in previous years. On the positive side, apart for the weather being really good, there appears to be more Short eared Owls around.

Gordon and and Pauline have left and other birders arrived, with one couple having a good sighting of the Little Egret at lunchtime, down at the head of Loch Indaal, George went down about a couple of hours later, but there was no sign of the bird then.

Fri 6th June

Michal got these young Lapwing chicks, just a few hours old this morning, but for how long will there be 4 of them? MS

The other day, James and Andy had a probable 1st summer, non adult, White billed Diver flying far out off Nave Island. At Ardnave itself, Catherine has been seeing terns, both Arctic and Little and a Sandwich Tern too. There was also a group of 35 Dunlin. Back down on the Reserve at Gruinart, in the new cattle shed at the farm steading, Catherine had a young Tawny Owl. Meanwhile out on the Reserve itself, James has seen another pair of Short-eared Owl, and 2 Redpoll while on the floods there was a Teal out with her brood. The Stoat was in his garden again! James also saw the pair of Spotted Flycatcher in the wood today as well as 2 pair of Goldcrest with young. A male Gadwall was on the floods as were 3 Dunlin. With this good spell of weather recently, the Marsh Fritillaries have been observed over the Rhinns in good numbers. Andy reported in to say that he had heard 2 separate Wood warblers, one at Kildalton Wood and the other in the woodland around Ardilistry. He also had really close views of 3 Basking Shark off Texa this evening, and also he told me that there were a lot of Manx Shearwater flying west at the same time. JRH, CF & RAS

Tues 27th May

A visitor called in this evening, to say that he had seen 8 Crossbill at Gearach Forestry on the Rhinns, are these some of the birds that were at Avonvoggie through the Winter and in the Spring? Earlier on he had heard a Wood warbler in the woods around Kildalton.

Back here at home there was a pair of Grey Wagtail down at the burn, and this evening in the wood, the Cuckoo was calling for quite some time! IKB

Thurs 24th May 07

There have been some late sightings of a pair of Barnacle Geese at Blackrock, and a further 4 over at Ardnave. Also out and about Snipe have been heard drumming, with the number of Greylags around Loch Gorm increasing. Several sightings of the ring tail (female Hen Harrier) out hunting, indicating that some of nests could have hatched. Whitethroat out singing too, while a Wood Warbler was observed. A Short eared Owl was seen over the moorland, while over the hills a Golden Eagle was seen. J.H.
Another Wood Warbler was seen on the other side of the island, singing its head off. R.A.S.
Breagha (Gaelic for beatiful!), the Barn Owl, ( Gaelic Cailleach- Oidhche) to be seen at the Islay Natural HistoryTrust web cam, now has got 5 got chicks, 2 large and 3 small. M.R.L.