Saturday 29th May

Yet another top class sort of a day, with the weather that is, mind you not a lot to complain about with the birds seen...

Up here at home, we spent some time out seeing the birds on offer out in the garden and round about as well... it was great to see a pair of Stonechats out flitting around as they do, a Wheatear was seen out on the big lawn looking for some food, a Wren came out of the "hedge", making a brief appearance. On the corvid front, we saw the Ravens out flying around, watched the acrobatic Choughs as they noisily flew around, and also a few Jackdaws present as well, more Swallows have been seen today, but still no sign of any nest building activity as of yet.

Monday 24th May

Another mixed day with the weather, net result was that I did not cut the grass today, and another poor pointer was the temperature on Matt Jackson's weather gauge dropped to 2 degrees centigrade last night.... 

Martin Armstrong today was telling me of seeing an Osprey the other day being mobbed by a Hen Harrier....

Chris Brock who is sailing around Islay islay at present with the Majestic Line sent me through the following birds seen today...Today’s birds from my trip, Craighouse to Port Ellen. Sadly no WTE! 

 Craighouse 

2 BTD

6 Common Tern

Oystercatcher 

1 distant Golden Eagle towards Islay

 

At sea

Gannets 

Guillemot close by

Razorbill 

Shag off Kildalton 

 

Walk from Lagavulin to Port Ellen

Wren

Goldfinch

Mute Swan

Thanks for your birds, appreciated as ever...

By the way, before I forget, Margaret saw a Fulmar flying along the front of the crag today...

Tuesday 18th May

 Another "cracker " of a day with wall to wall sun shining all day.... And I did write yesterday's entry on time but I forgot to publish it, honest..    I am human, believe it or not!!!

Today up here at Shepherd's cottage, we have been watching the solitary Fulmar floating along the front of the crag, hearing that noisy Cuckoo and watching the Chough flying around and then around lunch time I briefly saw a Wren, the first for some time, I hasten to add. Other birds seen were some Swallows, but not making any effort to build their nests yet!!!

Friday 26th July

Coming over on the ferry today, Alistair Hart had seen Gannets, Manx Shearwaters, Tysties and a good number of Auks as well...

James had a quick scan on the estuary at Gruinart  today, seeing "at least 2,900 Dunlin", 100 Sanderling, 10 Barwits, a single Knot as well as  2 Peregrines.

Up here at home,  a Buzzard was flying along the top of the dunes, a single Wren was seen out in the garden, and after much searching, I saw a  Willow Warbler flitting between the seed heads.

Thursday 30th June

Peter Donaldson reported hearing a corncrake at Portnahaven, later at Machair Bay he had couple ringed plovers and a common sandpiper. Gary had a loads of willow warblers in the wood at Lilly Loch, also wrens, treecreepers, robin, bullfinch and young heron.

Monday 23rd May

Wall to wall sunshine, although there is a slight edge to the air, at  least it has stayed dry... Later on tonight, all going well, tonight around midnight, some of us will be going out and around Islay, trying to hear any Corncrakes that may be calling, so fingers crossed and I will let you know tomorrow evening how we got on...

Here at home I saw my first Wren for some time, a Greenfinch was in at bird feeders, a Reed Bunting flew past and late afternoon, a House Martin was in the sky. Earlier on a couple of Sand Martins touched down briefly on the road outside the house. Yesterday, we saw another hen Pheasant out with young chicks, this one had 9 youngsters, wonder how this one will finish off with...

Wednesday 26th August

Some rain fell this morning, but it dried up later on, so I managed to cut some of the grass... this evening the sun is streaming in through the big windows and possibly a cracker of a sunset to finish the day off... This morning, there was a Great Tit in the garden, the first that we have had for some time. A wee Wren was down close to the pond with Linnets, Chaffinches and a Greenfinch were present on some of the seed heads. A Buzzard was soaring over the crag with a Peregrine passing by as well.

Wednesday 2nd April

The other day Mary got some stats back from BTO from the birds that she had found dead on the Beached bird survey back in February along with Emily. Both the birds were found at the top of Loch Indaal, both Razorbills and both rung as nestlings. One bird was rung on Fair Isle back in 1980, so it was almost 34 years old, the other was a mere younster rung on the the Isle of Sanda in 1998. Back to today, Bob had a Spotted Crake over on Bolsay Moor this morning. We saw 3 different Sparrowhaks today, one beside the lime kiln down below Foreland, another in the willows at Shorefield, George's home at Bruichladdich. Later this afternoon the final bird flew past the kitchen window here at home. In the garden this morning, a Wren was singing away good style, is Spring in the air?? There was a small flock of Redwings up beside the old church at the top of the hill here this morning as well. The Dumfries Birders had an adult WTSE fly ovrer the Sound of Islay towards Islay. They also flushed a Snipe. Last night, they saw a Merlin chase the Starlings along the front of their cottage. Danny had been down at the hide at Gruinart and had seen good numbers of Ducks present, Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Pintail, Shoveler and Shelduck a great selection! By the way the Vulture yesterday was not an April Fool's trick, it was 100% true, honest...

Friday 22nd July

Sorry to harp on about it folks, but honestly, it has been another great day on this the west coast of Islay. Over at Port Ellen, it was raining today, and has been wet quite often this week when we have had it dry.... This afternoon, there was a Kestrel over the crag and down beside the burn there were 4 young Wrens perched out on the rushes which was nice to see. Visitors in the cottages were over on Jura yesterday and had seen an Otter, one was sleeping along with some seals and it was not until it stood up and stretched itself that they realised that it was an Otter, just great!

Thurs 4th March

Whilst in conversation earlier on this evening with a couple of birders on mainland Argyll, and both of them were commenting on the lack of sightings of Wrens and of also Stonechats. Gordon Yates who was over on Islay for the last fortnight had not seen any Stonechats at all. I have seen one this year, but that is all. We will just have to wait and see what Spring brings, there is always the possibility that some of the birds may have moved on.

I took a quick run round past Coull and Ballinaby this morning, and there was no sign of any Lapwing or Golden Plover, in fact there no Geese either, only a couple of Buzzards. Just before we left home there was a small flock of 37 Lapwing which landed just over the dyke!

Mon 1st March

Another month in, a dry month for here, only 2.5"and obviously a lot colder than we normally expect! Even this afternoon we had some more snow, the tops of the hills have been really white for quite some time now. The sun was shining on Mull when we came home today and looked really nice.

With this cold snap, the other day I counted 24 Pheasants out on the front grass, we had just had a couple of big straw bales dropped off and the birds were making the most of any grains that they found. Yesterday, I saw my first Wren of the year, I just hope that there are some more around. Today there was one singing away in the wood, that was before the snow came.

The Little Egret was seen on the flats at Gruinart again today.

Mon 29th June

This spell of great weather continues on, but no doubt some of the Distilleries may well be keeping a close eye on their water supplies.

Caught this young Wren on camera up the back of the wood here at the house the other day. I saw a male Redpoll there this evening, along with several Stonechat families, and also a female Siskin in the wood too. There was a small group of Chough returning to the roost while further out there was a some Ravens on the wing and a Buzzard was soaring round on the thermals above the crag.

Tues 12th Feb

The light here today has been really good, so the cameras have been out in action making the most of this spell of weather. The wren was taken on my return up the track from the hide at RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve. What an elusive bird it turned out to be as it preferred to skulk about in the background, rather than coming out into the better light and pose for me! I managed to get some other images of other birds, but they can wait for another entry!

The image of the Golden Eagle was also taken today by Malcolm Ogilvie, whilst he was out Goose counting! There were actually 2 Adults and one of last years youngsters together. One would have thought by now that the youngster would not have been in the vicinity of the eyrie as the birds will soon be laying again in the next 5 - 6 weeks.

It has been a good day for observing Raptors, as Catherine had a Sparrowhawk up at Killinallan and also a Merlin when returning from Ardnave late afternoon. On the floods at Gruinart I watched a Peregrine in pursuit of a Curlew, and surprisingly enough the Curlew got away safely!