Sat14th- Mon 16th July 07

This image of 9 young Red-legged Partridge was taken along the roadside, just last week, so rather a late brood. Partridges here on Islay do not breed very sucessfully , mainly due to our high rainfall! The young House Martins whose nest fell down the other week, who we rehoused into another nestbox have been quite lucky, with 3 of the young still surviving. Another nest, fell down after the heavy rain on Friday night, but the young did not survive the drop from such a height. After the good day on Sunday, during the evening, the Swallows and the House Martins were noticeable swooping over the wood outside the house catching food on the wing. I.K.B.

Fri 6th - Fri 13th July 07

Apologies for the lateness of the blog, partly due to my fault, and partly due to the fact that some of our contributors are away on holiday, J.R.H. in the Scilly Isles and R.A.S. on St Kilda!
35 Mergansers were observed at the mouth of Loch Gruinart. M.S.
Over on Jura, one pair of the Short eared Owls have successfully fledged 4 young, while down on the bay there was a sighting of Shelduck with a creche of 16 ducklings. Earlier on, in June, during a Sea bird survey between the North end of Islay and Colonsay, 2 Puffins were recorded. L.G. & G.M.
The Webs Count this week at Gruinart gave the following birds, 8 GBB Gulls, 2 LBB Gulls, 105 Herring Gulls, 22 BH Gulls, 151 Common Gulls, 1 Little Gull, 35 Curlew, 2 Whimbrel, 84 Bar Tailed Godwits, 268 Oystercatchers, 47 Eider Duck, 9 Knot, 16 Dunlin and 1 Peregrine Falcon. The Peregrine was later seen taking an Oystercatcher, so should the count read 267?
There has been a regular sighting of a Tawny Owl over at R.S.P.B. Loch Gruinart reserve. C.F.
Out and about on Islay there have several sightings of Raven out with their young. S.McG.

Thurs 5th July 07

Over at R.S.P.B. Loch Gruinart Reserve helping with the guided walk in the morning. The first bird to be seen was a Short eared Owl out hunting, and soon after a male Hen Harrier quartering its patch. Down on the estuary, there were quite a few Shelduck about, but again not a lot of ducklings with them. In the afternoon, I was out trying to locate the Stone Curlew that had been reported again, but to no avail! M.A.B.
There was a sighting last week of a Black Redstart down on the Rhinns. J.S.A.

Wed 4th July 07

Great excitment at the home today, as one of the House Martin nests had fallen down on the ground with 4 young. After the initial panic, the problem was easily solved, but would it be successful? The remedy was to use an articial Marin nest, which we had not erected, and place the youngsters in it and hope for the best, we could not site it on the eaves but placed it securely on the window sill. By the looks of it, we have been successful as there are plenty bird droppings now by the new nest and several gaping mouths waiting to be fed. Hard to really establish whether we have 3 or 4 yougsters. M.A.B.

Tuesday 3rd July 07

Out today with George Jackson, for a welcome spot of bird watching! Several Gannets on the move out at sea, with a Sedge warbler heard being very vocal in an overgrown ditch on the roadside, but too elusive to be seen! Plenty stonechats, whinchats, wheatear, both adults and young were abundant in numbers. Skylarks were heard singing away in numbers up at Sanaigmore, as were a few Curlew. On the water there, were a few Eider along with youngsters. Meadow Pits were out and about with grubs for their young. At the end of our trip we commented on the lack of Harriers, a solitary Buzzard sat on a telegraph pole was the only raptor seen, no Owls either at all. G.J. and I.K.B.

Mon 2nd July 07

Islay chough summary, 2007
There are currently 50-53 nest sites occupied on Islay. Of theses nest sites, only around 30 pairs bred successfully. It has been a mixed year overall, with some pairs rearing large broods, up to 5 young, but others struggling to feed their young and losing part of or the whole brood during the nestling period.
The young choughs, of pre-breeding age, are at present in 2 flocks here on Islay at the moment. Around 65 - 70 can be seen at Ardnave peninsula and 25 - 40 around the Machir Bay area. At this time of year, the flocks of young birds are also joined by adult pairs with their recently fledged chicks. These noisy families are usually easy to spot as the fledglings are often following the parents relentlessly, begging for food! M. McC.

Sat 30th June - Sun 1st July 07

A Merlin was seen to be acting oddly in a garden over at Ballygrant, it had got a blackbird shouting off its alarm call from within a bush. The Merlin responded, by coming in to land on its perch, sourced the blackbird and took off, smashing its way into the fuschia bush, but to no avail with the blackbird flying off unscathed! S.McG.
The weather here on Islay has gone downhill, now that we are in July. We only had 3.5" of rain in June, mostly in big falls overnight followed by nice suuny days, a big contrast compared to the flooding endured and ensuing damage done to property over on the mainland. So today it is rather dreich outside, with not much sign of many birds on the wing, although the young Choughs from the roost were quite vocal earlier on, as is their norm, they cannot go about quietly! I.K.B.