Sun 8th June

Even although this spell of dry weather continues, it is odd in some ways, in that the knowes have not started to burn off yet, even down at The Strand, the grass is still quite green! A visitor who was over on Jura for the day, commented on seeing Short-eared Owls and Hen Harriers, while in a steel gate post, they noticed that a Great Tit was using it for a nest site!

Many thanks to Gordon and Pauline Yates for their input recently when they have been over, with Gordon been kept busy getting more film footage here on Islay and also on Jura. Gordon had also been commenting on this recent spell of weather!

Sat 7th June

Not exactly breaking news, but some late news from earlier on this week, is that a Minke whale had been seen off Islay, in fact it was seen going round the green buoy beside Carraig Fhada over at Port Ellen!

Away from Islay now, and over to Louise in Jura who was in touch saying that she has been seeing a lot of raptors of late, including a Kestrel in full summer plumage looking rather smart, early yesterday morning. She has not seen any sign of any Shelduck young out yet, but the Mute Swan at Craighouse is proudly showing off 5 cygnets. Out on the Small Isles off Craighouse, there appear to be quite a lot of Greylag with goslings to be seen. LG

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

Thurs 5th June

Well the rain came and went but did not amount to much, although there is a dampness in the air this evening, with that, the dreaded midges are out! Earlier on this morning, at 5am there was a pair of Cuckoo in the wood, thankfully they (again only the male calls) only called a few times, so not disturbing my sleep too long! There was a good viewing of a pair of Spotted Flycatcher in the woodland whilst on the guided walk at RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve today. MAB

A visitor who I was speaking to this afternoon, told me that he had 6 Crossbill at Loch Allan before breakfast today, and also that he saw 3 Common Scoter down on the Rhinns later on.

Wed 4th June

This Redshank was sitting on a fence post round towards Saligo Bay, basking in the sunlight on Saturday evening, which it certainly would not be doing tonight as the weather has broken down, but having said that, so far we have not had much rain, just enough to lay the dust though! IKB

Michal e mailed to say he had been checking over the figures back from the Corncrake survey carried out last week, and that he reckons that the tally was 63 calling males, compared with only 49 calling birds heard last year at a similar date. MS

Mon 2nd - Tues 3rd June

This spell of dry, warm weather continues here on Islay, the rainfall last month did not even add up to an inch in total, add on April's 2" and things start to dry up. Some of the Distilleries are already starting to watch the water levels in the various lochs which supply them. Back here at home, I have just come in from outside and noted that we have 8 House Martin nests, 4 of which are new this year, and there may be more nests yet as they can build them quite quickly. It is only 3 years ago when we had our first House Martins here at our house. On the down side, Swallow nests are definitely fewer, with only 5 in use this year compared with 9 last year.

Sun 1st June

Two for the price of one, as this was a Curlew taken last night near to it's nest and of the Cotton Grass which this year is in abundance all over Islay. James also commented this morning about the Cotton Grass now in full bloom, he also gave me some sightings for the past few days at the same time. He had a Stoat in his garden wall the other day, and he had 2 Ferrets on the flats at Gruinart. On Friday, he saw 2 Corncrake and a single Greenland Whitefronted Goose, as well as a Greylag with young goslings on the reserve at Gruinart, the first for 2 years.Yesterday a Water rail ran across the road in front of him, he also noted his first Roe Deer and its calf for the year, and had 2 Marsh Fritillary butterflies on the wing. This morning, he saw a pair of Short-eared Owls and also a Whinchat with grubs in its mouth. JRH