Wednesday 7th September

Another mixed weather day, but at least the wind has dropped a bit... Jim D. had been down at Frenchman's Rocks for a short time this morning and had 3 Leach's Petrels, 1 Bonxie, 5 Sooty Shearwater, 38 Terns, mainly Arctic terns, several hundred Gannets, 2 Whimbrel and a Peregrine. On Loch Indaal, Jim had 3 Scaup, 2 Little Stint and 6 Arctic Terns, while at Gruinart there were 9 Pintail, 29 Black tailed Godwits, 4 Little Stint, 2 Curlew Sandpiper and another Peregrine. Here at home today, a Sparrowhawk flew over the top of the cottages and on over the fields, over the crag 3 Kestrels, were seen while down at Port Charlotte, late afternoon, 6 Arctic Terns were present, were they the same ones that Jim had in the morning?

Tuesday 6th September

Forgot to mention last night that Carl had been up at Gortantoaid on Sunday and had seen 25 Sanderling, a Stonechat and a Barn Owl. Today, as forecast it has been windy with the odd squally shower thrown in for good measure, it may have put some of us off, but not so for Jim Dickson who ventured out to do some sea watching down at Frenchman's Rocks. Jim had 7 Leach's Petrels, 3 Storm Petrels, 3 Bonxies, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 380 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Arctic Terns, 1 Whimbrel and 5 Purple Sandpipers. Earlier on Jim had seen a Merlin fly across the road in front of him as he drove out of Bowmore.

Monday 5th September

Jim Dickson saw the Baird's Sandpiper down at the pool at "smelly corner" again this morning. Yesterday, over the crag here at home, there were a pair of Peregrines flying about and later on in the afternoon a Kestrel was seen too. Today, another day and there were 6 Buzzards out over the crag all at the same time, I had to double check, but sure enough there were definitely SIX. Later on, beside Loch Gorm a male Hen Harrier was out quartering his patch. Down at Gartmain, there 26 Wigeon resting up, and finally when coming home, a Sparrowhawk flew across the road just after Rockside. Visitors had seen 2 Golden Eagles round the other side of Loch Gorm today out on the thermals.

Sunday 4th September

The other night while James was out walking his dog, he heard the Red Deer roaring away. Today down on Loch Gruinart, James had a count of 87 Redshank and later on Jim Dickson who is over for the week, had seen 3 Little Stint, 2 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank and 24 Black tailed Godwit, all on Loch Gruinart. This afternoon over on the reserve at Gruinart, Michal had a Golden Eagle being mobbed by a pair of Ravens, and then a Buzzard joined in to have a go too! Late afternoon, James had an Osprey between Rock Mountain and the turn off at the head of Loch Gorm heading over the hill to Gruinart. Jim Dickson was down at "smelly corner", around tea time and had more luck with the waders today, and had 5 Little Stint and also a juvenile Baird's Sandpiper.

Saturday 3rd September

Another day and another dollop of rain through the night, but at least it faired up through the day itself, that's the way we like it..... A visiting birder had a count of 44 Chough up at Ardnave yesterday, and today another visitor had a juvenile Little Stint down at "smelly corner", and as he was scanning through the rest of the waders a Peregrine flew past causing havoc, net result, not much seen of the other waders there.... This afternoon, James had a Sparrowhawk up at Grainel, and also an Elephant Hawk moth caterpillar.

Friday 2nd September

A mixed day weather wise, it was quite wet through the night, dry this morning and then more rain again this afternoon, net result 0.75" of rain, a good steady rain rather than a downpour....

Bob made the most of the morning and at Gartmain had a count of 12 Knot and 200 Bar tailed Godwit. Louise from Jura had been on the phone later last night and she told me that an immature Osprey had been seen on Jura, and Louise herself had seen 3 Golden Eagles up behind Ardfin on Jura earlier on this week.

Thursday 1st September

A better day, folk remembering to get in touch and doing things.... This morning Mark had been leading the guided walk at Gruinart. They saw a ringtail Hen Harrier out hunting, and along the shoreline there was a Greenshank, 5 Redshank, 80 Curlew, and lots of Dunlin, Sanderling and Ringed Plover with all the waders nervously watching a Peregrine as it flew past. This afternoon, over the Southern hills on our way out towards Ardtalla, we saw a distant pair of Golden Eagles out on the thermals.