Monday 14th May

2 of the RAFOS visitors had been out for an early walk at 6am and not only had they heard the Corncrake, but one decided to cross the road in front of them.... Later on rond Loch Gorm "tall John" had a Short eared Owl and later on he had a Golden Eagle out over the crag. Mid afternoon over the old water mill a Kestrel was hovering eyeing some prey up. The 2 different Corncrakes here were both heard calling through the afternoon when I was out painting as it was dry, making the most of it before Thursday with more rain forecast! There was a Gannet fishing in Loch Indaal off Port Charlotte this morning while the Whimbrels were still in the barley fields at Rockside.

Sunday 13th May

This young Dipper fledgling was caught on camera the other week on the River Sorn by Tony Matthews. In Bridgend Woods on Friday, Carl saw a pr of Spotted Flycatchers and also a pr of Siskins. Also down at Bridgend he had a Redwing, while at Loch Indaal lighthouse just outside Port Charlotte, Carl had his first Whitethroat of the year. Yesterday at Rockside, there were lots of Whimbrel in the fields, and round at Saligo, Carl saw a White Wagtail. Peter Roberts had a flock of 15 Whimbrel fly over his house, flying high and calling loudly, was it a tick for Peter's garden bird list?? Here at home, a pr of Ravens were mobbing a Buzzard, the Ravens have been seen more of late, so could their young almost be ready to leave the nest? Today, the Whooper Swan was still present at George's eating away on his ponds. He only had 20 Whimbrel, not so many, but some House Martins have returned now. Down on the shore, 2 Turnstones were seen, 1 in winter plumage, the other in summer plumage.

Saturday 12th May

A sunny day out on the edge today with a cold touch to the air, doubt if it got much above 10 degrees, at least it stayed dry! Bob this morning had 2 Whitethroats up the back of Port Charlotte. James had 2 as well on the reserve at Gruinart and also 3 Whooper Swans out on the floods. While we were changing the cottages this morning, Margaret looked out the kitchen window, what was in the garden but a Corncrake and later on we heard another calling away in the Iris bed where I had been yesterday! RAFOS are over for the week, and in a quick foray in Bridgend Woods, after coming off the ferry, some of their group had a pr of Bullfinch, heard Chiffchaff and also Willow Warbler too.

Friday 11th May

Dave took this image down on the Oa today of a pair of Dotterel that had been seen initially by Mark Shields. Beki, on the guided walk yesterday at Gruinart had Lapwing, Redhank, Whooper & Mute Swan, Teal and Wigeon on the floods, on the way down to the hide they had some Sedge Warblers amongst the whin bushes. George had a count of 85 Whimbrel on his fields and a Whooper Swan on his ponds. Bob had seen a Stoat as well as 2 Sedge Warblers close to his house. Dave also had Sedge Warblers down on the Oa, as well as a Peregrine. Michal round at Saligo had 50 Ringed Plover, 30 Dunlin and a Golden Plover. Back to Gruinart, and James had 5 Pale bellied Brent Geese. Here at home, I heard a Corncrake calling from one of the Iris patches out in the fields, I went over and sat for a good 15 minutes, the Corncrake kept calling, blowed if I could see it, another day, another place.. Margaret found a Pheasant's nest in the garden with 22 eggs in it, probably 2 hens using the same nest.

Thursday 10th May

The weather took a turn downhill today, the wind turned round and we even had some rain, not a lot, but a dampness rather than a downpour. I heard this morning of someone down in Oxfordshire who had been saying that since the hosepipe ban came in, that they have not had a dry day, and this statement was backed up with a similar tale by somebody from Norfolk. We never seem to be happy with the weather....Back on Monday, Bob saw a Peregrine chasing after waders when he was over at Gartbreck, later on he had a Merlin at Kentraw. Yesterday, Bob came across a Teal's nest with a clutch of 10 eggs in it and on the "distillery pond", he had a Bewick's Swan. Malcolm had the GND out in front of his house, and while he was out with Merlin, his labrador, he had 2 Cuckoos yelling away, one was at the old lime kilns up from Tynacoille, with the other yelling back from the trees around Foreland House. On the reserve at Gruinart, James had heard 3 seperate Corncrakes calling and late afternoon, he had a Black throated Diver on Loch Indaal beside Uiskentuie. Along the strand from Uiskentuie, Peter had 4 Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel, 6 Turnstone, 10 Sanderling and 2 Little Tern. On Loch Indaal from Bruichladdich. Peter had 2 Red throated Divers, both in winter plumage, and 2 GND, one in winter plumage, the other in summer plumage.

Wednesday 9th May

Another of Tony Matthew's images taken last week. This Black tailed Godwit was up at Ardnave. Before I foget, last night I had on the blog the wrong dates for the Scottish Bird Fair, it should have been 19th & 20th of May, old age creeping in!!! Yesterday, down at Gortan at the head of Loch Indaal, there were 50 Dunlin, earlier on at Rockside there were 12 Ringed Plover on the newly germinated barley field, also there were 5 Whimbrel. Further on, a Kestrel was on the wing closer to Loch Gorm. Over on Jura, we saw a male Hen Harrier, in Craighouse Bay there was  a GND in full summer plumage, a Heron and 4 Eider. Also on Jura we had Whinchat, Stonechat and Wheatear too. Coming home in one of the grass fiekds at Rockside, 37 Greylags were counted and at "smelly corner" there were 30 Shelducks, mainly all males with the females no doubt on nests. George had counted 107 Whimbrel at Shorefield on Monday and only 70 yesterday. On Loch Indaal, he had a GND in summer plumage, a Wheatear down on the shoreline and also an Oystercatcher with 2 fledglings. Beki, on her walk on the Oa, had the female Golden Eagle out on the wing, it was out for some time giving the folk on the walk a good chance to see it. They also had a female Hen Harrier out over the heather. They had 2 prs of Chough, one pr feeding in one of the fields and the others flying past. Out over the sea, several groups of Gannets were noted flying past. Back on land, and a good number of Wheatear were seen too.

Tuesday 8th May

Back on Sunday morning, I went out with Bob and carried out a count from Bowmore along to Gartbreck on the shoreline and out on Loch Indaal, but not on land. The tally was as follows, 10 Mallard, 1 Teal, 70 Eider, 8 Shelduck, 5 Pale bellied Brent Geese, 2 GND, 1 Black throated Diver, 18 Shag, 12 Greater Black backed Gulls, 10 Herring Gulls, 22 Black headed Gulls, 2 Purple Sandpiper, 90 Oystercatcher, 90 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank, 1 Redshank, 200 Dunlin, 28 Bar tailed Godwits, 2 Turnstone, 65 Ringed Plover, 11 Arctic Tern. We also saw a Willow Warbler but that was on a whin bush onland! On my way down to meet up with Bob I had a Golden Eagle soaring over the hill behind Sunderland Farm. Yesterday on the Oa, Dave had 3 Whinchat, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Hen Harrier and a Peregrine. Today, the weather has picked up again, temperature soaring into double figures, just!!! I have been busy visiting some of the Distilleries both here here on Islay and over on Jura sourcing some bottles for folk to have a taster at the forthcoming Scottish Birdfair, to be held on the 19th &20th of May at Hopetoun House which is close to Edinburgh. James will be attending along with Mary and Crystal, so if you are attending, come and meet up at the Islay stand and enter our free draw for a short break to see our geese in the Autumn.