Wednesday 8th August

Back to me again, thanks Michal for putting yesterday's entry on. Yes, computers are great when they are working, but when they are down and not working, well a bit like us humans one could argue! This morning I had a new tick for the garden bird list, a young Stonechat was out on the back grass. Certainly I have seen them out on the crag and round about but not down on the lawn as such. This afternoon, James had an Osprey over on Loch Gruinart, it later flew up the loch towards the mouth of the loch at Ardnave. Apart from the computer being out of action, I managed to busy myself with doing some final jobs to be done  for the Bird Fair next week, yes next week and we set out on Wednesday and should be down there Thursday afternoon to set the stand up ready for Friday and all the visitors...Bob is coming down as is Dave from the Oa along with myself and Andy from last year, plus we have "badgered" some volunteers to swell our numbers to help out too over the 3 days of the event!!! Almost forgot, Mary had a Whooper Swan up at Gruinart at the start of the week, and on Sunday in the Sound of Jura while coming back over on the ferry, Mary saw a Basking Shark. A fisherman from Portnahaven had also seen one on Sunday up the West coast of Islay, his first for this year.

Tuesday, 7th August 2012

Ian asked me today to do the entry for him since his computer is saying "NO" again. It has been nice, sunny and still day here on Islay definitely worth to spend it outside. Down on the Oa Dave, Stef (volunteer) and myself (Michal), while building the boardwalk towards the monument, we had five choughs flying overhead. Beki while doing her guided walk had a fantastic view of golden eagle, peregrine and probably the same five choughs as we. Crystal, while doing her survey, had a good view of a pair of golden eagles for about ten minutes. Up here at Gruinart there is large flock of greylags (about 600).

Sunday 5th August

This morning, Becky and Lorna had a Whooper Swan on Loch Indaal swimming in past at Bowmore. Bob and Martin this afternoon had a count of 16 Herons at the top of Loch Indaal close to Bridgend. Also present were 15 Redshank and 30 Shelduck. On Loch Skerrols, they saw a Little Grebe and also 22 Mute Swans. This evening the 2 Buzzards were out on the wing over crag close to the house, and there was a further two far out up the gully, again on the wing.

Saturday 4th August

Just as Michal was leaving the house here last night, we had flock of over 300 Starlings fly past, wonder where they are roosting about? While Michal was here a Peregrine flew past the kitchen window, out to the crag. Late this morning on the overhead electric cables there was a count of 64 Swallows, now this evening there are just a few flying around, so could the majority of them have headed on, no need to fly away from here today, as the weather has been first class, no complaints! Over the crag this afternoon, a couple of Buzzards were calling away as they flew around.

Friday 3rd August

Yesterday, Mary had a small group of 20 Redshank flying over Portnahaven from MacKenzie Island, there were also around a dozen Dunlin as well as 2 Ringed Plover with them. Near to Wester Ellister Mary had a male Hen Harrier. Here at home, this morning over the wood a ringtail Hen Harier ghosted past. In the garden this evening, a game of threes, a hen Pheasant with 3 young, 3 Blackbirds and 3 Song Thrushes.While along the track to Grainel, James saw 2 Swifts fly past. 

Thursday 2nd August

Bob had been down at the "old" hide at Gruinart this afternoon, 3 Whimbrel were seen flying over high up, and a further 2 or 3 could be heard on Loch Gruinart itself. At high tide, 3 Greenshank came in and then a low flying Heron flushed out a Wood Sandpiper. On the floods, there was also a drake Wigeon in eclipse plumage. James had seen 2 Whooper Swans  and also a young Buzzard on the reserve today as well.

Wednesday 1st August

Another month in, with the rainfall tally a mere 4.25" for July... Since emptying out the rain guage out before 8 am, there has been a healthy start to August with 0.25".... and now this evening to cap it all we hear that the Rest & be Thankful road on the mainland has been shut yet again because of a landslip, thankfully there is an hour long diversion going round by Dalmally.... Thought this was meant to be a blog about birds I can hear you say... well the rain today has spoilt it as far as any birding could not be done! On the road today down to Port Ellen and beyond we counted 3 fatalities on the roads, all Hedgehogs... back here at tea time and that young aggressive Starling with the ring on its' leg was in good form clearing the bird table so it could get the lion's share of the food on offer, may be it could win a medal at the Olympics but not sure if  it  would be in the featherweight category....perhaps I should stick to the day job!!!