Friday 7th November

Back on Wednesday, James had carried out a goose count on the reserve at Gruinart, with his tally coming out at 23,970 Barnies, 610 Whitefronts, 119 Greylag, 1 Pale bellied Brent and a Canada hutchinsii sp. The figure for the Barnies was as high as James has had on the reserve for time of year. Yesterday on the reserve, James had a Barn Owl, a Tawny Owl and also a Goldcrest. Paul B yesterday had seen 2 White tailed Sea eagle at the top of Loch Indaal, one an adult, the other a youngster! Michael had a Golden Eagle, 4 Buzzards, 2 Ravens and 2 Peregrines out over the crag at Kilchoman at first light. Down on the "duck pond" behind Machir Bay, he counted 220 Teal, 20 Wigeon,and 25 Mallard. Down on the reedbed at the Coastguards' he had 40 Redwing with a mixed flock of around 95 Linnet and Twite. Over at Gruinart, well after all the rain, what could one say, it was flooded out, but all the same 7 Whoopers were still around as well a couple of Hen Harriers....At Coullabus, a first year Golden Eagle was seen, while down on Loch Indaal, 81 Scaup were counted. Along past Blackrock towards Crosshouses there were 170 Fieldfares present in the morning with the numbers up to 470 in the afternoon. Cluanach held a further 50 Fieldfare along with 2 distant Golden Eagles, Avonvoggie 54 Fieldfare and at Cattadale, 320 were counted with a further 70 flying South. Up at Storakaig an amazing count 2,400 Fieldfare along with 100 Redwing another 2 Golden Eagles, a male Hen harrier and a Peregrine. Keills held a male Hen Harrier along with 20 Fieldfare and 14 Redwing, 130 Fieldfare were flying South there too. The fields around Ballygrant held another 40 Fieldare while another 40 were seen flying South at Skerrols. Round the top of Loch Indaal, at the coal yard, 47 Ringed Plover and 9 Turnstone were present. Up at Outback Art in the fields, there were 70 Redwing and 7 Song Thrushes, with a GND in the bay itself at Sanaigmore as well as a distant Golden Eagle. Down at Ballinaby, 70 Redwing, 3 Fieldfare and a single Mistle Thrush. Finally there were 630 Greylags in the fields close to the Coastguards. By the way, we at least 2.5 inches of rain, little wonder that the "flats" at Gruinart were flooded...

Thursday 6th November

Not the best of days out here today, the wind has dropped a bit with ferries sailing from 13.00 onwards, and oh yes as forecast the rain has been falling all day, there had been quite a lot overnight, over an inch and it just keeps coming.. The windows, looking out at one point was just like a fishmonger's window of old with the water streaming down!!! Yesterday the weather was kinder and some sightings through for you. Paul had seen a Slavonian Grebe and 5 Long tailed Ducks from the Power station first thing. Later on along the shoreline, south of Bowmore, he saw a Snow Bunting. Ken and the his group had made the most of the good weather and had headed over to Jura. Their top sighting was a Snow Bunting along the shoreline at Feolin. Michael had a good morning's walk into Killinallan, the first time he has done it... He has a great list of birds for us, 11 Whitefronts, 135 Greylags, around 2,600 Barnies resting on the shore, 2 Mallard, 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 120 Lapwing, 4 Snipe, 4 Curlew, 4 Ringed Plover, 1 Sanderling, 40 Common Gull, 5 Herring Gull, 6 GBB Gull, 35 Rock Dove, 14 Skylark, 4 Rock Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, 2 Pheasant, 7 Red legged Partridge, 3 Wren, 3 Dunnock, 1 Robin, 14 Stonechat, 1 Blackbird, 175 Redwing, 7 Chough, 23 Jackdaw, 4 Hooded Crow, 7 Raven, 190 Starling, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Twite, 1 Snow Bunting and also 16 Reed Bunting. This morning looking out his cottage window, Michael spotted a Siberian Chiffchaff sheltering up. This morning also, Martin, been parked up for a few moments close to Kilarrow at Bowmore and a quick look out on Loch Indaal produced 8 Red breasted Merganser, 2 Goldeneye, 2 Long tailed Duck, 1 Eider and a GND.

Wednesday 5th November

Some more sightings through from yesterday to start this evening's entry.. Mary had seen 2 Bullfinches on the "woodland trail" at Gruinart. Later on Mary had seen a young Barn Owl on her commute home to Portnahaven, must be winter right enough!!! Paul had seen a pair of Slavonian Grebes from the Power Station outside Bowmore. Later on, Paul had walked from Ballygrant to to the Sound of Islay. His highlights included a ringtail Hen Harrier and and then a imm. White tailed Sea Eagle. In the woods around Ballygrant Loch, Siskins, Redpolls, lots of Redwings and some Song Thrushes. He also had a Yellowhammer and a Grey Wagtail present there too. Over at Blackrock, Paul had been watching the raft of Scaup there when an adult White tailed Sea Eagle soared past causing mayhem, it soon moved over the Barnies that were at the top of the Loch! At Gruinart, there were 15 Whoopers, another ringtail Hen Harrier and at least 500 Golden Plover. Ken yesterday along with the birders from Sandwich Bird Obs had started their day off down on the Oa where they saw a Peregrine,2 Fulmar, many Twite and also 2 Golden Eagles. Also there were lots of Redwings, Fieldfares and Blackbirds, all very jumpy, obviously new arrivals! In the afternoon, over at Claggain Bay, over 40 Gannets were offshore along with a winter plumage Black Guillemot. Today Michael had an imm Golden Eagle out over the crag close to where he is staying. On his way out, he had 150 Redwing and at least 200 Fieldfare between Coastguards and Rockside road end. There were also 75 Golden Plover in the fields at Coastguards as well. Machir Bay, 2,500 Barnies were roosting up on the shore and 37 Curlew were also there. Over at Craigens a Grey Wagtail was present as was a small flock of 20 Chaffinches. On the estuary at Gruinart, 136 Wigeon, 27 R B Merganser, 46 Shelduck, 42 Pintail, 92 Sanderling as well 2 Greenshank were counted. Michael then counted over the top of Loch Indaal from Port Charlotte round to Bowmore, his tally came through at 51 RTD, 64 GND, 49 Slav. Grebe, 1 Great crested Grebe, 12 Mute, 9 Whoopers, 8 Pale bellied Brent, 303 Wigeon, 270 Teal, 66 Scaup, 5 Goldeneye, 13 Long tailed Duck, 154 Eider, 113 Common Scoter and 99 R B Merganser. Thanks Michael! Just before lunchtime, there were 5 Herons on the wee island on Loch Gorm, probably the same the same ones we had seen the other day at Sunderland but then there wee 6, possibly the other bird was lurking around the other side out of my view! There was a Brambling amongst the Chaffinches at the feeders here at home.

Tuesday 4th November

A wee mistake by me last night, I could make my scribbles out about some of Michael's birds... On Loch Gorm he had seen 3 Goldeneye and a Great creasted Grebe, apologies to Michael, my bad hand writing, or was it my eyes??? Yesterday, Paul from Nottingham had ventured out down towards the Oa, bad move as it turned out to be "almost a washout", Paul's words not mine! First thing on Loch Indaal, from Bowmore he had 3 GND, a Red breasted Merganser and a female Long tailed Duck. On the Oa, a Golden Eagle while on the road going there was a reluctant Woodcock not wanting to move from the road to allow him to go by, it was not until he got out of his his car that it flew off....Ken and his group had seen 2 White tailed Sea Eagles over at Bunnahabhain, as well as an Otter there. Off Bowomore they had also seen the Long tailed Duck and also a Common Scoter. A walk through Bridgend woods produced 4 Treecreepers and also Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Bullfinch with a Dipper seen at The Woolen Mill. Michael today started off with 2 Peregrines chasing a Raven and then out over the crag appeared a couple of Golden Eagles.. Later on on the barley stubbles at Rockside, the flock of Rock Doves were being chased by 2 Peregrines, possibly the same 2 up to no good! Along close to Sunderland Farm a juv. Golden Eagle soared out, and up at Sanaigmore another 2 were seen while at Bunnahabhain he saw his sixth for the day! At Lossit, there was a flock of 140 Redwings, with a further 35 at Storakaig along with 17 Fieldfare. Michael was also saying that he had seen more Blackbirds around today while driving around. At Cluanach over at Mulindry, he saw 6 Bullfinches. A male Hen Harrier was at Loch Tallant with 2 ringtails seen over at Erasaid and also another male at Sanaigmore. Late afternoon, the Peregrine was having a go at the flock of 95 Redwings close to Kilchoman as he headed back to his cottage. There were over 30 Chough out over the crag here at home this afternoon.

Monday 3rd November

Another dry day here on the West of Islay, although I believe that it had been wet down on the Oa and around Port Ellen, no pleasing some folks...Quite a few sightings , so here we go... Ken Chapman who is over with a group of 36 birders from Sandwich Bay Bird observatory in Kent. On Saturday, they had seen a Cackling goose amongst the Barnies along the flats at Gruinart. 2 Ruff were present at Gruinart with 40 Chough seen at Ardnave. On Loch Indaal from Bowmore they saw 3 GND. Yesterday, they noted plenty of Redwings around the Loch Gorm area and further on as they went round the Rhinns, over 200 at least. They had seen 4 different Hen Harriers. At Sunderland/ Rockside there were 2 flocks of Rock Doves on the barley stubble, several hundred in all. They also saw another GND off Port Charlotte. Returning birder, Paul from Nottingham had seen 10 GND as he came over on the ferry on Saturday and he also had a Sandwich Tern drift past the ferry..Yesterday Paul saw 8 Whoopers and 6 Pale bellied Brents on Loch Indaal from the Power station. Up round Ardnave Point, he had a count of 50 Ringed Plover, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Sanderling, 1 Purple Sandpiper and 10 Turnstone. At the reserve at Gruinart, he had a ringtail Hen Harrier and out over the fields behind Bowmore, a male Hen Harrier. There appeared to be a fall of Thrushes overnight, as there were more Redwings and Fieldfares around here this morning, I saw 2 small groups first thing this morning, one of 25 in the field below the house before they took off flying South and there were a further 15 in the trees. Michael had a count of 55 Fieldfare and 70 Redwings as well as the ringtail Hen harrier as he went out this morning. On a flat calm Loch Gorm, he counted 113 Tufted Duck, 1 Goldeneye and a Coot. Later on at Ardnave Loch, he had a male Hen Harrier while on the water 2 Goldeneye, 6 Tufted Duck, 2 Dabchick, 6 Whoopers and a Coot. Also present were 35 Redwing, and 5 Fieldfare. Up at Traigh Nostaig Michael had 12 Snow Buntings, including 3 cracking males. Also there, he had seen 51 Ringed Plover, 29 Sanderling, 4 Turnstone. He saw a total of 8 GND offshore as he walked round Ardnave Point, a juv Gannet offshore too and a distant sighting of a Pomarine Skua pursuing some Kittiwakes. In all going round Ardnave Point, he had a total of 46 Rock Pipits! On the Gruinart estuary, Michael counted 144 Barwits and also 13 Knot. Down at Blackrock he had a raft of 72 Scaup with a male Long tailed Duck in flight. On his way home late afternoon, at Rockside there were 10 Whoopers including a family group of 2 adults with 4 youngsters. Bob today had a a male Kestrel and wee while later on a Peregrine both in the Kilchiaran area. Around midday we headed over to Tormisdale, we had a Golden Eagle down at Loch Gorm, with a further one close to Tormisdale, a total of 10 Buzzards on the overall trip, 2 Moorhens on the Distillery pond behind Port Charlotte and finally coming up the hill to home, on the fence wires, 16 Goldfincheswhile on the overhead wires around 50 Redwings. There were also quite a few Fieldfares to be seen around as well.

Michael from Dunblane had made the most of some better weather today. He had seen a total of 5 Hen Harriers, a male over near to Port Ellen, 4 ringtails, one at Kilchoman, another at Gruinart, one at Duich Lots and the final one close to Kintra. While going down the Oa, Michael had a femele Peregrine eating its' prey on top of an electric pole! This morning at Gruinart, he had a count of 1720 Teal, 1 Green winged Teal, 71 Pintail, 1750 Golden Plover and a Blackwit. On the woodland trail Michael had 62 Fieldfare with a further 70 over at Leorin, just out of Port Ellen. Also at Gruinart, he had 3 Whoopers and and then a further 5 later on and then another 6. At Sunderland Farm, he saw a Merlin. Margaret, this morning here at home, had 7 Whoopers fly past and then a Peregrine shortly afterwards. Many thanks to Gordon and Pauline Yates, the "Rochdale birders" for sharing some of their sightings while you were over last week. Today, James has been busy helping with a beached Atlantic White sided Dolphin. It was found close to "smelly corner" and I believe they managed to relocate it into the water down at Bowmore Harbour. Wonder what the news will be of it tomorrow...

Saturday 1st November

Danny sent me through this image of a Bar tailed Godwit which he took last week while he was over, thanks Danny! The weather over here not so good, squally showers kicking around quite a lot.. By the way the tally for the rainfall for October was 6.95", just a little less than last October when we had 7".... Visitors from Edinburgh, over for the weekend were pleased to see the Goldfinches on our feeders this afternoon.