Thursday May 7th

Yesterday I saw an Arctic Skua (pale) over Bridgend, and on the sand there were several mixed flocks of dunlin and ringed plover; on the bird feeders at the office there was a tree sparrow and a lesser redpoll among the regulars. On our evening walk we had 4 calling corncrakes between the visitor centre and Mill Cottages. This morning at Ardnave I had 28 whimbrel on the loch, and a short eared owl out on the moorland. Gary was out walking on the reserve yesterday evening; on the flats he noted good numbers of pied wagtails, including 5 white wagtails, a female bullfinch and two great skua's overhead. From the hides and trails there were 7 black tailed godwit and a treecreeper, along with the usual suspects. Andrew had a good day too yesterday; at Ardnave he had merlin, hen harrier, chough, whimbrel, great northern diver, golden plover, ringed plover, dunlin and twite. At Gruinart reserve 4 whooper swan (still there this morning). A cuckoo flew across the road on their drive back to base at Kilchoman. Once home there had 2 whimbrel nearby, a hen harrier in flight, and a corncrake calling outside the cottage.

Wednesday 6th May

Thanks to new Islay birder Gary for this picture of a corncrake taken yesterday. While he was out on his travels he heard 'loads' of sedge warbler along the Coullabus road, and good groups of mixed Linnet and twite there too. Alistair in Portnahaven heard the Corncrake there today, as well as two cuckoos nearer Ellister. I was out this morning and heard the terns have returned along the coastline there in the past two days. Andrew staying at Kilchoman emailed some of his sightings through from the week so far; on Monday 3 chough and the dotterel at The Oa, at Black rock 5 whimbrels. On Sunday at Gruinart an otter was seen along with the cuckoo who has been actively calling lately. At Kilchoman itself an other cuckoo was heard. Thanks to all for your sightings.

Tuesday 5 May

Thanks Dave for this lovely picture of the dotterel on The Oa yesterday, posing beautifully! Alistair is back in Portnahaven for his holidays, yesterday his highlights included a peregrine, 4 common sandpipers a grasshopper warbler reeling by the church and a pair of choughs. Forgot to add yesterday that I heard a corncrake on Saturday in the fields behind the church in Portnahaven, and Paul Graham heard a corncrake at Machir Bay yesterday while an other was heard near the old hide at Gruinart.

Monday 4 May

Thanks James, now my turn to help cover the blog while Ian and Margaret are on their holidays. Hope they've got more sun than we have! Roger was out and about the reserve over the weekend and had a large flock of around 2000 dunlin on the estuary on Saturday. James was out early bird surveying this morning and had 2 lesser redpoll, 3 grasshopper warbler, 5 whitethroat, 5 stonechat, one whinchat and two water rail calling. Today at the Oa a dotterel has been seen.

Sunday 3rd May

The cold east wind came on strong last night and half an inch of rain fell through this morning. All the birds were taking cover, the swallows and martins trying to catch the few insects in the lee of the woodland. A peregrine over Loch Gruinart and quite a few Lapwing chicks on the Gruinart Flats and Floods.

Saturday 2nd May

A mini invasion of Whitethroats today- I had five all singing at Gruinart this morning, plus a Corncrake hiding under the rhubarb in the garden. Loch Indaal seems to have a scattering of Sandwich terns and Carl reported some Arctic Terns yesterday. There was also a report of an Osprey flying over Gruinart.

Friday 1st May

A few records from yesterday- Mary had a Great Skua over Port Wemyss and Paula and Emily saw 50 Whimbrel and 2 Little Terns at Ardnave. Today Roger reported 90+ Whimbrel at Uiskentuie Strand. I have been out on the Gruinart Reserve, where there are still 305 Barnacle geese, a Pale Bellied Brent and a White fronted goose as well as a calling Corncrake near the hide.