Monday 14th Dcember

Well the wind has huffed and puffed for most of the day, not really the best of weather to allow folks to go out and try to do their WeBS counts ... equally at doubt could be the International Goose count which should be carried out over the next 2 days ...

As you may have seen, or rather noticed that I follow the latest sightings on Fair Isle.. and recently have been watching the Great Tit which has been present since the 4th of October, so I am now wondering how long through the winter it will still be there ????

Sunday 13th December

Well, what's new, not a lot as it has been kind of wet and windy on Islay today as forecasted... Thankfully Karen Graham sent me through the following birds seen by her in garden in Bearsden...

"Today, I spotted a Nuthatch coming in to the seed feeder and fat cake regularly. Also 4 Long tailed Tits amongst group of Tits and Chaffies, a colourful male Bullfinch and 10 now regular group of Sparrows on feeders. We have not had as many House Sparrows for years in the garden."

Saturday 12th December

Sorry folks but not much to write about tonight but earlier on this week, David Dinsley had seen/ flushed 7 Jack Snipe, down at Kinnabus which is part of the  RSPB Oa reserve.

Friday 11th December

 Well, the weather has been a bit better out here on Islay today... "the lull before the storm," as there is more rain forecast to come again over the next few days..

Today, James had seen 2 Little Egrets, a Peregrine Falcon and also 2 Hen Harriers over at Gruinart.

Thursday 10th December

I must sound like an old tape going round, saying the same things as last night.. The weather has not been that great out here again especially late afternoon when it started to rain coupled with the wind, not nice....

The only birds that we have been seeing today are the 6 hen Pheasants and also 3 male birds who are never that far away especially when food is on offer. On the bird feeders, the Goldfinches are around as well as the Chaffinches, some Blue Tits and a few Great Tits. The House Sparrows, Dunnocks and also around about 10 Blackbirds are often seen out on the grass, with the odd Wren skulking around in the bushes too.

Wednesday 9th December

Yet again a dreich kind of a day out here again, and to cap it all Calmac have announced this afternoon that we are down to a single ferry timetable until next Friday,as our other boat has broken down again, say no more on that topic please...

Last night I forgot to mention that we had seen a Peregrine scream across the garden and on its way out towards the machir.. This morning we had a small flock of 14 Rock Doves down on the ground, close to where we have had some "wild flower plots" in other years... 

Tuesday 8th December

Gary was on the phone at around lunch time today and he was saying that he had just had seen 3  Canada Geese amongst the Barnacle geese over at Eorrabus.

Meanwhile James had seen 2 Little Egrets over at Gruinart, out on the loch.