Fri 30th Jan

Just having a quick look back to the birds that we had in 2008 for the "Big garden birdwatch", last year we had here 14 species, only 12 this year. We had no Starlings this year, although there are a few around, but none when the "watch" was done, no Jackdaws either, and no Siskin. I have not seen any Siskins here this backend at all. The numbers of Chaffinch were up by 66% on the year, while the Blackbirds were down on the year. It will all come out nationally fairly soon.

Thurs 29th Jan

Yes, the good old Fulmars are dependable right enough, as the wind is up this evening as I write this entry.... even the ferry did not come back tonight!

At the weekend, it was that time again for the "Big Garden Birdwatch", so here is our entry for the stats, 2 Robin, 3 Blackbird, 5 Coal Tit, 1 Great Tit, 35 Chaffinch, 8 Goldfinch, 4 Pheasant, 3 Greenfinch, 4 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock (Hedge Sparrow) 4 House Sparrow and 1 Song Thrush. Not bad going 12 species.

Wed 28th Jan

A distant image of a young Golden Eagle taken today as we returned home at lunch time from Bowmore. It was a lot closer, but it took a few seconds for the penny to drop, get parked up and then get the camera out, by which time it was off!

Michal had done a Goose count on the reserve at Gruinart today, 3,646 Barnies, 145 Whitefronts and 6 Greylags. Michal commented that as the amount and quality of the grass is now poorer, the Geese are starting to graze over more of the fields on the reserve, rather than just the good quality, better fields as they do earlier on. MS

Malcolm had seen 2 separate Barn Owls on Monday evening while returning from the airport, one was in Glenegedale and the other was up at Torra on the high road. Today, he had seen 2 Brambling at Eorrabus, while down at Loch Skerrols, the Goldeneye tally was only 35, well down on the previous high, earlier on in the month. Have the other birds gone out onto Loch Indaal, one asks? MAO

Tues 27th Jan

Guess what was seen today, well how's about the saga of the returning Fulmars...... recently there has only been up to 7 seen, but today there were 14. Does that mean it is going to be more windy than normal in a few days time or what, we will just have to wait and see! We had a hunting Barn Owl out the other night as we returned home.

Meanwhile James had a White Wagtail round the other side of the Loch, and on Saturday saw a large flock of Golden Plover at Coull in a rape stubble field which made actual counting a bit difficult, but possibly the same flock that Malcolm had seen earlier on in the week while out Goose counting.

Mon 26th Jan

Apologies for not have an entry on for the last couple of days, but I have been a bit out of sorts, but hopefully normal blogging will resume.......

On Saturday, Michal had been out up at Killinallan, and had seen the following birds in and around the steading there, 45 Rock Dove, 60 Golden Plover, 60 Lapwing, 30 Reed Bunting and also 9 Ringed Plover. Elsewhere, today he a flock of 70 Rock Doves, 60 Skylark and 40 Reed Bunting. MS

An e mail in this afternoon from Tracey and the team from SNH, for last week's Goose count, the figures were as follows, 48,290 Barnies and 6,399 Whitefronts. Thanks again folks.

Fri 23rd Jan

A few records in from Malcolm, earlier on in the week, he had an Iceland Gull in the Saligo area and also 530 Golden Plover at Coull. Between his home in Bruichladdich and the coal yard/ Foreland road end he had a count of 54 Pale bellied Brent geese. Today, he had been up at Loch Skerrols, no sign of the Canvasback, but did have a distant viewing of the Lesser Scaup, along with 27 Whoopers, 8 Mute Swans, 74 Goldeneye, 10 Wigeon, 21 Tufted duck and 7 Scaup. There was no sign of the Coot either! The number of Goldeneye, was a new high January record, as back in 2003 in Port Ellen Bay, 65 were recorded. On his way over to Loch Skerrols this morning, there was also a possible immature Glaucous Gull at Blackrock, and it was still there just after midday, but on both times id proved difficult due to the traffic on the road. MAO

Meanwhile, Michal had been out and about, and reported back to say he had seen 74 Ringed Plover and 4 Turnstone in an inland field at Ardnave, possibly sheltering up! MS

Look out for the winds again, as the Fulmars were back in this morning.....

Thurs 22nd Jan

A message through from Andy Schofield, saying that he had seen the Canvasback Duck and also the Lesser Scaup this morning down at Loch Skerrols. We went down after lunch and only saw the Lesser Scaup, and it was hard enough to identify, but thanks to Andy for that. There were also 24 Whooper and 9 Mute Swans there too, along with a Coot, a few Wigeon, some Goldeneye, a few Scaup and Tufted Duck, it was too cold to count! RAS

Tracey forwarded me on last week's Goose counts from SNH, tallying out at 40,191 Barnies, and 6,097 Whitefronts. Whilst at Loch Skerrols, I had been speaking to Becky Williamson from Bowmore, who took the images of the Rosy Starling, and Becky said that while doing the Goose counts back in December, that she had seen the Bar headed Goose.

George had found a dead Heron up on the ponds at the back of his house, and he reckons that it was possibly the same Heron that was quite tame and was a frequent visitor. Another visitor George had was a Sparrowhawk, while he had a count of 107 Curlew in one of his fields. GJ