Sun 31st October

Really going technical with the blog tonight...

This past week, Steve Percival has been over on Islay checking through the geese. Steve has been doing this for over 20 years, and usually ringing some more Barnies each year. The graph above shows us a summary of the Barnie breeding success through from 2000. This year is the third best year since 2000 and well above the 10 year average. The figure for this year given to me by Steve was 13.4% juveniles overall of a sample of almost 15,000 aged. Thanks Steve for this info and some more from Steve tomorrow night.....

The Royal Air Force Ornithological Society (RAFOS) are over for the week, and some of their members saw the Grey Phalarope today up at Traigh Nostaig. While they were there a flock of Turnstones and Sanderling was present. Returning back to their cars, 31 Chough were counted together in one flock.

Two other parties of visiting birders have been over this past few days, and today were fortunate to have Loch Indaal being flat calm, giving ideal conditions for watching various Divers out from the shore. A Merlin flew past too, and down the Oa the other day, a Kestrel was seen mobbing a Peregrine. Also on the Oa they had a flock of over 200 Twite with a couple of Brambling thrown in for good measure!

A Snow Bunting was seen this morning down on Machir Bay.

Sat 30th October

Yesterday, before they left, Gordon and Pauline Yates had seen 6 Yellowhammers over at Ardnahoe on the road up to Bunnahabhain.

James had a Green winged Teal out in front of the hide at Gruinart this afternoon while some visitors James was speaking to, had a Grey Phalarope up on Traigh Nostaig at Ardnave. James also had seen a Canada Goose on the flats, hutchinsii sp

Fri 29th October

Just as well that I emptied the rain gauge out yesterday as today there has been 0.75", so not really a lot of birds have been seen today. An Iceland Gull was on the reserve at Gruinart this morning, a Jack Snipe was seen the other day and round at Saligo on Wednesday, a Swallow was seen.

Thurs 28th October

Another mixed day for the weather, time of year for that I heard somebody say.... Do not worry we still have an entry for the blog, even after the power being off for 90 minutes, another excuse for a late entry!

Bob had a count of 32 Whooper Swan on the small lochan after you leave the forestry at Gearach, before you drop down to Kilchiaran. I think that this could possibly be the biggest number so far this Autumn. Over at Gruinart this morning, a couple of Greenshank were seen, and between Erasaid and Lyrabus, there was a Yellowhammer. On our way home this evening a Tawny Owl was in the wood at Erasaid.

Yesterday Carl had been out birding with his Mum and Dad which proved a tall order, was it Mum and Dad or was it that the weather was trying... "The Black Guillemots were at Bruichladdich, and we ran into a nice tit flock in Bridgend Woods containing some Goldcrests and a couple of Trecreepers with some Siskins in the alders. There were 4 Slav Grebes and a few Scaup to be seen through the spume off the Power station, and a Peregrine flew across Loch Indaal in front of us. There was a drake Goldeneye in the inner harbour in Bowmore... They also had a single Pink footed goose along with the Barnies at Finlaggan. A few Dunlin were out on the water's edge at "smelly corner", but there was not a single Teal to seen".

Wed 27th October

Well, what can you say, but not Waxwings again. These 3 were making the most of the berries in a garden in Port Charlotte today. There were also another small group in a garden in Bruichladdich today as well.

There had been a Kestrel seen along at Rockside. I heard tonight that a Red Kite had been seen over the back of Coullabus.

Tues 26th October

The Waxwings are still here! 10 were present over at the former Kilchoman School, in fact I was told they have been present there for a few days. 39 were seen yesterday over at Port Ellen and today 25 were seen at Bruichladdich.

A male Blackcap was seen in a garden on the way up to Ardnave, a Barn Owl was present at Kilchoman School and another down at Nerabus. 6 Bullfinches were at Bunnahabhain, 3 Swallows were at Bowmore. In the bay at Port Charlotte, a Red throated Diver was spotted.

George counted 11 Heron at the top of Loch Indaal and we had another 5 just as we came down towards Foreland this morning. Finally, there was a family of 4 Whooper Swan on one of the lochans below Rockside.

Mon 25th October

Another Waxwing day over here! This is one of the group of 17 that were seen and caught on camera over on Jura today. George had another 6 between Ballygrant and Keills, along with 2 Bullfinches. James had to make do with a single Waxwing in his garden at lunchtime! Mind you he made up with it by seeing a White tailed Sea Eagle over the reserve at Gruinart as well as a Peregrine. One of the visitors had a Barn Owl outside the cottages this evening.