Friday 31st August

I hope that you have not been expecting to find a wealth of knowledge on the blog tonight, well forget it... The weather today has put paid to that. It has not been bucketing down, yes, it has been damp and dreich with mist down over the crag, but there again the evening plane did make it in which I did not think it would. So, the entry for the blog tonight, is about the young Fulmar from the crag. It happens every year, a young Fulmar launches itself from the crag hoping to make it out to the sea, most years we have been fortunate to see the grounded youngster as they cannot get off the ground to fly on again. The plan is really simple, catch the same bird put in a box and take down to the sea, but the try not to get spat upon by the darned youngster... Got it caught okay and took it down and released down on Loch Indaal. No doubt it will lose some weight and be able to fly and live to a ripe old age.... End of the tonight's entry...

Thursday 30th August

One or two birds from earlier this week that I forgot about...coming home on Monday evening we had a Barn Owl close to Sunderland Farm. Andy Robinson who works with RSPB had been over on Islay briefly on Tuesday and Wednesday, Andy saw 2 White tailed Sea Eagles over towards Port Askaig. Some you may remember that Andy was one of the "Islay team" down at the Bird Fair at Rutland earlier this month. Yesterday Carl had seen a Swift along with other hirundines over the barley fields at Rockside. We saw a few Wheatears yesterday on our way out along the side of Loch Gorm and there were a couple more there this morning, one of which looked like the larger Greenland Wheatear. Yesterday, John Lee had been over towards Bunnahabhain and had seen a Golden Eagle, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 2 Turnstone, 1 Great Northern Diver and a Kittiwake. Between Port Charlotte and Bruichladdich, John had 2 Buzzards and also 50 Curlews. This morning, Bob had an Osprey out over Loch Gruinart and saw that it had a BTO ring on its' leg. There were 6 Sanderling down at Blackrock this afternoon and also a family of Stonechats between Coulererach and Torran over towards Saligo.

Wednesday 29th August

Yesterday, Mary had her own "raptor trip", while trying not to outdo Louise! Up at Ardnave, close to the lobster ponds, Mary had a juvenile Merlin, a ringtail Hen Harrier at the farm steading, and a male Kestrel at Loch Langadale. Later on, while driving home, Mary had a Sparrowhawk by Gruinart House. James had been out yesterday doing a count of 1277 Greylags on the "run" round Gruinart which he normally counts while goose counting for SNH. Over at Killinallan, James also had 2 Peregrines. Back on Monday, the "vols" at Gruinart had seen an Osprey at the head of Loch Gruinart. Also yesterday, there was report by visitors of seeing a Marsh Harrier between Loch Indaal and Loch Gruinart, but I have not heard anything further, another visitor told me that he had seen a Golden Eagle out over the crag here at the weekend. Also yesterday, Bob had the Sparrowhawk swoop through his garden, and this morning Bob counted just short of 300 Greylags out in front of his house. He also saw a Merlin and a Kestrel. As I write this entry, just before 6pm there is a Peregrine up on top of the crag, watching all that is around.... 

Tuesday 28th August

Louise phoned over today from Jura... on her journey down from her house at Gatehouse, up past Craighouse down to the ferry at Feolin, she had a "raptor road trip". 4 Buzzards, 5 Hen Harriers, 2 Peregrines, 2 Short eared Owls and then a White tailed Sea Eagle over the Sound of Islay while she was waiting for the ferry! One of the Peregrines flew from Jura over to Islay. John Lee, a visiting birder over here for the week had seen the following today. 40 Curlew at Port Charlotte, a Razorbill on Loch Indaal off Port Charlotte, around 60 Chough, 1 ringtail Hen Harrier and a Buzzard all at Ardnave. Yesterday off Port Charlotte, John had several Kittiwakes.

Monday 27th August

A mixed day with heavy squally showers with the odd glimpse of sun, and also another rumble at 13.58, was it yet another earth tremor close to Islay? As the weather has not been good for birding, John Lee sent through some sightings from yesterday. Over Loch Gorm, John had an Osprey, 2 Twite at Sanaigmore, also 2 Chough at Sanaigmore, at Saligo 3 Fulmar were seen and also 6 Sanderling. Down close to Port Charlotte, John had a count of 20 Curlew. Thanks John.

Sunday 26th August

Yesterday, Michal had a count of 11 Mistle Thrushes and also a Buzzard down at Foreland. Michal saw another Buzzard later on over towards Finlaggan. The "bird nerds" met up this afternoon over at Gruinart led by Michal as James is off colour. Bob, George, David Formby our local dentist, myself plus Allan and Fiona from Edinburgh and also Alan and Jane from Southampton made the group up. Michal took us out past the sea wall on Loch Gruinart which allowed us to see more of the birds on Loch Gruinart itself, sorry Tom nobody did an actual count! The highlight was the sighting of 2 Ospreys, one was in the air for quite some time while the other bird was content to be sitting on one of the sand bars. We were down there for the best part of 2 hours and the Osprey on the ground was there all the time! On another sand bar there was a Peregrine, while overhead we had a couple of Buzzards calling away. There were plenty of Curlews out towards the mouth of Loch Gruinart along with some Oystercatchers there too. Close to where we were positioned were a few Ringed Plover. There were some Knot, Sanderling and Dunlin on the wing as another Peregrine flew up the loch. Redshank, and a few Godwits were also noted too. Coming back home there were a few Stonechats along the bushes on the roadside round Loch Gorm and later on when I was up looking the sheep on the crag around 25- 30 Rock Doves flew off in different directions.

Saturday 25th August

An e mail through from Dave from the Oa with some highlights on Oa reserve this year include 60 breeding species, 8 fledged Chough from 3 pairs, 2 calling Corncrakes and 6 Cuckoos, 8 different species of wader bred round Loch Kinnabus, 1 pr of Hen Harrier fledged 2 young despite the female bird dying before the chicks fledged. This was the first pair to breed on the reserve for a few years. Yesterday morning, Becky Williamson had an Osprey at Uiskentuie, it came off Loch Indaal and flew up towards Loch Gruinart. Paul Graham had a male Hen Harrier fly past Bruichladdich, also on Friday morning. This morning, Bob had down a count on Loch Indaal between Bowmore and Gartbreck with the tally coming through at 360 Greylag, 3 juv Shelduck, 2 Mallard, 36 Oystercatcher, 58 Curlew, 2 Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 9 Knot, 3 Bar tailed Godwit, 19 Sanderling, 60 Dunlin, 1 Turnstone, 35 Ringed Plover, 2 Heron, 28 Shag, 38 Twite with a large juv. Peregrine watching all that was going on!

On Sunday, at 12.30 the "Bird nerds" are holding their monthly meeting, a change from the Tuesday night slot as the weather is not looking too good, so if you are around, meet up with us at the Visitor centre at Loch Gruinart when we hope to do some wader watching and see what is happening on Loch Gruinart itself.