Tuesday 30th September

Yesterday Peter had seen 2 adult Whoopers Swans along with their 3 cygnets on Loch Gorm. He also saw a male Sparrowhawk close by. Martin has been hearing a female Tawny Owl calling away regularly over close to where he lives at Glenegedale. Today, James had a Merlin close to Lyrabus with a male Hen Harrier nearby as well. This morning Mary and Adrian (one of the vols at Gruinart) had been up at Ardnave. On the Loch, they saw 6 adult Mute Swans along with 6 youngsters, there was also a single Whooper present as well. As they arrived there were 2 Peregrines on a fresh kill, a Rock Dove... They scrapped for a short time with one getting the upper hand and the other took off, calling away overhead. Mary thought they appeared to be 2 large female birds, but she thought it was odd that the 2 were together.... Also on the loch were 39 Wigeon and 9 Teal. Around the lobster ponds they counted 12 Ravens, 18 Ringed Plover, 28 Sanderling, 5 Turnstone, 24 Oystercatcher and also 24 Golden Plover nearby. Out on Nave Island there were 71 Grey Seals along with 42 pups. At the bird nerds tonight, a dreich sort of a night, only bird of note was a Common Scoter close to the pier. Some of us adjourned along to Peter and Pia's for a welcome refreshment, with good craic enjoyed by all!! Coming home there was a Barn Owl just after Sunderland Farm, several frogs on the road and also hedgehog on the verge.

Monday 29th September

Yesterday visiting birder Jim from the Scottish Borders had seen a hen Peregrine sitting up on the crag behind Kilchoman. Today, James had a juv White tailed Sea Eagle out on the salt marsh at Loch Gruinart. George took a short walk through his trees behind his house and reckons that there were the remains of 5 Collared Doves, all looking like "Sparrowhawk kills". Just before tea time this evening, while we were out we saw 3 Hen Harriers at different locations round Loch Gorm, a male between Sunderland Farm and Rock Mountain, a ringtail between Ballinaby and Saligo with another ringtail just before we came along to Coulererach round about the cattle grid. In the garden today there were 14 Goldfinches, great to see them around. Remember tomorrow night the Bird nerds meeting at Bruichladdich Pier at 6.30 pm.

Sunday 28th September

This morning at home Bob had a Goldcrest. Later on he saw a Peregrine down close to St Kiaran's Church outside of Port Charlotte. Along below the coalyard at Gortan, he had a count of 30 Dunlin on the shoreline. Back home, late afternoon, Bob had a pair of Peregrines screeching around! Bob was also saying that he feels that there are more Starlings around where lives this Autumn. Emily reported through to say that there were 26 Barnies, 31 Pale bellied Brent Geese and a Blackwit in Summer plumage on Loch Gruinart today. With the month almost in, if you are around on Tuesday at 6.30pm, the Islay Bird nerds are meeting down at the pier at Bruichladdich, to see what is around, even possibly a few more Brent geese heading over to Ireland, so see you there...

Friday 26th September

A better day out here today, the plane would get in at least today! Mary emailed through to say that the 2 Barnies were still to be seen over at Gruinart. Jack, on his way in to work this morning was greeted by over a thousand Greylags coming off Loch Gruinart, followed by a juv White tailed Sea Eagle...Later on Mary on her way to Bowmore, Mary spotted 6 Pale Bellied Brents on Loch Indaal. She also had a Merlin chasing some Chaffinches along the roadside. The vols at Gruinart had seen a couple of Grey Partridges close to Lyrabus, ? possibly released birds.

Thursday 25th September

Ed kindly sent through this image of the whereabouts of his whitefronted Goose up on Iceland, with data correct on the start of the week. You should be able to see that it is is in a completely different location as to where it was in the Spring. This morning Emily had seen 2 Barnies back at Gruinart, while we spotted 4 big Canada geese amongst the Greylags down at Sunderland Farm. Emily also had a Grey Wagtail on the burn at Moulin. She also had a Merlin after the walk on Tuesday on the Oa. Yesterday, in the Saligo area, Emily had counted a mixed flock of around 200 Twite and Linnets, saw a Snipe, a single Swallow and finally a female Sparrowhawk. Today was The Swedish birders last full day on Islay , so they had walked out from Port Ellen to Ardbeg. On their walk, they had a ringtail Hen Harrier, , 10 buzzards, 19 Ringed Plover, 1 Curlew, 4 Redpoll, 4 Coal Tit, 1 Whitethroat, 3 Stonechat, 3 Grey Wagtail and 20 Linnets. Many thanks to Pers Anders, Tore, Jan and Karin for sharing their sightings with us, much appreciated, safe journey home tomorrow folks...

Wednesday 24th September

A better day again with the weather, so I have made the most of it and been in the garden all day, think we are all making the most of it while this weather is here....Peter e mailed to say that he has heard that the Pale bellied Brent goose which he saw down at Portnahaven the other day has now been seen across the water on Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland. Late afternoon, Bob had been up in the hide at Gruinart where he counted 150 pale belied Brent Geese flying on South. From the hide, Bob had a Peregrine, 6 Snipe, 4 Herons a ringtail Hen Harrier and many ducks. Earlier on at home Bob had seen between 30 and 40 Stonechats moving through. Today, Per Anders and his Swedish fiends Tore, Jan and Karin had gone out to the Oa and walked back in to Port Ellen. A walk out around the American monument there produced 400 Gannets on passage, 3 Shag, 10 Rock Dove, 1 Snipe, 150 Twite, 5 Stonechat, male Hen Harrier, Sparrowhawk, 10 Eider, 40 Skylark, 4 Raven, Meadow Pipit, 10 Hooded Crow and 2 Goldfinch. On their walk to Port Ellen after lunch they saw 4 Chough, 10 Buzzard, imm Hen Harrier, 10 Raven, 2 Redpoll, 30 Stonechat, 2 Linnet, 10 Goldfinch, 20 Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, 10 Song Thrush, 20 Collared Dove, 10 Rook, Rock Pipit and 10 Hooded Crows.

Tuesday 23rd September

Yesterday, Bob saw several groups of Golden Plover flying in, high up and later on heard his first Deer rutting of this Autumn. James today had 2 Curlew Sandpipers over at Loch Gruinart. Per Anders is over with 3 friends from Sweeden, mainly to do some birdwatching and with the odd Distillery thrown into the mix as well... This morning they had walked from Port Askaig through the woods past Loch Allan and Ballygrant Loch, ending up at Ballygrant. They saw the following birds on their walk, 10 Long tailed Tits, 10 Coal Tits, 6 Mistle Thrush, 20 Song Thrush, 25 Goldcrest, 3 Linnets, 3 Treecreepers and a Collared Dove. Later on at Bowmore, they saw a Bar tailed Godwit. As forecast, we have had some rain today, not a lot, but enough to lay the dust for a wee while anyway, and it is raining outside at present as I write this entry....