Tuesday 31st December, Hogmany

Some sightings from yesterday & today, through from Gary...
Yesterday, 1 juv Glaucous Gull & 2 White tailed Eagle were seen at Gartbreck. Today, 1 Golden Eagle, 5 Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 1Cormorant, 30+ Teal & 1 White tailed Eagle seen at Finlaggan. 9 Crossbills were present in the plantation there as well.

Up here at home, we had a close fly by of a ringtail Hen Harrier, the pesky Sparrowhawk was seen, whether it was this one or another but someone nobbled a Goldfinch in the feeding station, but on a more positive note we counted a charm of 36 Goldfinches on the overhead power cables, mid afternoon with a distant Buzzard away out on its' usual post on the deer fence out on the hill...

I notice that someone had seen an "Egret" yesterday morning down on the merse at Bridgend, on the  comments at the foot of yesterday's entry. 

Before I forget, may I take this chance to thank all our contributors who have sent sightings through of birds and wildlife seen in and around on Islay and Jura over the past year, much appreciated and look forward to meeting up with some of you again in 2020, a Happy New Year to all our readers...

Monday 30th December

Malcolm was in touch earlier on today...

"I know you are used to good numbers of Goldfinches on your feeders, but here I'm usually
pleased if I have three or four. However, having not seen any this autumn until I, belatedly, put out a niger seed feeder in early December, there were four Goldfinches feeding at it within 24 hours. Who told them? And it hasn't stopped there, numbers have continued to increase, and yesterday there were no less than 22 of them, easily a record for down here at Bruichladdich. Indeed, I don't think I've ever had more than 10 before. They really make such a colourful spectacle."
So I had better try to get a better count of our Goldfinches over the next few days, up here at Shepherd's cottage for the sake of comparison...

James  saw a Merlin on the reserve at Gruinart today. This afternoon we had a fleeting glimpse of a Hen Harrier down at Loch Gorm and then later on, we had a Sparrowhawk fly past us, about 10 feet above us, as we were driving up towards Gruinart just after Erasaid.

Sunday 29th Decemb

Peter and Pia have had birding friends over to stay with them during Christmas and tried getting out between the ups and downs of the weather.

 

24th December:

• A lovely group of 9 male L T Ducks off Black Rock plus a dozen or more RTD & GND plus 8-10 Slav Grebes.
• At Killinallan a distant Golden Eagle plus 2 Greenshank, a Little Egret and an Otter in the middle of Loch Gruinart

25th December:

• a glorious sunny morning with a walk around the Oa at the American monument. Another distant Golden Eagle and a big Twite flock (140+) in gorgeous sunlight at Upper Killeyan and a Sparrowhawk at Cornabus.

26th December:

• My guests continued to be impressed by the large goose flocks though we didn’t find any of the rarities. A juv.  White-tailed Eagle over the S. Hide at Gruinart was much appreciated for a birder from Kent! The Little Egret seen again at the hide was more exciting to me.

28th December:

• An impressive flock of 125+ Common Scoter close off Bowmore

29th December:

• Two very close adult W T Eagles cruising almost at head-height a few yards from the car along the beach near Uskentuie was a fantastic send-off for them as I drove them to the ferry.

While not racing about trying to see a huge list of birds, they were impressed by about 75 species in total over a relaxed Christmas break.

Saturday 28th December

David Jardine along with Graham Ruthven today had seen a drake Green winged Teal and also a Little Egret out from the hide at Gruinart. Later on, they had counted 35 Woodpigeon in at Skerrols, and then shortly afterwards they had 23 Skylarks present along at Eollabus.

Thursday 26th December, Boxing Day

As ever, see the effect that the rain has on bird watchers, if it is too wet, we tend to stay inside and try to keep dry... but around lunchtime, once it had fared up , Clive did venture out...Round at Saligo, he had seen a ringtail Hen Harrier, and after quite along search through the large flock of Barnacle Geese over at Grainel, he was well rewarding with seeing a Cackling Goose.. Well done Clive!!!

Yesterday, Clive had been out and about on the Rhinns and had the following birds to share with us... He had seen a female Merlin at Coull, round beside Lossit he had a ringtail Hen Harrier, and then in Gleann Mhor, he had a male Merlin.  On his way up to Sanaigmore, Clive saw another ringtail Hen Harrier at Grulinbeg,  and then finally up at Sanaigmore, another female Merlin and also a male Hen Harrier were present.

Tuesday 24th December, Christmas eve

By the sound of the reports that I received in yesterday, the weather had not been too kind for folk to go out bird watching in.... Having said that Clive Mason used his car as a hide cum mobile hide, like what we do sometimes ourselves.

On the fields behind the RSPB visitor centre, up towards  Grainel, Clive saw a Canada x Barnacle hybrid Goose along with some Barnies. Later on, over at Carrabus he had  a great, close sighting of a male Merlin sitting on a fence post along side the road...

Before I forget, have a great time tomorrow wherever you may be tomorrow, have a Merry Xmas. Not much sign of much snow around, you can always hope that the weather forecast got it wrong!!!