Friday 1st June

Good day for seeing Hen Harriers, we had seen 3 different males out at different places round Islay and this afternoon, Danny and Dave had seen a food pass. Earlier in the week, there was a flock of 30 Chough along with a few Jackdaws fly over the house, great to see, but the Chough are difficult to count as they duck and dive! This afternoon, a Peregrine flew past. This morning, I remembered to empty the rain guage, with the total coming to a mere 1.5", a dry month for us!

Thursday 31st May

Yesterday, James heard a Blackcap calling down in the scrubby wood behind the office at Gruinart. Also, this week, he has been seeing a rufous brown female Cuckoo on the reserve, quite often it tends to be the grey morph that we see. Round at Ballinaby this morning the Greylags were up to over 100 including the one with the large white collar round its' neck, the collar is white feathers rather than on for id purposes!!!

Wednesday 30th May

A great image of a Corncrake taken last week by John Anderson when he was over on Islay. We were out on the Corncrake walk this evening with Beki and heard 2 males calling away, but no joy in seeing either of them! Speaking with Bob Young tonight and they had seen 2 Swifts up at Ardnave yesterday, and also 2 pr of Shelduck with young, one of 7 ducklings, the other a brood of 8. Another visitor on the walk had 2 Swifts today at Cragabus on the Oa. On the walk this evening there was a Snipe drumming away, Sedge Warbler singing, with both Redshank and Lapwing on the wing too, we also had a Reed Bunting.This afternoon round at Ballinaby I had a count of 79 Greylags.  

Tuesday 29th May

Danny had been down on the guided walk on the Oa this morning, and there was a Spotted Flycatcher seen, normally seen in woodlands, not the Oa!!! Later on Danny had a walk through Bridgend Wood and had young Wrens, young Starlings, young Blue Tits, 4 Siskin and a pr of Blackcap too. On the River Sorn itself, a Dipper was seen. Here at home the dreaded midge was out earlier on which put paid to painting this evening, another time will do, the first time we have had them this year!!!

Monday 28th May

Before I forget, there will not be a meeting of the Bird nerds tomorrow night, some of us are away, others have visitors staying, so next meet will be at the end of June! This morning James had seen that the Mute Swan in front of the hide at Gruinart was out, proudly presenting her 6 cygnets! When he was doing his survey work this morning, he heard a Red Grouse calling up on the moor, a couple of Water Rails calling too on the reserve, 2 Grasshopper Warblers calling away, saw 6 Redpolls and also a Common Hawker dragonfly. The temperature is still warm but slipping down to 23 degrees according to Mike's weather station!

Sunday 27th May

Armin kindly sent this image of a House Martin which he had taken at home earlier today, the sky is blue like Islay, but the location is wrong as Armin lives down at Aldermanstone close to Reading!! Here at home on Islay, we do not have many House Martins, more Swallows and Sand Martins to be seen! We had a Collared Dove and also a Wood Pigeon this afternoon here at home. Over at Port Askaig, a Gannet was flying up the Sound of Islay and a Shag was on the water close to where the ferry was about to tie up! Forgot to say last night that Andrew had 113 species seen while was over. The sun is still with us, with the mercury up to 24 again today, and similar temperatures due for the next few days. At least I might get a sun tan rather than being weather beaten...

Saturday 26th May

Another hot sunny day over here, possibly not so warm only 24 degrees, but still a lot better than a few days ago! On the upside too, some of the trees are now starting to burst their buds, although here at home I can still see through the wood which was not possible at this time in previous years. Yesterday Paul Graham was over playing golf at The Machrie and had seen a juv. White tailed Sea Eagle, no further sightings today of the Golden Oriole. Many thanks to Andrew Greenwood who gave us sightings through over the past fortnight.