Sun 27th Jan

Yes, the weather held out today, and we managed to do our part for the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch. With the feeding stations filled up, it was just a matter of time before the birds came in! Here is what we got in the hour, 9 Blackbird, 2 Blue Tit, 21 Chaffinch, 2 Dunnock, 2 Great Tit, 14 Greenfinch, 8 Goldfinch, 8 House Sparrow, 2 Robin, 31 Starling, 1 Song Thrush, 4 Pheasant, 1 Jackdaw, 1 Siskin (female). These numbers are the highest total of a species at any one time rather than a total for the whole hour. I usually see the odd Wren and also Pied Wagtail, but neither were seen today. Also seen directly overhead were a Buzzard, 2 Fulmar (apart from those on the cragg) and 2 Chough, but we could not include these as they were flying and had not actually landed in the garden! Think back to an earlier blog when Catherine had a Golden Eagle on the ground in her garden! MAB & EHH

Over in the woods at Bridgend this afternoon, 4 Bullfinch were seen and a Mistle Thrush was heard singing. Both good records as we do not a great number of either Bullfinch or Mistle Thrush here on Islay. MS

Round at Ballinaby, on Friday afternoon, a European White fronted Goose was seen, while on Saturday, over on the floods in front of the hide at the reserve at Loch Gruinart, there were 3 Whooper Swan. JRH & RAS