Tuesday 11 May 2010

Tues 11th May

A female Black Redstart had been seen down on the Oa last week and today a visitor reported to say that they had seen Tree Sparrows close to the car park at Upper Killeyan on the Oa.
Yesterday, there was a Garganey and also a single Redwing seen on the North west of Islay. Today at Gruinart there was a Green winged Teal on the floods out in front of the hide, and another visitor had seen a Short eared Owl over the reserve. All over Islay, reports have been coming in of Cuckoos being seen and heard, in larger numbers than other years.
Carl had been down today at Frenchman's Rocks in a north westerly 4-5. Carl had 43Gannets>S, 26 Gannets>N, 6 Fulmar>S, 8 Fulmar>N, 7 Herring Gull, 3 Common Gull, 3 Gbb Gull, 1 Kittiwake, 5 Guillemot>S, 3 Shags, 1 Redshank, 4 Whimbrel, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Ringed Plover & 1 Eider. Carl also had a Cuckoo at Kelsay, 3 Great northern Diver in Kilchiaran Bay, one of which was tangled in a fishing net which it was dragging behind it. Down at Cladville, he had 20 Hooded Crows and 4 House Martin at Claddach.
Later on Carl had a count in excess of 300 Dunlin at "Smelly Corner", and a few more in smaller groups on his way to Bowmore. There were also over 100 Sand Martin on the wing over the Merse at the head of Loch Indaal
One piece of news that I forgot to enter last night was that there was a large moorland fire yesterday. It had started off at Torra on the high road and spread along to the Link road, the wind did not help matters, and the fire spread down to the low road, and it also burnt an area between the low road and the sea. The exact area involved I am not too sure of. Both roads were closed to traffic for a while.

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