Saturday 24 June 2017

Saturday 24th June

Earlier on in the week while down on the Oa, Graham and Rosemary had seen 20 prs of Fulmars. Yesterday, on their way  up to Sanaigmore, they had a male Reed Bunting at the roadside, and then further on, in a clump of goat willow, a family of 3 Willow Warbler. 2 Buzzards were seen over the wooded area beside Briago. Up at Sanaigmore itself, a Corncrake was heard, a group of 8 Twite , which were all feeding before flying off, a Whinchat was present with another family of 3 Willow Warbler also noted. Out on the shingle behind the bay, a colony of around 20 nesting Common Gulls were seen. Coming back round by Ballinaby,  2 Corncrakes were heard, with a male Hen Harrier out on the wing just prior to that. Another Buzzard was seen at Foreland with another 2 noted over the trees at Islay House. In the Community Gardens, a male Bullfinch was seen. Yesterday evening, Jonti Wilson had counted over 50 Chough as they flew in to the roost on the crag, the Raven came out to try to defend its' patch... This morning Mike Peacock had seen a drake Velvet Scoter along with a  female Common Scoter off Port Charlotte. Can he claim it be a house bird??? Gary, this morning had a male Hen Harrier quartering the ground behind his house. Later on Gary saw the Rose coloured Starling over at Laphroaig, while he was there a Merlin zipped past over the rocks! Here at home Margaret and her sister Liz saw a hen Pheasant with 7 newly hatched chicks alongside her this afternoon. Earlier on, we counted small flock of 14 Lapwing as they flew across the road down at Sunderland.
If you are around tomorrow afternoon, mind the bird nerds are meeting at Rockside at 2.30 for a walk. And if we have time, we may well go in for a welcome cuppa afterwards, so any visiting birders can come along and put a name to the face!!! All welcome...

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