Tuesday 30 April 2013

Tuesday 30th April

The Iceland Gull posing for the camera today up at Bunnahabhain, taken by the Argyll birder. Today on Loch Indaal, he had 186 Common Scoter, 12 Long tailed Duck, 6 Scaup, 2 Slavonian Grebe, 11 GND, 41 Pale bellied Brent and 2 Goldeneye. At Ballinaby, there were only 172 Golden Plover and at Gruinart only around 500 Blackwits were present, the others could possibly have moved on. At Nerabus, 14 Whimbrel were counted, and at the top of Loch Indaal, 64 Barwits were seen. James was saying that the bulk of the Barnies had headed off today. Paul and Sue from Wales who were with us at the Bird nerds this evening have been visitors to Islay for the past 3 years and this is the first time they have seen the Barnies in April. Another visitor tonight was Chris who had 3 lifers today, a Corncrake seen at Portnahaven, a Purple Sandpiper at Bruichladdich and also the 3 Lapland Buntings at Rockside. David Formby, our local dentist heard a Cuckoo over at Craighouse on Jura today. Peter had some facts back on the Pale bellied Brent Geese that he had seen the other day, basicaly they had been all caught and rung in Ireland, in the Dublin and Strangfrord Lough areas, 2 of them had only been rung recently in March of this year! 

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