3rd October
TIREE: At least 8 YELLOW-BROWED WARBLERS this morning when only two gardens checked – 5 at Balephuil (John Bowler) and 3 at the Glebe (Jim Dickson).
2nd October
ISLAY: The HOOPOE is still present in the Bridgend area (Louise Muire per Ian Brooke).
TIREE: YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER at Balephuil and RING-NECKED DUCK at Loch a’ Phuill are still present today.
MID-ARGYLL: A fly over RED KITE at Barsloisnoch (nr Lochgilphead) today (James Lehmann).
1st October
TIREE: A YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER was new today at Balephuil (John Bowler). The 1cy female RING-NECKED DUCK is still at Loch a’ Phuill.
29th September
TIREE: A 1cy female RING-NECKED DUCK was new in at Loch a’ Phuill today (John Bowler).
27th September
TIREE: A YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER this morning at Heylipol (Jim Dickson).
COLONSAY: A 1cy SURF SCOTER found at Kiloran Bay today by David Jardine is a new species for Colonsay/Oronsay.
25th September
ISLAY: A HOOPOE today at Whin Park, near Bridgend (Mary Redman, James How et al).
TIREE: John Bowler has had a very busy 7-10 days with around numerous birders visiting the island over that spell. News out today includes – the 1w Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was present at Balephuil on 15-23 Sep and has now gone. A Juvenile Spotted Sandpiper at Sorobaidh Bay on 22-23 Sep – found by Simon Nichols. Adult American Golden Plover at Sandaig/Greenhill on 21-22 Sep. 1CY Marsh Warbler at Balephuil on 19 Sep (only). 1CY Pied Flycatcher at Balephuil on 20 Sep (only). Lesser Whitethroats at Balephuil on 10-17 Sep and 19-24 Sep (all John Bowler unless stated otherwise).
20th September
LITTLE EGRETS – an update on numbers – at least 7 at the Holy Loch and 2 at head of Loch Riddon Cowal today. Have been 4 at West Loch Tarbert Kintyre recently and another 2 at Loch Laich North Argyll. These are record numbers for Argyll – please let us know if you see any others at this time – many thanks.
TIREE: The YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER appears to have been last seen on 19th Sep. Here are some more photos just received:
18th September
TIREE: News broke late on Tues 15th Sept of a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER (Empidonax flaviventris) in a garden at Balephuil – found by John Bowler. This is the first ever record of this species in Britain & the Western Palearctic. Initial fears of a mega twitch were allayed due to reduced numbers of available places on ferries and planes and allowed careful management of viewing to be organised along Covid-19 guidelines for social distancing. Up to 80 birders arrived Wed- Fri and all were well behaved and no stress was caused to the bird which regularly posed well within 2 metres of the many photographers! Around £1,000+ has been collected for some Tiree covid related projects – BACS transfers can be made to the Just Giving Link is below https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ybflycatchertiree
MULL: A juvenile Turtle Dove was at Caliach on 16 Sep (Ewan Miles, Iolo Williams) and this or another was at Arinagour COLL on 17 Sep (David Jardine) – also a Lapland Bunting on Coll on 18 Sep (David Jardine).
14th September
TIREE: A juvenile COMMON ROSEFINCH at Balephuil today (John Bowler).
MID-ARGYLL: The juv SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER is still at Loch na Cille.
13th September
MID-ARGYLL: The juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER is still present with Dunlin & Ringed Plovers at Loch na Cille today (Jim Dickson).
12th September
MID-ARGYLL: The juv SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER was located again at Loch na Cille this afternoon in poor weather conditions (Jim Dickson). An adult LITTLE GULL was at Loch Caolisport today (John Boyd).
ISLAY: The GLOSSY IBIS is still present in a barley field on the road leading to Craigens – seen by several of the Islay bird folk and photos taken by Peter Roberts.
11th September
TIREE: A LESSER WHITETHROAT was at Balephuil today – also 15 Common Redpolls (John Bowler).
ISLAY: A GLOSSY IBIS was found this evening near Craigens by Nicholas Radcliffe and ID confirmed by his son Alex Radcliffe.
10th September
MID-ARGYLL: No sign of the reported SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER at Loch na Cille today.
ISLAY: The adult BONAPARTE’S GULL is still at Loch Gruinart (Jim Dickson).
9th September
MID-ARGYLL: The juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER still present at Loch na Cille today (Allan Russell). The GREAT EGRET is still at the head of Loch Fyne today (John Nadin).
ISLAY: The adult BONAPARTE’S GULL is still at Loch Gruinart today – also now 7 Curlew Sandpipers there (Jim Dickson), the adult ROSY STARLING is still in Bowmore (Gary Turnbull) and a one hr sea watch at Frenchman’s Rocks this pm produced 2 Sooty Shearwaters and 3 Great Skuas (Jim Dickson).
MULL: At Caliach Point (0810-1300): 2 Leach’s Petrel, 4 Storm Petrel, 2 Sooty Shearwater, 7 Great Skua, 15 Red-throated Diver and a Grey Phalarope (Graeme Garner).
NORTH ARGYLL: On Lismore – An adult Little Egret today at Port Ramsay (David Jardine).
TIREE: 1 Leach’s Petrel and 2 Sooty Shearwater off Aird and 1 Leach’s Petrel off Vaul (Keith Gillon).
8th September
ISLAY: An adult ROSY STARLING today in central Bowmore – garden to rear of Vets (Samara Johnson) – presumably the same bird that was there earlier in the summer?
MID-ARGYLL: A report of a possible SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER with Dunlin at Loch na Cille (Allan Russell).
COLONSAY: A report of 2 juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS at Kiloran Bay yesterday 7th Sept (David Jardine).
6th September
KINTYRE: A ROSEATE TERN was seen and heard at the Machrihanish SBO by Eddie Maguire and other observers this am. First report of one there for several years.
ISLAY: The adult BONAPARTE’S GULL was seen again at Loch Gruinart this am – also a LAPLAND BUNTING and 2 CURLEW SANDPIPERS there (Jim Dickson).
TIREE: A LAPLAND BUNTING at Gott Bay (Keith Gillon).
5th September
TIREE: A 2hr sea-watch of Aird this am 0615-0815hrs produced (all birds heading west): 19 Leach’s Petrel, 1 Pomarine Skua, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 3 Common Scoter, 6,500 Manx Shearwater, 2 Black-throated Diver, 1 Red-throated Diver, 125 Fulmar, 216 Gannet, 24 Kittiwake (7 x 1w), 12 Great Skua and 2 Arctic Tern (John Bowler). Also 3 more Leach’s Petrels west off Aird and 3 more Common Scoters 0815-0900hrs (Keith Gillon). A Lapland Bunting was at Sandaig (John Bowler).
COLONSAY: 1 Pomarine, 2 Arctic and 1Great Skua S and 224 Manx Shearwaters in 90 minute seawatch this am (David Jardine).
COWAL: Six Little Egrets at the Holy Loch and another 2 at Loch Riddon.
4th September
ISLAY: Two juvenile SABINE’S GULLS at Loch Gruinart as the tide came in. Some phone-scoped shots from James How. Also: 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 1 Greenshank, 4 Arctic Terns, a total of 19 Pale- bellied Brents. At Frenchman’s Rocks: one juvenile SABINE’S GULL, 1 Leach’s Petrel, 3 Storm Petrels, 450 Manx, 5 Bonxies, 17 P-b Brents and an earlier Pomarine Skua past (John Sweeney per Angus Murray).
1st September
TIREE: A Green Sandpiper flew across the road at Cornaigmore, 1 Sooty Shearwater and 1 Storm Petrel off Hynish (Keith Gillon).
30th August
ISLAY: A seawatch off Frenchman’s Rocks this am produced an adult WHITE-BILLED DIVER and a juv SABINE’S GULL (John Sweeney). The adult BONAPARTE’S GULL is still at Loch Gruinart and 2 juv CURLEW SANDPIPERS also there (Jim Dickson).
28th August
ISLAY: An adult BONAPARTE’S GULL was found at Loch Gruinart this evening (James How), A juv CURLEW SANDPIPER was on the sands at Loch Indaal and a GREEN SANDPIPER was flushed from a burn at Craigens (Jim Dickson).
27th August
MULL: The adult male TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL still at Ardrioch, Dervaig this morning (David Jardine).
TIREE: A first-year PIED FLYCATCHER at Balephuil today – the third there this autumn (John Bowler).
MID-ARGYLL: The GREAT EGRET is still at the head of Loch Fyne (Simon Morton).
26th August
MULL: The male TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL is still going to peanut feeders at Ardrioch Farm, Dervaig (Pam & Arthur Brown per Alan Spellman).
MID-ARGYLL: The GREAT EGRET is still at the head of Loch Fyne today (Andrew Russell). The female MARSH HARRIER was seen hunting the fields around Drimvore this morning (Jim Dickson).
25th August
MID-ARGYLL: A female MARSH HARRIER was at the Add Estuary/ Moine Mhor this afternoon. The 2cy BONAPARTE’S GULL is still at the Add Estuary (Jim Dickson).
24th August
MID-ARGYLL: The 2cy BONAPARTE’S GULL was at Loch Crinan this morning and a 1cy MEDITERRANEAN GULL also there (Jim Dickson). The GREAT EGRET is still at the head of Loch Fyne – seen this morning (Tom Lowe).
TIREE: Highlights today were – a juv LITTLE STINT briefly at Vaul and a juv CURLEW SANDPIPER at Gott Bay (John Bowler).
MULL: A male TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL at feeders in Dervaig this evening (per Alan Spellman) – only the second Argyll record if accepted.
KINTYRE: A juv CURLEW SANDPIPER was with Dunlin at Bellochantuy today (Tom Lowe).
20th August
MID-ARGYLL: A SOOTY SHEARWATER in with a movement of 200+ Manx going south at Loch Fyne off Inverneill this am (Jim Dickson).
TIREE: An early morning seawatch off Hynish included 1 BALEARIC SHEARWATER, 3 SOOTY SHEARWATER, 1 ARCTIC SKUA and 4 GREAT SKUA (John Bowler).
19th August
NORTH ARGYLL: A LITTLE EGRET at Loch Laich today (Steuart Ferguson).
TIREE: A new imm PIED FLYCATCHER at Balephuil today – second of the autumn there (John Bowler).
MID-ARGYLL: The 2cy BONAPARTE’S GULL has returned to the Add Estuary after being at Loch Gilp last week (Jim Dickson).
18th August
KINTYRE: Three LITTLE EGRETS at West Loch Tarbert today – all eventually ended up roosting at the head of the loch at high tide mid-afternoon. (Jim Dickson/David Jardine/Andrew Russell).
MULL: A WRYNECK and a GREEN SANDPIPER reported from Iona today – also a SOOTY SHEARWATER off there on 17th Aug (Paul St Pierre per Alan Spellman).
16th August
MID-ARGYLL: A GREAT EGRET still at the head of Loch Fyne this morning – opposite the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar (Jim Dickson).
14th August
MID-ARGYLL: The 2cy BONAPARTE’S GULL again at the head of Loch Gilp this am. It hyas now moulted in to second-winter plumage and looks more or less like an adult (Jim Dickson). A 2cy LITTLE GULL was seen at Loch Caolisport today (Joe Parham). Also – a report of 2 GREAT WHITE EGRETS at the head of Loch Fyne at 3pm today (Allister Hamilton).
13th August
MID-ARGYLL: The 2cy BONAPARTE’S GULL has relocated to the head of Loch Gilp today (Andrew Russell).
8th August
MID-ARGYLL: A LITTLE EGRET was at Loch Crinan this afternoon (Sandy Mitchell) and this (and perhaps the Kennacraig bird) or another seen at the pier, West Loch Tarbert this morning (Glyn Toplis) and at Ardpatrick on 7th Aug (Patrick Rourke).
COLL: At sea from the ferry between Coll and Mull – two sightings of a SOOTY SHEARWATER and a possible BALEARIC SHEARWATER – also 2 Arctic Skua, 5 Great Skua & 1 Storm Petrel (Neil Hammatt).
7th August
KINTYRE: A LITTLE EGRET at Kennacraig today giving very close views (Andrew Russell). Another was at the head of the Holy Loch, COWAL on 5th Aug (Alistair McGregor).
6th Aug
MID-ARGYLL: The 2cy BONAPARTE’S GULL made a reappearance at the Add Estuary today (Jim Dickson).
TIREE: A GREEN SANDPIPER was seen in central island area today (John Bowler).
16th July
MID-ARGYLL: An adult ROSY STARLING in Ardfern today – was first seen yesterday (Jan Brown). The first-summer BONAPARTE’S GULL still at the Add Estuary in with the Black-headed Gulls there (Jim Dickson).
KINTYRE: An adult ROSY STARLING was in Carradale on 13th July at least (per Steve Redwood).
9th July
MID-ARGYLL: First-summer BONAPARTE’S GULL is still at the Add Estuary – seen this evening (Jim Dickson).
7th July
MID-ARGYLL: The first-summer BONAPARTE’S GULL seen again at the Add Estuary this evening (Jim Dickson).
5th July
MID-ARGYLL: A first-summer (2cy) MEDITERRANEAN GULL at Crinan Ferry (Add Estuary) at mid-day (Jim Dickson). This is the third there this summer so looking like a better year for them so far…
