Category: Sightings

ISLAY: A note from James Butcher (one of the RSPB wardens at Loch Gruinart) saying waders there now include: 2000+ Dunlin, 200+ Sanderling, 43 Black-tailed Godwit and 23 Red Knot.
TIREE: Rosy Starling still at Kenovay today also 120 juv Black-tailed Godwits on the shore at Balephetrish Bay.
MULL: A report of a Goshawk at Calgary beach today (Matt Francis).

KINTYRE: A juvenile Mediterranean Gull again today but appears to be a new/different individual. Also 30 Black- tailed Godwits >S bringing this months passage total so far to 246 >S on 6 dates (a well above average showing). An American Mink was very active around the point this morning (Eddie Maguire).
MID-ARGYLL: At Loch Gilp this morning – an big increase in Oystercatcher with 356 birds, also 1 Greenshank, 1 Lapwing, 2 juv Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits (ad + 2 juvs), 1 Wigeon, 11 Herons. At the Add Estuary –  inc: 4 juv Black-tailed Godwit, 2 juv Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank, 2 Wigeon, 10 Teal (Jim Dickson).
TIREE: The Rosy Starling is still at Kenovay at lunch-time – also seen there on 18 and 19 Aug (John Bowler).

KINTYRE: At the Machrihanish SBO today – a juvenile Mediterranean Gull.  Best of the rest was 144 Black-tailed Godwits >S (5 flocks / largest 60) and 3 Bar-tailed Godwit >S (Eddie Maguire).
MID-ARGYLL: At Loch Crinan/Add Estuary – 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank, 1 Knot (first of autumn there) and f Hen Harrier (Jim Dickson).

SOUND of JURA: An early morning seawatch from Kennacraig to Port Ellen, Islay produced – 2 Sooty and 225 Manx Shearwater, 2 Storm Petrel, 2 Great Skua, 162 Kittiwake, 1,420 auks (mostly Common Guillemots but inc at least 28 Razorbill), 10 Black Guillemot, 2 Fulmar, 110 Gannet, 1 Arctic and 1 Sandwich Tern (Jim Dickson).
TIREE: Rosy Starling showing well on feeders at Kenovay at lunch-time – apparently been there since at least 14 Aug (Alex and Dolina MacDonald per John Bowler). Nick Wall saw an adult Grey Plover at Greenhill today and 4 Bar-tailed Godwit at Gott Bay yesterday.

TIREE: Nick Wall has kindly provided photos of the adult Ring-billed Gull he found near Hough Bay on 14 Aug. 1 Merlin at Vaul – first of autumn here (John Bowler).
MID-ARGYLL: A Kingfisher was at the Crinan Canal (nr Fraser’s wagon at Crinan wood) – also 4 Moorhen there (Jim Dickson).
KINTYRE: A juv Ruff at Machrihanish SBO today (Eddie Maguire).

TIREE: An adult Ring-billed Gull at Rubha Hanais at the north end of the Maze at lunch-time today (Nick Wall per John Bowler). No further sign of it in the evening (John Bowler).
COLONSAY / ORONSAY: Patrick Styles (RSPB warden on Oronsay) kindly sent through some images he took recently.
COWAL: Alistair McGregor reports that wader numbers now building up at the Holy Loch e.g. now 30 Ringed Plover, 16 Turnstone but no sign of the Little Egret recently. Gearge Newall got a quick reply about the ringed LBB Gull he saw in Dunoon today – BLUE M:132, Larus fuscus metal ring M41005, ringed in the rehabilitation center CRAMQ, in Quiaios, Portugal, and released at 23 of December of 2016.

TIREE: A juv Little Stint, 6 Knot (2 juvs), 115 Dunlin, 2 Little Tern and 372 Sanderling at Gott and Vaul Bays including 1 French-wintering Icelandic leg-flagged Sanderling. 1 Greenshank at the Reef and 78 juv Black-tailed Godwits at Vaul/Salum (John Bowler).
MID-ARGYLL: A Kingfisher was seen on the River Add (Moine Mhor) today (James Lehmann).

TIREE: 3 Orca reported off Milton on 12 Aug – (Christian Verstraete per John Bowler).
MID-ARGYLL: Still 7 Swifts over Lochgilphead (Joe Parham).
COWAL: A count of at least 80 Goosander at Loch Riddon (Tom Callan).

MID-ARGYLL: A probable Quail was heard to call once briefly from the Crinan Ferry road today (Sandy Mitchell)

ISLAY/KINTYRE: A sighting of a probable Great Shearwater from the Islay ferry – flying not far from the ferry, seen well but very brief (Joe Parham).
MID-ARGYLL: At Loch Gilp today – 1 Greenshank, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit and 2 Sandwich Tern – ad with a juv (Jim Dickson).