Category: Sightings

MID-ARGYLL: An adult Glaucous Gull was on the shore of Loch Craignish near the Village Hall this afternoon. Also of interest is a Moorhen which has apparently been living in someone’s garden opposite the Galley of Lorne Inn, in Ardfern, for the past couple of weeks! (Ju Radnall). Another Moorhen has been visting a garden at Luib Cottages, nr Slockavuillin in the last few weeks (Vivien Little).
TIREE: The 2CY Ring-billed Gull again at Sandaig, an adult Iceland Gull at Hough, a juv Glaucous Gull at Kilkenneth, 4 Greater Scaup at Loch a’ Phuill and 1 Pink-footed Goose at Barrapol (John Bowler).
KINTYRE: A female Hen Harrier and a Stonechat at Bleachfield and an adult Iceland Gull at Campbeltown Pontoon today (Eddie Maguire).

ISLAY: Two Glaucous Gulls have been on the Machir Bay beach all week and they were joined yesterday by an adult Iceland Gull and a further 2 Glaucous  today as well as a leucistic 2CY Common Gull (Mike Peacock). A male Bullfinch near the Woollen Mill yesterday (Val Peacock).
TIREE: A male Green-winged Teal at Baugh Road Bridge, a 4CY Iceland Gull at Scarinish, a juv Iceland Gull and juv Glaucous Gull at The Reef, 4 Pied Wagtails at Salum, a Knot at Gott Bay, first Black-headed Gulls of the year here: 2 at Balinoe, 3 at Vaul, 3 at Gott Bay, 1 at Balephetrish (John Bowler).

MID-ARGYLL: Another report of a Nuthatch in the Barsloisnoch area (nr Loch Crinan), this time from Fiorna Cairns Smith, a mile or so to the west of the regular Mheall Cottage sightings. A juvenile Glaucous Gull was at Kames, Loch Melfort today (David Jardine).
NORTH ARGYLL: Highlights on Robin Harvey’s Loch Crearan WeBS count today included a Greenshank, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Shelducks, a Goosander and 21 White-fronted geese however no signs of the Little Egrets there or at An Sailean.

KINTYRE: An update on the Sooty Tern at Machrihanish SBO seen by Eddie Maguire on 2/6/17….this has been accepted by the BBRC and is now an additional species to the Argyll list which now stands at 355, congratulations to Eddie!
MID-ARGYLL: Adult Little Gull back at the head of Loch Gilp…last there on 23 Dec (Jim Dickson). An adult Iceland Gull was on the Island of Danna this afternoon (David Jardine).
TIREE: 1w Ring-billed Gull again at Sandaig – also 2 ad Iceland Gull there and 4 Glaucous Gulls (2 ads, 1 x 3^rd winter and 1x 2nd winter bird) plus 120 Twite and 50 Skylark. 2w Iceland Gull at Loch Bhasapol (John Bowler). 1 Pink-footed Goose at Barrapol (Steph Cope).

TIREE: 2 adult Glaucous Gulls at Sandaig, 1 juv Glaucous Gull at Greenhill (John Bowler), 2 imm Iceland Gulls at Heylipol Church (Steph Cope).
COWAL: Alistair McGregor found 2m+f Greater Scaup in the Clyde Estuary, off Greenock today (therefore not quite in Argyll….pity).

TIREE: Adult and juv Iceland Gulls at Milton (Martin Finnigan).

MID-ARGYLL: A search for the Snow Buntings in the Cairnbaan forest at Daill Loch today – some distant flight calls were heard but birds not seen. Four Common Crossbills seen and some terrible shots taken at long range of 150+ metres (Jim Dickson). A Nuthatch was back at Lynsey Gibson’s garden in Ardrishaig today.
TIREE: Sea-watch off Hynish in S8 to SSW7 at lunchtime produced the following (all heading SW) in 1hr: 3 Little Auk, 6 Puffin, 1 ad Lesser Black-backed Gull, 355 Razorbill (all large auks viewed well were this species), 6 Tystie, 91 Gannet, 108 Shag, 65 Fulmar, 112 Kittiwake (all ads), 130 Eider and 12 Great Northern Diver (John Bowler).

MID-ARGYLL: I was lucky enough to see a flock of approx 18 Snow Buntings above Letterdail, Cairnbaan late this afternoon. I heard some unusual calls and the flock landed about 35 -40 ft in front of me on the forest road near the Daill Loch.  They were actively feeding for a good 10 mins. They then flew off up the road a bit before landing again then shortly after took off towards the forest and I lost sight of them. Only my second ever sighting of them (Lynsey Gibson).
TIREE: 3 Greenfinch at Baugh (the first here this winter), a Juv Glaucous Gull at Baugh (Bill Welstead). 4 Scaup, 16 Shoveler and a Welsh-ringed Oystercatcher at Loch a’ Phuill (John Bowler).

KINTYRE: Another great photo from Eddie Maguire – one of the male Hen Harriers frequenting the Laggan.
COWAL: My garden in Bishop’s Glen now with 20+ Chaffinches, double figures of Goldfinches and Siskins and the occasional Redpoll still appearing, also 3 Bullfinch and 3 Jays have been regular in the snow (George Newall).
MID-ARGYLL: I have no idea what I have just photographed! There was a large mixed flock in the field between me and Barsloichnach Farm – this white head instantly stood out. Is it some sort of juvenile hybrid? (James Lehmann). This is the odd hybrid goose that’s been around for a couple of months now….perhaps a mix of Barnacle and Canada?

MID-ARGYLL: There were 140+ White-fronted Geese at Coshandrochaid by Ulva Lagoons and most unusually a single Moorhen on the Ulva Lagoon marshes by the Danna road (Morag Rea). An Excellent close sighting on a male Hen Harrier as it flushed 3 Snipe near our house at Bridgend, Kilmichael Glassary, then a female Brambling at our feeder later (Sue & Malcolm Chattwood).
Lesser Redpolls have been thin on the ground this winter – I found my first of the year in my Kilmartin garden mist net today. A total of 110 different Siskins caught in the garden yesterday and today (2 controls, 2 retraps from 2017 and 106 new birds), also 24 Goldfinch (1 retrap from 2016, the reminder new birds (David Jardine).