Category: Sightings

TIREE: A REED WARBLER, TREE SPARROW, GARDEN WARBLER & LESSER WHITETHROAT were in /near a garden at Balephuil, (John Bowler).

MID-ARGYLL: A QUAIL was seen and heard at Keillbeg, nr Danna (Terry Girling, John Aitchison).

ISLAY: A male GARGANEY was at RSPB Loch Gruinart today (Martin Harris).

TIREE: A female HAWFINCH was in a garden at Balephuil (John Bowler).
COWAL: A male FIRECREST was heard signing at Brox Wood, Holy Loch LNR then later confirmed visually (Neil Hammatt) and later on a COMMON CRANE was seen in a field at Dalinlongart, a further 500m NW (David Gilmour).
ISLAY: A male WOODCHAT SHRIKE was found at Upper Cragabus, Oa this evening (David Dinsley, Hannah Stanger) – only the third record for Argyll.

ISLAY: A white-phase SNOW GOOSE was with Greylags at Loch Gorm (Darrell Lawson).

MID-ARGYLL: A fem type MARSH HARRIER was at the Add Estuary & Moine Mhor this evening (David Jardine, Jim Dickson).

MULL: A WHITE-BILLED DIVER was reported (Birdguides) seen from the ferry near Craignure. Note: We require further details to validate this record.
ISLAY: A fem type MARSH HARRIER was seen at Risabus, Oa (David Dinsley) and yesterday a WOOD SANDPIPER was seen at RSPB Loch Gruinart (David Livingstone, Bob Davison) .

TIREE: A male North American WOOD DUCK of unknown origin (un-ringed) was found in a sensitive undisclosed location (John Bowler).  This species is not yet on Category A of the British list and John says: “…many recent Azores Wood Duck records and also some from Iceland have now been accepted as genuine vagrants. BOURC have recently switched Wood Duck from Category E to Category D citing four recent records from locations such as Shetland and Uist, allowing the status of the species to be reviewed more regularly. However, suspect it would still take an American ringed bird or isotope studies to warrant a switch to Category A. ” There is one previous Argyll record of a female present at Balgie Burn & West Bay Dunoon, Cowal Oct 2000 – May 2001.
NORTH ARGYLL: A CRESTED TIT was seen near the Forest Lodge, Victoria Bridge, Loch Tulla on 7 May (David Jardine) and again the next day, with the possibility that perhaps two birds there (Andy Robinson). A remarkable record as only two previously accepted Argyll records – in 1991 and in 2002. Also on 7 May a LITTLE RINGED PLOVER was noted on the shore at the NE end of Loch Tulla (David Jardine).

ISLAY: A LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER was seen from the north hide at RSBB Loch Gruinart today (James How).

MID-ARGYLL: A RED KITE was a good find for Malcolm Chattwood’s “seen from the house list” as it flew over Bridgend, Kilmichael Glassary N of Lochgilphead.