MID-ARGYLL: at Lochgair today, garden sightings included a Sparrowhawk, 4 Bullfinch and a Nuthatch (John and Julie Sutton). A party of 7 Bullfinch were by the Crinan canal near Crinan (Jim Dickson).
KINTYRE: a 2014 colour ringed Twite at Machrihanish SBO is performing well on trips to NE Wales and back to MSBO and now has a very interesting history of doing so. Connaught’s Quay, Flintshire, NE Wales is 298km SSE of MSBO. Last re-trapped at MSBO on 7 Apr. The six journeys completed by this bird amount to 1,788km (Eddie Maguire).
TIREE: two Little Terns at Salum Bay are the first Argyll arrivals (Rob Archer per John Bowler).
Category: Sightings
10th April
KINTYRE: just received a report of our first Cuckoo (7th April) at Clachan, Kintyre (Ged Connelly per Alasdair Paterson).
COWAL: 15 Purple Sandpipers and 29 Turnstones yesterday at Dunoon Crazy golf (George Newall).
In Benmore Gardens this morning – 2 singing Chiffchaffs, 3 singing Willow Warblers, a singing Blackcap, 2 Swallows and a Nuthatch in full song (Steve Petty).
TIREE: 3 juv Glaucous Gulls at Loch Bhasapol and 1 juv at Loch a’ Phuill – also 550 Golden Plover there. 29 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Gott Bay and 1 at Sorobaidh Bay. A total of 66 Black-tailed Godwits at 3 lochs (John Bowler). 200+ Marsh Fritillary caterpillars out on the sliabh in the sunshine (with Neil Ravenscroft).
MID-ARGYLL: the female Greater Scaup is still on Ballachuan Loch, Seil (David Jardine).
9th April
KINTYRE: at the Machrihanish SBO today 19 Great Northern Divers, 2 Common Scoters, 2 Sandwich Terns, 4 White Wagtails and ca. 20 Bottle-nosed Dolphins (Eddie Maguire).
TIREE: 1 Woodpigeon and 1 Collared Dove new at Balephuil – also 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, 6 Linnets and 2 Goldcrests there. Three White Wagtails new at Loch a’ Phuill plus 25 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow, 550 Golden Plovers and 20 Black-tailed Godwits there and 1 Grey Plover at Sorobaidh Bay (John Bowler), also 3 Sand Martins at Milton (Martin Finnigan).
MID-ARGYLL: two Common Sandpipers at Taynuilt towards Bonawe furnace (Stuart Edwards).
8th April
KINTYRE: another summer plumaged ‘Scandinavian’ Rock Pipit was found by Eddie Maguire at the Machrihanish Observatory today.
MID-ARGYLL: Willow Warblers now becoming more widespread e.g. several seen along the Crinan canal today (Colin MacFarlane et al) and around Kilmartin (Malcolm Chattwood et al).
First report of a male Ring Ouzel, in song, at Beinn Buidhe, Glen Fyne today (Graeme Garner).
MULL: first report of a Common Sandpiper with one today at Loch Beg (Bryan Rains/Steve Hiscock).
TIREE: 26 Whooper Swans north at Balephuil– also 1 Willow Warbler (first of spring there), also 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Goldcrests and 50 Redwings (latter with much sub-song) 3 Goldfinch, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Wheatears and 5 Manx Shearwaters at West Hynish and 1 Swallow at Barrapol (John Bowler).
7th April
MID-ARGYLL: A Whimbrel on the shore of Loch Craignish, south of Ardfern this evening (David Jardine).
TIREE: 20 Black Guillemots on dawn count off Ceann a’ Mhara and 5 m Wheatear on shore; 1 juv Glaucous Gull, 18 Black-tailed Godwits and 4 Sand Martin at Loch a’ Phuill (John Bowler).
6th April
COWAL: The first record this year of a Wood Warbler seen near Stonefield, Glen Massan this afternoon (Alistair McGregor)
NORTH ARGYLL: A pair of Gadwall at Ardtur pond this evening (David Jardine).
5th April
COWAL: A male Brambling joined two Lesser Redpolls in a garden this morning at Knockdow (George Newall). Also an Osprey on the Kilmun side of Holy Loch this afternoon. (Alistair McGregor)
KINTYRE: Today a first winter Iceland Gull at Campbeltown Harbour. (Eddie Maguire)
TIREE: Today, A juvenile Glaucous Gull, 4 Sand Martin, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 PB Brent Geese and 28 Whooper Swans at Loch a’ Phuill; 1m Wheatear, 2 Linnet, 1 Barn Swallow, 1 Goldcrest and 50 Redwing at Balephuil; another juvenile Glaucous Gull and 5 Whoopers at Loch Bhasapol; 75 Greenland White-fronted Geese at Kenovay and 3,850 Golden Plover at The Reef (John Bowler)
4th April
KINTYRE: Today 62 Sanderling and 5 White Wagtails at Machrihanish SBO. Also at Westport Marsh: 60 Eurasian Teal, 6 Northern Shoveler (4 males), 5 Little Grebe, 9 Moorhen and 6 displaying Lapwing. (Eddie Maguire). Two Sandwich Terns at Portrigh Bay, Carradale today (Alasdair Paterson).
TIREE: A group of circa 100 Brent Geese [pale bellied] today, with Greylags in a croft field opposite Loch Bhasapol (Stephanie Cope).
3rd April
KINTYRE: The Black Swan and 5 Whoopers still present at Kilkivan, The Laggan today. Yesterday a Scandinavian Rock Pipit at Machrihanish SBO (Eddie Maguire)
TIREE: Amongst a flock of Sanderlings at Balemartin yesterday were three colour-ringed individuals. Two were ringed in Iceland in May 2016 and the third in the Netherlands in Aug 2016. (Richard Whitson)
2nd April
MID-ARGYLL: a first sighting of a Nuthatch on a bird feeder in a garden at Lochgair (John and Julie Sutton). An Osprey was seen successfully fishing at Bellanoch today (Caroline Anderson).
TIREE: Yesterday a House Martin at Heylipol and today Corncrakes at Balinoe and Barrapol (Stephanie Cope).
