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:
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).
TIREE: A juvenile COMMON ROSEFINCH at Balephuil today (John Bowler).
MID-ARGYLL: The juv SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER is still at Loch na Cille.
MID-ARGYLL: The juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER is still present with Dunlin & Ringed Plovers at Loch na Cille today (Jim Dickson).
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.
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.
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).
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).
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).
TIREE: a 1cy RED-BACKED SHRIKE seen briefly at Vaul today (Keith Gillon).
