Category: Sightings

TIREE: 1 Redwing at Baugh, with a damaged leg (Bill Welstead per John Bowler). Yesterday, 1st Jun, the 2CY Bonaparte’s Gull again briefly in the gull colony at Barrapol but then flew towards Loch a’ Phuill at 1345hrs (John Bowler).

ISLAY: An adult Little Stint at 9.45 this morning at the muddy hole at Saligo gate (Margaret & Ian Brooke).
TIREE: 2CY Bonaparte’s Gull found late this pm in gull colony at Barrapol and then flew towards Loch a’ Phuill at 1810hrs (Ben Steel) – but no sign of it at Loch a’ Phuill later on. Quail calling intermittently at Balephuil early this morning – also 2 Spotted Flycatchers still there. 2CY Little Gull, ad Little Stint and 1-2 Curlew Sandpipers at Loch a’ Phuill this afternoon (John Bowler).

COWAL:  A Hoopoe was seen in a garden at Tighnabruaich yesterday during the day and again twice in the evening (Jean Irvine).
KINTYRE: The report of Nightjar calling at Mausdale recently now appears to have been a Grasshopper Warbler….
ISLAY: The Little Egret has reappeared – yesterday in the merse creeks at Bridgend (per Ian Brooke). A pair of Garganey at the Gruinart south hide this afternoon (James How per Ian Brooke).
TIREE: At least 12 Spotted Flycatchers at Balephuil / Carnan Mor in the evening with another 4 around the island (John Bowler).

COLONSAY: A 2CY Iceland Gull at Kiloran Bay today (Patrick Styles).
KINTYRE: A report of a Nightjar ‘churring’ near Mausdale the last two evenings, after 10pm (per Alisdair Paterson).
TIREE: No further sign of the Common Rosefinch at Balephuil today but no fewer than 7 Spotted Flycatchers between there and Carnan Mor, 1 pair of Common Whitethroats, 1 pair of Blackcaps, 4 Common Redpoll and a record influx of 12 Woodpigeons including a flock of 10 which flew off W (John Bowler). Also 1 Pied Flycatcher today (Ben Steel per John Bowler).

Some photos below of a Meadow Pipit that was attacking a Collared Dove for about 5 minutes at Balephuil, Tiree the other day – the dove was pursued by the pipit in flight and continued to be mobbed on the ground – I’m sure the pipit mistakenly thought the dove was a Cuckoo – as a Cuckoo in the area. The Collared Dove looked perplexed! (Jim Dickson).

TIREE: A 2CY male Common Rosefinch singing and showing briefly at Balephuil this morning – also 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 1m Blackcap, 1m Whitethroat, 1m Cuckoo, 1 Dunnock, 2 Goldfinch and 1 House Martin there. 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Common Redpoll, 1m Blackcap and 1 singing Dunnock at the Glebe/Manse. Ad Little Stint again at Gott Bay. 3CY Iceland Gull and Common Redpoll at Kenovay (John Bowler). Later in the evening – 1 Garden Warbler  at Balephuil plus 4 Spotted Flycatchers (John Bowler).

TIREE: Looks like now two 2CY and also a 3CY Iceland Gulls between Lower Kenovay and Balevullin and a 3CY Glaucous Gull briefly at Kenovay. A bright rufous toned Little Stint was with the Sanderlings at Gott Bay this morning (Jim Dickson). Later at Balephuil – a male Common Redstart and 2 Spotted Flycatchers (John Bowler).
NORTH ARGYLL: In the Benderloch gravel pits area 2 singing Garden Warblers – also 2 juv Little Grebe (Robin Harvey).

TIREE: Seabirds moving N off West Hynish (08.15- 08.45) – 3,400 Manx Shearwater, 400+ Kittiwakes, 120 Gannets, good numbers of auks, 1 Great Skua (and 1 at Gott Bay yesterday evening) – also 1 Basking Shark. Drop in small wader numbers but still low hundreds of Sanderling, Dunlin (max 110 at Miodar) and Ringed Plover. Also total of 25  Turnstone, 1 Whimbrel still at Balevuliin and 1 Red Knot at Miodar. Several Northern Wheatears and 1 ‘Greenland’ Wheatear at Gott Bay (Jim Dickson).
ISLAY: Ian Brooke was in touch to say that the male Green-winged Teal was seen again at Gruinart yesterday.
KINTYRE: 4 Whimbrel arrived at the MSBO late morning (Eddie Maguire).

TIREE: Still 2 Whimbrel and 120 Ringed Plover at Balevullin, now joined by the 2CY Iceland Gull (from Kenovay). A Common Chiffchaff was in song at The Glebe, also Willow Warbler and Dunnock there. A Woodpigeon was at Balephuil and 7 Redpolls still there along with a Cuckoo. This evening a 2CY Curlew Sandpiper with 10 Dunlin and 160 Sanderling at Sorobaidh Bay (Jim Dickson).

COWAL: Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Sand Martin all nesting on a 50 yard stretch of the River Eachaig  – and also a pair of Kingfishers perhaps also nesting (Alistair McGregor).
ISLAY: A Little Egret at Gruinart reserve last evening and still there today (Ian Bradley per Ian Brooke) and a Greenshank at Saligo (Ian & Margaret Brooke).
TIREE: A few bits and pieces today included – an Arctic Skua at Gunna sound, at least 7 Great Northern Divers around the coast, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits at Gott Bay – also 2 Red Knot there – plus good nos of Ringed Plover, Sanderling and smallers nos of Dunlin around. 2 House Martins at Vaul, a Common Sandpiper at Mannal, a Spotted Flycatcher at Balephuil – also 7 Redpolls there, at least one a Lesser -other Commons, 2 Redpolls over the Glebe, a 2CY Iceland Gull at Kenovay, 2 Whimbrels at Balevuillin (Jim Dickson).
MULL: An adult Little Gull with Kittiwakes and Manx Shearwaters at rest on sea – also two Storm Petrels near Cairns of Coll (per Alan Spellman).