KINTYRE: A brief but unmistakable sighting of a male Pied Flycatcher by the road side at High Ugadale near Saddell (Alasdair Paterson).
MID-ARGYLL: A male Common Redstart in song at Barnakill (Cairnbaan) this morning – also a juv Siskin found dead after hitting a window (Jim Dickson).
TIREE: 1 Tree Sparrow new at Balephuil today – also 1 Robin, 1 Woodpigeon, 1m Chaffinch and 2 Chiffchaff there. 3 male Ruff at one site (John Bowler).
ISLAY: Now 6 Tree Sparrows today at Ian & Margaret Brooke’s nature reserve at Kilchoman. Update from Ian at 18:40…now 8 birds! Also from Ian, a report of a Hobby at Ardbeg yesterday…message left from Steve? ….more information will be required for this rare visitor to Argyll please.
TIREE: 2 female Hawfinch still at Balephuil – also 2 Common Redpoll, 1 female Blackcap, 1m Chaffinch and 1 Goldfinch there. 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Swift, 2 House Martin and 3 Cuckoo at Carnan Mor. 1 Common Tern at Sorobaidh Bay with 20 Arctic Terns. 4 Whooper Swans on the sea at the Green (John Bowler).
KINTYRE: Torrisdale Castle Estate today; best for views was a male Hen Harrier, a Cuckoo and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Singing birds included 3 Tree Pipit, 2 male Common Redstart, 4 Spotted Flycatcher, a Pied Flycatcher, 7 Blackcap, 2 Wood Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff and a Bullfinch. A Jay flew over our heads calling (Eddie Maguire and group).
MID-ARGYLL: 10 Canada Geese with 6 Goslings at Ulva Lagoons and another 3 Canada with 10 Goslings on the marshes nearer Loch na Cille. We saw 24 Greylags in several groups in the area, but no Goslings yet (Morag Rea). At the Add Estuary – 2 lots Canada Geese with first goslings noted on 7th May. In the garden at Cairbaan today a single Garden Warbler and nearby a reeling Grasshopper Warbler and singing Common Whitethroat (Jim Dickson).
MULL: A report of a Great White Egret yesterday at Dervaig – more details required please.
TIREE: 2 female Hawfinch at Balephuil and the first Spotted Flycatcher of the spring there (John Bowler).
KINTYRE: Eddie Maguire had good views of a female type Montagu’s Harrier at Strath (The Laggan), Kintyre at 08:10 this morning – potentially a new Argyll species if accepted by the SBRC.
MID-ARGYLL: Two Garden Warblers in song along the Crinan canal near Bellanoch this morning – also 5 Whinchat ters noted from the Moine Mhor roads (Jim Dickson).
MID-ARGYLL: A Great Crested Grebe was seen in Loch Gilp today – between Ardrishaig and Lochgilphead (Alan Dykes). 2 Common Swifts were circling overhead in Kilmichael Glassary today at ~ 2.45pm, banging a nest box and one entered the nest box (Annette Anderton).
TIREE: The female Hawfinch was seen again at Balephuil (John Bowler).
COLONSAY: A Lesser Whitethroat was seen in scrub north of Scalasaig in the evening (Darren).
ISLAY: Now 2 Curlew Sandpipers from the north hide at RSPB Gruinart late on Wed 9 May – a summer male and a female or 2CY male – also big increase in Dunlin numbers (James Butcher).
MID-ARGYLL: At least 6 ‘Greenland’ Wheatears around the Moine Mhor and Loch Crinan today (Jim Dickson).
TIREE: A female Hawfinch new in the garden at Balephuil today (John Bowler).
MID-ARGYLL: At Loch Crinan this afternoon – 38 Dunlin and 18 Ringed Plover. Also a male Whitethroat and a pr of Tree pipits at Duntrune (Jim Dickson). It now seems most likely that the Common Rosefinch reported at Cladich, Loch Awe recently was a nice bright male Lesser Redpoll.
ISLAY: Ian Brooke has just phoned mid-afternoon to say there are 4 Tree Sparrows in his garden at Kilchoman…a new species for there!
TIREE: A male Whinchat at Meningie – first of season here (John Bowler).
KINTYRE: 4 Common Swift over Campbeltown at 19:40hrs (Eddie Maguire).
MID-ARGYLL: More Dunlin around now – 32 at Loch Crinan this morning. Also 4 Whinchats and 2 ‘Greenland’ Wheatears along the road crossing the Moine Mhor (Jim Dickson).
COLONSAY: A male Green-winged Teal at East Loch Fada this evening (Alan Davis et al)…perhaps same as birds from 28 Apr on Oronsay?
ISLAY: A red Curlew Sandpiper was in front of the north hide at Gruinart today – also masses of Dunlin arriving (James Butcher). A report of a Ring-necked Duck with Tufteds’ at Loch Finlaggan last Fri 4 May (per Gary Turnbull).
MID-ARGYLL: A second hand report of an adult Common Rosefinch at Cladich, Loch Awe (seen and photographed) however more details not forthcoming a this stage (per Bob Grove).
MULL: A female Common Redstart was at Loch Ba (Stuart Gibson per Alan Spellman).
TIREE: 1m Whitethroat singing at Carnan Mor but no sign of yesterday’s Wood Warbler. 1 Common Tern with the Arctic Terns at Loch a’ Phuill – first of season here – (John Bowler).
COLONSAY: A male Green-winged Teal at Ardskenish (per Alan Davis)…perhaps same as birds from 28 Apr on Oronsay?
KINTYRE: very quiet here at Machrihanish SBO; a Whimbrel, 6 Sandwich Tern, a ‘Greenland’ Wheatear and 2 Linnets with no White Wagtails for 6 days now (Eddie Maguire).
MID-ARGYLL: A Moorhen again today on the marshes beyond Ulva Lagoons; an Osprey over Loch na Cille; 42 Dunlin with 14 Ringed Plover, a Skylark and a Whitethroat at Danna. On Fri 4th May we saw a Golden Eagle early in the morning in our garden at Tayvallich presumably after a dead deer in the wilder part of the garden. Quite a surprise! (Morag & Norman Rea). 50+ Siskins coming to feeders at Carsaig House on 3 May and 20+ Lesser Redpolls at the Moine Mhor conifer woods on 6 May (Jon Close).
TIREE: 1 Wood Warbler at Carnan Mor. 1 House Martin at Loch a’ Phuill (first of season) in with 35 Sand Martin – also 340 Ringed Plover on the machair there (John Bowler).
