Category: Sightings

ISLAY: A report of a Common Sandpiper nr Loch Gorm yesterday (Louise Muir per Ian Brooke).
MID-ARGYLL: Many small groups (2 -14) of Lesser BB Gulls now being seen inland N of Lochgilphead. Around the Moine Mhor – 18 Pied Wagtails in a loose group nr Poltalloch also 1 Lapwing, 160 Common Gulls and 80 Rooks there. 25 Fieldfares and 44 Skylarks at Ballymeanoch, 34 Teal, 76 Jackdaws at Ri Cruin and a single Woodcock on the Moine Mhor moss road (Jim Dickson).
MULL: Another sighting of the Red-necked Grebe off Pennyghael today – closer but poor light (Steve Hiscock).

COWAL: Off Dunoon crazy golf today – 26 Purple Sandpipers and 11 Turnstones (George Newall).
MID-ARGYLL: Two Nuthatches visiting my bird table in Inveraray on a daily basis. Also a Sparrowhawk reducing the Collared Dove population! (Joan Thomson).
MULL: A Wheatear was at Calgary by the churchyard today. Also, the Red-necked Grebe is still present off Pennyghael, Loch Scridain (IanHartley per Alan Spellman).
ISLAY: A Wheatear was at Ardnave on Mon 12^th (per Andy Robinson RSPB).

KINTYRE: At Bleachfield a female Hen Harrier appeared mid-afternoon.  Also, 2 displaying Lapwing there (Eddie Maguire).
MID-ARGYLL: From my boat at the mouth of Loch Craignish today – 2 Great Northern Divers flying down the sound, also close views of Black Guillemots (James Lehmann). Off Inverneill this morning 4 Great Northern Divers flying up towards Ardrishaig. Also, now 6 Song Thrush territories in/around Cairnbaan – all in good voice today (Jim Dickson). Yesterday – an uncommon sight at Loch Gilp with a pair of Lapwing at the Clock Tower (Colin Macfarlane). A Red-throated Diver close in by the life boat station in Oban Bay (Mike Anderson). Three Crossbills at the top of Dunadry Hill, Cairnbaan (John McInally). On Sat 10th we flushed a solitary male Black Grouse while mountain biking in Raera forest (John Sedgwick).
COWAL: Two, m+f  Brambling  in my garden in Dunoon today plus other finches including 2 Lesser Redpoll (George Newall).

MID-ARGYLL: A juvenile Glaucous Gull just south of Inverneill early afternoon (Jim Dickson).
KINTYRE: A Greenshank at Kennacraig. At Kilmichael floods, N of Campbeltown – a w/p Black-tailed Godwit, 208 Golden Plover, 25 Lapwings and a pr of Shoveler. A female Hen Harrier and a Grey Wagtail at East Chiscan (Jim Dickson).
COWAL: A male Brambling was today’s highlight in George Newall’s garden in Bishop’s Glen, Dunoon.

KINTYRE: Strath Farm, The Laggan; 600+ Greenland White-fronted Geese, 344 Greylag Geese and a Carrion Crow (no wigeon present). Campbeltown Harbour -adult Iceland Gull asleep on pontoon (Eddie Maguire).
MULL: Another Red-necked Grebe sighting off Pennyghael today (Steve Hiscock).
NORTH ARGYLL: A Little Egret at Loch Laich and 120 Skylarks at Ardtur (David Jardine).

KINTYRE: A male American Wigeon in with ca. 85 Eurasian Wigeon at the Strath Farm south pool (down the road quite a bit and closer to Balloch Farm). Also there: 570 White-fronted Geese, 230 Greylag Geese and a single Pink-footed Goose (Eddie Maguire).

MID-ARGYLL: North of Lochgilphead at Ballymeanoch this morning – 27 Lapwings and 70+ Fieldfares ( David Jardine noted c220 there yesterday). In Oban a pair of Grey Wagtails (Jim Dickson). At Loch Gilp today 3 LBB Gulls (David Jardine).
Yesterday at Tayvallich, a Great Tit was collecting nesting material from a totally chilled roe buck in our garden (Morag Rea).

COWAL: In George Newall’s garden at Bishop’s Glen today inc. – 8 Jays, 8 Blackbirds, 3 Reed Buntings, a Treecreeper, Song Thrush, all 4 regular Tits etc , but finches other than Chaffinch conspicuous by their absence. Alistair McGregor found 2 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls in Dunoon this morning. Also a Brambling at the Holy Loch bird hide and a good view of a Peregrine flying past.
MID-ARGYLL: At Poltalloch this morning – 10 Fieldfares, 5 Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush (in song), 60 Jackdaws, 17 Teal and a male Stonechat (Jim Dickson).

MID-ARGYLL: A Lesser Black-Backed Gull at Loch Gilp today showing blackish upperparts of the Scandinavian race intermedius  also a single Lapwing at the head of the loch calling noisily! (Jim Dickson). David Jardine picked up a dead Woodcock from the roadside at Minard on his way to the ABC spring meeting yesterday…prior to giving a talk on…Woodcock! Bob Furness has now weighed the bird and it was 323g which is above average weight for this species therefore perhaps not badly affected by the cold weather. David also reports seeing three while driving across the Moine Mhor road yesterday evening.

MID-ARGYLL/COWAL: In Lochgilphead and Cairnbaan today good numbers of Song Thrush and Blackbirds – appears to have been a significant increase during the hard weather so presumably have come from further east (Jim Dickson). Alan Forsyth in Innellan has noted – many Song Thrushes around the village and they look absolutely desperate and appear to be in unfamiliar surroundings – they are lingering around roads –one bounced off a car windscreen.