TIREE: The female Hawfinch still at Balephuil today (John Bowler).
MID-ARGYLL: A non-birding stay in Oban….this morning…. 2 White-tailed Eagles were soaring over the Tesco car park then 10 minutes later…a juvenile bird drifted above the town promenade…oh how times have changed! (Jim Dickson).
ISLAY: Mike Peacock has been counting Great Northern Divers at the mouth of Loch Indaal as they come in to roost. Counting congregating birds at roost has been used on Mull by David Shackleton as a means to monitoring this species numbers. Today birds started to congregate off Laggan Point from 15:30 to 1640, with groups swimming out of Loch Indaal with others swimming from further down the loch. Two loose flocks formed one of 75, the other 56 :– total of 131 birds.
TIREE: And now a female Hawfinch at Balephuil! Also 1 Chiffchaff still there and 1 Woodcock plus 1 Greenfinch (John Bowler).
MID-ARGYLL: A Magpie close to the Bridge House in Ardrishaig…the first I’ve seen in Mid-Argyll in over 30 years (Maureen Mackintosh).
COWAL: Ian Giles has kindly send one of his shots of the Kingfisher at Sandbank taken in Sep.
KINTYRE: Strath Farm (The Laggan); still around 100 Whooper Swan + present along with 214 Canada Geese, 690 Greylag Geese, 1,040 Greenland White-fronted Geese, 11 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Lapwing and the usual 2CY Iceland Gull (Eddie Maguire).
ISLAY: Flat calm conditions this morning on Loch Indaal – a total of 110 Great Northern Divers, with communal fishing groups of 16, 14, 13, 14 & 18 interestingly they were calling to each other within the group when they were on the surface, then all diving together (Mike Peacock).
COWAL: A Kingfisher at Inver (Strathlachlan) and also 4 Mandarin Ducks at Hazelbank-Ardnagowan (Strachur) close to the shoreline on same afternoon (Bob and Sue Furness).
TIREE: The male Hawfinch again at Balephuil today, also 1 Chiffchaff and 2 Sparrowhawk there (John Bowler).
COWAL: The Little Egret made a brief appearance at the Holy Loch this morning (Alistair McGregor).
MID-ARGYLL: Now 3 Greenland White-fronts at Barsloisnoch today (James Lehmann). 18 Fieldfares and 6 Mistle Thrush in the Lochgilphead hospital grounds this morning (Jim Dickson).
KINTYRE: A report of a Barn Swallow at Bellochantuy on 8 Nov (Davie Robertson per Eddie Maguire).
ISLAY: Martin Armstrong reports that the (Siberian) Lesser Whitethroat is still in his garden at Glenegedale today.
TIREE: 1 Chiffchaff still at Balephuil but no sign of the Goldcrests (John Bowler).
KINTYRE: At Strath Farm (The Laggan), the 2CY Iceland Gull was present along with 100+ Whooper Swans, 2 Common Shelducks, 142 European Wigeon and 80 + Sky Lark (Eddie Maguire).
MID-ARGYLL: A Nuthatch at James Lehmann’s feeders – at Barsloisnoch, Moine Mhor today. A Leach’s Storm Petrel flew past Braevallich (SW of Eredine), Loch Awe today about 20 metres away (Alan Dykes).
TIREE: Sea-watch off Aird in NW7-8 with squalls 0745-0845hrs produced (all heading W):2 Leach’s Petrels, 1 Pomarine Skua, 6 Little Auk, 115 Fulmar, 415 Kittiwake, 465 Gannet, 1,560 large auk (mostly Razorbills), 14 Great Northern Diver, 7 Red-throated Diver and 6 Black Guillemot. Also 1 Lapland Bunting at Balephetrish Hill, 1 Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrests at Balephuil – no further sign of the Hawfinch (John Bowler).
TIREE: A male Hawfinch at Balephuil this morning – also 1m Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest and 2 Sparrowhawks and 1 Goldfinch at Heanish (John Bowler).
MULL: The Little Egret is still at Fishnish today (per Alan Spellman).
KINTYRE: The Little Egret was at Kennacraig at 1.10 and again at 2.30 today (Val Wells and David Bridge).
MID-ARGYLL: Only 2 Greenland White-fronted Geese back at Barsloisnoch (Moine Mhor) today – a dwindling population (James Lehmann).
COWAL: The Little Egret is still at the Holy Loch, Dunoon and in the area/Clyde waters – 8 Common Guillemots, 4 Black Guillemots, a single Long-tailed Duck. Also lots of Goldfinch, 1 Greenfinch, and at George Newall’s garden – a Brambling (Alistair McGregor).
TIREE: A juvenile Iceland Gull was new at West Hynish (John Bowler).
KINTYRE: At Strath Farm (The Laggan); Whooper Swans had increased to 217 on flooded barley that could not be harvested. Also there, 577 White-fronted Geese, 2 Pink-feet, 100+ Greylags, 2 Common Shelduck, a Sparrowhawk, 800 Golden Plover, 1,000+ Herring Gull, an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, a 2CY Iceland Gull, 2 Stonechat and 40 Redwing (Eddie Maguire).
MID-ARGYLL: Four Whooper Swans (2ads + 2 juvs), 340 Canada and 110 Greylag Geese and an odd Barnacle Goose hybrid at Dunadd. Also 12 Fieldfares nearby (Jim Dickson).
COWAL: George Newall had 5 Jays in his garden at Bishop’s Glen, Dunoon today.
