MID-ARGYLL: A Swallow and a House Martin spent over an hour feeding above Cairnbaan this afternoon. Small numbers of Redwings now dotted around the woods nr the Argyll & Bute Hospital (Jim Dickson).
Category: Sightings
11th October
MID-ARGYLL: A Red Kite today on Seil island (Wendy Raine).
KINTYRE: A female Hen Harrier again nr Spion Kop/ B8001 (Val Wells). Sea-watching at the Machrihanish SBO quiet with only 2 juv Northern Gannets >S. Also the 2CY Iceland Gull turned up again, a Grey Heron got very close to the Observatory and 6 Grey Wagtails and 12 Twite were present (Eddie Maguire).
TIREE: 2 Pink-footed Geese new at Balephetrish, also 126 Barnacle Geese there. First Goldeneye of the autumn at Loch a’ Phuill plus 1 juv/f Scaup there.1 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, 3 Chaffinch, 6 Goldfinch and 1 Dunnock at Balephuil. Flock of 320 Linnet at the Reef. 1 Redwing at Balinoe (John Bowler).
10th October
COWAL: 2 Swallows and 3 Redwings noted in the Dunoon area today, also 2 Purple Sandpipers at the ‘Crazy golf’ (Alistair McGregor/George Newall).
MID-ARGYLL: Seeing more flocks of Long-tailed Tits around e.g. 9 in Cairnbaan, 7 at Bellanoch and 15 nr Lochgilphead caravan park (Jim Dickson).
9th October
MID-ARGYLL: The Little Egret first seen a few months back at the Loch Craignish lagoon, Ardfern has been coming and going and seen again on Sat 7 Oct during a WeBS count. Also today saw first flock of Redwings and Fieldfares. (Ju Randall). The 1w male American Wigeon again on Loch Gilp this morning (Jim Dickson). At least 5 Redwings were flocking with about 20 Mistle Thrushes near Connel this morning (Mike Harrison).
COWAL: A group of 9 Redwings in a garden at Bischop’s Glen, Dunoon today….also a few Goldfinches still about in juvenile plumage (George Newall).
TIREE: At Loch a’ Phuill today on WeBS count – 1 juv Scaup, 33 Greenland White-fronts, 31 Whoopers and 1 Coot at Loch a’ Phuill – also 2 Gadwall, 3 Pintail, 32 Tufted Duck and 14 Shoveler there. Highlights elsewhere included – 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest, 4 Goldfinch, 5 Common Redpoll at Balephuil, 5 Swallow, 5 Redwing, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 2m Blackcap, 1 Goldcrest and 3 Dunnock at the Glebe,15 Greenland White-fronts at the Reef and 38 Barnacle Geese at Balephetrish (John Bowler).
NORTH ARGYLL: A Greenshank at Dalrannoch, Loch Crearan on WeBS count today (Robin Harvey).
8th October
TIREE: A Grey Wagtail and a Kestrel were new in at Balephuil today (John Bowler).
MID-ARGYLL: At Loch Gilp this am – a single Greenshank, 11 Bar-tailed Gowits and 1 Grey Wagtail. Also a single House Martin in Cairnbaan (Jim Dickson). At Loch Fyne south of Ardrishaig – 90 Gannets and 80 Manx Shearwaters in part of a feeding frenzy on the loch, also of interest during a WeBS count there – 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Swallows, 4 Red-throated Divers and a Willow Warber (Alan Dykes).
KINTYRE: The Little Egret was seen again at Kennacraig today (Ian Brooke).
6th October
MID-ARGYLL: A Magpie was in a Lochgilphead garden today (Carol Allan)….always a good find away from the Cowal area…
TIREE: A Lesser Whitethroat new at Kenovay with a Willow Warbler (Jim Dickson). 1 juv Little Stint briefly at Balephetrish Bay, 1w male Ring-necked Duck still at Loch a’ Phuill am with 25 Whooper Swans but not found pm (John Bowler), also 1 juv Greater Scaup, 6 Pintail, 12 Shovelers and 3 Black-tailed Godwits there pm (Jim Dickson). 1 Lapland Bunting flew south over Barrapol, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, 1m Blackcap, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch and 5 Common Redpoll at Balephuil / Carnan Mor. 1m Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest and 2 Chaffinch at An Airidh, Cornaigmore (John Bowler). 4 Great Skua, 1 Arctic Skua, 124 Kittiwake, 1 GN Diver, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Wigeon and 1 Barnacle Goose passed off Hough Bay 08:50- 9:20 (Jim Dickson).
5th October
TIREE: Sea-watch from Aird 0730-0830 in NW6-7 (all heading W): 1 Pomarine Skua, 8 Arctic Skua, 3 Great Skuas, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Great Northern Divers, 6 Scaup, 1 Tystie, 64 Kittiwake, 269 Gannet and 365 large auk (John Bowler/Jim Dickson). 1 Yellow-browed Warbler still at the Glebe with a Redwing, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest plus a Greenshank over there. 3 Ruff at Scarinish. 4 juv Whooper Swans at Loch Bhasapol (Jim Dickson). 1 Jack Snipe at Baugh (Steph Cope).
KINTYRE: Sea-watch at Machrihanish SBO 09:00-15:00hrs WNW 5 with squalls: Grey Phalarope >S at 12:20 just after a squall, also a Pale-bellied Brent, 8 Barnacle Geese and 9 Red-throated Diver A Northern Wheatear was present and 29 Twite were trapped including 24 new birds colour-ringed and 5 retraps (Eddie Maguire).
ISLAY: Sea-watch Frenchman’s rocks 10:-12:00 NW 6: 2 Great Skua, 325 Kittiwake, 135 Auk sp, 4 Great Northern Diver, 2 Diver sp.,3 Common Scoter, 3 Long-tailed Duck, 137 Barnacle Goose (Mike Peacock).
4th October
TIREE: Sea-watch from Aird 0800-0900 in W7 produced (all heading W): 1 Leach’s Petrel, 1 Pomarine Skua, 1 Arctic Skua, 5 Great Skuas, 14 Manx Shearwaters, 4 GN Divers, 10 Kittiwake, 183 Gannets and 398 large auks. 9 Redwings, 1 Willow Warbler and 1 Goldcrest at Balephuil (John Bowler). 1 Yellow-browed Warbler again at The Glebe, also 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Goldfinch there, plus 1 Common Redpoll over. Flocks of 110, 60 and 24 Barnacle Geese and 7 Whooper Swans south over the island. 1f Blackcap at Whitehouse, 2 Goldcrests at Vaul (Jim Dickson).
ISLAY: 6,550 Barnacle Geese arrived at Loch Gruinart (James How).
3rd October
COWAL: 3 Purple Sandpipers at Dunoon Crazy Golf today (George Newall).
TIREE: A 1 hr seawatch at Aird 7:30- 8:30 produced – 1 Leach’s Petrel, 2 Great Skuas, 17 Manx Shearwaters, 1 G N Diver, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 590 large auks, 135 Gannets and only 3 Kittiwakes. 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldfinch and 1 Goldcrest at The Glebe. 1w male Ring-necked Duck still at Loch a’ Phuill. 2 juv Black-tailed Godwits and 1 juv Knot at Sandaig (Jim Dickson).
ISLAY: Sea-watch at Frenchman’s rocks 0800 – 1200 NW 5-6: Red-throated Diver 3, Great Northern Diver 17, Diver sp. 12, Great Skua 1, Common Scoter 5, Whooper Swan 7, Barnacle geese 181. Merlin on the walk back and fem Hen Harrier over the crofts at Portnahaven (Mike Peacock). Geese arriving at Loch Gruinart today: Barnacles 1440, Pink-footed 14, PB Brents 26 (James How).
2nd October
TIREE: A busy sea-watch from Aird this am in WNW 7-8 with squalls, totals in 2 hrs from 07:15hrs (all heading W) 2 Leach’s Petrel, 1 Grey Phalarope, 1 Pomarine Skua, 4 Arctic Skua, 18 GN Diver, 2 RT Diver, 33 Great Skuas, 69 Manx Shearwater, 139 Kittiwake, 4 Fulmar, 1380 Gannet, 3320 large auk, 1 PB Brents and 1 Long-tailed Duck (John Bowler with Jim Dickson later on). 1 Yellow-browed Warbler and 1 Willow Warbler at the Glebe ( Jim Dickson).
4 PB Brent at Sorobaidh Bay and 3 at Salum Bay. 1 juv Knot at Gott Bay. 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 5 Common Redpoll and 1 Goldcrest at Balephuil (John Bowler).
KINTYRE: Seawatch 07:30 – 15:30hrs / NW 6 > 8 with frequent squalls. Noteworthy gale species were 12 Leach’s Petrels, 2 Grey Phalaropes and 8 Great Skuas. A supporting cast included 22 Pb Brent Geese, 4 Northern Pintail, 10 Greater Scaup, 26 Red-throated Divers, 17 juvenile Northern Gannets, 8 Bar-tailed Godwits and 2 juvenile Arctic Terns (Eddie Maguire).
