TIREE: A Buff-breasted Sandpiper west of Loch Bhasapol this afternoon in with Golden Plovers – found by the visiting Argyll Bird Club group – they also reported an adult Long-tailed Skua from the ferry between Mull and Coll. Also 1 Greenland Redpoll on roadside at east end of Traigh Bhi (John Bowler).
COWAL: A Kingfisher again from the Kilmun hide at the Holy Loch, also a Little Grebe from there and a Chiffchaff was heard (Alistair McGregor).
KINTYRE: A Little Egret is still at Kennacraig (Jim Dickson). At the Machrihanish SBO (15:00hrs) a flock ca. 120 Pink-footed Geese in off sea (Eddie Maguire).
MULL: A Turtle Dove at Treshnish NW Mull today (Anand Prasad).
TIREE: A sea-watch from Aird in NW7 from Aird (0700-0800) produced the following (all heading west): 1 juv Sabine’s Gull, 1 Leach’s Petrel, 2 Storm Petrel, 2 RT Diver, 1 Great Skua, 2 Fulmar, 2 Arctic Skua, 25 Kittiwake, 82 large auk, 97 Manx Shearwater and 151 Gannets. Also 1 juv Ruff, 9 Black-tailed Godwits and 1 juv Shelduck at Middleton (John Bowler).
ISLAY: Highlights today included – a Great Skua off Portnahaven, at Loch Indaal – 6 Arctic Terns, 1 Greenshank, 31 Common Scoters, 52 Wigeon, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Greater Scaup and a juv Black-throated Diver. At Craigens – a juv Whinchat and at Loch Gruinart – 2 Peregrines, an imm White-tailed Eagle, 2 ad Whooper Swans and a single Barnacle Goose (Jim Dickson).
COWAL: At Ardyne this morning – 4 Sandwich Terns and a single ‘Greenland’ Wheatear (George Newall).
ISLAY: Highlights today included a group of 7 Gadwall new in at Loch Gorm, a female Greater Scaup off Blackrocks, 5 Arctic and 1 Sandwich Tern off Bruichladdich and 2 Ruff and 2 Golden Plovers in off the sea during a sea-watch near Frenchman’s Rocks this morning (07:25 – 08:50) which included 127 Kittiwakes, 930 Manx Shearwaters, 11 Fulmars, 1 Arctic Tern and 2,100 large auks (Jim Dickson).
COLL: An imm White-tailed Sea Eagle at Sorisdale, Coll (John Bowler).
ISLAY: Highlights today included: 27 Common Scoters, 2 Greater Scaup, 2 Slavonian Grebes, 2 Ruff, 2 Whooper Swans, 2 Barnacle Geese, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Arctic Terns, 3 Pintails, 1 Hen Harrier, 1 Peregrine and 3 Sparrowhawks (Jim Dickson).
KINTYRE: A sea-watch at the MSBO 07:00-16:00hrs / light wind variable mainly WSW. All species >S. Gadwall 8, Northern Gannet 3 juveniles, Red-throated Diver 18 >S, Sanderling 60, Bar-tailed Godwit 8, Whimbrel 2 and the 2CY Iceland Gull was relocated nearby (Eddie Maguire & Jarrod Hadfield).
COWAL: The WeBS count at the Holy Loch today had highlights of a Kingfisher, 2 Black-tailed Godwits and a high count of 13 Goosanders (George Newall & Alistair McGregor).
TIREE: A sea-watch from Aird in NW7-8 with squalls 0655-0825hrs produced (all heading W out of the Minch): 1 Grey Phalarope, 1 Pomarine Skua, 5 Arctic Skua, 6 Arctic Tern, 1 Red-throated Diver, 25 Great Skua, 44 large auk, 41 Fulmar, 49 Kittiwake, 230 Manx Shearwaters, 941 Gannet and 30 Golden Plover. Also, the 1w Red-breasted Flycatcher still in gardens at Balephuil all day, 2 juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpipers at Loch a’ Phuill, 1 juvenile Little Stint at Vaul Bay and 9 Black-tailed Godwits at Sandaig (John Bowler).
KINTYRE: A sea-watch at the MSBO 07:00-19:00hrs (12hrs). NW 5 / light squalls produced: P-b Brent Goose 2, Common Scoter 5, Northern Gannet 2 juveniles (the first), Manx Shearwater 600, Leach’s Petrel 1, Grey Phalarope 3, Great Skua 4, Pomarine Skua 1 juvenile, Arctic Skua 2, Long-tailed Skua 1 juvenile, Black-legged Kittiwake 700+, Sandwich Tern 5, Arctic Tern 12 (Eddie Maguire & Jarrod Hadfield)).
TIREE: At Balephuil today there was a first-winter Pied Flycatcher seen this morning and a first-winter Red-breasted Flycatcher in the afternoon, both birds were being very elusive (John Bowler)
TIREE: A sea-watch from Aird in NW7 with squalls: highlights included – 1 Leach’s Petrel and 1 Pomarine Skua (John Bowler).
COWAL: A Kingfisher seen on the post from the bird hide on the Holy Loch this afternoon (George Newell /Alistair McGregor).
MID-ARGYLL: A Kingfisher was at Strone point near Inveraray (Hugh Nicol). 1 Whitethroat and 1 Whimbrel at Balviar, Seil today (John Sedgewick).
On Luing at Toberonochy – a juv Curlew Sandpiper and 8 calling Water Rails at Balvicar, Seil at dusk (David Jardine).
ISLAY: Highlights around Loch Indaal today included – a Ruff, a Whimbrel, an Osprey, 2 Brent Geese, a Long-tailed Duck, 2 Slavonian Grebes and at Loch Gruinart – 7 Knot and 2 Brent Geese (per Ian Brooke).
NORTH ARGYLL: An early report of a f/imm Goldeneye at Loch Creran during WeBS count (Robin Harvey).
KINTYRE: Eddie Maguire saw a juv Sabine’s Gull this afternoon passing the MSBO hide with other notable species including 2 Pomarine Skuas and 4 P-b Brent Geese.
TIREE: A juv Curlew Sandpiper was at Balephetrish Bay today and a juv Little Stint was at the Ruaig end of Gott Bay yesterday (Keith Gillon).
COWAL: A Nuthatch was on a bird feeder outside the new squirrel/ bird hide at Benmore Gardens (Janis Webster).
TIREE: A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was found at Greenhill this afternoon, also 2 juv Curlew Sandpipers at Gott Bay (Keith Gillon). 1 Lapland Bunting today at Gott Bay – first found there on 3 Sept by Keith Gillon and 1 Lapland Bunting calling in flight at Greenhill (John Bowler).
ISLAY: A 1.5 hours sea watch at Frenchman’s rocks – W 5-6 by Peter Roberts, Bob Davison and Mike Peacock produced: Manx Shearwater 997, Fulmar 23, Kittiwake 24, Shag 4, Cormorant 1, Auk sp. 29, Black Guillemot 3, Common/Arctic tern 1, Great Black-backed Gull 10, Gannet 339 + 150 feeding around rocks, Great Skua 7, Sanderling 12, Whimbrel 1, Diver sp. 1 and at long last – Storm Petrel 1.
