COWAL: the imm/non-breeding Great White Egret is still at the head of the Holy Loch. The breeding adult has not been seen since Monday. It is feeding on small crabs and when it catches a flounder it flies off with it in the direction of the old gravel pits (Alistair McGregor).
COWAL: two Great White Egrets apparently turned up at the Holy Loch on Mon 15 May! Alistair McGregor and George Newall managed to see one of them the following day however no sign of them this morning. (update: one seen this evening). There had been two of this species at Baron’s Haugh, Clyde until late Sun 14 May….a full breeding adult and a non-breeding/imm therefore most likely the same birds. They may well turn up elsewhere in Argyll! in addition a Little Egret was reported from the head of Loch Riddon also on 15 May and Alistair McGregor managed to see it there yesterday. Swifts are back at Hillfoot, Dunoon this evening (George Newall).
MID-ARGYLL: a Garden Warbler seen and heard at Taynish early morning (Jon Close). 3 Swifts over Lochgilphead meadows this evening (Jim Dickson).
ISLAY: three Spotted Flycatchers at Kinnabus, The Oa today….first of the year there (David Wood).
TIREE: 1,700 Sanderlings and 900 Dunlins at Gott Bay including several leg-flagged Sanderling, over 2,100 Sanderlings on the island today.1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1m Cuckoo, 1 Goldfinch, 2 House Martins and 1 Chiffchaff at Balephuil. 1 Chiffchaff at Sorobaidh Bay creek. 1 Whimbrel at Loch an Eilein (John Bowler).
MID-ARGYLL: a belated report of a Magpie at Bridgend (north of Lochgilphead) on 6 May (John McInally)…always a good record in Mid-Argyll. At Kilmartin this evening a Spotted Flycatcher, a Garden Warbler, Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Yellowhammer, a pair of Grey Wagtails, Redpolls and Common Sandpipers (Jim Dickson). Six Swifts over Oban (above Tescos) this evening (Anne-Lise Dickie).
ISLAY: a report of a male Ring-necked Duck today at Loch Finlaggan (Andrew Greenwood per Ian Brooke).
TIREE: 1 Knot and 7 Bar-tailed Godwits at Gott Bay (Zul Bhatia). 1 Pink-footed Goose at Balevullin. 1 Purple Sandpiper, 220 Ringed Plovers and 1 Whimbrel at Hough Bay (John Bowler).
COLONSAY: on Oronsay today, a fleeting view of a Garganey (Morgan Vaughan).
TIREE: 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Swift at Loch a’ Phuill. 1 Arctic Skua (dark phase) off Hynish.1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Grasshopper Warbler and 1 Chiffchaff at Balephuil (John Bowler).
TIREE: a Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Spotted Flycatcher and 2 House Martins new at Carnan Mor (John Bowler).
NORTH ARGYLL: 34 Dunlins at Tralee Beach and a well grown juv Moorhen at the gravel pits (Robin Harvey). At Loch Tulla, Neil Hammatt noted Greenshanks and Wigeon there yesterday.
COLL: a Pomarine Skua was seen from (flew over) the Oban – Tiree ferry on Wed 10 May (Neil Hammatt). Today, 1 Swift over the Lodge plantation and 2 White Wagtails, 2 Sand Martins and 6 Purple Sandpipers on Gunna (John Bowler).
ISLAY: a male Ruff again at RSPB Gruinart reserve (per Ian Brooke).
MULL: the first spring Redstart on the island was at Ardura (Bryan Rains per Alan Spellman).
COLL: two Spotted Flycatchers this morning at the Lodge plantation (John Bowler). Singing Wood and Garden Warbler in the Lodge plantation this afternoon (John Bowler).
COWAL: a photo of a Cuckoo from Glen Massan recently from Alistair McGregor who notes numbers down a bit in the area this year….
MULL: a Turtle Dove was found at Kintra (Deargphort) at mid-day but not seen later (Jeremy and Margaret Roberts).
TIREE: this evening, John Bowler saw an adult male Ruff on the shore at Mannal and a Spotted Flycatcher at Balephuil.
COWAL: two Sanderlings at Toward today (Alistair McGregor).
COWAL: five Purple Sandpipers at Dunoon crazy golf, plus 1 Turnstone (George Newall). Five Common Swifts around Dunoon primary School this afternoon (Tom Callan).
MID-ARGYLL: three Sedge Warblers around Ormsary today (Stu Crutchfield).
TIREE: a Wood Sandpiper on pool at Kilmoluaig this afternoon (David Palmar per John Bowler).
ISLAY: at Kilchoman, Ian Brooke continues to create a feeding and nesting an area attractive to many species. An upgrade of the feeding station is proving popular with Golfinch at present. The drake Garganey is still at Gruinart, also a Ruff in breeding plumage and our first report of a Spotted Flycatcher (per Ian Brooke).
COWAL: Ian Giles sent in this great image on Mandarins at the Holy Loch taken on 3rd May. Two Common Swifts were over Toward Castle this afternoon (Cherry Cook).
KINTYRE: at Rhunahaorine Point this evening several members of the ABC committee roped off a small area to protect breeding birds vulnerable from disturbance. In a couple of hours over 50 species were noted in the area including several Great Northern Divers, 60+ Common Scoters, a Grey Plover, 4 Sanderlings, Crossbills and Tree Pipits (photo shows one with a brood patch).
