Category: Sightings

COWAL: 55 Pink-footed Geese > NW over Glendaruel at 12:10 (Clive McKay).
KINTYRE: a report of around 80 geese (Pink-feet?) > N over Carradale this morning. Another separate report later of around 300 > N. Also Tree Pipit and 4 Reed Buntings at Carradale Bay (Alisdair Paterson).
The 2CY Iceland Gull is still at Campbeltown harbour (Eddie Maguire).
NORTH ARGYLL: the Common Sandpipers are back at the Benderloch gravel pits (Robin Harvey).
TIREE: 67 Black-tailed Gowits (2 colour-ringed birds) and 1 Greenshank (1^st of year here) at Loch a’ Phuill – also 12 White Wagtails there. 1m and 1f Blackcap at Balephuil plus 1 Goldcrest, 1 Willow Warbler, 1m Wheatear and 6 Redwings. 3 White Wagtails at Sorobaidh Bay (John Bowler).
MULL: a House Martin seen this morning at Croggan (Steve Hiscock).
ISLAY: a 1w Little Gull at Black Rocks, Loch Indaal and a Glaucous Gull there later… Gary Turnbull:  Wild Islay Birding
Also 2 Arctic Terns (first report) at Loch Indaal (Angus Hogg).
COLONSAY: on Oronsay a Little-ringed Plover was found and causing much excitement with the team there (Morgan Vaughan).
COLL: first report of a Corncrake at Totronald RSPB reserve (Ben Jones).

MID-ARGYLL: a Cuckoo heard calling at Cairnbaan this morning, also two Blackcaps in song there. Ad Little Gull still at Loch Gilp (Jim Dickson). First Swallows at Ormsary today and also a House Martin this afternoon (Stu Crutchfield). A Tree Pipit this morning in Kilmichael forest during my BBS transect (David Jardine). Grasshopper Warbler (our first report) heard at Minard today (Sally Hall).
Mull: two Tree Pipits singing at Glen Aros this morning (Sean Foote and Abi Jacobs).
TIREE: six Lapland Bunting (4 males) were at Sorobaidh Bay, also 5 White Wagtails there.
A m Blackcap singing at Balephuil (arrived evening of 15 April, was first of spring here), also 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Goldcrest and 6 Redwings there. 2 pairs of Gadwall noted today (John Bowler). An imm White-tailed Eagle soaring high over Milton (Christian Verstraete).
MULL: a Cuckoo was heard calling at Croggan (Steve Hiscock per Alan Spellman) and one at Lochdon (Andrea Mackenzie per Alan Spellman).
ISLAY: a Cuckoo was at Ballygrant (Angus Hogg).

TIREE: a juv Glaucous Gull and 2 Little Terns at Gott Bay – an obvious increase in waders with 190 Ringed Plovers there and 4 new leg-flagged Sanderlings on 3 beaches. 2 Pale-bellied Brents at Balephetrish Bay. A Pink-footed Goose with 405 Barnacle Geese at Balephetrish (most of the 4,600 Barnies that wintered here and almost all of the 900 Greenland White-fronts have moved north). A male Chaffinch singing at Balephuil – a rare treat here – also a Willow Warbler, 5 Redwings and 2 Goldcrests there (John Bowler). 20+ Shelducks watched arriving from the south at Traigh Bhi (Rob Archer).
KINTYRE: a Stock Dove at Killellan Park, south Kintyre (Eddie Maguire / Rab Morton), and a report for 12 Apr with a Little Tern and a Bar-tailed Godwit just N of Kennacraig jetty (Eddie Maguire per Darragh Hudson).
COWAL: 29 Purple Sandpipers at Crazy Golf, Dunoon this afternoon (George Newall).
ISLAY: a Sedge Warbler was heard singing at Keills yesterday – first report (Gary Turnbull).
NORTH ARGYLL: a 2CY Iceland Gull, Kilcheran Loch, Lismore, also a 2CY Whooper Swan there (David Jardine). Also on Lismore a House Martin at Achnacroish and 2 Red-throated Divers and a Black Guillemot off the pier, from new resident to Lismore (Robert Croma).

MID-ARGYLL: a flock of 21 Kittiwakes flew up Loch Gilp then headed back south, also several Swallows in Lochgilphead now. 25 Sand Martins and 4 Swallows by the Crinan Ferry turnoff (Jim Dickson).
TIREE: A massive flock of 7,500 Golden Plover at The Reef with 550 more at Loch a’ Phuill. 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Goldfinch, 1 Redwing and 1 Goldcrest at Balephuil. 5 Black-tailed Gowits at Loch an Eilein (John Bowler). 1 juv Glaucous Gull at Gott Bay, with 4 Little Terns, 44 Pale-bellied Brents (3 ringed) and 4 Purple Sandpipers later on at Gott Bay (Rob Archer).

KINTYRE: at the Machrihanish SBO the first Whimbrel (3) and a light movement of Razorbills with 210 >S / 3hrs (Eddie Maguire). Sand and House Martins at Low Smerby and a Common Sandpiper at Claonaig (Neil Hammatt).
COWAL: Nuthatches seen occasionally in my garden at Glenbranter, with a recent sighting of one there (Agnes MacPhillimy).
TIREE: a Whimbrel at Traigh Bhagh was the first arrival report for the island (John Bowler).

KINTYRE: just received a report of our first Cuckoo (7^th April) at Clachan, Kintyre (Ged Connelly per Alasdair Paterson).
COWAL: 15 Purple Sandpipers and 29 Turnstones yesterday at Dunoon Crazy golf (George Newall).
In Benmore Gardens this morning – 2 singing Chiffchaffs, 3 singing Willow Warblers, a singing Blackcap, 2 Swallows and a Nuthatch in full song (Steve Petty).
TIREE:  3 juv Glaucous Gulls at Loch Bhasapol and 1 juv at Loch a’ Phuill – also 550 Golden Plover there. 29 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Gott Bay and 1 at Sorobaidh Bay. A total of 66 Black-tailed Godwits at 3 lochs (John Bowler). 200+ Marsh Fritillary caterpillars out on the sliabh in the sunshine (with Neil Ravenscroft).
MID-ARGYLL: the female Greater Scaup is still on Ballachuan Loch, Seil (David Jardine).

KINTYRE: at the Machrihanish SBO today 19 Great Northern Divers, 2 Common Scoters, 2 Sandwich Terns, 4 White Wagtails and ca. 20 Bottle-nosed Dolphins (Eddie Maguire).
TIREE: 1 Woodpigeon and 1 Collared Dove new at Balephuil – also 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, 6 Linnets and 2 Goldcrests there. Three White Wagtails new at Loch a’ Phuill plus 25 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow, 550 Golden Plovers and 20 Black-tailed Godwits there and 1 Grey Plover at Sorobaidh Bay (John Bowler), also 3 Sand Martins at Milton (Martin Finnigan).
MID-ARGYLL: two Common Sandpipers at Taynuilt towards Bonawe furnace (Stuart Edwards).