Category: Sightings

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).

KINTYRE: another summer plumaged ‘Scandinavian’ Rock Pipit was found by Eddie Maguire at the Machrihanish Observatory today.
MID-ARGYLL: Willow Warblers now becoming more widespread e.g. several seen along the Crinan canal today (Colin MacFarlane et al) and around Kilmartin (Malcolm Chattwood et al).
First report of a male Ring Ouzel, in song, at Beinn Buidhe, Glen Fyne today (Graeme Garner).
MULL: first report of a Common Sandpiper with one today at Loch Beg (Bryan Rains/Steve Hiscock).
TIREE: 26 Whooper Swans north at Balephuil– also 1 Willow Warbler (first of spring there), also 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Goldcrests and 50 Redwings (latter with much sub-song) 3 Goldfinch, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Wheatears and 5 Manx Shearwaters at West Hynish and 1 Swallow at Barrapol (John Bowler).

MID-ARGYLL: A Whimbrel on the shore of Loch Craignish, south of Ardfern this evening (David Jardine).
TIREE: 20 Black Guillemots on dawn count off Ceann a’ Mhara and 5 m Wheatear on shore; 1 juv Glaucous Gull, 18 Black-tailed Godwits and 4 Sand Martin at Loch a’ Phuill (John Bowler).

COWAL: The first record this year of a Wood Warbler seen near Stonefield, Glen Massan this afternoon (Alistair McGregor)
NORTH ARGYLL: A pair of Gadwall at Ardtur pond this evening (David Jardine).

COWAL: A male Brambling joined two Lesser Redpolls in a garden this morning at Knockdow (George Newall).  Also an Osprey on the Kilmun side of Holy Loch this afternoon. (Alistair McGregor)
KINTYRE: Today a first winter Iceland Gull at Campbeltown Harbour. (Eddie Maguire)
TIREE: Today, A juvenile Glaucous Gull, 4 Sand Martin, 18 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 PB Brent Geese and 28 Whooper Swans at Loch a’ Phuill; 1m Wheatear, 2 Linnet, 1 Barn Swallow, 1 Goldcrest and 50 Redwing at Balephuil; another juvenile Glaucous Gull and 5 Whoopers at Loch Bhasapol; 75 Greenland White-fronted Geese at Kenovay and 3,850 Golden Plover at The Reef (John Bowler)