Sightings – Page 151 – Argyll Bird Club

5th February

ISLAY: the Cackling Goose at Emeraconart (nr Ballygrant) was still with Barnacle Geese this afternoon. Many thanks to the Islay birders for their wonderful hospitality during the ‘bridge camera workshop’ this weekend….I’m sure lots of great photos to come from Islay soon! (Jim Dickson).
MID-ARGYLL: at Ormsary/mouth of Loch Caolisport – 21 Black-throated, 42 Great Northern and 8 Red-throated Divers, 4 Slavonian Grebes, single juvenile Kumlien’s and Iceland Gulls, and 11 flyover Crossbills (Dan Brown).
KINTYRE: at the Sound of Gigha (West Loch Tarbert mouth to Rhunahaorine Pt) – 72 Slavonian Grebes, 127 Great Northern Divers, 2 Velvet Scoters, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 2 Hen Harriers and a Common Sandpiper nr Ronachan Pt. A juvenile Iceland Gull at Machrihanish plus one at Campbeltown Harbour and two more at Kilmichael flood. Also a very good count of 2,003 ‘Greenland’ White-fronts around the Laggan with 3 Pink-feet, 9 Barnacles and 3 likely Todd’s Canada Geese, also 315 ‘Greenland’ White-fronts around Rhunahaorine and 140+ at Loch nan Gan Dad (Dan Brown).
On 31 Jan Dan had a good count of 326 Great Northern Divers at the Sound of Gigha and also an adult and a juvenile Glaucous Gull at the mouth of West Loch Tarbert, Kintyre.

Common Sandpiper - Ronachan, Kintyre 5 Feb (Dan Brown). — Common Sandpiper – Ronachan, Kintyre 5 Feb (Dan Brown).

Kunlien's Gull - Ormsary, Mid-Argyll 5 Feb (Dan Brown). — Kumlien’s Gull – Ormsary, Mid-Argyll 5 Feb (Dan Brown).

Iceland Gull - Campbeltown, Kintyre 5 Feb (Dan Brown). — Iceland Gull – Campbeltown, Kintyre 5 Feb (Dan Brown).

Cackling Goose - Islay 5 Feb (Jim Dickson) — Cackling Goose – Islay 5 Feb (Jim Dickson)

4th February

TIREE: a new juvenile Iceland Gull roosting at Traigh Bhi today (John Bowler).

3rd February

TIREE: a juvenile Glaucous Gull east of the old harbour at Scarinish this afternoon (John Bowler).

31st January

KINTYRE: A Little Egret early afternoon reported by Graeme Garner at Tayinloan, just north of the ferry terminal, feeding in a pool above the beach.
ISLAY: a Cackling Goose was at Emeraconart (nr Ballygrant) (Dan Brown).
JURA: a Whimbrel was at Luss Bay, north end of the island (Dan Brown).

Whimbrel (left) - Inverlussa, Jura 31 Jan (Dan Brown). — Whimbrel (left) – Inverlussa, Jura 31 Jan (Dan Brown).

29th January

COWAL: 26 Purple Sandpipers and 38 Turnstones at Dunoon Crazy Golf today (George Newall).
MID-ARGYLL: On the ABC trip to Ormsary today the highlights included: 6 Slavonian Grebes, 17 Black-throated Divers (lots of G N D & Red-t Divers), a 1w Iceland Gull, a fem Pintail, single Golden Eagle, Peregrine & Sparrowhawk, a group of 14 Red Knot and at least 3 Grey Wagtails among the 53 species noted.
Yesterday in an Ardrishaig garden, highlights during the 1 hour RSPB garden birdwatch included: 97 Chaffinches, 1 Brambling, 8 Goldfinch, 6 Siskins, 6 Lesser Redpolls, 1 Treecreeper, 5 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Sparrowhawk (Lynsey Gibson).

Pintail - Ormsary, Mid-Argyll 29 Jan (Jim Dickson). — Pintail – Ormsary, Mid-Argyll 29 Jan (Jim Dickson).

Iceland Gull - Ormsary, Mid-Argyll 29 Jan (Jim Dickson). — Iceland Gull – Ormsary, Mid-Argyll 29 Jan (Jim Dickson).

27th January

MULL: a party of 12 Yellowhammers in Alan Spellman’s garden at Lochdon this morning.

26th January

NORTH ARGYLL: the Little Egret was showing well at Loch Laich, Appin this morning, but too distant to photograph. Also present were 21 Oystercatcher, 5 Curlew, 7 Redshank, 76 Canada Geese and Common, Herring and Black-headed Gulls (Mike Harrison).
MID-ARGYLL: have just seen a male Goosander feeding in Tayvallich Bay (Amanda Chadderton).

25th January

TIREE: off Hynish in S8 with rain 1235-1335hrs: 2 Little Auks, 74 Gannets, 55 Kittiwakes, 45 Razorbills, 43 Fulmars, 42 Shags, 29 GBB Gulls, 18 Tysties, 12 Guillemots and 7 G N Divers (John Bowler).

24th January

MID-ARGYLL: the adult Glaucous Gull again at the head of Loch Gilp this am (Jim Dickson). Karen Taylor has reported 20-30 Waxwings in Minard seen on 21 Jan, so may still be around.
ISLAY: Ian Brooke has said the Green-winged Teal is still at Gruinart (Bob Davison) and the mid-month island International goose counts were: 45,056 Barnacle, 4,694 White-fronted and 581 Greylag Geese.
TIREE/COLL: 1 fem Greater Scaup still at Loch a’ Phuill plus 102 Curlews. Also 2 White-beaked Dolphin off SW Coll (John Bowler).

Dunnock - Kilchoman, Islay Ian & Margaret Brooke — Dunnock – Kilchoman, Islay Ian & Margaret Brooke

23rd January

NORTH ARGYLL: the Little Egret was back at Loch Laich early morning (David Jardine).
TIREE: 1 Puffin off Gunna Sound from the Oban ferry is an early record (John Bowler).