Category: Sightings

TIREE: A YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER was at Balephuil early evening (John Bowler). A late Manx Shearwater and Puffin on a seawatch from Aird this pm (Jim Dickson/Stuart Gibson).

ISLAY: A report of a CACKLING GOOSE from the Loch Gruinart viewpoint platform at 15.40 and a different individual from the CACKLING GOOSE at Gruinart yesterday (John Overfield).

ISLAY: A GREY PHALAROPE was at a small rock pool just north of Saligo Bay (Tim Daley). Good numbers of Barnacle geese now arriving on Islay.
MID-ARGYLL: Small numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare beginning to arrive now – also some reports of Brambling.
NORTH ARGYLL: A report of another 2 LITTLE EGRET – at Port Ramsay/ Fènnachrochan, Lismore (David Jardine). This takes the current Argyll total to around 13 or 14 birds.

ISLAY: The RED-BREASTED GOOSE was seen again today – among a large group of Barnacle Geese (John Wills). Also at Loch Gruinart a juv RED KITE was reported by Teresa Morris.
TIREE: Juv PECTORAL SANDPIPER again at Loch an Eilein (John Bowler).
COWAL/ISLAY/KINTYRE/MID-ARGYLL: An update on LITTLE EGRET sightings – recent reports have included up to 6 at the Holy Loch/Loch Riddon in Cowal, 2 on Islay, 1 at Campbeltown Loch, Kintyre and 3 at Loch Gilp, Mid-Argyll. Worth looking out for others around our Argyll coastline and please report any you see to

ISLAY: An adult RED-BREASTED GOOSE of unknown origin was found with Barnacle Geese at Loch Gruinart today (James How).

TIREE: A Juv PECTORAL SANDPIPER was at Baugh with Golden Plovers (John Bowler). Could be the same bird seen briefly with Golden Plover at Barrapol last week?

TIREE: An early morning seawatch from Hynish produced; 1 juvenile SABINE’S GULL, 1 Grey Phalarope, 1 Leach’s Petrel,  11 Sooty Shearwater, 2 Pomarine Skua, 8 Arctic Skua, 12 Great Skua, 6 Arctic Tern, 4 Fulmar, 8 Black Guillemot, 4 GN Diver, 1 RT Diver, 68 Eider, 30 Shag, 190 Manx Shearwater, 1,230 large auk (mostly Razorbills), 1,835 Gannet, 3,630 Kittiwake (John Bowler).
ISLAY: A CURLEW SANDPIPER was at Loch Gruinart this morning (Sam Hood).

TIREE: A first-year male ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK was found in the morning at Balephuil (John Bowler, Jim Dickson, Stuart Gibson, David Jardine). The bird was very flighty and seen at three locations around Balephuil. A new species for Argyll and only the sixth record for Scotland if accepted by the BBRC. A first year COMMON ROSEFINCH was found at Balemartine in the morning (David Jardine).

COWAL: An adult MEDITERRANEAN GULL was at Blairmore, Loch Long today (Neil Hammatt).
KINTYRE: A SNOW BUNTING was near the Machrihanish seabird observatory this morning (Mandy Hodkinson).

TIREE: Single LAPLAND BUNTINGS were noted at Beinn Hough (David Jardine) and at The Reef (John Bowler). Female RING-NECKED DUCK still at Loch Bhasapol and male at Loch a’ Phuill.