Category: Sightings

KINTYRE: A fem-type COMMON ROSEFINCH was seen & photographed in the garden at Lephenstrath Bridge this morning by Ann & Noel Hand.

KINTYRE: An adult ROSS’S GOOSE was in fields just NW of Peninver (Jim Dickson, David Jardine) having been seen briefly the previous day from a passing bus and suspected as a Snow Goose (Alasdair Paterson). It seems most likely this is the same un-ringed bird that had been in Ayrshire 40 miles to the east between 26 Sep and 19 Nov. It will be for the BBRC to determine if this counts as a wild bird and become a new species for Argyll. Since the 1950’s when the global population was only 2,500 birds, legal protection and provision of refuges has seen numbers rise to over 3 million birds and there have now been 18 accepted records in Great Britain – however they are widely kept in collections and escapes are not infrequent.

ISLAY: A GREAT WHITE EGRET was found around midday at Loch Kinnabus (David Dinsley).

ISLAY: The CACKLING GOOSE was noted again today at Cornabus (Ed Burrell).

MID-ARGYLL: An adult MEDITERRANEAN GULL was noted in with a small influx of Black-headed Gulls at Loch Gilp this morning (Jim Dickson).

MULL: A RED KITE was noted over Dervaig today.

MULL: A RED KITE was noted over West Ardhu today.

MID-ARGYLL: Two GREAT WHITE EGRETS were seen during WeBS counts at Loch Craignish/Loch Beag today – also 6 Little Egrets noted. (Phillip Price).
ISLAY: The adult RED-BREASTED GOOSE is still present in the Gruinart area and the CACKLING GOOSE is still at Cornabus.

ISLAY: The female LESSER SCAUP was noted again at Loch Skerrols – after a gap of a few weeks (Derek Coleman) and two drake GREEN-WINGED TEAL were together – seen from south hide at RSPB Loch Gruinart (James How).
KINTYRE: On the WeBS count at the Sound of Gigha two fem/imm VELVET SCOTERS were in with the Common Scoters there, also 5 Long-tailed Ducks noted (David Jardine, Jim Dickson).

ISLAY: The CACKLING GOOSE was noted at Leorin today (Jacob New).