Isle of Islay - Birding Days 3 and 4

Birding Day 3!

These 2 days are days where we didn't see much, so I have merged them together to make one post. Anyway, enough of the waffling, let me tell you about our days!

On the 5th, we started off at Duich Lots, a place not far from where we stayed. We were looking for a reported Red Grouse but we didn't see that. We did see a ringtail Hen Harrier though which was nice...

For the rest of the day we headed round to the other side of the Island around Port Charlotte area. It was a miserable day in terms of weather so the only other birds of note during this day was a Peregrine and a couple of Chough which is still better than nothing.

Birding Day 4

Birding Day 4 was a lot more successful than the previous day in terms of birds and whether, so here goes...

We went down to Laggan Point in the morning which is a lovely rocky area good for sea birds...

 We got some cracking Black Guillemots, including a close one on a rock!

We also got a nice family of Ringed Plover here too...

We also got a Shag...

And a very obliging Dunlin...

On the way out the fields were filled with Sand Martins, and a few Hooded Crows...

In the afternoon, we headed out to Port Ellen, Ardbeg and Claggain Bay. We came across a fantastic sight which was a pair of Golden Eagles flying really close to the road. How cool is that!

We got to Claggain Bay and found a summer plumaged Red-throated Diver, Small Copper and 4 Eider. Great stuff!

2014 Year List Total - 205

Happy Birding!

Isle of Mull - Day 2

Today, our target bird was Wood Warbler, and Ardura Oak Woodland near Croggan was the place.We started with about 4 Great Northern Diver on Loch Scridain.

A nice flock of Razorbill were on the loch, obviously in from the sea. Still plenty of Hoody's and Willow Warblers about, and about 3 Common Terns were fishing. 3 Tree Pipit shew well, as did both Eagle species at the respected sites. 

White-tailed Eagle

A House Martin was collecting mud...

A Hoody was also about

We got to Ardura, and we could already here the trilling of Wood Warbler. It wasn't long before we located it.

Wood Warbler

We then got Spotted Flycatcher onto the year list...

Driving along side Loch Spelve, we got good views of inshore Black Guillemot and Gannet.

Black Guillemot

Gannet

A Wheatear also shew well in a roadside field

We then went down to Loch Buie, and that produced up to 5 Red-throated Divers, a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers and 5 Eider. Also, a very tame Chaffinch was walking right past your feet!!!

Happy Birding!