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latest reports - april
     
   
Latest reports for April 2012
30th a male summer plumage long tailed
duck under gribbunIsle of Mull
Wildlife Expeditions
30th - Tobermory A Dipper was on the Tobermory
burn nr the roundabout at the top of Eas Brae.
30th - Duart Castle An adult and an immature White-tailed
Eagle competing against the fresh winds over the castle car park made for
highly impressive viewing this morning.Mull
Magic Walks
30th - Lochdon Marshes A pair of Hen Harriers apparently
hunting in tandem.
30th - Loch Buie Two Great Northern Divers on loch
and an adult White-tailed Eagle hunting the slopes of Ben Buie p.m.; Singing
male Blackcap and Chiffchaff in woods nr Moy Castle. Ruth Fleming Mull
Magic Walks
30th Port Na Ba 4 Whimbrel.First Cuckoo calling
at frachadil. Andrew Mortley
29th - 5 Red Throated Divers Loch Na Keal, Common
Sandpipers at Laggan Ulva, a single Whimbrel at Laggan Ulva with 6 more
in field at Gruline. A Peregrine Falcon Eas Force waterfall. 4 Hen Harriers
at Loch Frisa.
(not birds), but 2 Adders at Reudle. Arthur &
Pam Brown
29th Treshnish, 1 hybrid Carrion/Hooded Crow at
Haunn (has been since at least the 20th) and appears to be paired up with
a Hoody, P
29th Lochdon two Greenshank on the shore and it
looks like we have breeding greylags. Alan
28th Iona: first report of calling Corncrake
on Iona received today. visiting birders
28th Aros Park at 6-30am this morning 2 saw
a Singing Chiffchaff and 2 Singing male Blackcaps. I managed to
get a nice photo of one of the Blackcaps before the batteries in the camera
died. Arthur
27th A list of birds seen off Cailaich Point at
7am this morning 2 Puffins, a single Great Skua, 24 Manx Shearwater, 26
Gannets, Razorbills and Guillemots, also Shags, and Fulmars, Distant Kittiwakes
in good numbers and a White Wagtail all seen on an hours watching in the
perishing cold.
At Calgary there was a single Great Northern Diver
in breeding plumage and a Red Throated Diver flew overhead. Great mornings
birding Arthur
27th - Aros Park, Tobermory Up to six singing
Blackcaps, two Chiffchaffs and a single Crossbill near the park's centre
today.Ruth Fleming
This interesting photo was
taken by Doug Simpson
|
| Steve Kirk from
Yorkshire sent in this photo. It shows a Greylag goose nesting in an old
Red Kites nest in a tree.
Dave Sexton writes:
"Brilliant I know Canada geese use bald eagle nests in the US!
Wonder if any dare use a WTE nest?"
John Bowler (Tiree)
says "I know wildfowl including geese will very occasionally use
large old nests high in trees – I seem to remember hearing about Greylags
that took over an Osprey eyrie for a year or two in Perthshire".
|
|
25th Loch Spelve. 38 Pink-footed Geese flying NW,
4 immature White-tailed Eagles together over Cruach Ardura; a dazzling
male Hen Harrier was hunting the Lochdon marshes bird today was a beautiful
and confiding cock Reed Bunting, Ruth Fleming
24th Treshnish: a Barn Owl present for the last
10 days.
24th Loch Ba: male Redstart & Tree Pipits &
a pair of Bullfinch at Ardrioch. Pam & Arthur
24th Uisken: 3 Twite, 1 Whimbrel, Loch Bweg 2 Greenshank
& Fidden 1 Golden Plover, Bryan Rains
23rd Glen More a Tree Pipit.
21st Fionphort: a 1st winter Glaucous gull and
2 Common Scoter on Loch Scridain. Btyan Rains
24th Loch na Keal: Groups of up to 10 Red Throated
Divers, Great Northern Divers coming into summer plumage. Adult and Juv
WTSE (Adult only 5m away). Not birds but we also saw 5 Harbour Porpoise
Common Seals and Otter. Martin Keivers
24th Fantastic aurora last night
22nd - Loch Spelve Hunting Short-eared Owl, Lochdon
marshes; 8 Black Guillemots, 32 Eider, several Great Northern Divers, single
Red-throated Diver, calling Cuckoo, singing Tree Pipit and two Swallows
at Loch Spelve and 14 Eiders at Salen Bay were highlights of today's walk.
22nd - Tobermory A Golden Eagle glided lazily over
the Mull Magic garden this evening. Not a bad one for the Garden List!
Ruth Fleming
22nd Sub-adult Iceland Gull off Glengorm. Ewan.
22nd Have been seeing 2 Golden Plovers on the 2nd
fairway at Craignure Golf Club. Also a pair of Shelducks in Scallastle
bay. Mary van Heerden -
22nd A male Reed Bunting in reedbed on Loch na
Keal at the end of kellan Farm drive. Arthur.
21st Loch Tuath, 1 Black-throated Diver off from
Tostary.
21st Loch Ba Male Redstart & cock Mistle Thrush
in song, pair of Grey Wagtails, flock of 40 Meadow Pipits, pair of Redshanks,
7 s/p Golden Plover, 2 pairs of Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 pairs of Greylag
Goose, pair of Red-throated Divers & single s/p Slavonian Grebe were
highlights of today's walk.
20th Loch Ba. Male Cuckoo calling at Knock; Cock
Redstart singing (1st) on chimney of ruined outbuilding, Benmore
Lodge, then from nearby Coille na Sroine woods, where singing Tree Pipit
also heard; 'Drumming' Great Spotted Woodpecker on Gruline side of loch
and a male at Coille na Sroine; Four Common Sandpipers and a pair of Grey
Wagtails on loch side; Three Golden Plovers at Knockantivore, where hybrid
Carrion Crow/Hooded Crow seen; Pair of Red-throated Divers and single female
Goldeneye were highlights on loch itself. Ruth Fleming.
15th Guests reported 4 Snow Buntings at Dùn
Haunn at the same spot where the leucistic Wheatear is usually found. They
assured me they were a more rounded shape than a Wheatear.
19th at grasspoint. Greenshank, several willow
warbler. Dave Fielder
18th pair of short-eared owls hunting over the
grassland at Dervaig. 1 common sandpiper on Loch Na Keal
3 Snow Bunting on Ben More. Couldn't believe my
eyes, but managed to get my book out while they were still in sight &
identical patterns & colouring to the book. I notice your species list
says you only get them in cold winters - it had snowed the day before.
Dave Fielder
19th Tobermory. Single Jay seen in flight
at Apper Mor. Ruth Fleming.
19th Cuckoo at Killiechronan and 2 Swallows in
Salen. Ewan Miles
18th Two Black Throated Divers in Loch Mingery
today. Ewan Miles
18th Cuckoo seen (and heard) just before
the 'Scenic route to Salen' turn, alongside the stream that runs
parallel to the road, also 3 SEOs near the viewing point in Glen More.
Oliver Woodman
18th Male hen harrier hunting over fields this
evening at Suidhe, west of Bunessan. Tony Jefree
18th Lochdon I heard my first Cuckoo (1st
on 8th) of the year Alan
16th saw my first Common Sandpiper (1st
on 13th) opposite Inch Kenneth. (17th) a Short eared Owl near the
sheep fanks by Loch na Keal and a party of Twite at Glen Seilisdeir. Pete
Hall
15th Fionnphort - Cuckoo heard today reported by
Derek Crook - Mike Wagemakers
14thTobermory. 1st singing
male Blackcap of the Spring at Back Brae. Ruth Fleming
14th Barn Owl at 5.40 this morning on Salen to
Craignure road just by the quarry. Andy
13th Treshnish, 1 Arctic Skua in Sound of Coll
and Heron on nest in Treshnish woods
13th Loch na Keal just west of Dhiseig -single
Common
Sandpiper (1st), single Swallow @ Killichronan. Mike Wagemakers.
12th Glen More - 'Craig' Golden Eagles seen mating
- a little late. Mike Wagemakers
12th Glen More - 8 young sea eagles in the air
together. Two pairs of hen harriers, one at the Pennygael end of Glen More
and one opposite the 3 Lochs. David and Felicity Pollard
12th Pair Goosander in Aros Bay this morning and
beautiful Grey Wagtail at Eas Fors bridge. Andy Bayes
11th - Loch Ba. Highlights of our walk today included
a first singing male Willow Warbler of the Spring, two drumming Great Spotted
Woodpeckers, a Red-throated Diver on the loch, five Goldeneye and a singing
male Grey Wagtail. Ruth Fleming
11th at Glen Seilisdeir this afternoon delighted
to hear a chiffchaff. Debby Thorne
11th April Loch Scridain 1 Willow
Warbler. Bryan Rains.
10th Treshnish, 2 Grey Wagtails at Ensay Burn mouth
(my first since 2010)!
10th Langamull. White
Wagtail (1st) of our season today. Ruth Fleming.
10th 16 Whooper Swans on Loch an t-Suidhe,
Bunessan. 8+ Ringed Plover, 8 Turnstones, 2 Shelduck, 2 Mountain Hares
and 30+ Common Seals at Fidden, Stonechat at the turn for Salen scenic
route in Glen More. Andy Bayes
9th April Fidden 1 ad Iceland Gull, 30 Barnacle
Goose. Assapol 20 White-fronted Goose flying north, 4 Red-throated Diver,
1 Whooper Swan. Loch Scridain 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphin.
9th Treshnish, the leucistic Wheatear (breeding
Snow Bunting colours) and the Scandinavian Rock Pipit still present at
Port Haunn. Prasad.
8th Approx 30 Barnacle geese on Geasgill islands
- Loch Na Keal. Martin Keivers.
8th Caliach Point, 2 Manx
Shearwaters (1st), 1 Great Skua. Prasad.
8th Croig: a Cuckoo (1st)
was seen and heard by Richard Atkinson and his group
7th, 2 Dippers 2 miles upstream from Aros bridge
and 2 Greenshank in pool by Grasspoint bridge.
just taken this partly albino Pied Wagtail. (below)
Andy Bayes
7th saw the Scandinavian race of Rock pipit
at Port Haunn. , Prasad. 8
7th Treshnish, 1 Great
Skua (1st) at Port Haunn, 3 Twite at Haunn, 1 Linnet at Treshnish
cow-barn, leucistic Wheatear has been a round for a few days at Haunn Prasad
6th Two Whooper Swans and Little Grebe on Mishnish
lochs today. Andy Bayes
5th Iceland Gull Knock end South Shore Lock na
Keal, Bar-tailed Godwit at Lagganulva Bay, 12 Sand Martins Killiechronan
and a Merlin at Loch Torr. Arthur and Pam.
5th Tobermory 36 Barnacle Geese flew East over
Tobermory at mid-day. Ruth Fleming.
5th Loch Buie today, Great Spotted Woodpecker,
Redwing, 3 Great Northern Divers, 2 Red Throated Divers in Summer plumage,
4 Razorbills.Black Guillemot on Loch Spelve. Andy Bayes
3rd 2nd year Glaucous Gull at Fionnphort. Ewan
Miles
3rd Fionnphort 1 first winter Glaucous Gull,
3 Gannet. Uisken 3 Snow Bunting. Loch Scridain 1 Northern Wheatear.
Bryan Rains .
4th we saw swallows and house martins flying round
at the campsite at the head of Loch na Keal. Diana Lawson
4th Tobermory. 2 Swallows over Tobermory Recycling
Depot (first was on 27th March) and
3rd W Iceland Gull at Water Treatment Works. Ruth Fleming
4th Guillemott, Black Guillemott, Razorbill, Shag,
Gannets and a bonus pair of Red Throated Divers at the entrance to Ulva
Sound today. Martin
3rd 4 Wigeon in Aros Bay this morning. Andy Bayes
3rd Loch Spelve. Female Hen Harrier hunting
rough grassland, pristine male Wheatear, eight Skylarks in small flock
feeding on grass seeds by roadside, non-singing Chiffchaff searching buds
for sustenance in extremely cold weather, 18 Whooper Swans heading SE over
loch had obviously changed their minds about migrating north and turned
back! and four Purple Sandpipers at Portfield. Ruth Fleming
3rd 3 House Martins (1st)
and a Sand Martin, yesterday at Killiechronan camp site. Andy Bayes
3rd female Merlin at Reudle on !st and another
today at Laggan Ulva Bay. Cheers Arthur
2nd – Loch Spelve/Croggan Female Hen Harrier, Lochdon
marshes; 6 Great Northern Divers moulting into s/p; female Wheatear, 4
Yellowhammers and ca.30 Meadow Pipits, Croggan; Singing male Mistle Thrush,
Croggan and another pair, Kinlochspelve; 5 Purple Sandpipers, 9 Turnstones
and 4 Ringed Plovers, Portfield. Ruth Fleming.
1st Calgary, 4 Purple Sandpipers at Lainne Sgeir,
Prasad.
1st 3 Iceland Gulls in a Raft of Mixed gulls off
Ardmore / Glengorm out at sea today. Barn Owl calling in Tobermory last
night near Riverside court Ewan Miles
1st about 50 Eider ducks on Loch Scridain Today.
Also Stonechat and dozens of Wheatears on Loch na Keal south Shore. Rachel
and Mike Jones
1st 3 Crossbills in Glen Seilisdeir. Bullfinch
road out of Salen towards Gruline Pair of Hen Harriers in Glen More. 5
Sea Eagles together in Glen More, including white tagged 7 and 3 juveniles.
10 Slavonian Grebes at Killiechronan. Andy Bayes
Latest reports for April 2011
29th: 1 Garden Warbler
beside Treshnish wood. Mike and Joanne Gurney. Prasad
29th Treshnish Haunn: I Green Sandpiper
flying from a pond beside Treshnish house. The call 'Tweee' fits Green
Sandpiper but not Wood (Green is a rare in spring in Argyll) Also 1 Whitethroat
by Treshnish wood (our first) Prasad
27th Saw Magpie fly over main road at Pennygown
5.20pm
today. Celia McIntyre
27th Lochdon: a Magpie in a local garden
this morning. Jennny Smith
26th Lochdon: a pair of Jays appear to be
breeding and a pair of Hen Harriers at a regular location. Alan
25th Calgary: A very nice Black Throated Diver
coming into breeding plumage at Calgary on 25th. Arthur
24th April drake and duck
Garganey
pix by Sindri 9am ish. In flooded field just before Kintra,
maybe 200 yards before Kintra.near newcroft I think on east side of road.
Craig Shaw
24th 3 Corncrake Iona, 5 White
wagtail Fidden beach. 7 Golden eagle, 6 White tailed eagle, Tree pipit,
Sedge warbler, Wood warbler, cuckoo.. Peregrine, male hen harrier,
2 Great spotted woodpecker, 10 Common Crossbill, 10 + birds. Craig Shaw
18th Lochdon Bridge: a female long-tailed
duck by the bridge at Lochdon on the road down to Grasspoint.
Having seen plenty of long-tails in Scotland over the years, i didn't pay
it much attention, not realising it was a relative rarity, but i didn't
have any doubts at all about the identification at the time.
19th Iona: and heard corncrakes in two separate
locations (one behind the fire station, the other just north of Dun I)
in the afternoon. Ian Howarth
24th A Whinchat by Reudle old schoolhouse
today the 24th also a Whimbrel at Salen and a male Linnet at the
boathouse on Loch No Keal, 2 Red Throated Divers from here as well.
24th: 1 Great Skua flying from off the Treshnish
Isles towards Treshnish Point, 1 White Wagtail and 2 Sedge Warblers
at Haunn, Prasad
24th Ross of Mull: Plenty of migrants around today
including
Knot,
Turnstone,
Common Whitethroat, Whinchat,
Lapland
Bunting and Whimbrel all seen today. Bryan Rains
22nd Just thought I'd let you know that I had a
good view of male Merlin fly across the road that goes from the
Old Byre over the tops towards UIva Ferry.We also heard two Corncrake
calling on Iona on the 19th, Plenty of G N Divers in
Summer plumage, Marvin Muxlow (the man who found the Bee Eaters last
year)
22nd Mishnish Lochs: Pair of Goosanders
at
4.00pm; not present on return at 4.30pm. Mistle Thrush .
18th Loch Frisa: Total of 28 singing male Willow
Warblers along stretch of Loch Frisa track from Dervaig end to Eagle
Hide. By comparison, the only other migrant songbirds were four Tree Pipits
and a solitary Blackcap, illustrating how common Willow Warblers are here
on Mull . Ruth and Stuart
22nd Lochdon: at least two singing Grasshopper
Warbler...seen and heard this evening. Alan
21st: 1 White Wagtail at Ensay. Prasad
21st Tobermory: a Magpie in a Tobermory garden
today. Carole O'Donnel
21st Killiechronan: first Sedge Warbler
singing bhere this morning. Mike Shepherd
20th : Grasshopper warbler heard at Suidhe,
Bunessan today. Tony Jefree
20th Killiechronan: There was a Magpie in my
garden this afternoon trying to get onto my bird feeder, this is the
first time I have seen one on Mull. Jan Fuller. Two Magpies
on Mull....is this a record?
20th Bunessan: Couldn't believe my eyes when this
Magpie
arrived on my roof today!!! It flew over to the fence where it sat
long enough for me to grab the camera -. Hope it's a tourist!!. Callum
Entwistle
18th Fidden: two Lapland Buntings
at Fidden. both first winter birds. watched them feeding on the grass for
fifteen minutes . looking through a telescope Charles and Ruth Millican
19th Ardalanish beach, Ross of Mull: Sand Martins,
Tony Jefree
19th Iona: first Corncrake
reported from Iona. Sr Jean Lawson
19th Loch Spelve: a pair
of pristine White Wagtails and a pair of Short eared Owls.
Alan
18th: 31 Greenland White-fronted
Geese photographed flying north over Treshnish. Also I met a walker
who said she had seen 2 White-fronted Geese at Killiechronan between 2-8th
April. Prasad
18th Bunessan: Cuckoo calling
from nearby woods and hen harrier flying over the fields. Suidhe, Bunessan.
Tony Jefree
17th Killiechronan: a Garden Warbler singing
at the camp sitr. Mike Shepherd
15th Loch Ba: First
returning Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Common Sandpiper and Redstart. Three
Teal, single Red-throated Diver and Slavonian Grebe and pair of Linnets.
Ruth and Stuart
17th Loch Ba: Two calling
Cuckoo’s, several singing Tree Pipits, one male Redstart. Five Red-breasted
Mergansers, three Goldeneye, single male Tufted Duck. Up to five Red-throated
Divers (two pairs and single bird). Pre-breeding populations of Common
Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Curlew, Ringed Plover and Snipe, also
Golden Plover. Several singing Skylarks and passage party of 12 Meadow
Pipits. Several Wheatears seen on 15th were probably passage migrants.
Pair of Linnets, two Grey Wagtails and single White Wagtail.
17th Loch Spelve: Cuckoo
calling today near Loch Spelve Mussel farm. Mike Leigh-Mallory.
15th Glen Gorm: we saw a
Scottish Crossbill and Saturday morning Jim & Gill Carty
16th Loch Scidain: 150
Pale bellied Brent Geese stopped of to rest whilst en route north to
Greenland. visitor Jim Hurles
15th: heard Grasshopper
Warbler just as the path from the car park at Garmony (heading towards
Fishnish) reaches the coast line. Other species included, Willow Warbler,
Siskin, Redpoll, Swallow and Meadow Pipit. Andy Oldacre/Pete Hall
13th April – Offshore Quinish
Point to Caliach Point. 16 Puffins, 20 Black Guillemots, several
Common Guillemots and Fulmars, three Manx Shearwaters and single Razorbill;
one Red-throated Diver and three Great Northern Divers seen from aboard
‘Silver Swift’ during trip around coast of North-West Mull. Ruth and Stuart
14th April – Tobermory. Singing
male Chiffchaff, Back Brae. Ruth and Stuart
13th: 3 Black-headed Gulls
flying from Calgary bay around Treshnish Point (scarce in north-west Mull),
1 Manx Shearwater flying south past Treshnish Point. Prasad
12th Bunessan; Swallows and
wheatears at Suidhe, Bunessan. Tony Jeffree
11th Lochdon: an Osprey
over Lochdon this morning at 11.30 hours. Rosie Salzman et al
10th: first Blackcap heard in Treshnish
wood, 11th: confirmed with visual of singing male. Prasad
10th - Aros Park: Several
Willow
Warblers and Blackcaps now arrived, plus up to three separate singing
Chiffchaffs and drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker. Ruth and Stuart
10th Aros Bay: this
morning I saw an Osprey. It flew in from the North West and then
headed behind the hill behind the bay, to the West. Clare Gibson. Local,
Tobermory
9th - Aros Park, Tobermory:
First returning Blackcap in song, also two singing Chiffchaffs.
9th Salen: Willow Warbler singing today
in Salen there was a Chiffchaff singing too.Martin Keivers
8th - Loch Buie:7 Great Northern
Divers, 2-3 Red-throated Divers, 10 male Swallows, 20 Sand Martins and
4
Yellowhammers (inc. singing male).
8th The first wistful, silvery cadence of a returning
Willow Warbler was heard (sub-song) in the Mull Magic garden in Tobermory
this morning. Spring really is just around the corner!. Stuart and Ruth
7th Fidden 37 Barnacle Goose, 12 Golden
Plover, 10 Twite. Pennyghael 1 Swallow, a Willow Warbler at the
back of the shop today also 5 Whooper Swan out the front. Bryan
Rains
7th Salen Bay. a single Whimbrel.
7th Lochdon; first Swallow seen by Len White over
his house. 1 Swallow at Treshnish House. Prasad
7th Salen: We had a Magpie in our garden
this morning. Martin Keivers
6th the last reported
sightings report for the Pied billed Grebe. Alan
6th A party of 10 Whooper Swans on Ulva seen
from Laggan Bay today Arthur and Pam
4th: 5 Canada Geese at Haunn, Treshnish
(Martin Ward).-Prasad's Treshnish Blog
3rd Loch na Keal: We saw a flock of about 20
Housemartins flying west along the north shore of the Loch, and about
10
Sand Martins and 1 Swallow the next day at the mouth of the
Aros estuary. visitors Jean & George Haskell
5th West Ardue: 12 Redwings
returning north. Pam Brown
5th Laggan Bay: The Red necked Grebe was
seen again today close in this time.
5th Balmeanach by Fishnish: The
Leucistic
Hooded Crow has been seen again today by Alan
3rd April A single Redwing Crannich Farm
Glen Aros, another single at Torloisk and a Whimbrel in Aros Bay
Arthur and Pam
3rd Salen Pied
billed grebe, difficult to see but still in the bay.
1st Balmeanach by Fishnish: The
Leucistic
Hooded Crow has been seen again today by Roger Johns
1st : White tailed Eagle
5 1st year birds playing with a Mountain Hare skin over Teanga
Brideag, dropping from mountain top to maybe 30 feet over the road at 75
yards range! 1st April. On which date a 1st year and a 2/3rd year were
near the road at Loch Spelvie.Two were also seen at Loch Don. Golden Eagles
pairs in Glen Leidle and over A849 near its highest piont. Hen harrier
Female im at Uiskern 31st March and Male off the Glen Leidle road same
date. John & Elizabeth Martin. |
Latest reports for April
2010
30th a female Hawfinch at the Treshnish
House feeder today. this is only the second record for Mull.
Anand Prasad
30th Iona: a Bee Eater was seen here this
morning at 10.00 and no further reports from Calgary area Dave Pullan
30th Dervaig: This morning the Cuin resident Greylags
have been joined by 7 Canada Geese (Branta canadensis - ie the big
ones!).
Certainly unusual for us. Rod & Gill
29th Salen: Debbie Thorne reports hearing drumming
Snipe
at the back of her garden, always nice to hear.
29th Dervaig: The grasshopper warblers have, this
morning, been joined in the Dervaig reed beds by Sedge Warblers.
Rod & Gill Little
28th Salen: Grasshopper warbler singing in
Salen near Old Road. Last week on passage Skerryvore to Tiree 3
White Billed Divers, Arctic & Great Skua, Puffins arriving
and plenty of Manx Shearwaters. Martin Keivers,
28th Killunaig 1 Common Whitethroat. Ardchrishnish
1 Whinchat, 1 Cuckoo. Fidden 10 Twite, 20 Linnet. Bryan Rains
27th Loch Beg 20 Dunlin, 5 juv WT Eagle. Uisken
20
Twite.
25th April Iona 1 Corncrake heard, 1 Carrion
Crow.
24th Loch Scridain: 4 Whimbrel, 4 Gannet.
Loch Beg 2 House Martin.
28th Calgary: Bee Eaters were seen
again today at Calgary Farmhouse at about 10am. Julia Reade
26th Dervaig/Loch Cuin: Grasshopper Warblers
heard calling here by Gill Little
27th Loch Cuin by Dervaig: 6 Redshank, 1 Greenshank,
15 summer plumaged Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher. Alan
26th Killiechronan: House martins arrived to join
the swallows also a cuckoo calling in the trees behind our cottage, Jan
Fuller
26th Calgary: The Bee Eaters were still
in the area on & off during the day, close to the Calgary Hotel.
Anand Prasad,
25th Calgary: a pair of Bee Eaters
here, close to the Calgary Hotel, apparantly they have been around for
a couple of days and were still there this evening, video footage to follow.
Arthur Brown, Rod Little, Andrew Mortley et al
25th a good day out on tour, 65 species.
Highlights 5 WTE’s & 2 GE’s, Pair RT Diver close-in Loch Scridain (between
Beach and Torrans), BT Diver off Pennygael, GN Diver everywhere. Dipper-Glen
Seilisdeir. Whimbrel, Merlin, Whinchat & Redstart -Loch na Keal,
Yellowhammer, Bullfinch-Kilpatrick (Ross), Cuckoo Ormsaig & 4 otters
- Mike Wagemakers
21st Uisken - Pair of White Wagtails on
Uisken – Carol Marshall
Also two of our guests reported today a brown,
heron like bird, felt chunkier than a heron but definitely brown with
rounded wings in flight in the burn running down on to the beach at Fionnphort
Seen yesterday
18th-20th Loch Beg 1 Bar-tailed Godwit. 19th April
Fidden 2 Turnstone, 30 Golden Plover. Kilpatrick 1 juv White-billed
Diver.
21st April Loch Beg 1 Black-tailed Godwit. Bryan
Rains
20th Loch Scridain: pair of common sandpipers on
North shore of Loch Scridain. Guess I am not the first. 5 rock doves in
a party opposite Inch Kenneth and the two whooper swans still on
the three lochs in the Glen. Pete Hall.
20th a probable adult Glaucous gull off
the mouth of the Aros river, a pair of hen harriers and a cuckoo along
the Duart Castle road, 6 bar tailed godwits at Lochdon. Also
a summer GN Diver on Sound of Mull between Salen & Craignure, Crossbills
plentiful in Salen Forest. 19th a male merlin near Kilninian in
the north west. Also dipper, 2 redpoll and several crossbills
in Aros park. James Astley
19th - Salen/Killiechronan: Single Whimbrel,
Salen Bay. Small party of Crossbills, near Glen Aros House and three
of these chunky, enigmatic finches were at the Killiechronan plantation
Ruth and Stuart
18th Tavool: Speckled wood near Tavool yesterday.
Colin Moody
18th Fionnphort – Midday, a rare occurrence
for us here and watched for 10 minutes or so, stunning view of immature
WT, no wing tags, which approached from the Burg direction, fairly low
and accompanied by buzzards, then started climbing on thermals over the
house before disappearing very high in the Fidden direction. Mike
Wagemakers & Carol Marshall
16th BTO sqares today & the Mingary Loch square
at Glengorm we saw 3 Lapwings, a single Gannet, 2 Great Northern Divers,
a Great Skua, 7 Whimbrel, 8 Kittiwakes and 5 Manx Shearwaters. In the morning
before breakfast at the Dervaig end of Loch Frisa square I saw a Red
Grouse put up by my dogs, 4 Redpolls, a Tree Pipit, 2 Goosanders, 4
Red Breasted Mergansers a pair of Cormorants, a pair of Common Sandpipers,
a pair if Reed Bunting and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. A & P Brown
15th - Isle of Ulva: Single Whimbrel, near deserted
settlement at Ormaig. Ruth and Stuart
15th Along the Grasspont road: Tree Pipits,
and Redstart, a Short eared Owl in the field along the main road. Alan
15th Loch Tor: Arthur Brown reports seeing a family
party of Crossbills here today.
14th Loch Frisa: first chiff chaff at Loch
Frisa - also willow warbler, sand martins - on the Loch displaying
red breasted mergansers, pair goosander, pair of goldeneye, curlew and
common gulls. Pied and grey wagtails too. Debby Thorne
14th Loch na Keal: 8 Black Throated Divers
and also Bottle Nose Dolphins in loch Na Keal by the fish farm near Inch
Kenneth The Divers flew off in 2 groups of 4 when diturbed
by 2 men in a boat. Arthur and Pam
14th Inch Kennneth: we had sightings of 8 black
throated divers in full summer plumage by the fish farm near
to Inch Kenneth. Pete Hall
15th Quinnish: Bullfinches by estate entrance
also my first Willow Warbler of the year near the same spot. I heard the
Jay again but have still to see it. Arthur Brown
14th Uisken: a single Magpie in the garden
at Uisken, confirmed by Ronnie Campbell.Tim Capper, Bryan Rains.
13th Kilchoan: 75 Pink-footed Geese
flying NW over Kilchoan at 10.30 hrs today came over Isle of Mull airspace
on their travels. Ruth and Stuart.
13th a Stock Dove yesterday and today in
the big field on the right as you turn off the Salen to Knock road onto
the Ulva ferry road toward Killichronan. It was with Rock Doves
today and Wood Pigeons. David Woodhouse
13th Loch Frisa: displaying Hen Harriers, Golden
Eagle, Goosander, Red throated Diver, Merlin, Peregrine and Common
Sandpiper help make a good day out for visitors Linda & Jim Hurles
13th Lochdon: Just had a Chiffchaff
over this side of Lochdon. Diana & Andy Oldacre
13th Just a quick note to say I've just had a Cuckoo
over the house at Ormsaig, 7.30 this morning. Bob Hastie Cuckoos
were also heard at two other locations on Treshnish farm, Aand Prasad
12th A couple of sightings from today.... Bunessan
100+
Pink-footed Geese flying North and 1 Chiffchaff at Mill Brae.
On the butterfly front Peacocks were out in force
yesterday. Bryan Rains
Lochdon has four juvenile Whooper Swans, seem to
have lost their mum & dad ?
11th Bunessan: Great delight today when we had
our first Wheatears (4) in our garden at Bunessan. Straight away, one of
them went into the nest site they used last year in our wall. Fantastic
little birds!. Callum Entwistle
11th Dervaig: a male reed bunting spent the day
around the bird table at Tigh Fraoich. (A first for our garden).
Also a Common Sandpiper was on Loch Cuin this morning. Rod &
Gill Little
10thTobermory: Singing Willow Warbler in
garden, and singing Blackcap, Prison Brae this morning. Ruth and Stuart
10th House martin on Uisken beach (Ross
of Mull) this afternoon – also several wheatear. small tortoishell butterfly
on the heath at Suidhe (west of Bunessan, Ross of Mull). Tony Jefree
10th Andy Oldacre phoned from Croig with his first
Willow Warbler sighting of this year, also at Loch Buie. Linda and
Jim Hurles. (looks like we had an influx of this summer migrant last night).
10th Pennyghael: Willow Warbler at Pennyghael
this morning. Bryan Rains.
9th 2 seperate flocks of Redwings at Torlouisk
and Lagganulva and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits at Killiechronan. Arthur
9th Lochdon: a pair of Jays seen (again)
today near the Eaglewatch caravan. Andy Oldacre
9th Iona: Just to let you know I saw the first
Corncrake this morning at 8.15am at the crossroads on the way
to the Machair on Iona. Carol Kirkpatrick (this is a very early record)
8th Loch Ba: a Whimbrel flew over
Loch Bar today and landed briefly in a field at Gruline before flying over
the trees towards Loch Na Keal. I also saw my first Mull Sand Martins at
Lagganulva today. Arthur
8th Swallows reported from Pennyghae, Duart
Castle and Knock today. Pam Brown, Bob Hastie, Colin Moody
8th Lochdon: Just seen a Sand Martin at
the EagleWatch caravan. [10.30 hrs]
Pete Hall with two guests;reported a Swallow
at
the Isle of Mull Hotel . Angus & Eileen Slorach had a House Martin
in
Salen yesterday. Spring must be here!! Andrew Oldacre
7th Loch Frisa: Male Reed Bunting at the
hide today, together with Golden Eagle, pair of displaying Buzzards, Sparrowhawk,
pair of Goldeneye, pair of Red breasted Mergansers, 6 Lapwings, and the
Sand
Martin numbers are increasing. Debby Thorne
7th Grasspoint etc: a White-tailed Eagle
from Grasspoint . A single Golden Eagle soaring overhead and
2 Whooper Swans on the 2 small lochs at Glen More. 8 Great northern
diver on Loch Scridain. 2 male and 4 female Crossbill feeding on
cones on the road between Balevulin and Balinahard. At least 2 Red
throated divers and 4 Slavonian grebe on Loch na Keal. And 2 Slavonian
grebe at Lagganulva. John and Jon Greep
7th: A couple of sightings from today.... 27
White Front Geese still present in fields opposite Macdougalls Garage.
First Barn Swallow at Pennyghael this evening. Bryan Rains
7th: today after 6 days of looking my first
Manx Shearwater flying north off Treshnish Point. Anand Prasad
4th Loch Spelve: five White-tailed Eagles
in
air together, single Golden Eagle, male Hen Harrier, several
singing Skylarks and parachute display flighting Meadow Pipits and our
first all-singing-and-dancing male Wheatear of the Spring
3rd April : 2 Crossbills, Killiechronan
and single Woodcock flushed from birch scrub, Killiechronan to Salen track
1st April : 2 Crossbills, Aros Park.
Ruth and Stuart
4th Kittiwakes back at Cailiach Point, also a Gannet
went through and we saw a Snipe in the boggy area. 4 Shelducks at Lagganulva,
7 Redshank and a Greenshank at Dervaig. Arthur Discover Mull
Tours
3rd Calgary Bay: 2 Red Throated Divers at
Calgary Bay, 26 Great Northern Divers between Kellan Mill and Killichronan
camp site a male Hen Harrier and a male Merlin from eagle watch caravan
at Loch Don. Arthur Discover Mull
2nd Loch Frisa: first arrival of Sand
martins checking out their old burrows, plus a pair of pied and grey
wagtails. Also male and female hen harrier showing regularly.
Two pairs of Goldeneye, 2 pairs of RB Mergansers, 1 pair red and 1 pair
black throated divers. Debby Thorne
2nd Treshnish Point: first Bonxie, One between
Treshnish Point and the Treshnish Isles Also today one possible Goshawk
at
Treshnish wood. Large, long winged, Anand Prasad
1st Lochdon: 1 Greenshank, 9 Redshank, Wigeon,
Teal, 6 s/p Black headed Gulls. Alan Spellman
31st March 2 Snow Bunting in Glen More. Bryan
Rains
29th March 22 Whooper Swan flying North over Ardtun.
Bryan Rains |
Latest reports for April
2009
30th: Just a note to let
you know that on my trip today, (in the pouring rain this morning!) we
spotted both Grasshopper Warbler and Sedge Warbler on the Grasspoint road
. Pete Hall
28th Iona: the first Wood
Warbler in the organic garden. David Allan
28th Glen Forsa shoreline:
1 Whimbrel, 6 Wheatear, 12 Meadow Pipits and 25 White Wagtai. Stuart Gibson.
Croggan 30+ Pinkfoot flew north over Crogan flying north. Alan Spellman/Athur
Brown also here a Common Whitethroat heard. Pam Brown
27th Dervaig reed beds: a
newly arrived Sedge Warbler heard mimicking the call of a Spotted Crake.
Is there one hiding somewhere in the reedbed ? Alan
27th our first Sedge Warbler
& Cuckoo at Haunn, Treshnish farm.Also today 2 Great Skuas off the
North of Treshnish Isles, Anand Prasad
27th Salen Bay: 2 summer
plumaged Black tailed Godwits here this morning. Stuart Gibson
27th: 1st summer Iceland
Gull still present at Tobermory harbour, also, 2 singing male Blackcaps,
Back Brae, Tobermory, including one mimicking song of Garden Warbler -
Felicity Hansen & Stuart Gibson.
24th Loch Buie: 6 Great northern
Diver,, 1 Red throated Diver. Salen Bay a Whimbrel. Stuart Gibson
24th Tobs: First cuckoo heard
at Viewmount today. Pair of siskins on the peanut feeder this morning,
and a pair of grey wagtails seem to have taken up residence in the garden
as I've seen them most days for the past fortnight. Sheila Barnard
24th Tobermory: The Iceland
gull is in Tobs harbour this morning, close to wall, very easy to see with
naked eye, preening, standing with several herring gulls. Felicity
Hansen
24th Loch Scridain: 1 Black-throated
Diver.Uisken 3 Dunlin, 1 Red-throated Diver. Fidden 1 Purple Sandpiper,
50 Dunlin, 300 Golden Plover, 23 Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Whimbrel, 3 Turnstone.
Bryan Rains
23rd: 2 Short Eared Owls
on Dervaig to Torloisk hill road, also 3 Bar Tailed Godwits and a Greenshank
at Dervaig and we had our first Yellowhammer of the summer in the garden
yesterday and now have Siskins in good numbers here. Arthur & Pam Brown
22nd Glengorm - A flock of
about 25 Raven around lambing sheep at Glengorm. - Shaun Mccullagh
16th Fidden: 2
Ravens, 8 Tufted duck on Loch Pottie, Peregrine at Tiraghoil. Tony Jenkins
17th Scoor to Shiaba: 2 Golden
eagles, 2 Hen Harriers, 5 Buzzards and single Kestrel, plus Song Thrush,
12 Sand Martins over Loch Harrison.Tony Jenkins
18th Rossal: Cuckoo in woodland,
6 Twite at Fidden, Canada Goose flying towards Kinloch, Woodcock flying
over Bunessan, 2 Gannets offshore south of Iona
19th Fidden: 2 Bar tailed
godwits, 120 Golden Plover, several Dunlin, 20+ Ringed Plover, Little Stint,
6 Curlew and single Whimbrel. Greenfinch & Rred Throated Diver off
Iona. Tony Jenkins
20th - Up to 12 Great northern
divers on Loch Scridain, plus single Black throated Diver & several
small parties of razorbills, Twite still present at Fidden Tony Jenkins
21st Oban Ferry: a Manx shearwater
seen from Oban ferry. Felicity Hanson. Caliach Point: Manx Sheerwater watched
from here, between Coll and Mull.
21st Dervaig/Loch Cuin: 20
summer plumaged Bar tailed Godwit stopped here to rest & feed en route
north Arthur Brown.
21st Tobermory:The Iceland
Gull was still in Tobermory harbour today around the chip van. Two Peregrines
were circling over the town for a few minutes. Anand Prasad
20th Fidden:a flock of circa
100 Golden Plover plus Skylarks, Pied Wagtails, Meadow Pipits all over
the place and at least 7 White Wagtails amongst them. Alan
20th Salen: Stuart Gibson
reports a male Orange tip butterfly in his garden today.
18th Bird Club Field Meeting
Duart and Torosay. Total of 45 species seen. The main highlight
was at least
7 singing male Blackcaps
in Torosay Woods.. Today 20th - Male Long Tailed Duck still showing well
at Lagganulva. On Ulva there is a male Canada Goose paired with a
female Grey Lag. Pair of Black Guillemots seen close to the ferry.
Shaun Mccullagh
13th Dervaig: Andrew Mortley
reports seeing a Male Marsh Harrier on the Dervaig-Tobermory road near
Dervaig. A close sighting along the side of the road. A very scarce passage
migrant, usually seen between April—June
A female Marsh Harrier was
seen on the 27th April 2007. The sighting was at Grasspoint at around 19.00hrs,
and the bird appeared to come in from the coast and flew within about 50
yards of our group Malcolm Taylor
In 2006 an immature female
was seen flying along the coast at Salen 7th May. Possibly the same bird
that was reported on Coll on 8th and Tiree on 9th.
19th: The long tailed Duck
showing very well and very close at lagganulva bay.
18th 42 Meadow Pipits, 16
Skylarks, 12 Wheatear, 2 Linnets, 2 Grey Wagtails, a Golden Eagle and a
Peregrine Falcon amongst 24 species seen on the Gribun Tetrad. Arthur
Brown
19th Tobermory: Iceland Gull
in the harbour with other gulls. Alan
14th Treshnish: first Manx
Shearwater for this year, 2 birds between Treshnish Point and Treshnish
Isle and another about an hour later. Anand Prasad
12th Laggan Bay: 5 Great
northern Diver, single male Long Tailed Duck, Razorbill. Karen and Dave
Leeming
13th Torloisk-Dervaig: male
Hen Harrier seen at 11.00 am. Callum McEwan (aged 12) and Dad
16th Craignure Golf course:
White Fronted Goose along with 13 turnstone. 4 ringed plover on shore
near airstrip and chiffchaff heard near Glenforsa hotel. Razorbill
in Loch na Keal - Griburn end. - Iceland gull still present in Tobermory.
17th Mick & Sylvia Brennan.
15th Housemartin with Sandmartins
on airstrip along with several wheatears.
14th Single Redwing with
two Mistle Thrush, male Merlin hunting meadow pipits also over Glen Forsa
airfield.
13th - Iceland gull in Tobermory.
Dave Pierce
12th 4 whooper swans on loch
in the wilderness along with 6 golden eagles in the air together and 4
short eared owls around the same time in the early evening. Common
Sandpiper near pennygael along with single greenshank. Really good otter
sightings near griburn rocks. Mick and Sylvia Brennan
18th Dervaig: The first Grasshopper
Warbler seen and heard at the reed bed, also a Reed Bunting and Common
Sandpiper. Pam & Arthur Brown,
16th Loch na Keal/Scarisdale:
Cuckoo calling on & off for the 1.5 hrs. Dave Pierce
17th Loch Frisda: a summer
plumaged Black throated Diver here. Debbie Thorne.
17th Iona: I have a report
of Corncrake being heard on the island.
13th Salen: a singing Blackcap,
Stuart Gibson, also Loch Frisa produced 7 Raptors, Golden Eagle, WTSE,
Buzzard, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel & Hen Harrier plus Crossbill
and singing Goldcrests.
13th Kiloan: 1 Common Tern
seen from the Kiloan ferry. Swallow seen regularly by Loch Frisa since
8th April. 4 House Martins seen by Loch Frisa on 16th April. Felicity Hanson
16th Lagganulva: first reported
House Martins at Lagganulva Bay today. Arthur Brtown
15th Fionnphort: a Chiffchaff
singing here. Bryan Rains
14th Loch Beg: 1st
summer Ring-billed Gull. Bryan Rains.
13th Ardness: 11 Lesser Black-backed
Gull. Uisken 4 Linnet, 4 Twite.14th Glen More: a cracking female Merlin
perched at the roadside. Lots of Swallows and Sand Martins. Bryan
12th Aros Estuary: first
Common Sandpiper here this afternoon. Stuart Gibson
12th Dervaig Arthur Brown
reports 2 Lesser Black backed Gull here.
12th Salen: 3 Short eare4d
Owls and 2 Hen Harriers over this morning. Stuart Gibson
12th Lochdon: 2 Swallows
reported by Own Tyson.
11th Knock: There was the
first Cuckoo calling today.Colin Moody
10th Loch na Keal: Grey Wagtail,
15 Eider duck, 3 Great northern Diver, lots of Meadow pipits & Skylarks.
AS
5th top of Beinn a' Graig.
(behind Scarisdale Point, Loch na Keal): a Ring Ouzel here today by visitor,
Peter Holmes.
9th Lochdon: Siskins and
a male Blackcap on my garden feeder today. Alan Spellman
9th Craignure Golf
course: a single White fronted Goose and a Willow Warbler. Andy Oldacre
8th Scoor: Four Yellowhammers
at my feeder at Scoor this afternoon Scott Scott & Dianne Gates
7th Loch Beg: 4 Sand
Martin, 1 Swallow, 1 female Goosander. Bryan Rains
5th Dervaig: a second Willow
Warbler here today. Shaun & Elizabeth Mccullagh
4th Croig: Our first Willow
Warbler sighted by Shaun Mcccullagh
4th Tobermory: 2 Iceland
Gulls in harbour, 7 Slavonian Grebes on Loch na Keal.20 Sandmartin at Killiechronan,
20 Skylarks at Kellan. Stuart Gibson
2nd Knock: group of
6 redshank on the shore. Colin Moody
2nd Loch Buie: first swallow
today down at Loch Buie - has summer arrived? Debby Thorne
2nd Tobermory: Three redwings
in the garden this morning. Sheila Barnard.
1st Laggan Bay: a summer
plumaged Slavonian Grebe, one on Loch Cuin. (by Dervaig) plus Greenshank,
Redshank, Teal, Wigeon. At Caliach Point were 3 Lesser black backed Gulls.
Steve Kirk/Alan Spellman
1st Loch Torr: 2 swallows
over Loch Torr. Had a close view of WTSE just over my garden wall (Viewmount
Tobermory). Sheila & Tim Barnard |
Latest reports for April
2008

Nuthatch by Andrew
Mortley
Lapland Bunting by Mick Brennan
30th Loch Scridain: a pair
of Shelduck this morning at Kilfinichan Bay, also cuckoo at Tavool on Sunday
and here (Glen Seilisdeir) yesterday. Good to see our nesting swallows
back. Michael & Lynda Hadow
30th Calliach: 2 Whimbrel
flew
over Cailiach and 1st Whinchat of the year on territory down Cailiach point
road. 1st Sedge Warbler at Dervaig reed beds. heard and seen, Arthur Brown
29th Dervaig: 4 Dunlin and
4 Ringed Plover. 1 Hen Harrier in Glen Bellart and 2 at Loch Frisa. 2 full
summer plumage Black-headed Gulls at Aros Castle and a Cuckoo and a single
Red Grouse at Torloisk.
29th Golf Course: Canada
Geese in Bowmans field opposite golf course. Clare Fellows
29th Killiechronan: heard
Cuckoo here today and a Tree creeper on my plum tree. Jan Fuller
28th 24 Whimbrel at Fidden,
5 Hen Harriers at various locations including a male displaying with 2
Golden Eagle flying , Cuckoo at Uisken and Loch Beg, 3 Dunlin and 5 Golden
Plover at Loch Beg. Wild About Mull. Bryan Rains
28th - Fidden 11+ newly
arrived Whimbrel - Carol Marshall
27th :Todays sightings included
- Loch Beg 1 male Common Scoter, 2 Dunlin. Bunessan 1 Gadwall. Fidden 1
Wigeon, 3 White Wagtail plus Whimbrel heard. Bryan Rains
27th :As well as birds mentioned
on field trip also saw Redstart good day with 22 members.
On a tour on sunday 27th
displaying male Hen Harrier Glen Bellert, Cuckoo Glen Aros, Reed Bunting
and Twite Lagganulva, full summer plumaged Red Throated Diver Calgary Bay
and finally at Cailliach Point 6 Manx Shearwater, Gannet and a Great Skua
and Tree pipit Ardrioch Farm. Arthur and Pam
26th Bird Club Torosay Walk
: Wood Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap and Grassjhopper Warbler
26th Iona First Corncrakes
heard today Sr jean Lawson
24th Treshnish Point:
about 1 hours watching, 2 Manx Shearwater,1 Great Skua Anand Prasad
24th Lochdon: Tonight, (2030hrs)
a flock of House Martin over. Approx. 30 birds. Andy Oldacre
23rd Loch Beg 1 Pink-footed
Goose, 2 Razorbill, 1 Black Guillemot, 1 Cuckoo. Uisken 20 Redshank, 2
Dunlin Beach 2 Tree Pipit, 1 female Hen Harrier. Fidden 1 Pink-footed
Goose, 80 Golden Plover. Bryan Rains
21st - Off Lismore Lighthouse
single Manx Shearwater - seen from ferry - Mike Wagemakers
22nd lochdon: Michael Timms
had a Magpie in his garden this afternoon,
20th Dervaig. Rod Little
reports the Nuthatch nowin his garden (opposite the church) Rod Little
18th Todays sightings included
1 female Blackcap, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Long-tailed Tit
at Beach.1 drake Gadwall at Bunessan and 1 Black-tailed Godwit at Fidden
- Wild About Mull tour.
18th Loch Pottie Pair Common
Sandpiper, Canada Goose taken up territory by island at southern end, Gadwall
still in Bunessan Bay - Mike Wagemakers
16th Glen More: a first
Redstart in Glen More and one heard one along the Grasspoint Road
17th Andy Oldacre
16th Dervaig: The Nuthatch
has turned up in Dervaig in Shauns Garden. Shaun
Mccullagh
16th Lochdon: A first Sedge
Warbler along the Gorston road. Geaf Brody
15th Tobermory:first
House Martin Jack Brodie
13th-16th Glen Forsa: A Lapland
Bunting along the road towards Kilbeg Cottage. Mick & Sylvia
Brennan
14th Loch na Keal: 2 Iceland
Gulls Derryguaig, Loch Na Keal 17.00 Jack Brodie
14th Grasspoint: First Cuckoo
seen but not heard along the Grasspoint Road. Alan Spellman
14th Lochdon: I have just
received a rather late report from Richard Atkinso (Wildlife tour operator)
of a very early Common Sandpiper seen at Lochdon bridge on 2nd April
Dates: 2 - 12 April 2008
Northern Wheatear everywhere especially along the Calgary - Tobermory coast.
Also, big flocks of Redwing everywhere. Female Pintail on Dervaig
bog/Loch Cuin
8th: 2 female Merlin (or
same one twice) chasing Meadow Pipit on coast between Croig and Langamull.
One male at very close range over Dervaig bog in evening. Willow Warbler
seen singing by roadside - Dervaig (evening). Dervaig bog until dark: Water
Rail calling. Small flocks of Sand Martin and Pied Wagtail roosting in
reeds at dusk. Snipe drumming, Woodcock roding. 9th: Dervaig bog until
dark: first Swallow.
Water Rail seen briefly at
close range emerging from reeds and calling (shrill scream)
10th: Loch Cuin (am) Common
Sandpiper. David
Hatfield.
12th Loch Na Keal, 3 Swallows,
3 Great Northern Divers, 5 Slavonian Grebe (a first for me) and heard 2
Willow Warblers singing. And near Eorsa, one of the East coast WTSE, tag
white 7, being mobbed by Buzzards and Ravens. Andy & Hazel
Kirkham
12th Loch Buie: Saw my fist
pair of swallows Alastair Gossage
12th Lochdon: Hen Harrier
flying high, also an Otter was spotted in the fiels in front of the hide
area Janet & Bill Ackroyd
11th Check flocks of Pied
Wagtail for White Wagtail, up to 3 Alba along Loch na Keal Alan Spellman
10th, Nuthatch at bird feeders,
Frachadil House, Calgary. A first for Mull. Very excited !. Andrew Mortley
10th This morning at the
Eaglewatch: Small party of Redpoll [6 birds] Common Crossbill [5 birds]
Pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker Andy Oldacre
10th Lochdon: 1030hrs 25
Whooper flying North over the Eagle watch hide area Alan Spellman
28th March - 4th April.
Spring migrants in large numbers at Treshnish point – recorded 8
Wheatear, goodnumbers of Meadow and Rock Pipit and 15 Pied Wagtail on
31st. Raven, Buzzard, Fulmar, Great Black Backed Gull, Guillemot
and Gannet also showing well. Malcolm Ward
On Calgary beach, 2nd, 1st
Sand Martin of year. A single Great Northern Diver seen every day
at entrance to bay. Malcolm Ward
7th Lochdon:I managed to
see the Chiffchaff at the Eagle Watch hide yesterday but I also saw a Jay
there too! There is still about 300 Barnacle Goose on Inch Kenneth(7th).
Bryan Rains
5th Loch Beag (Beg)
(with a Pied) N shore, also along Loch na Keal (AS) and pair Goosander
on Mishnish lochs yesterday 7/4 Dave Pierce
8th Lochdon:Chiffchaff at
the Eaglewatch caravan this morning [also heard by Alan Skeates] and later
near our house, the unmistakable call of our First Willow Warbler. Andy
Oldacre, Alan Skeats
8th Loch Spelve: 8 Golden
Plover in full summer plumage, plus Lapwing and 4 Wheatear (2m/2f) A S
8th Look out for a hybrid
Carrion/Hooded Crow by the Mishnish Lochs above Tobermory. A Brown
8th Lagganulva: The first
Swallow was reported over Lagganulva by Pam Brown Discover Mull Triip
6th Fishnish Bay: there were
at Fishnish bay Dave Pierce
6th Salen: One sand martin
flying over garden Iain and Helen King Seaview,Salen
5th Loch na Keal:Two bullfinches
attacking my plum blossom today Jan Fuller
On na Keal I got 27
and 40 Slavonian Grebe. Both were spread throughout the loch as far as
Eorsa. The same afternoon I managed a quick count of Loch Scridain and
got 17 GND and one Slav at the loch head only. Dave Shackleton
3rd April - 3 Wheatears (2
male, 1 female) between Fionnphort & Fidden - Carol Marshall
Mike W
3rd Breeding plumage
Black Throated Diver well seen from the Loch Frisa Hide, also Golden Eagle
and of course the WTSE's. - Shaun Mccullagh
3rd Just had half a
dozen Sand Martins this morning, flying past Craignure towards Duart. Andy
& Hazel Kirkham
2nd April 2008, 19.00 hrs.
One Sand Martin flying over our house in Lochdon Andy Oldacre |
Latest Reports
for April 2007
18th Loch Frisa: both chicks
at Loch Frisa had been found dead beneath the nest tree, It seems that
the chicks may have fallen out of the nest when the adults were in territory
dispute with a pair of Golden Eagles
29th Iona: white wagtail
Joyce Watson
29th first Whitethroat
at Loch Torr also a male Goosander there Arthur Discover Mull
Tour
Great views of Whinchat down
Cailiach Point road you could get a good picture. Had a reeling Grasshopper
in a boggy part of our wood yesterday am
25th April
6 Crossbills including one male feeding in scots pines Cuin Road Dervaig.
27th April
one Wood Warbler, lighthouse path Tobermory
28th April
One Redstart heard in Quinish woods
29th Killiechronan:
firstWood Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, first Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler,
Goldcrest all heard at - Shaun Mccullagh
29th between Salen
and Tob - at the Tob end is a layby on the seaward side of the road. Red
kite over there today at 5pm, moving from the sea side of the road towards
the Loch Frisa side. Celia McIntyre
28th Ross of Mull: sighting
of around 60 Golden Plover in fields at Ardachy, also a lovely close
up view of a Tawny owl sitting on a wall at Monachuich. Gillian MacNeill
26th Dun da Ghaoithe:
3 Snipe on lower slopes, 2 Goldies at summit.Probable of Ptarmigan, heard
a call coming from above the second mast, Had Cuckoos calling on most days
at various places, especialy towards the end of the week when weather picked
up. Andy & Hazel Kirkham
24th Salen: House Martins
put in an appearance. Norma Dowling
24th Dervaig 6 Black tailed
Godwit Anand Prasad
27th Dervaig: 4 reeling Grasshopper
warblers at Dervaig this morning 6-30am and I managed to get good sightings
of one of them. At Calgary a Twite, 4 Lesser Black Backed Gulls & a
pair of Ringed Plover doing their courtship flight. At Cailiach there were
Wheatear everywhere a pair of Linnet, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks,
Pied Wagtails, a courting pair of Reed Bunting and lastly a pair of pristine
summer plumaged Whinchats my first of the year. The views werte stunning,
at 6am temperature 1 degree celcius by 8am it was up to 9 degrees.
Great morning Arthur.
26th Loch Pottie: We have
keeping an eye on a nesting Canada Goose for week or two in the hills between
Fidden and Loch Pottie, still well settled. Carol Marshall & Mike Wagemakers
26th 8 Whimbrel
, 11 Shelduck, Summer Great Northern Diver, 6 - 10 Teal amongst the usual
at Fidden. Single Sand Martin Loch Pottie. Carol Marshall &
Mike Wagemakers
20th Loch Scridain: a pair
of Long-tailed duck on Loch Scridain from Penyghael (last record was Sept
2006 at Calgary & Loch Ba) also about 15 great northern divers. Heard
Corncrake (Iona) and had a female merlin over the north beach.Peregrine
mobbing a golden eagle along Glen More on the 19th. 14 Arctic Tern
pass the ferry in the Sound of Mull on our way back to Oban on the 22nd
April. Rachel Coombes & Robin Harvey
19th Fidden: a small flock
of 43 Pale bellied Brent Geese, resting before moving north later that
day, also about 20 Black tailed Godwit. Bryan Rains
23rd Dervaig reed bed: a
first Grasshopper Warbler singing Arthur Brown
22nd Grasspoint: visitors
Andrew & Hazel Kirkham have heard a Cuckoo at Grasspoint today.
22nd
Killiechronan: 14 Black tailed Godwit some in summer plumage feeding in
field. Arthur Brown
21st Dervaig: male hen harrier
this morning over Antium farm and surrounding area. Watched it for some
time while it flew about the hills. Clare Fellows
21st from Oban-Craignure
ferry: Great Northern Diver summer plumage, Red Throated Diver Immature
in. Craignure bay,6 Razorbill in Firth of Lorn (from Craignure-Oban
ferry) Stuart Gibson.
20th Pennygowan: an Osprey
flew north over Pennygowan today. Sue Dewar
17th Glen More First Cuckoo
heard, Dervaig Farm - Male Hen Harrier, Loch Spelve - Peregrine
18th Lochdon - Several Bar
Tailed Godwits - Redshank.
19th Lochdon 10 Black Tailed
Godwit in Summer Plumage, Loch Scridain - Single Ring Billed Gull
Nev Paterson
16th Salen: a Magpie flew
through a local garden in Salen. Roger Johns
8th Dervaig reed bed:
Moorhen in the reeds by the river, and 2 Grey Phalaropes on Loch Na Keal.
Barnical geese 80 Barnacal geese on staffa. Adam Walmsley, David Jowett,
18th Iona : Tree Sparrow
with the House Sparrow's feeding in the garden of the Bishop's Palace
on Iona is the first Mull record since 1985. Alex Nicol
Also Single flock of 300
Golden Plover at Ardalanish & single Sanderling on the beach at Ardalanish
still in winter plumage. Alex Nicol
19th Cailaich Point :7 Lesser
Black-Backed gulls and a single Knot , also Tree Pipit in garden. A Brown
19th At the EagleWatch caravan
[between 08.00 and 12.00 hrs] I Swallow, Sand Martin,Male Hen Harrier
Siskin & Redpoll. Andy
Oldacre.
11th Tobermory : a group
of 20+ migrating Redwings feeding in our garden in Erray Road , at
around 7 p.m, presumably on their way back to Scandanavia. Monica &
Ian Wilson Creagorry B & B Tobermory
18th Dervaig : a female Pintail
(scarce) at Dervaig reed bed area this morning. also for the wqeek, 7 Greenshank
at Lochdon, 5 Slavonian Grebes (Summer plumage) Loch na Keal, Water Rail
calling and Reed Bunting at Dervaig, David Hatfield
16th Iona. First Corncrake
heard by local resident. Sr Jean Lawson
7th -14th Mull & Iona:
100 species recorded which was most satisfying.some of our more interesting
sightings being:-
Slav Grebe Summer plumaged
birds- 2 Sound of Mull, opp. Golf Course. Redwing 10+ Salen Airfield, also
at Killichronoran fields, t Croggan, and Calgary hotel , Black-throated
Diver Pair. Loch Ba, & 1 off Penyghael, Gooosander Drake on Aros
river & Loch Torr, Canada Goose, 2 Craignure golf course, with Grey-lags
on the Salen Airfield, Barnacle Goose, 50+ visible on Inch Kenneth, Crossbill
at Aros bridge,
Golden Plover 15 on
fields at Fidden, 64 over Iona. On 13th First Common Sandpiper, Kinloch
hotel shore, Pink-footed Goose, c160 flying high north up Sound of Mull,
Salen on 14 th & c120 flying high north over Loch Don, from Grasspoint
on same day, David Clugston et al.
17th April, flock of Golden
Plover on the moor behind the house (Bunessan). Male Hen Harrier hunting
on the seaward side of the road. Pair of Canada Geese still in Bunessan
Bay. Callum Entwistle
17th OBAN: The Ring billed
Gull was showing extremely well this afternoon (14.30 hrs on 17th) on the
George street foreshore, OBAN, quite literally strutting it's stuff, in
it's own inimitable way. S Gibson
16th Devaig: saw a
pair of Bullfinches yesterday on the road to Quinish. Also sandmartins
in the big layby where the nestholes are, where the logs are stored (Glen
Bellart) a pair of Goldeneye on Mishnish Lochs Louise Fellows, Clare Fellows.
14th Croggan / Loch Spelve
3 Great Norther Divers together one in summer plumage, 4 Black Guillemot
(pair & 2 singles), Raft of 105 Eider by the fish farm, 2 Swallows
and several Willow Warblers. Shaun Mcc:
14th Tobermory: a male Hen
Harrier on our way to Tobermory, Also a pair of Crossbills
in light wood between Balmeanach tea room and Jimmy the vet. Also
a Leucistic Chaffinch at the feeder in our garden. Lynda and Miachael Hadow,
Tigh na Con, Tiroran.
13th Treshnish : Heard a
Chiffchaff yesterday (13 April) in the wood byTreshnish House. Prasad
14th Lochdon:2 Greenshank
still on the pools above the bridge, plus two Snipe. The latter given away
by their calls. Five pairs of Red-breasted Merganser too. Plenty of Willow
Warblers in evidence now and a Swallow up by Ardnadrochit Farm.Andy
Oldacre
Loch Torr 2 male and a female
tufted duck Duncan & Sue Hall
13th OBAN: The Ring billed
Gull appears still to be present at the George Street foreshore,seen in
gathering gloom at 20.30 hrs this evening. Stuart Gibson
13th Willow Warbler in woods
around Aros Loch and single GSWP, single Little Grebe on Mishnish Lochs.
12th Adult Golden Eagle,
single male Goosander on Loch Torr, Quinish Heronry - 8 nests with hatched
young. Shaun Mccullagh
11th Loch Frisa: Peregrine
(Male) flew past Loch Frisa WTSE hide. also one here about 10 days ago,
single Red Throated Diver at Loch Frisa Fish Farm. Shaun Mccullagh
For the last 3 or 4 years
there has been a small rookery near Tobermory Golf Course, but no sign
of any birds or nests this year. Shaun Mccullagh
13th Scoor: Sandmartins and
Bunessan Redshank Tony Jeffree
13th Loch Beg: First Common
Sandpiper seen here today. Bryan Rains
12th TIREE: First Corncrake
of the year reported today. John Bowler
11th Bunnessan: This morning
was 'busy' in the bay opposite the house, at one time I had the following
in my scope - 2 pair Canada geese, 2 pair Greylag, 2 pair Red Merganser,
one pair Eider and a seal swimming about in the middle of them. The Gadwall
drake was at Bunessan Bridge at midday, unfortunately he still seems to
be a bachelor! Callum Entwistle
10th Killiechronan: 35-40
Redwings at killiechronan today, Red throated Diver at Lagganulva. Arthur
Brown
9th Loch Torr: Male Goosander
on loch Torr also a Redwing At Gribun. 8th Merlin Female at Cailiach.AB
9th Coll: first Crex Crex
seen and heard today on Coll. Simon Wellock RSPB
8th Lochdon: The Swallows
have returned today seen by Andy & Diana Oldacre and Pam & Len
White.
9th Tiroran:A pair of Bullfinches
are busy destroying our plum blossoms but they're so handsome, who can
begrudge them? Sheila Barnard
8th treshnish Point: first
Great Skua of the year today off shore from Haunn, Treshnish towards Treshnish
Isles. Several Manx Shearwater also seen today but they have probably been
around for a few days judging by the numbers. Also seen today, 2 Twite
at treshnish cowbarn. On 3rd April there were two Merlins huntingtogether
above Ensay Burn, Treshnish and on 5 April 21 Whooper Swans flew noth over
Treshnish Lochan, sometimes they land there.We have a pair of Redwing still
at Haunn cottages,Treshnish as of yesterday 7th April, they have been heard
singing.
Last night a female Emperor
Moth came to a light trap and layed eggs on the funnel of the trap! It
has been moved to safety in the heather. Anand Prasad
8th Lochdon: On Eaglewatch,
Owen Tyson saw our first Willow Warbler.
7th Various places: Dippers
at Aros bridge and Eas Fors, A female Merlin at Ulva Ferry and at Tobermory
Lighthouse walk a Treecreeper and female Bullfinch, Yellowhammers in the
garden Arthur Brown.
6th Tobermory: A very noisy
flock of redwings spent a short time resting in our tall spruce trees this
evening. Too many to count (and some well hidden in the trees) but
they certainly made their presence known! Sheila Barnard
5th Treshnish lochan. 21
Whooper flying north over Treshnish lochan Anand Prasad.
5th Ensay Burn 2 Merlin,
hunting in cooperation over Ensay Burn , 9 singles on other occasions.Anand
Prasad
5th Ledmore: We saw 2 female
crossbills on conifers above Ledmore. Duncan & Susan Hall
4th Dervaig: Flock of about
50 Redwing over the garden this morning. Shaun Mccullagh
4th Lochdon:l Sandmartins
over the Eaglewatch Caravan, plus Reed Bunting. Andy Oldacrem,
3rd Inch Kenneth: a single
Black throated Diver, 6 Greenshank resting before moving north again. A
Brown
3rd Lochdon-Craignure: a
single Housemartin flying along the road. Andy & Diana Oldacre
3rd Killiechronan: 3 newly
arrived Sandmartins at Killiechronan camp site today. Arthur Brown
April thanks to:-
Arthur Brown, Andy &
Diana Oldacre, Stuart Gibson, Shaun Mccullagh, Duncan & Susan Hall,
Sheila Barnard. Owen Tyson, Anand Prasad, Pam & Len White, Callum Entwistle,
John Bowler,Tony Jeffree, Duncan & Sue Hall, Lynda and Michael Hadow,
Louise Fellows, Clare Fellows, Callum Entwistle, David Clugston, David
Hatfield, Monica & Ian Wilson, Alex Nicol, Adam Walmsley, David Jowett,
Roger Johns, Sue Dewar, Nev Paterson, Andrew & Hazel Kirkham, Coombes
& Robin Harvey, Carol Marshall & Mike Wagemakers, Norma Dowling, |
Latest reports
for April 2006
30th Iona. first Corncrake
heard on Iona, Sr J Lawson. 2 Corncrakes singing in front of abbey
1st winter White-fronted
Goose with 12 Greylags in pasture just north of abbey. 3 Great Northern
Divers and 1 Red-throated
Diver in Sound of Iona. 4 Whimbrel, 10 Dunlin and 1 Turnstone on shoreline
here too. About 30 nests active in Rookery. Chiffchaff (migrant)
in allotments. Mark Newsome. Yarrow, Tyne
and Wear
29th Lochdon. a single Curlew
Sandpiper in the evening at high tide. David Edwards (visitor) Lochdon.
John & Angela Preston had 4 Bullfinches (2 pairs) visit their garden.
Wood Warbler singing in woodland by Toronsay Castle, along with Blackcap,
2-3 Lesser Redpolls and Treecreeper.2 adult Whooper Swans, 1 Goldeneye
and 4 Tufted Ducks on Loch Pottie. Mark Newsome 28th Aros Bay. 60+ Golden
Plover in field at Tenga today, Black Throated Diver at Aros Bay.Grasspoint
road. first Wood Warbler. singing about half mile past forst house. Alan
Spellman 1 White Wagtail near Ulva ferry. 8 Great Northern Divers, 2 Red-throated
Divers and 15 Red-breasted
Mergansers in Loch Na Keal.
Mark Newsome
27th Kentallen. Pair of Canada
Geese and six Golden Plover in fields by Kentallen.Jenny Reddaway
Fidden. single Whimbrel.
Carol Marshall.
26th Lochdon. heard a Grasshopper
Warbler this morning, a few yards from his house. Andy Oldacre
Loch na Keal. first Blackcap
by the side of the loch.
25th Gruline. 2 Housemartins
reported by Pam & Arthur Brown.
24th 1 male Whinchat (first)
at Loch Spelve and 2 Puffins from Lochaline-Fishnish ferry. Mike
Coleman (Heatherlea Wildlife Tours) Loch Cuin. 31 Black tailed Godwits
flew in to rest. Charles Morgan
24th Knock fish farm outfall.
an Iceland Gull amongst Herring & Common Gulls. Pam Brown
On Eagle Watch this morning,
the female Merlin was back along the fence posts and the favourite rock.
It has been around in the same area for over a week now. Andy Oldacre.one
Loch Torr held a lone Whooper Swan. Loch na Keal. Iceland Gull on
the north shore of Loch na Keal adjacent to the boat house in a group of
immature Herring Gulls Shaun Mccullagh. Killechronan 2 Goldcrests
amongst my shrubs. Jan Fuller.
21st Lochdon bridge. First
Sedge Warbler, 3 Greenshank, Great Spotted Woodpeckers
drumming, 3 prs Red breasted
Merganser. Stuart Gibson. 2 lesser black backed gulls at Dervaig
today our first of the year.
Pam & Arthur Brown. (Discover Mull Tours) Langamull area: two White
Wagtails. David Hatfield
20th Glen Forsa. in
garden of kilbeg cottage, glen forsa. a female Black Redstart. (photographed)
plus golden plover at edge of Loch na Keal. Sylvia Brennan.
20th: Glengorm headland:
Sea Eagle (ad. over cliffs at Port Chill Bhraonian); Ravens; SlavoinanGrebe
(2 close in at Port Chill Bhraonian); lots more W Warblers; Cuckoo seen
& calling (Glengorm Castle woods); Mishnish lochs: almost certainly
a 2nd year Ring-billed Gull washing with Herring & Gt BB Gulls; Whooper
Swan (Loch Tor). Loch Cuin: Greenshank (1); quite a few Swallows. David
Hatfield
20th . A possible Little
Egret - Judy Fairbairn who lives in Cuin Lodge is fairly certain she
saw one flying down Loch Cuin early one morning about 2 days ago.
Her discription fits and judging from their rapid spread north, not impossible.
her discription was "heron like but smaller and totally white with faster
wing beats". If it was a L E surely someone else may have seen it!
We have had up to six Bullfinches
in the garden this week feeding on hawthorn buds, fortunately they haven't
yet gone for the fruit trees. Shaun Mccullagh. Garmony, a Bonxy creating
havoc along
shore line. Duncan Hall.
Lochdon 14 yellowhammers in my garden this afternoon. Also, an Osprey
flying down Loch Frisa this evening and a cuckoo was heard and seen
at Loch Frisa. John Preston et al, Susan & Duncan Hall
20th Lochdon.First Grasshopper
Warbler heard this morning by Andy Oldacre on eagle watch
11.00 a.m.Penmore: Cuckoo
Sylvia Swift. now reported for many areas on the island.
19th Garmony picnic area.First
Tree Pipit. Alan Spellman. Lochdon bridge pool a Red throated
Diver has spent the last couple of days in the bridge pool, showing very
well. Alan
18th/19th Loch na Keal. 2
Slavonian Grebe, Great northern Divers are still about. Lagggan Bay.
2
Snow Geese, Snipe seen and
heard calling at Loch Ba and also Dervaig, Great Spotted Woodpeckers
Drumming. Anand Prasad, Shaun
Mccullagh et al. First Housemartin seen near Grasspoint. Doug Bennett.
17th Loch na Keal. an Osprey
seen flying over the north side hills towards loch Frisa. AS
Penmore...my garden..siskin,yellow
hammers,greenfinch, 1 swallow flying around, plenty of wheatears and a
Spotted flycatcher nearby. Sylvia Swift Oban. 2nd winter Ring billed
Gull has
now been around for
13 months. Stuart Gibson Loch Torr. 1 Whooper Swan,1 Goldeneye. Prasad.
15th Loch na Keal. an Iceland
Gull around the Knock end near the outlet pipe. Lochdon. 2 female &1
male Hen Harrier Arthur & Pam Brown. 17 Shelduck AS
Treshnish and North Mull
Fulmar: at least 32 ledges were occupied on the western side, Treshnish
Point, also 5 Rock Dove, a single Gannet. 6 Manx Shearwater off Haunn plus
6 Gannet. 2 Puffin, Razorbill & Kittiwake in 30 mins sea watching.
Anand Prasad. Cuckoo at Loch Buie. Matthew Simpson.
14th Grasspoint, a scarce
passage migrant being a Purple Sandpiper, on the shore behind Grasspoint
Cottage. Arthur Brown et al & Alan Spellman Loch na Keal. 200 Barnacle
Geese at Inch Kenneth and at Bunessan male & female Gadwall Arthur
Brown. The Burgh. First Cuckoo heard . Martin Keivers.
13th Lochdon. First Common
Sandpiper. (last yaer 13/4) Visitors R. A. Manning & M. Rothwell,
also 12 Shelduck.Loch na Keal. a summer plumaged Slavonian Grebe giving
excellent close up watching. Alan S mouth of Calgary Bay. 4 Manx Shearwater,
100+ Kittiwake present for about an hour, a single Puffin Sound of
Coll unidentified Sheerwater with much paler upperparts and white underparts,
(possible Corys ?) Anand Prasad. Craignure. First chiffchaff singing
strongly near Torosay railway station & a short-eared owl
hunting over valley floor in front of Lochdon eagle watch caravan.
Chris & Sian (Craignure)
12th Tobermory. 3 male, 1
female bullfinch on our fruit trees this morning. No fruit again this year,
worth it for the spectacle.
Susan & Duncan Hall Gruline. female Merlin seen again in this area.
AB/AS. 11th Bowmans field opposite golf course.
2 Canada Geese. AS. Calgary Bay 2 Great Northern
Diver (1 in breeding plumage
on the south side), Manx Shearwater: 11+ at the mouth of Calgary Bay
1 Gannet & 7 Fulmar,
2 Arctic Skua flying south. Anand Prasad. Inverlussa. pair Goosander,
Wigeon,Teal, Golden Eagle,
Loch na Kea l Merlin, Golden Eagle, Great northern Diver, Slavionan Grebe,
R B Mergansers, Eider.AS
& David Trainer. Loch Spelve. a rare Little Auk seen near the
north shore, by visitor Neill
Foster.
10th Lochdon. First Willow
Warbler whilst on eagle watch this morning. Andy Oldacre
9th Loch Spelve. 2 Great
northern Diver also 3 on Loch Scridain, Greenshank. Griburn area Peregrine
WTSE, GE and lots Wheatear
& Meadow Pipits about now. AS + Mathew, Roger & Maureen.Treshnish
Farm male Hen Harrier near Haunn,17 Whooper Swan landed on the lochen
near
Treshnish House, Anand Prasad
Kilichronnan camp site. we saw the herring gull that was coloured
last year.It is still
alive and getting its original colour back although it is still a washed
out pinky
orange. Susan & Duncan
Hall. Oban male Chifchaff in song, Stuart Gibson. Craignure.heard a male
long-eared owl calling near the Isle of Mull hotel c. 11pm Chris &
Sian (Craignure)
7th AprilLedmore Hill a Short
Eared Owl seen through bins at about 30 yds hunting along the
line of the ditch beside
the track. Angus Slorach Lochdon.Female Merlin from the caravan again this
morning plus Siskin on our
feeders at home.Andy Oldacre
6th Lagganulva.a single Pinkfoot
amongst Greylags. Arthur Brown
5thSalen. male brambling
coming into spring plumage in the garden today. Dave Sexton. Lochdon. a
female Merlin hunting, it missed its catch but I saw the feathers flying
behind a large rock on the hillside, also a Swallow flew over the caravan
Andy Oldacre
2nd-4th Dervaig Bridge -
2 shelduck, 3 merganser, 2 redshank, also had a good look over the
reedbed hoping for water rail, but not a sound. There were however
several teal and a few mallard. Shaun Mccullagh
1st Lochdon. drake Gadwall
still in Bunessan Harbour. Long stay Whooper Swan has returned toPottie
after being absent for a week or so. First Wheatears have been seen
in Pottie and Fidden areas this weekend. Hunting Peregrine near to
Fidden Sunday. Mike Wagemakers |
Latest reports
for April - June 2005
Migrants arrived or passed
through. On 1st, a fall of some 60+ Redwings in a local Tobermory garden
stayed until 7th. Returning Whooper Swan were at Lochdon with 30 birds
on 4th for an overnight stay before moving north again. The first Cuckoo
was heard on 6th at Calgary by Andy Mortley. On 8th an Osprey was reported
at Loch Frisa, the first of the year where it rested, fished and moved
on the next day. Excellent views of Merlin at Loch Beg & Killiechronan
on 8th as they arrived following Meadow Pipits moving north, and a single
Red Kite flew over Garmony heading north.
Spring migrants arrived on
10th the first Willow Warbler was reported from Aros Park. A displaying
male Hen Harrier was also watched at Lochdon – Grasspoint area.
On 14th a pair of newly arrived
Short eared Owls were displaying in the Lochdon area at a regular site.
And the first Common Sandpiper was seen on Loch Cuin shoreline on 14th
by Shaun Mccullagh.
There was a singing male
Blackcap 20th along the Grasspoint road and a singing Tree Pipit (23rd)
in the forestry plantation. But it was 25th before our first Whinchat and
Sedge Warbler were picked up in Glen Aros and Dervaig. On 26th Corncrakes
were heard for the first time this year on Iona, (25th last year). The
first House martin was at Killiechronan on 28th and Grasshopper
Warbler at Fionnphort on 30th.
A rare passage migrant on
27th, being 2 Wood Sandpiper along the north shore of Lochdon were reported
by visitor Stan Midgley. At Caliach Point on 19th was a female Snow
Bunting. Other interesting birds on the move were summer plumaged Golden
Plover at Loch na Keal (26th) a pair of Scaup at Pennyghael, Loch Scridain
(27th), by the golf course on 18th 40 migrating Ruddy Turnstone were resting
and feeding on the shore line.
In the Glen Aros Forestry
area were a flock of 30 crossbills reported by Dave Sexton RSPB and flocks
of up to 30 Yellowhammers have been visiting local gardens.
At Balmeanach, Sound of Mull
a pair of Canada Geese appear to be nesting again this year
Throughout the month White
winged Gulls were two 1st W Iceland, A bleached and worn 1st Summer immature
Ring-billed Gull in Oban harbour and Iceland also in Tobermory. Up to 300
Eider spent most of the month by the mussel farm on Loch Scridain. |
Summary
of reports for April 2004
April is the month when most
of our spring migrants arrive, and so they did, having heard earlier reports
of Swallows at Portland Bill in January it was no surprise to record our
first arrivals with, Sandmartins at Gorsten and Tree Pipit at Lochdon on
1st of the month. And a Garden Warbler on 4th (often missed) at Loch Frisa.
A few days later on 11th the first Osprey on passage was seen first at
Calgary and the Loch Frisa. Also on 11th the first Chiffchaff was heard
at Loch Spelve. The first report of singing Grasshopper Warbler of the
year, and a very early bird, was on Seil Island by Bill Jackson who had
two birds in his garden on 12th of the month..
The first Cuckoo of the year
was first heard and seen at Loch Uisg and at Loch Buie on 16th. Other new
visitors were Corncrake which arrived on Iona on 25th (3 days earlier
than last year). A Corncrake was also heard calling at Bàn Eileenan,
north of Garmony point on 27th, but had moved on by the following day,
in the same area the first Whitethroat of the year was found also on 27th.
At Dervaig 10 newly arrived House martin were feeding over the reed beds
with swallows and a Reed Bunting was heard singing. A male Redstart was
heard singing in Quinish woodland, eventually being spotted it high up
in an oak tree.
A flock of very late Redwings
of about 60+ birds were at Salen, Tobermory and Dervaig between on 12th
-15th stripping trees of the few remaining berries and moving north.
On the beach near the
Glenforsa Hotel a 1st winter Glaucous Gull was found by the Speyside Wildlife
Group on 15th. This group also spotted up a single Purple Sandpiper at
Grasspoint (on passage) and a male Goshawk, gave a brief display over woodland,
whilst chasing Raven. Plantation Road NW of Kilfinichen Bay.
There were other very scarce
birds for Mull seen this month, being a pair of Northern Shoveler at Fidden
on 13th and at Garmony were a pair of Pintail by the picnic area on 13th
and again seen at Lochdon the following day. On 20th at Loch Scridain area
a very rare Black Kite was seen on the north side of the loch by the Heatherlea
Birdwatching group
At Loch na Keal on 20th,
a 2nd summer Iceland Gull was following trawler in the loch.
There was a flock of 40 twite
here feeding on the Iona shore on 11th. Two male and one female Goosander
were seen at Loch Torr on 28th and two on Loch Frisa with four, (two pairs)
at Lochdon on 16th. Reports of Divers have been fewer but those Great Northern
Divers that have stayed have shown spectacular summer plumage, on 16th
- 17th Loch Spelve. Held 8 Great Northern Diver (3 in summer plumage) plus
1 Black throated Diver. Whilst on 18th at Ledmore end of Loch Frisa.
Rod & Gill Little reported ……“3 red throated divers in scope field
at one time. Also and most exciting one Black throated Diver, at one time
alongside red throat, wonderful comparison to confirm identification”.
Loch na Keal. held
8 Slavonian Grebe, plus a Red throated diver in summer plumage.
At Lochdon, (14th) a passage
of 36 Whimbrel, were recorded plus 6 Redshank, 8 Red breasted Merganser,
and on 15th a further 16 Whimbrel feeding frantically on the Lochdon shore
line.4 Whooper swans flew north over Lochdon on 14th and also Loch
Pottie held 4 Whooper swans on 13th, (possibly the same birds). Croig on
8th held eight Comon Sandpiper at Eilean Bàn
Bullfinches have shown well
this month with 2 pairs regularly coming to a Tobermory garden at at Bàn
Eileenan, north of Garmony point and also at Loch Buie and Torosay woodland
walk, And a pair of Linnets also in a Lochdon garden. Yellowhammers have
been reported from many garden sites with a peak of 11 birds in one garden
at Lochdon early in the month.
Short eared Owls arrived
with three at Lochdon on 12th and in Glen More a prospective pair were
displaying on 15th. There have only been a few Merlin sightings at regular
spots and finally its good to be able to report that we now have White
tailed Sea chicks. |

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