Early Marsh Orchid & Northern Marsh Orchid

1 July  Quail calling near to track down to Ardalanish Beach – Carol Marshall, Norma Dowling and Bev Maidment. & Steve Young  Also a Sand Martin colony at the east end of the beach near the stile. ,

30th JUNE  :  CALGARY BAY (North shore)
Colony of Grayling butterflies now on the wing on coastal lava cliffs at North end of Calgary Bay (6 - 7 butterflies seen); also colony of Transparent Burnet moths observed feeding on Wild Thyme in same area. Birds included ad. Golden Eagle, 3 Kestrels, Common Gull nest with one chick and another 'chipping' egg, 5 singing m m Whitethroats and singing Tree Pipit - Ruth Fleming and Stuart Gibson 
29th JUNE : LOCHDON (Gorsten Area)
1 Marsh Fritillary seen nr High Oatfield; small colony of Large Heath now on wing on coastal moorland North of Gorsten (4 - 5 butterflies seen); pair of Hen Harriers in same area; 3 prs Linnet in gorse scrub; ad. WTSE being mobbed by Raven and Common Gulls along North shore of Lochdon; also 3 Common Porpoise in nearby Firth of Lorne. Ruth Fleming and Stuart Gibson
30th:  Transparent Burnet (Zygaena purpuralis) day-flying moth - 2 at  Loch Scridain, one at the quarry in Glen More. 3-4 Twite beside Loch Na Keal, south shore. Pam Brown with Felicity Hansen and Mary Sparrow 
30th Loch Pottie 1 Whooper Swan still present. Uisken 1 Swift. Loch Beg 1 Mute Swan, 7 Golden Plover, 2 Greenshank. Crossbills are showing in reasonable numbers in various locations.  Bryan Rains
20th Male Hen Harrier flying down glen Forsa  early evening (this was about 2 miles down the glen)
21st Brief sighting of a Male Ring Ouzel (this was about 2 to 3 miles down the glen Forsa)
21st Lesser whitethroat at the car park on B8073 at the north end of Loch Frisa
25th on the shore near Aros Castle  2 Storm Petrels fly south also a Whooper Swan at this site  Geoff Trigg
28th LANGAMULL; 3 Crossbills over plantation; Red-throated Diver calling and seen on sea; 50 Greylag Geese on sea; 14 Sand Martins over colony where 5 out of 22 nest holes active; family party Linnets in coastal scrub; pr Oystercatchers with b/2 harassed by Mink.
Orchids;  5 species seen, Greater Butterfly, Fragrant, Northern Marsh, Common Spotted and Heath Spotted.
Butterflies/Moths:  Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Painted Lady, Small Heath, Pearl-bordered sp , Six-spot Burnet and Slender Scotch Burnet all seen despite overcast conditions.
24th SALEN FORT 1 Swift --> S at 22.20 hrs; family party of Whinchats.
25th TIRORAN - TAVOOL  18 Crossbills in plantation.  Ruth Fleming and Stuart Gibson 
28th: 2 gannets flying south & about 6 porpoises,  near the lighthouse . Felicity Hansen & Mary Sparrow
25th 1 Swift near Treshnish cow-barn and about an hour later 1 (possibly same) at Haunn.
The Quail has not been heard since the 21st and i have reliable report that it was first heard on 31st May a week before i first heard it, Anand Prasad 
25th Tiroran-Tavool: Butterflies; 30 common blue, 40 small heath, 20 pearl bordered fritillary, 12 meadow brown, 10 speckled wood, 8 painted lady plus both burnet moths, Ruth Flemming & Stuart Gibson.
24th, 2 black guillemot by the pier in Craignure, easily seen from shore.  Felicity Hansen
24th Uisken: Common Swift at Uisken Bay along with a Sedge Warbler and male Hen Harrier. Ashley Saunders
23rd Tobermory: at least 12 Swift over the town. jenny & Chris Buckley
16th Kellan Lodge Mill (Loch na Keal) a 1st year MALE COMMON ROSEFINCH, a very 'rare bird' indeed and a first for Mull, previously one was on Iona in 1989.  kindly reported by Ben Dickinson
23rd Loch Buie: a LESSER WHITETHROAT  Loch Buie. The previous record was one on Iona in 1965,  Ashley Saunders Oriole Adventures
21st Glen Bellart:  heard Quail calling from grid reference NM455485, about 200 yards north of the coniferous forest where the road crosses the cattle grid and disappears into the wood on the road south of Dervaig towards Salen. It appeared to be coming from an area between the fence line and the river. Between 17.00 and 17.25 it called about a dozen times in short bursts - the "wet-your-lips" call being unmistakable. We scanned the area were it appeared to be located but were unable to see it. also saw a Whooper Swan this morning on Loch Pottie.   Thanks to Peter Hodgson, Jim and Lynda Coyle
20th,  Good day out,  60 species, including Bullfinch in Glen Aros and singing Wood Warbler in trees alongside Salen Bay.  Fragrant Orchids, amongst others, and Chimney Sweep Moths also in Glen Aros.  Mike Wagemakers
20th Whooper Swan on Loch Frisa, Crossbills  at the hide fragrant orchids, common spotted orchids, small pearl bordered fritillaries, painted ladies just in front of the loch frisa sea eagle hide hide. Debby Thorne
17th Garmony:  a whooper swan at Garmony and on 22nd 2 Turnstone. Dave Pieirce
15th Langamull: 600 Manx Shearwater, 10 sand martin, 60 painted lady, 44 small heath,24 chimney sweeps, 2 six spot burnet moth, pearl and small bordered fritillary, Ruth Flemming and Stuart Gibson
15th Calgary: FEMALE HAWFINCH seen 1.15 pm Frachadil House garden  by Andy and Helen Mortley 
14th Caliach Point: 500+ Manx Shearwaters on the water, 10 Goosander at Dervaig.  Arthur Brown
13th Over 40 species seen on the Cailaich road BTO sqare including lots of Meadow Pipits and over 30 Skylarks
12th Staffa: 7 Twite and 2 Wren on Staffa, 8 Manx Shearwater and a Corys Shearwater at very close range together between Staffa and Lunga. I have seen Corys many times in the uk and abroad and I am 100% certain of this sighting. Robert Hoare
7th Iona -on sea on west coast nr. Stac Liath: Slavonian Grebe in summer pl. Bonxie past Port na Curaich -south coast of Iona 
10th Corncrake showed well on Iona -in recently mowed field next to hotel. Whimbrel -Ardalanish beach, Mull
12th Uisken beachHen Harrier -female, Greenshank -Loch Beg.  Neil Osborne + reports from Hayley Tomlinson 
10th male Hen Harrier and Turtle Dove near the river aros just past the first cattle grid  from salen, summer plumaged Great Northern Diver in the sound of mull near the pier at Craingure.  Juv Great Northern Diver and 2 Summer plumaged Black Throated Diver and Black Guillimot loch Buie also female Whinchat on fence posts on the approch road. Robert Hoare 
10th Calgary bay near beach: 5 female Eider ducks with 17 newly fledged chicks! One red-throated Diver in bay.
At Langamull 92 Slender Scotch Burnets and  Frog Orchids. Anand Prasad  more Orchids here
9th : summer plumaged Great Norther Diver this evening on the sea near the fish farm from Garmony. Robert Hoare
8th Treshnish headland: Quail calling on Treshnish headland walk track . Anand Prasad
8th Craignure:  5 black guillemots today just off Craignure (from ferry).Felicity Hansen and Peter Verity
A few highlights from our week on Mull.
Pair of Shelduck plus one chick at Croig, with WTSE ominously overhead (6th), Wood Warbler on the Tobermory Lighthouse walk 5th Loch na Keal: drake Tufted Duck at head of Loch Na Keal on the low tide pool by the campsite at Killiechronan. Geoff Pain.
(5th), Pair of Arctic Tern on Langamull beach, with the male fishing for the female: plus a Swift overhead at the same location (1st), Whinchat singing at Carsaig, and Treecreeper in the woods at Carsaig (30th): Spotted Flycatcher in the woods at the Calgary Hotel (2nd), Pair of Red Throated Diver at Calgary Bay (all week) and a pair at Loch Tuath (4th): Bullfinch at Dervaig (3rd): Male Wigeon at Aros (4th). 
During the week, Cuckoo's at Calgary, Ulva, Treshnish Pt, Ardmore (pair), Carsaig, Loch Don, Langamull (on the telegraph wires on the way to the beach) and Otters at Calgary Bay, Treshnish Point (x2), Flat Rock Glengorm (x2) and Loch Scridain 
In all 89 species in a week (mainly North Mull + Iona) - a record for me
Overall highlight was perhaps a hugeBasking Shark in Calgary Bay on 1st - by far the biggest I've ever seen
Matt Atkin 
4th Ferry Crossing Craignure to Oban: In the Firth of Lorn were 8-10 Pomarine Skua drifting west, excellent views. Alan
4th Aros. 1 Dipper and at least 5 Grey Wags on the burn. 1 male Wigeon on the sea in Aros Bay.1 male Hen Harrier  between Aros and Dervaig. Martin Sage
4th  Loch na Keal: 2 red throated divers calling. greylags with goslings. On Scarisdale rocks were 2 WTSE. RF & SG
4th Aros estuary:  an 'out of season' Wigeon here today. Martin Sage
3rd between Iona and Mull. Great Skua robbing 2 gulls between. also found Rooks on Iona 
3rd Loch Buie: a pair of summer plumaged Black throated diver have been giving excellent views here for the last three weeks. WTSE flew over. several Swifts over Grasspoint road. Alan
1st Lochdon. I watched stunning whinchat in the mornings sunshine, and where was my camera, in my car 100 yards away. will I never leaarn ? Alan
1st Gribun: Lots of painted ladies at Gribun. also peacocks. We have a resident tawny owl at gribun this year , and the peregrines have moved to be replaced by a pair of kestrel on the cliffs. Liz and Richard Hallam
1st Gruline Mausoleum. Spotted Flycatcher. Eurasion Jay at Gruline., (scarce for mull) Martin Sage
 

 

The Isle of Mull Bird Report (2008) is
available for sale at £5.95  in
Spar Shop Craignure
Tackle and Books Tobermory
Ferry Shop Fionnphort
Duart Castle shop & tea rooms
Pennyghael Stores (next to Kinloch Hotel)
Post Office at Salen also have copies for sale.
 

I will be pleased to send a copy by post
cost including post is £6.50
cheques should be made payable to Alan Spellman

you can pay here via paypal (£6.95)