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October 2008
Latest reports
for December 2007
November 2007 Latest Reports Ad. RING-BILLED GULL at roost, OBAN foreshore on evening of 28th November Stuart Gibson 28th Knock Fish Farm: More than 90 Turnstones at Knock this morning. Colin Moody 24th Bunesan: a sikngle very late Swallow. Fidden: 33 White Fronts, 115 Barnies and 28 Greylags. Isle of Mull Bird Club Field Visit 22nd :A few sightings from last night.... Garmony 1 Barn Owl, 1 Tawny Owl. Lochdon 2 Barn Owl, 3 Woodcock. Glen More 2 Barn Owl, 10 Woodcock. Bryan Rains 22nd Knock: Iceland Gull still arund the fish farm. Alan Spellman 22nd Bowmans field (opposite Craignure golf course). 14 Canada geese with 70 Greylags. Alan Spelllman 20th Kinloch: Male Goosander, 200+ Barnacle Geese Inch Kenneth - Mike Wagemakers 20th Fidden Approx 40 White Fronts, 1 Juvenile Whooper Swan, 69 Barnacle Geese (some flew and so possible went to Inch Kenneth), 30+ Ringed Plover, 20+ Golden Plover, 5 Twite; Long-tailed Duck still on Pottie - Carol Marshall 20th Knock area: Iceland Gull still at the Knock Fish Hatchery outlet. Also saw in that general area a raft of about 50 Goldeneye. At least 8 Slavonian Grebe between the boathouse and the hatchery, 2 Great Northern Divers and several Mergansers and about 50 turnstone at the outfall. Just before we left for home we had chat to a visitor who had been up Ben More today, he said he had seen a sizeable flock of Snow Bunting on the ridge just below the Ben More summit, Shaun Mccullagh 18th Calgary: Barn Owl flying across the road at Calgary at about 7.30pm Shaun Mccullagh 15th Knock: Iceland Gull at Knock today. Colin Moody also a juvenile Whooper was found dead after coming into contact with a power cable at Knock 11th Killiechronan: Two swallows at Killiechronan still there on Sunday 11 Nov. Also a report of a swallow a week ago on the Ross (Uisken - R Campbell). David Sexton Mull Officer RSPB Scotland 14th Killiechronan: a single Pink Foot and Brent goos with Greylags in fields nearby. Arthur Brown Thanks to Dave Shackleton for records too numerous to mention here.Dave Shackleton 11th OBAN: The Ring billed Gull is still present at the forseshore in Oban . Stuart Gibson 11th Fidden: 80+ Barbacle geese, 60+ White fronts and 60+ Greylags. Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 3female Hen Harriers, Great Northern Diver. lots of Redwings. Alan Spellman, Andy Oldacre and John Preston. 10th Lochdon: I saw 20 or so Long tailed Tits yesterday. Passing through the garden. .Jenny Smith 1 Nov-White Female Fallow Deer with this years young and a male follower Fri 2 Nov-female Hen Harrier at Grasspoint Steve Bell 6th .Fidden : 50 Barnacle Geese, 39 Greenland White-fronted Goose, 1 juv Whooper Swan, 4 Skylark. Bryan Rains 2nd Dervaig: Large parties of Whooper Swans flying over the house and landing on Loch Cuin after dark - no idea how many 3rd Loch Cuin: 18 Whoopers flying high over Loch Cuin, did not land 4/11 Dipper in fast running burn close to south side of Loch Cuin near Oyster farm. Haven't seen one around Dervaig before. Shaun Mccullagh 6th Killiechronan: 2 swallows and one brent goose with the greylags. David Sexton 3rd Nov :I took a guy out on a tour (Wild about Mull Tours) and we managed to get 74 species through the day - not a bad effort for this time of year. The highlights were as follows... Loch Spelve - 1 Golden Eagle. Grasspoint - 5 Greenshank, 2 Hen Harrier, 1 RT Diver, 1 Merlin. Loch an Ellen (3 Lochs) 2 Whooper Swan. Loch Scridain - 6 GN Diver, 2 RT Diver, 2 BT Diver, 2 Black Guillemot. Bunessan - 1 Gadwall Ardness - 120 Redwing with about 5 Fieldfare. Lots of Fieldfare and Redwing all over but this was the largest single flock. Loch Pottie - 33 Greenland WF Goose. Fidden - 1 juv Whooper Swan (darvic ring - awaiting details), 1 Pink-footed Goose, 3 Goldeneye, 1 Pied Wagtail (only one we saw on the day). 7 Otters were seen through the day too. Bryan Rains 3rd - Long-tailed duck still on Pottie, southern end, 2 Female Hen Harrier hunting together just east of Fionnphort - Mike Wagemakers & Carol Marshall Long-tailed suggests a Juvenile Female, not 'clean' markings on the head, uniform grey bill, no pink, and so different bird to one seen two years ago although occupying same fishing area, channel to west of island.) 3rd - Fidden, amongst all the usual 2 Sanderling, 1 Barnacle Goose and good view of Otter at Erraid Log Pile landing - Carol Marshall 2nd Loch Harrison (by Loch Assapol) a male Pochard These are uncommon on Mull. Ron Cook 1st November - Loch Pottie - Long-tailed Duck still present , Grouse, presumed Red although showing some white underneath,white (not pure white) underneath but presumed to be a Red Grouse, no call to help identity. Also 2 Wigeon, Pair Tufted Duck, 3 Female Goldeneye- Mike Wagemakers 28th Oct-Sea Eagle White Tag ' E' Grasspoint mobbed by a number of Hoodies 29th Oct-Sea Eagle in flight above Aros we were in the car unable to identify any tags. 30th Oct- Merlin at Ardmore. 31st Oct: possible Goshawk at Croggan Seen above and through trees on Croggan side of inlet not sure but brief glimpse showed silhouette with strong similarity to Cuckoo but larger also well fingered wings. October 2007 Latest Reports. 26th Loch Pottie: Female long tailed duck on small loch just south of Loch Assapol on rough track. Dave Mitchell & Kathryn Lindsay. 29th Loch Frisa: a late Osprey on Loch Frisa the day before. As the parties were on opposite sides of the Loch and were staying far apart on the island, this might not be fanciful. Just seems a bit late, though! Jenny Reddaway 30th Loch Pottie: Long tailed Duck found two days ago confirmed today with clear views juvenile, poss female - Carol Marshall. Good numbers of Redwing and a few Fieldfare Fionnphort today - Mike Wagemakers 23rd Fidden: Managed to find a single Lapland Bunting (fem) down at Fidden today while on the tour. There was also a single Barnacle Goose down there. Bryan Rains 22nd Penmore: A pair of Hen Harriers (Male/Female) over Penmore daily. Sylvia Swft 20th Lochdon: 12 Whoooper Swans flew south over Lochdon John & Angela Preston 18th-19th Loch Pottie: 1 male and 4 female Tufted Duck with 1 Female Scaup, 3 White Fronted Geese, 3 Wigeon, 1 Little Grebe - Loch Pottie - Carol Marshall/Mike Wagemakers. 9th Ardalanish: 3 Pale bellied Brent Geese ,53 Rock Doves in organic farm fields. John & Sue Clare. 29th Sept, at 7am, we observed a white Thrush in our garden. It had chest spots, but the rest was white. It seemed to know it was white as it kept close to the trees and would not venture very far out onto the lawn. Tom & Barbara Bettley. 5th Loch Cuin: 2 immature Goosander on Loch Cuin. Shaun Mccullagh 7/thKilliechronan: 90 Common Gull, 120 Herring Gull, 7 Black Headed Gull, 2 greater Black Backs, 1 Black Tailed Godwit, 1 Redshank, 20 Oystercatcher, 35 Turnstone, 50 Mallard, 10 teal, 25 Rock Dove, 3 Starling, 2 Rock Pipit, 5 Linnet, 1 Buzzard, 10 Hooded Crow, 1 Robin. Shaun Mccullagh 9th Loch Cuin: 8 Whooper Swan & 1 Greenshank. Loch Cuin. Shaun Mccullagh 9th Fionnphort - 1 Northen Wheatear.Fidden - 2 Northern Wheatear, 60 Twite, c 600 Barnacle Goose, 1 Great Northern Diver. Loch Scridain - 9 Whooper Swan now on Loch Beg. Beach - 2 Willow Warbler. Kilfinichen - 3 Hen Harrier. Bryan Rains Wild About Mull Tours 4th Loch Frisa: 8 crossbills at Frisa Dave Sexton  8th.
Penmore : Golden Eagle mobbed by Buzzard. Female Hen Harrier and Sparrowhawk....not
safe to go out!! Sylvia Swift
8th between Fionnphort and Fidden: Injured Long-eared Owl recovered from hill area between Fionnphort and Fidden. Taken to Wings Over Mull. Sue Dewar thinks a male bird, old injury (broken wing) and probably survived by grubbing around on the ground. - Mike Wagemakers/Carol Marshall 4th Uisken: 1 Northern Wheatear, Fidden 6 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 60 Twite, 15 Linnet and 30 Skylark. Bryan Rains 2nd Kilfinichen Bay, Loch Scridain. Juvenile Brent Goose, On a Discover Mull tour. The tide was out and it was grazing on the grass by the river bank then flew across to the sea shore edge. Pam Brown 2nd Lochdon: John Preston reports Yellowhammers in his garden this morning. 1st Loch Buie: - 40 Fieldfares in two small flocks of 20 flying in off the sea at Moy Castle, Lochbuie. Flew straight into hawthorn bushes close to the shoreline to feed where there were also starlings, song thrushes and blackbirds. Shaun Mccullagh 1st Loch Beg: 6 Fieldfare, 6 RB Merg (5 fem 1 imm male) 2 Goosander fem, 1 RB Merg imm male. Bryan Rains Latest Reports for December 2006 30th at Calliach. We had been down to the croft at the end of the road and were on our way back nearly to Sunipol when we came upon 5 Red Grouse in the middle of the road probably picking up grit. We spopped the car and watched them for several minutes as they walked off through the bracken. I have not heard of them being seen here before.- Shaun Mccullagh 30th Lochdon: 12 Shelduck plus wigeon,Teal, Mallard & Mergansers. 30 Ringed Plover. Alan 26th Tobermory. I spied a female Blackcap in a garden on Breadalbane street this morning. Alan Spellman 24th Calgary beach:15 Ringed Plover at Calgary & 26 on 25/12 & 1 Redshank on 24/12 24th at Dervaig Bridge - 3 Redshank & 1 Greenshank & 1 Mute Swan and on 26/12 - 1 Greenshank, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Mute Swan & several Grey Herons, but surprisingly no Mergansers. Shaun 24th Mishnish lochs: a lone Whooper Swan, Loch Tor 3 Drake Goosander & Goldeneye. Alan 20th Aros Park : 3 pairs of golden-eye on lochan, beautiful male plummage, Duncan & Susan Hall 18th for information and photographs of the Ross's Gull south of Oban click here 14th-to 22nd at Ormsary, Loch Coalisport south of Oban. A Ross's Gull is showing well Jim Dickson 17th Loch Scridain:Glaucous Gull, 3 Juv Black throated Diver, 3 Great northern Diver, 2 Slavonion Grebe, Little Grebe, Mallard, Red breasted Mergansers, Greenshank, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover,Turnstone. Andy Oldacre/Alan Spellman. 15th Lochdon: 3 Little Grebes on Lochdon along with a single male Goldeneye today. Andy Oldacre 14th saw an all black sea bird in Calgary Bay with white secondaries (When it flapped its wings). It was too big for Black Guillemot and I think it was a Velvet Scoter. a few Great Northern Divers and one Guillemot! in Calgary Bay, Anand Prasads 14th Loch Beag: White-winged Gull, Glaucous, seen feeding on dead (white) seal at , just above the Kinloch Hotel at high watermark near the road. Carol Marshall 10th We spotted two short eared owls on fence posts along the glen Aros/Bellart road to dervaig where the forestry area is. These are the first we have seen this year in that particular area Pete & Jan Hall (also known as Santa & Mrs Christmas) 6th First Yellowhammer in garden this winter today 6th,a Bar-Tailed Godwit at Croig with Redshanks Greenshanks, Curlew,oystercatcher and a G.N.Diver. at Cailiach 2 Ringed Tail Hen Harriers and 2 Snipe. 40+ Meadow Pipits at Calgary and a charm of 10 Goldfinch, finally at Dervaig a Shellduck and 12+ Red Breasted Merganser. Arthur Brown 4th Sound of Mull: For the first year since recording started here in 1983-84 not a single tern bred in the Sound of Mull. The birds arrived as usual at the begining of May and then 'en masse' departed after a couple of weeks during the last week of May. I have been trapping mink in this area for several years now, however is was not the mink that encouraged the Terns to depart but more likely a lack of food available locally. Latest reports for November
2006
29th October
Rock Ptarmigan on on Corra-bheinn.
Colin Moody
October 2006
Latest Reports.
Summary for December 2005 Waxwings were seen in Oban with only a few scattered reports received from Mull, in small parties of 3 or 4 birds at Craignure, Lochdon and Salen. The female Kingfisher was seen again by the bridge pool at Lochdon, several times through the month, presumed to be the same bird. Also a White throated Dipper was in the same area at the end of the month. Blackcaps feeding in local gardens at Salen, Lochdon, Dervaig and Tobermory, (all male birds). Lochdon a lone male Brambling seen preening in front garden. Pam & Len White on 12th and another regularly coming to a garden in Tobermory. Yellowhammers were in several gardens readily coming to seed scattered on the ground. At Fishnish on 9th there were Crossbills (this is perhaps the best place on the island to see this species) Loch Tor briefly held 4 male Goosander on 3rd and others were reported at Aros, Loch na Keal and fishing in the bridge pool at Lochdon. At Lagganulva area. (12th) were 80+ Greylags including a single White front and Pinkfoot amongst them. Also a single Red necked Grebe. a very scarce visitor for Mull was off shore in this area. Ducks included good numbers of Wigeon and Teal on most sea lochs, at Lochdon there were 14 Shelduck and Loch Spelve had 12 Goldeneye, Loch na Keal 30 at the Knock end and others on Lochdon and the Mishnish lochs. Up to 35 migrating Ruddy Turnstones doing their thing on the beach, and taking no notice of passers by at Lochdon (opposite the post office) Shaun Mccullagh reports the Moorhen was still on the Aros Park loch 17th and a Water Rail here on Christmas day (Tom Bettley). In Oban the long staying Ring-billed Gull was present along the esplanade until the 8th. Stuart Gibson also reported seeing a Peregrine chasing feral pigeons along the esplanade in Oban. A pair of Barn Owls at Fishnish were seen hunting over the hill by Fishnish Bay. Barn Owls also at Torosay and by Duart Castle. Other raptors were Short eared Owl and Hen Harrier through Glen More. White tailed Sea Eagles are already beginning their bonding courtship displays for those lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. Summary for October to November 2005 Early October and at Calliach a single Common Whitethroat was still about plus 46 Twite. Scarce and not often reported were a pair of Reed Buntings at Pennygown on 6th. At Dun da ghaoithe (masts hill at Craignure) there was a late Wheatear and a Peregrine (16th). Oban Harbour still had its Ring billed Gull which remained (on & off) until the end of November plus a peak of 33 Ruddy Turnstone in this, a favourite place. 16th Oct Loch Scridain another late departing single Wheatear. Throughout the months Loch Beg held good numbers of Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, Redshank & Greenshank and a flock of 30+ Black headed Gulls. Also a high count of 47 Black Headed Gulls at Garmony. By 7th, flocks of winter Thrushes were scattered across the island, feeding on rowan berries. Large flocks of Redwing up to 600 at Lochdon & Loch Buie. At Killiechronan. were flocks of Redwings flying in from the west, of several hundred birds at a time. 18th at Lochdon an influx of Blackbirds (80+ birds) with Redwing and Fieldfare were moving through the island. Family groups of Whooper Swans were reported at Garmony, Lochdon, Mishnish, Fidden, Loch Cuin and Loch Pottie, between 16th Oct- 26th Nov, with a peak of 34 birds at Loch Cuin on 26th Nov. 9th Oct, and most sea lochs held Great Northern Diver; at Calgary a summer plumaged bird plus 2 Red Throated Divers in winter plumage & on Loch na Keal (16th) a pair of Black throated Diver and a peak count of 20 Great northern Diver. Also a count of 16 wintering Slavonian Grebe, plus 2 Little Grebe. Migrating Geese were on the move, flying over Mull from early Oct to mid Nov with 250 Greylags, also 300 Barnacles on Inch Kenneth and a few more at Fidden, also here were 30+ White Fronted Geese. A single Pink footed Goose was with Greylags at Killiecronan. Teal and Wigeon numbers increased on Lochdon as birds arrived for the winter. At least 40 Red breasted Mergansers were counted around the north coastal area. On 9th on the river Aros were 2 female Goosander and others were seen at regular sites, being the Aros estuary, Lochdon and Loch Scridain. 25th Nov, Loch Pottie. Held an Immature Long tailed Duck, also Goldeneye and Tufted Duck. 1st Nov on Loch Spelve, a juvenile Common Scoter was seen by Richard Atkinson & his tour group. Dippers have been reported from Dervaig, Glen Bellart, Lochdon & Inverlussa, a good sign of healthy rivers. The cold weather from mid Oct brought down a few Bramblings (singles and pairs) into local gardens at Salen, Lochdon, Fionnphort & Dervaig, all had moved on by mid Nov. Oct & Nov produced a few ‘more unusual birds’ for Mull being a Moorhen on Aros Park loch on 23rd Nov and is only the 3rd record for Mull. A Jay flew across the road at Torosay on 13th Nov and Carrion Crow at Fionnphort (29thOct) Susan & Duncan Hall spied a Waterail in their garden and a walk round Aros Park Loch rewarded them with a Kingfisher. Only a very few Waxwing reports at Craignure, a single bird 0n 7th Nov and Killiechronan 2 birds in the garden of Jan Fuller. A single Snow Bunting at Fidden on 5th Nov A Hawfinch (a Winter female) was in an OBAN garden, feeding on lard encrusted with Niger seeds, between 29th - 31st Oct, a rare treat for the householder. On 10th Nov, Ross of Mull. Mike Wagemakers found a Leaches Storm Petrel in his garden (dead).and another at Lochdon, both had not made it through the storms of that week. Raptors showed well throughout Oct & Nov with a male Hen Harrier regularly being seen in Glen More. Also a Short eared Owl in the Glen by the Crannog loch. Golden Eagles and White tailed Sea Eagles at regular sites and a male Merlin at Grasspoint. |
