Tuesday, May 12, 2009

11th May,2009.

Another absolutely glorious day with, at least until early afternoon, a very light ESE wind that resulted in the sea having a surface of almost continuous blue and there being little sound ( not a commonplace happening if you live near the sea! ).

Given the nature of the weather little was happening over the sea ,although a couple of Shelduck flew south. The whole day was spent on BTO Atlas work, or other counts, and was really enjoyable. Not surprisingly the outer part of Loch Indaal is now virtually devoid of birds, although a number of Great Northern Divers remain. New Sedge Warblers had arrived at various places, as had Common Whitethroat, but a couple of the latter had moved on too.Grasshopper Warblers were reeling away in various places and two locations saw the arrival of Whinchats. The number of Corncrakes locally has now risen to three so we may eventually see even more than last year!

Despite a late night vigil the hoped for Barn Owls never appeared and now Swallows are making full use of the entry apertures into the barn! Elsewhere the Barn Owls that are being filmed in isolation, with the resultant pictures being beamed to the Islay Trust building, have their first young. Try www.islaynaturalhistory.org/multiowl.htm for an intimate view of their lives!!

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