Wildwood Wisdom

We have been running camps with today being the last, for local children on Islay. Discovering nature and becoming aware of it's amazing powers - especially in springtime noting and watching new growth, birds moving through and having time to racket about in the wilds. A Peregrine falcon flew over us yesterday and we enjoyed observing Scaup and Eider on the sea too. Leaving no trace has meant cleaning up areas and removing masses amount of human debris from plastics to tyres along coastal places. Last day today.

wilderness living....

..in the wind and rain this afternoon. Time to watch Pintails, Pale Bellied Brent and Teal. Shelduck all over the place.
The family that were out were lovely and enthusiastic. Learning and having fun. They even managed to get a wee wilderness fire going. Well done!

friday to sunday....

Friday was great for birding and we headed around Gorm but firstly we spent the morning at Sanaig. Good light, Golden Eagles, Chough and Great Northern Divers. later barnacles, lapwing and Linnet - wonderful. A storming Merlin and Buzzards making whoopee were good highlights too!

Here are Sunday's nature notes as published in Ron's islayinfo.com pages:


Spring comes goes and then ......

It seems to have stayed! As I write the sun is setting in a calm western sky. Campers enjoy the still midgeless air at Port Mor and Gannets dive into a bright blue loch. If you are very lucky and look even more carefully you may even see the Otter heading for Port Charlotte.

New growth is everywhere, Celandine, Daffodils, Whin/Gorse and Primroses. It is a place full of joy and expectation. The geese are gathering in groups and soon they will be gone. We will need to get used to the silence until our ears become accustomed to Skylark, Tern and Lapwing. Curlew display beyond our house on the hill accompanied by Pipits and even, this week, a Chiffchaff warming to the summer call.
Today there was a green tinge and fringe to the woodland edges. Great!

We have seen Swallow and Martins hawking for insects over wee ponds and lochs. Sea duck such as Scoter, Scaup and Eider swim about, display and chase females. The divers; Great Northern and Red Throated, are floating numerously on Loch Indaal. The Golden Eagle leaves it's nest to hunt for food and then return and Harriers do the same too. This week we were witness to Buzzards mating - not a particularly romantic sight and happened all too quickly but it did signal that changes were afoot! The Gyr Falcon has been seen again this week, in several different locations which is nice to witness for these lucky to be in the environs. being aware of such hunting birds means that be aware of such predators means that one may well be able to see Merlin ( a blue/male if lady luck is on your side!) storm about field margins causing havoc - or a peregrine high in the the sky preparing to stoop and attack a flock of Golden Plover. On the shore line Turnstones and Dunlin feed busily and Oystercatchers stomp about with great self importance.

So the light changes, the temperature is on the rise and as some birds depart whilst other arrive. The season is definitely on the change and we are happy with it. It has been a long winter, let us hope that the summer, which is in the wings brings equal joy and as always fascination.

sunny day jack snipe

Full sunshine all day. GND's on loch as well as pletny of duck too. Pale Bellied Brent, Barnacles, Whitefronts and Greylags seemed everywhere. hen Harriers both male and ringtail were spotted and a Golden Eagle too. Gannets and Shear waters and a brilliantly clear jack Snipe that dropped in right next to us clear enough to see short tail and gold stripes down to its tip end! And then walked (springing) off before flying directly away 10 metres dropping quickly. Great sighting!

swallows and martins

The wild wind has certainly brought in plenty of early migrants and we enjoyed watching Swallows and Sandmartins busily hunting over the wee ponds at Cross Houses. We also had cracking views of Wheatear, plenty of thrushes and ducks too. Scaup, Eider, Goldeneye and mergansers. Although the day was grey we were lucky with great views of all species and wader watching was fabulous at the Merse until the tide poured out and left wide expanses of sand. Oystercatchers, Godwits, Plovers and Turnstones too. A Great Northern Diver finished our day perfectly!

peregrine fly by

Cracking afternoon having got back from teaching kids in Keills about the benefits of cycling I was out with folks around Gorm till dusk. Sandmartins, Barnies, Whitefronts and Greylags. the good light enabled us to get excellent views of Teal, Goldeneye, Curlew, Lapwing and a Peregrine storming by. On our retune to Port Charlotte we enjoyed watching Great Northern Divers and coo-ing Eiders.

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