The Birds Of Islay - when to see them
January: wintering geese, ducks, waders. Peak counts likely of divers and seaducks (Scaup, Goldeneye, Longtail on Loch Indaal, especially if cold weather occurs on the mainland. Good chance of Glaucous and Iceland Gulls.
February: wintering geese, ducks, waders. Raven displaying and nest-building. Lapwing return in middle of month, with large flocks on Gruinart Flats.
March: wintering geese, ducks, waders. First migrants (eg Wheatear, Sand Martin) arrive. Lapwing starting to nest, also Buzzard and Golden Eagle. Whooper Swan on northward passage.
April: Geese to third week. Wader passage north (Sanderling, etc). Warblers, Swallow arrive. Curlew, Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl displaying. Chough nesting.
May: wader passage at peak (Whimbrel, Sanderling, Dunlin) . Spotted Flycatcher, terns, Whinchat arrive. Best month for spring vagrants. Seabirds on ledges. Short-eared Owl hunting during day.
June: breeding season in full swing. Hen Harrier and Peregrine conspicuous as they hunt to feed growing young. Waders in summer plumage eg Bar-Tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Sanderling, in Loch Gruinart and Loch Indaal.
July: southward wader passage begins (Knot, Turnstone, Dunlin). Moulting Eider and Red-Breaster Merganser gather in Loch Indaal. Young Hen Harrier and Golden Eagle on wing.
August: more wader passage (Sanderling, Dunlin, Little Stint). Whimbrel re-appear. Strong Manx Shearwater at Frenchman’s Rocks, when Kittiwake and waders also begin to be seen flying south there.
September: first seaducks appear (Scaup, Goldeneye). Brent and Pink-footed Geese pass through from early in month. First few Barnacle and Whitefront at the very end. Seabirds passing Frenchman’s Rocks reach a peak (shearwater, auks, Kittiwake etc).
October: major goose arrival during month, often in second week, sometimes third, with virtually all in by end of month, with largest concentrations around Loch Gruinart. Duck and wader numbers pick up strongly Merlin arrive for the winter. Best month for vagrants. Late Swallow, Wheatear.
November: peak numbers of geese, largest concentrations in first part of month present around Loch Gruinart, prior to dispersal across island. Flocks of finches, Twite etc build up on stubbles and rootcrop fields. Snow Bunting and Purple Sandpiper appear.
December: wintering geese, ducks and waders. Ducks build toward midwinter peak. Birds of prey very visible, with Merlin more plentiful than in summer, often to be found around the finch and Twite flocks.
Tel: 01496 850010 or 07810 460 175
Email: info@islaybirding.co.uk
The Old Byre Main Street, Port Charlotte, Isle of Islay, PA48 7TX
