It's been a long time since I posted a blurry shot of a distant eagle. Fortunately today a juvenile white-tailed sea eagle plonked itself down on the other side of Loch Kinnabus, at the very outer limits of my camera's range. You can just...

...drop. The weather outside is frightful, but out here it's just delightful... The weather all over Scotland's north and west coast has been frightening recently. Islay was by no means the worst but we still took hits of over 60mph winds over...

The latest newsletter from The Argyll Islands including Loch Gruinart, The Oa, Oronsay, Coll and Tiree is available from Loch Gruinart Reserve. If you would like a pdf or printed copy, please email liz.hathaway@rspb.org.uk .

( Andy Robinson) A new year, a new bird... well, not seen since 2010 on RSPB Loch Gruinart anyway. This sneaky bird has been seen mainly in Loch Indaal, but also on Loch Gruinart and in front of the hides. Nearby Oronsay Island has had a long-term...

We're too warm an' wet here for real snow, but here are a couple of winter scenes from previous years. Merry Christmas from all of the Islay reserves staff. A wintery view over RSPB Loch Gruinart. ...and a snowy scene of Loch Kinnabus...

The weather is awful here today, no ferries for the next two days in fact. Tomorrows’ forecast is for 60mph winds! These photos were taken in similar weather while I was goose counting. We are a low lying reserve so you can watch the hail-showers...

 

RSPB Loch Gruinart took a head count of the birds on our floods today. These are mainly the areas to the front of our hides. While it wasn't our highest count it does give you a picture of the variety of wildfowl that over winter here.

6 mute swan...

The flats of RSPB Loch Gruinart has a special history going back thousands of years. Once upon a time, the flats were under sea water, and Islay as we know it didn't exist. It was actually made up of two islands gradually pushed together over time...

Every October, some of the newly arrived barnacle geese are captured and rung. It's a great experience to be part of, as most of our job involves caring for wildlife from a safe and at times excessive distance. But more than that the data these rings...

October is a great time to be on Islay. The arrival of the geese and swans, the large flocks of finches and the passage of migrant thrushes and other birds make the reserves feel bustling with life. Amongst the finch flocks on the Oa over the last few...

The other day I counted over 90 pale bellied brent geese on the salt marsh at RSPB Loch Gruinart. Some of these were ringed birds which I was able to take a reading of and send away to the appropriate people:

http://irishbrentgoose.blogspot.co.uk/

Click...

Winter is upon us now with around 6000 barnacle geese on the Island.  While they are amazing to watch, its good to remember that it's not just the barnacle geese that arrive on Islay each Autumn.

(Mike Andrews)

These light bellied brent geese arrive...

Twas a bit windy last night.

Aside from the usual roofs blowing off and mark's sunflowers falling over, not too much damage occurred. Amazingly this group of 21 whooper swans still made it to Loch Kinnabus about lunchtime, having likely flown direct...

With the start of October comes slightly more traditional weather conditions we've so far avoided, and for a lame excuse to stay dry I've been in the office typing up and submitting survey data for the Bumblebee Conservation Trusts' BeeWalk,. As...

Well, maybe slightly optimistic at this point, but after Thursdays inspiring count a wee check on Sunday showed a whole 26!

If geese featured in a James Bond flick this is basically the opening title sequence.

 

The wind is still coming in strong...

(photo Mike Andrews)

The first barnacle geese of the winter arrived yesterday - only 2, but it's a start!  They arrived on the loch in the mist and rain yesterday morning. This morning they are feeding on our pastures among several hundred greylag...

The moorland looks amazing at the moment on RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve. The heather is in full bloom; the hills are purple and the air is sweet! 

This last flush of colour is a sign of autumn.  I was out on our moorland seeking out marsh fritillary caterpillars...

Well I thought I'd continue the 'change' theme seeing as it's my last day volunteering for the RSPB on Islay (sniffle)......until I return for a month in October! Hurrah! Anyone who hasn't tried residential volunteering yet, I heartily...

Fox moth larvae are one of the more commonly seen and conspicuous caterpillars on Islay through autumn and early winter. This is an early instar and will change colour and grow a great deal, though the yellow bands usually remain pretty distinctive.

...

Silage time has come again at Gruinart - we cut late every year, after the 1st August, to allow for the late breeding corncrakes to make full use of the crop as cover for young chicks as well as a safe area to feed. This from early Monday morning...

Yesterday was the highlight of the Islay social calendar, the Islay, Jura and Colonsay Agricultural Association's 168th Annual Show, a kind of unofficial public holiday here on the island and traditionally the end of the summer.

The show is a coming...

A ringtail hen harrier hunts over one of our bird crop fields at the Oa this week, photographed by Dave. Islay has more than 30 pairs of hen harriers, which puts the current situation in England well into context. I'm sure it's just a coincidence...

A red deer stag takes a break from eating our sugar beet crop to pose for a picture at the Oa last night.

The sugar beet was planted to provide a food source for the Greenland white-fronted geese that winter here.

Semi-tame deer with a field full...

Belated news of last week's moth trap at the Oa, which was another good one. We had a decent variety of species, and a couple of excellent records.

This is a Double Lobed, which has never been recorded on Islay before.

This is a Scotch Annulet...

The sun sets over Glen Astle on the Oa reserve this evening.