Thursday, July 5, 2012

Not the best two days!

I really see feel sorry for visitors when the mist and rain locks in on Islay. Perhaps anticipated in ,say, November, but in July it feels utterly alien. Such it is not and once "established" appears to move away in its own time!  It's true to say that I haven't seen  (literally) very much over the past two days as the local landscape beyond 100m., with a few whirling periods of exception, has been obscured. Sadly the  Swallows in the barn have failed, no doubt due to their hard working parents not finding enough food for ever demanding youngsters, who were quite well feathered too.
Information gratefully received from Malcolm Ogilvie advised that there were 18 active Peregrine eyries in 1991, which had reduced in number to 12 in 2002.  I would suspect this figure has reduced further, although not as drastically, and it would perhaps seem sensible next season to try and carry out a survey. It's intriguing if they have reduced as  (a) we're hardly short of sites, even beyond those used traditionally and (b)  with our ever buoyant population of Rock Doves ( plus waders , Pheasant, Teal  etc ) the food availability is good even in winter.

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