Chough

One of the birds you've got to see on Islay is the Chough, this being one of its west coast strongholds. Mind you it's not that numerous. Yesterday we went up to Ardnave where we'd seen them last year, but with no luck. Today we decided to explore Machair Bay. A wet and windy walk along the beach produced the odd black bird, but these turned out to be either Hooded Crows or Jackdaws. An explore of the farmland behind the Machair produced only the same black birds. So we returned to the car windblown and damp to have lunch. Then in the field by the car Mrs L spots a Chough and we're reminded of finding last years Chough. A wet and windy walk round Ardnave Point that produced with no Choughs. Then sitting in the car drying out the Choughs appeared beside us. Moral of the story -you've got to earn your Choughs on Islay.

Of course RCB also features Chough.