We met at the Tigh an Truish at 0800 hours for our journey down to Gigha. Our numbers had swelled to twelve, so we were able to take three fully loaded cars.  Our journey down to Kintyre was uneventful and we arrived safely at the car park at Ronachan Point by 1000 hours. The weather was still dry and the sea fairly calm as we gathered to do some sea watching, a new experience for some of our members.

A group of five Shag sat on one group of rocks whilst two Cormorant were on another.  Common Seals of varying colour and size lay lazily on some more rocks and despite our presence were not disturbed. In a bay over to our right a Great Northern Diver kept disappearing from sight as it dived for food. We also recorded Red-breasted Mergansers, Oystercatcher,  a single Ringed Plover and gulls.  To add to our growing list three winter plumaged Black-throated Divers showed well in front of us, their black and white throats clearly visible.

Our next stop was Rhunahaorine Point next to the West Coast Salmon site further down the peninsula.  We walked down to the beach and as usual here the birds are closer to the shore. We had excellent views of another three Black-throated Divers and in the distance a Red-throated Diver completed the set of all three divers. We soon picked up a beautiful summer plumaged Slavonian Grebe near a group of eight Eider Duck and six Red-breasted Mergansers were close by. A further five Black-throated Divers brought our total to eight.  A Black Guillemot flew to our right and a single Razorbill was also noted. To complete an excellent selection of birds a group of around twenty Common Scoter moved away to our left. 

Once everyone had had an opportunity to see these birds, it was time to head for Tayinloan to catch the 1200 hours ferry to Gigha.  On the way south some members had good views of several hundred White-fronted Geese in the fields past Rhunahaorine and possibly a few Barnacle Geese.  We arrived at Tayinloan in good time for the ferry and several members had a walk into the village, whilst the rest checked out the bay to discover Shelduck, Wigeon, Lapwing and Curlew.  We reassembled back at the ferry terminal as the ferry arrived from Gigha.  We soon all aboard and heading for Gigha and our lunch.

Within twenty minutes we were landing on the island and heading towards to the Gigha Hotel.  Gigha is  the most southerly and one of the most beautiful of the Hebridean Islands. It is seven miles long by a mile and a half wide, and is situated three miles west of the Kintyre peninsular. Gigha is breathtaking – sandy beaches, clear green seas, and a host of wildlife.  The island is community owned with a  population of about one hundred and thirty and was purchased by the residents in 2002.

We continued along the road by Ardminish Bay and crossed a field to arrive at the Hotel. We had all now built up a good appetite and after collecting some drinks from the bar enjoyed an excellent meal in the comfortable restaurant. We discovered that a photographic exhibition was opening in a building next to the hotel so some of the group took advantage of this and a glass of free wine. The remainder of us took a walk up to Achamore Gardens and then visited the ruins of Kilchattan Church and the cemetery. The graveyard held some fascinating grave stones and we spent some time reading the inscriptions.  Situated just behind the ruins of Kilchattan Church, is the Cnoc A'Charraidh (Hill of the Pillar) on which stands the well known Ogham Stone.

It was now time to head back to catch to the ferry at 1530 hours and we joined up with the others at the hotel to return to the ferry terminal.  This had been a full day out, with excellent company, not to mention the obliging birds, and as we crossed the short stretch of water back to Tayinloan, I felt this had been a most enjoyable and rewarding day.