Recent Sightings

Please note that the sightings below do not reflect the variety of species you can see in a normal day out birding or wildlife watching. These reports concentrate on more unusual species or significant counts or movements. For an idea of what you can find on an average day please visit the the appropriate seasonal links on the left side of the home page.

To report sightings please contact Steve at: steveduffield@hebrides.net

County bird recorder: Brian Rabbitts [rabbitts@hebrides.net]

 

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Sightings 2009
Sightings 2008
Sightings 2007

31st December:

Lewis: Good numbers of finches are visiting a garden in Leurbost at the moment including Goldfinch, Bramblings and a few Common Redpolls. Waxwings were reported from Stornoway this afternoon (Bird guides).

Insects: Lots of Winter Moths were seen again last night in South Uist and the micro, Agonopterix yeatiana was trapped at South Glendale.

Common Redpoll (Frank Stark); Agonopterix yeatiana (John Kemp)

30th December:

North Uist: 7 Linnets were near Loch Paible and a Water Rail is still visiting a garden in Carinish.

Insects: Winter Moths were recorded at South Glendale and Drimsdale last night / tonight. The micro moths Acleris hyemana were also picked up at Drimsdale and South Glendale with 2 Depressaria daucella also seen at the latter site.

Winter Moth and Acleris hyemana (Steve Duffield)

29th December:

North Uist: 24 Brent Geese were at Traigh Eachkamish, Baleshare along with 6 Snow Buntings. A Carrion Crow was also seen in flight here off towards the airport on Benbecula.

South Uist: 9 Goldfinch were at Drimsdale this morning. A drake Green-winged Teal was on Loch Ardvule this afternoon and 5 pale-bellied Brent Geese were on the north side of the peninsula. 5 Lapland Buntings and 3 Snow Buntings are on Bornish machair.

28th December:

North Uist: A Water Rail is coming to a garden in Carinish. A Pintail and Shoveler are on the sea at Aird an Runair.

27th December:

North Uist: A Carrion Crow was on roadside wires at Claddach Baleshare today. A Pink-footed Goose is with Greylags at Aird an Runair.

Otters (Steve Duffield)

26th December:

South Uist: A female Pintail and female Common Scoter are at Ardivachar. 7 Lapland Buntings, 14 Snow Buntings and 72 Reed Buntings are at a RSPB feeding site at Kilpheder.

Goldeneye (Steve Duffield)

Happy Christmas

25th December:

North Uist: 2 Goldfinch are along the shore at Carinish and a Water Rail is coming regularly to a garden here.

South Uist: At least one Water Rail is at Drimsdale.

Twite (Steve Duffield); Goldfinch (Brian Rabbitts)

24th December:

South Uist: 2 Waxwings were in South Glendale briefly today. 3 Snow Buntings were at Carnan just after dark.

Otter on Grimsay (Tim Dix)

23rd December:

North Uist: A Canada Goose is with Greylags and Barnacle Geese on Sollas machair and has apparently been present since 20th.

Sound of Barra: 5 Slavonian Grebes were seen from the ferry today.

22nd December:

South Uist: 33 White-fronted Geese and a single Barnacle Goose flew south over Drimsdale this evening.

Barra: 12 Snow Buntings are by the airport at Eoligarry. 2 male and a female Surf Scoter are in the Sound of Barra - seen early afternoon from the ferry to the east of Fuday. 

21st December:

South Uist: 2 Waxwings were in South Glendale briefly this morning.

19th December:

North Uist: Red Kite at junction of the A865/B893 road flying towards Berneray.

South Uist: 5 Fieldfare in garden at Glendale. A Jack Snipe was in a garden at Askernish today along with a couple of Snow Buntings and 3 Lapland Buntings on the machair nearby.

18th December

South Uist: 3 Woodcock at Druidibeg Plantation, 3 Woodcock in garden at Glendale.

17th December

North Uist: A Water Rail in a garden in Carinish.

16th December

Lewis: Red Kite at Mossend, Stornoway.

South Uist: 13 Greenland White-fronted Geese, 3 Lapland Buntings and 34 Snow Buntings at Kilpheder.

15th December

Lewis: 2 Goldfinches at garden feeders Stornoway, 6 flying over, also 14 Brambling and 35 Woodpigeons.

14th December

North Uist: A flock of 14 Goldfinches at Hastin. 3 Pintails at Ard an Runair.

13th December

North Uist: 2 Water Rails in a garden in Carinish. 5 Goldfinches at Ahmhor.

11th Decmeber

Lewis: Glaucous Gull at Loch Barvas, Jack Snipe at Arnol.

Harris: Red Kite at Rodel.

9th December

North Uist: 2 Goldfinch at Carinish.

Lewis: Water Rail in a garden in Leurbost, 3 Lapland Buntings at Upper Aird, Point.

8th December

North Uist: 2 Goosanders on Loch na Ciste near Lochmaddy, and a Water Rail in a garden in Carinish (stabbing a sparrow to death).

5th December:

South Uist: 8 Goldfinch are at Snishival this morning. A Lapland Bunting and 8 Snow Buntings are on Drimsdale machair. Lewis: 4 Bramblings in a garden in Stornoway.

4th December:

South Uist: A hybrid Ring-necked Duck x Tufted Duck is on Loch Bee along with 16 Scaup and 4 Coot.

3rd December:

South Uist: 20 White-fronted Geese flew west over Drimsdale at dawn today.

2nd December:

North Uist: 3 Goldfinch are at Carinish.

South Uist: A Lapland Bunting is on Drimsdale machair. 8 Snow Buntings were by the Howmore River. A Water Rail was caught in Askerinsh and a Coot is on Loch Bee.

Water Rail (Yvonne Benting); Loch Bee wildfowl (Steve Duffield)

1st December

Lewis: A Short-eared Owl was on Barvas moor today. 2 Goldfinch were near Stornoway airport and a Siskin was on the outskirts of town.