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]

9th March:

Lewis: A 1st winter Glaucous Gull is still around Barvas.

Benbecula: A female Scaup is on Coot Loch.

8th March:

North Uist: 34 Whooper Swans flew north over Balemore at 10:50 this morning. 6 Snow Buntings and 12 Goldfinch are on Balemore machair.

South Uist: A Goldcrest was in South Glendale today and 3 Goldfinch were at Garrynamonie.

Teal and Common Whitlowgrass (Steve Duffield)

7th March:

Lewis: A Goldfinch was in Balallan

Harris: A male Surf Scoter, 123 Common Scoter, 116 Great Northern Divers and 26 Slavonian Grebes were in the Sound of Taransay today. A Dunnock was in Luskentrye village.

South Uist: 5 White-fronted Geese flew north at Ardivachar this afternoon.

Insects: Moths trapped last night include a Dotted Border at Drimsdale and 13 Dotted Borders and 2 Acleris hyemana at South Glendale.

Acleris hyemana and Dotted Border (John Kemp)

6th March:

North Uist: A Lapland Bunting and 3 Snow Buntings were on the machair at Balemore as well as an immature Brent Goose with around 500 Barnacle Geese. A pair of Pintail are on Loch a' Roe, Aird an Runair today.

5th March:

Benbecula: A male Scaup is on Coot Loch along with a pair of Gadwall.

South Uist: 7 Scaup are on Loch Bee: 2 just east of the causeway and 5 to the west.

Insects: A Dotted Border moth was attracted to house lights at Drimsdale last night.

                                                                                           Dotted Border and Scaup (Steve Duffield); Dunnock - pale bird so possibly from the mainland or Continent (John Kemp)

4th March:

Lewis: The first 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls of the year were found in a moorland gull colony today.

North Uist: A 1st winter Glaucous Gull is at Balemore and an immature pale-bellied Brent Goose is amongst Barnacle Geese in the same area.

Benbecula: 20 White-fronted Geese are by Loch Fada.

Glaucous Gull and Skylarks (Steve Duffield)

3rd March:

Lewis: A total of 536 Ravens were seen leaving Stornoway rubbish dump this evening. There are also 2 Fieldfare in the area.

2nd March:

Lewis: A male Scaup and female Sparrowhawk were seen at Loch Tiumpan today.

1st March:

South Uist: 10 White-fronted Geese are at Kilpheder. 19 Scaup and 38 Goldeneye were seen on Loch Bee from the causeway.