Rare and Scarce Birds in the Outer Hebrides 2008
This page lists all the rare (those assessed by BBRC) and scarce (those assessed by SBRC) birds recorded in the Outer Hebrides in 2008. It also includes locally scarce / rare birds. Many of the records below have not been accepted by the appropriate bodies at the moment but those that are not accepted shall be deleted in the future.
2008
Lewis:
BBRC: White-billed Diver at least 2 between Port of Ness and Tiumpan Head February - May with 3 in Broad Bay in May. American Herring Gull - 1st winter in Stornoway, January. Siberian Stonechat - 1st winter / female near Port of Ness, October. Hume's Warbler was briefly at Bru, 5th November - the first for the Western Isles.
SBRC: Rose-coloured Starling reported from Barvas to Upper Siadar in July. American Golden Plover - a juvenile first seen at Siadar was presumably the same bird at Arnol the following day, October.
Local: Common Crane on the outskirts of Stornoway in June. Little Egret in Oct and Nov.
UK Scarcities: Hoopoe in May. Barred Warbler at Leurbost in September. 'Northern' Treecreeper - 2 reports with one from near Port of Ness in September and one from Gisla in October. Yellow-browed Warbler - one in Port of Ness and 2 at Gisla, October. Kumlien’s Gull around the Barvas area during February. 2 Red-breasted Flycatchers were trapped at Uigen during November.
Rosy Starling (Martin Scott)
Harris:
BBRC: White-billed Diver - 2 were reported in April, one from the Sound of Taransay and one from the Sound of Harris. Two-barred Crossbill - 1 male was photographed in two different gardens in the Tarbet area during late July / early August.
Local: Common Rosefinch - 1 juvenile at Horgabost in September.
UK Scarcities: Surf Scoter - 2 males and a female over-wintered in the Sound of Taransay. A male was picked up in mid-September. Ring-necked Duck - 1 pair were on a small loch east of Leverburgh in October.
Common Rosefinch (Steve Duffield)
St Kilda:
BBRC: Citrine Wagtail - one in September. Snowy Owl at least two birds visited Hirta between May and September. Two-barred Crossbill - a female found in early August. Baird’s Sandpiper - one in September.
SBRC: Marsh Warbler - one record, September. Ortolan Bunting - one was picked up during an excellent period in May. Short-toed Lark - one during the persistent easterlies in May. White-rumped Sandpiper - one in October. Sub-alpine Warbler - one in May on Hirta.
Local: Buff-breasted Sandpiper - one in September.
UK Scarcities: Bluethroat in May was the sole record in 2008. Blue-headed Wagtail - one in May. Barred Warbler - one in September. Yellow-browed Warbler - one record in September. Pectoral Sandpipers were seen in July and September.
Two-barred Crossbill (Will Miles)
North Uist:
BBRC: Citrine Wagtail - one at Balranald in late September / early October and another at Claddach Vallay during September. Pechora Pipit - a fantastic find in a private garden at Knockquien 4th / 5th October. Hornemmann’s Arctic Redpoll - one in Lochmaddy in October was followed by one at Newton House the following day. Killdeer - one at Balranald for a day and half in early May. Gyr Falcon - one picked up initially at Balranald April 22nd. Semi-palmated Sandpiper - a one day bird in July on the same stretch of beach as the Citrine Wagtail at Balranald. Snowy Owl - at least 2 birds were involved with a male and female seen at different sites. The female was seen more regular with sightings stretching from May - September at Balranald. There were also reports of a Snowy Owl at Balranald during November. Wilson’s Phalarope - one was seen briefly on Baleshare in May. A Brown Shrike was at Claddach Vallay / Ben Risary Plantation from at least 18th - 24th November - first for the Western Isles. Richardson's Canada Goose was on Berneray in November.
SBRC: Sub-alpine Warbler - an adult male at Malaclete / Sollas in May. Ring-billed Gull - an adult was around Loch Sandary in late April / early May. Night Heron - a sub-adult was at Claddach Vallay in May.
Local: Little Egret (May) Little Egret (Oct and Nov) Red-backed Shrike (3 in May) Great Spotted Woodpecker (Sept) Tristis Chiffchaff (Oct)
UK Scarcities: Ring-necked Duck - a 1st winter female was on Loch Eaval in January and a female was at Balranald in April. Green-winged Teal - one was seen during February and another in April. American Wigeon - a male was hanging around a moorland loch off the Committee Road during May possibly having attempted to breed. Hoopoe - one was at Claddach Vallay in May. Yellow-browed Warbler - one was seen at Newton House in October.
From left to right: Night Heron (Steve Duffield); Killdeer - 2 photos
(Steve Duffield); Semipalmated Sandpiper with 2 Dunlin (Steve Duffield);
Ring-billed Gull (John Kemp); American and Eurasion Wigeon (Terry
Fountain); Lesser Scaup (Steve Duffield); Gyr Falcon - 3 photos
(Terry Fountain); Snow Owl (Steve Duffield); Pechora Pipit (Steve
Duffield); Citrine Wagtail (Steve Duffield); Red-backed Shrike (John
Kemp); Siberian Chiffchaff (Steve Duffield); Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll
(Steve Duffield); Brown Shrike (Steve Duffield)
Benbecula:
BBRC: Lesser Scaup (from 2007 until
SBRC: Great White Egret (from 2007) American Golden Plover (Sept)
American Golden Plover (Steve Duffield)
South Uist:
BBRC: Stilt Sandpiper - a juvenile spent two days at Ardvule around mid-September. The first for the Outer Hebirdes. Baird Sandpiper - 2 were seen in August, both adults. The first at Balgarva showed tertials missing from one wing whilst the second at Ardvule a couple of days later did not. Bonaparte’s Gull - 2 adults were seen, one January 18th / 19th around Ardivachar - South Ford and the second at Howmore / Peninerine during April. Wilson’s Phalarope - a juvenile was seen briefly at Balgarva in September.A Long-billed Dowitcher was mobile in the Loch Bee / Range area during November. American Black Tern was at North Bay 15th November - first for Scotland and second for UK. Buff-bellied Pipit was at Smerclate - Garrynamonie in early November. Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll was at North Loch Eynort in November.
SBRC: Kentish Plover - this bird first located in October 2007 over wintered on the South Ford, last being seen in April. Great White Egret - first found in October 2007 this bird toured the southern isles but spent most of its time in 2008 on South Uist. American Golden Plover - one at North Boisdale in September and two on the Range / Loch Bee in October - all juveniles. Rough-legged Buzzard - one was seen on one date in October near Kipheder. White-rumped Sandpiper - an adult was at Balgarva in the latter part of October with a juvenile in the same place a few days later.
Local: Great Tit - 2 were at Askernish in April. A rare bird in the Outer Hebrides. Blue Tit - one was seen in April in South Glendale. This is a rare bird in the Uists although they do breed in the Castle Grounds in Stornoway. Buff-breasted Sandpiper - at least 4 were seen during September. A Red Kite was seen heading north over Garrynamonie and later over Benbecula and North Uist.
UK Scarcities: American Wigeon - one on Loch Bee, January - March and again from early November. Green-winged Teal - one in March on Loch-an t-Saile and another on Loch Bee in November. Golden Oriole - 2 reports during May. Hoopoe - one seen during May at Daliburgh. Red-breasted Flycatcher - 2 were seen in early June in South Glendale and one was at Druidibeg Plantation in October. Yellow-browed Warbler - at least 4 were seen during October. Pectoral Sandpiper - one at Balgarva during early June. 5 together in the south-west corner of Loch Bee during October is the highest count in the Outer Hebrides.
White-rumped Sandpiper (2 photos - Steve Duffield); American Golden Plover (John Kmep); Stilt Sandpiper (1st photo John Kemp, second with Sanderling
Steve Duffield); Pectoral Sandpiper (John Kemp); Baird's Sandpiper (John
Kemp); Kentish Plover (Steve Duffield); Bonaparte's Gull (Steve
Duffield), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Steve Duffield); Rough-legged
Buzzard (John Kemp); Buff-bellied Pipit (John Kemp); Hornemann's Arctic
Redpoll (Steve Duffield); Long-billed Dowitcher (John Kemp); American
Black Tern (Steve Duffield)
Barra:
BBRC: Citrine Wagtail - 1st winter on 1st October was unfortunately found dead a couple of days later, probably having been hit by a vehicle. Black-headed Bunting - second for the Outer Hebrides was seen one day only in September. Lesser Yellowlegs - one seen at Brehvig in October.
SBRC: American Golden Plover was at Eoligarry in October. Bee-eater - the first for the Outer Hebrides was seen at Gleann and Brehvig before also being spotted in Lochmaddy, North Uist and then west Lewis in May.
Local
UK Scarcities: Golden Oriole - one in North Bay in May. 'Northern' Treecreeper - one in North Bay in September. Common Rosefinch - one at Garrygall in October. Yellow-browed Warbler - 1 or 2 were seen in October. Red-breasted Flycatcher - one in North Bay in October.
American Golden Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs - 2 photos, Citrine Wagtail
and Common Rosefinch (all Keith Gillon); Black-headed Bunting (Andrew
Stevenson)
North Rona:
BBRC: Trumpeter Finch - one was found during May by a visiting group of birders.
