Recent Sightings

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

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

 

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Sightings 2007

31st August:

Lewis: 91 Sooty Shearwaters and 7 Storm Petrels off Labost this morning. 3 Black-tailed Godwits at Brue.

South Uist: Common Rosefinch in South Glendale, probably present for last two or three days. 30+ juvenile Black-tailed Godwits at Ardvule.

Painted Lady at Ardvule.

30th August:

Lewis: 2 Great Shearwater and 31 Sooty Shearwaters passed the Butt of Lewis between 11:15 and 13:15. 14 Sooty Shearwaters off Labost, 16:50 - 18:20. 7 Black-tailed Godwits Loch Stiapabhat.

North Uist: 5 juv. Black-tailed Godwits Loch Paible.

Benbecula: 32 juv. Black-tailed Godwits in silage field just south of Balivanich

South Uist: Bonaparte's Gull Ardvule and 27 juv. Black-tailed Godwits.

2 Sunfish off the Butt of Lewis and one off Skigersta.

Insects: 2 Painted Lady butterflies at Balranald.

From left to right: juvenile Black-tailed Godwit and Bonaparte's Gull, Ardvule (John Kemp); Pink-barred Sallow and 3 images of the hoverfly Syritta pipiens

29th August:

South Uist: 3 juvenile Black-tailed Godwits on Howmore River.

28th August:

St. Kilda: Solitary Sandpiper near helipad on Hirta early this morning.

Great Yellow Bumblebee, Bragar, Lewis (Martin Scott).

27th August:

St. Kilda: Solitary Sandpiper by helipad on Hirta. Also Snowy Owl and Green Sandpiper.

Lewis: 14 Black-throated Divers and 1 Great Northern Diver off the Braigh. 109 knot at Steinish.

South Uist: 1st summer Glaucous Gull at Smerclate.

26th August:

Lewis: 20 Great Shearwaters off Labost today (05:40 - 10:20) plus 85 Sooty Shearwaters, 1 Leach's Petrel, 14 Storm Petrels and 3 Scaup.

25th August:

St. Kilda: Snowy Owl and Green Sandpiper on Hirta today.

Lewis: 41 Great Shearwaters passed Labost between 05:30 - 17:30. Also seen; 251 Sooty Shearwaters and 52 Storm Petrels.

North Uist: Ad. Spotted Redshank over Vallay.

South Uist: Bonaparte's Gull to north side of Ardvule, also 13 Black-tailed Godwits there. Off-shore: 3 Sooty Shearwaters seen between 08:00 - 09:10 and 6 more between 13:00 - 15:00.

24th August:

Lewis: Fea's Petrel seen heading south-west off Labost this evening at 19:00.

South Uist: 2 Great Shearwaters off Ardvule today in a sea-watch from 09:10 - 18:45. Also seen were 1,478 Manx Shearwaters, 33 Sooty Shearwaters, 1,258 Gannets and 44 Whimbrel.

23rd August:

Benbecula: 54 Knot in Stinky Bay today.

Insects: 25 species of moths were trapped at Carnan, South Uist last night including Double Lobed, a recent addition to Outer Hebrides moth list. Also trapped recently, what appears to be Common Lutestring, caught by Brian Rabbitts at Carinish. This species has been recorded before although there are no recent records.

apparent Common Lutestring (Brian Rabbitts)

22nd August:

South Uist: 6 juv. Black-tailed Godwits Ardivachar

                                                                                                                                                    From left to right: Angle Shades and Northern Deep Brown Dart trapped at Drimsdale, South Uist last night.

21st August:

South Uist: 4 Black-throated Divers off South Glendale again today.

Insects: Painted Lady South Glendale.

10 - 15 Common Dolphins seen 1 hour east of Loch Boisdale from Oban ferry last night.

Common Dolphin

19th August:

South Uist: Ruff and 2 juvenile Black-tailed Godwits Bornish. Black-throated Divers have been seen in winter quarters with 4 off South Glendale and 10 to the south of Braigh, Lewis.

Insects: Red Admiral at Bornish. 10+ Great Yellow Bumblebees at Bragar, Lewis.

Black-throated Divers, South Uist (John Kemp)

14th August:

Lewis: Cattle Egret at Laxdale.

Benbecula: Slavonian Grebe Coot Loch.

Insects: Peacock butterfly at North Loch Eynort.

20 - 40 Bottle-nosed Dolphins off Gallan Head, Lewis.

13th August:

Lewis: A Cattle Egret first seen this evening at Simon's Road, Steinish relocated to Mossend Road. It will be the fourth Scottish record if accepted.

North Uist: a Leach's Petrel was seen over the beach at Baleshare this evening at 5 pm.

South Uist: Bonaparte's Gull is still at Ardvule.

A large bat was seen at Bru, Lewis late in the evening.

                                                                                                                          From left to right: Cattle Egret, Steinish, Lewis (Tristan ap Rheinallt); Bonaparte's Gull (Steve Duffield); Leach's Petrel (Jac Volbeda)

12th August:

Benbecula: Slavonian Grebe still on Coot Loch. Ruff feeding in silage fields at Liniclate.

Moths: Conditions for National Moth Night were pretty good and some interesting records have arrived from trapping last night. Paul Boyer caught a first for the Outer Hebrides in the form of an Early Thorn as well as notching up 11 Double Lobed (only just recently discovered in the Western Isles). Two Nationally Scarce B species were caught at Druidibeg Plantation: Chestnut-coloured Carpet (2) and Scotch Annulet. In total there were 51 species of macro moths reported so far from last nights trapping.

                                                                   From left to right: Early Thorn, Double Lobed, Chestnut-coloured Carpet, Hedge Rustic, Pink-barred Sallow.

11th August:

North Uist: 5 Ruff at Loch Sandaray.

South Uist: Bonaparte's Gull at Ardvule this evening.

Sunfish seen off Ardvule this evening too.

9th August:

Insect news: Speckled Wood butterflies have been seen again in the Castle Grounds, Stornoway today. Red Admiral on Grimsay, North Uist. Black Darters have been out since at least the 6th August.

From left to right: Red Deer fawn, North Uist and immature male Black Darter, Grimsay.

8th August:

Lewis: 2 Sooty Shearwaters passed Labost.

7th August:

Lewis: Pomarine Skua and 14 Sooty Shearwaters passed Port of Ness in one hour (late morning). Pomarine Skua and 11 Sooty Shearwaters passed Brue (evening).

South Uist: Imm Pomarine Skua passed Ardvule. Little Stint at Ardivachar.

6th August:

South Uist: Bonaparte's Gull still at Ardvule. Imm. Black-tailed Godwit with a flock of Bar-tailed Godwits at Ardivachar.

Moths: 32 species of macro moth were trapped at Drimsdale, South Uist last night. New species to emerge include: Rosy Rustic, Haworth's Minor and Pink-barred Sallow. Other new species for the year include Large Wainscot caught by Bill Neill at Askernish and Hedge Rustic trapped by Brian Rabbitts at Carinish.

5th August:

South Uist: imm. Bonaparte's Gull Ardvule.

Lewis: Long-tailed Skua and Pomarine Skua passed the Butt of Lewis. 12 Black-tailed Godwits in "Car-wreck Pools" Cross.

4th August:

South Uist: imm. Bonaparte's Gull Ardvule; also 2nd summer Pomarine Skua and 2 Sooty Shearwaters off-shore this morning.

Lewis: Sooty Shearwater passed Mangersta.

Pomarine Skua

3rd August:

South Uist: 1st summer Bonaparte's Gull Ardvule. Swift at Drimsdale this afternoon, struggling in the poor weather.

2nd August:

Lewis: Mediterranean Shearwater passed Labost this evening. Long-tailed Duck on Loch Brannahuie.

Benbecula: Slavonian Grebe on Coot Loch.

Other: Irish Lady's Tresses flowering on Benbecula. Basking Shark was seen off Labost, Lewis.

Moths: Double Lobed moth (5) trapped at Carnan, South Uist by Paul Boyer last night. This is apparently a new species for the Outer Hebrides. Also last night a Scarce Silver Y trapped at Druidibeg Plantation.

Left: Double Lobed (Paul Boyer); right: Irish Lady's Tresses (Steve Duffield)