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]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

31st December:

Benbecula: A European White-fronted Goose was on Borve Machair opposite Coot Loch with 2 Greenland White-fronted Geese this afternoon.

South Uist: 2 Tundra Bean Geese at Bornish. Adult and 1st winter Glaucous Gull at Ardivachar.

30th December:

South Uist: 9 pale-bellied Brent Geese were off Ludag.

Barra: 120 Barnacle Geese at Borve and 43 pale-bellied Brent Geese at Eoligarry Pier. A pair of Common Scoters and an immature Gannet were in the Sound of Barra.

29th December:

Lewis: The 2nd yr Ring-billed Gull was in Stornoway Harbour.

28th December:

Lewis: 2nd yr Ring-billed Gull in Stornoway Harbour.

South Uist: 4 Glaucous Gulls (2 adult and 2 x 1st winters) at Ardivachar and an immature Iceland Gull in North Bay.

Iceland Gull (Steve Duffield)

27th December:

Lewis: The 2nd yr Ring-billed Gull was in Stornoway Harbour and a Glaucous Gull was at the Butt of Lewis. 3 x 1st yr and an adult Iceland Gull in the north-west of the island today.

North Uist: A female Ring-necked Duck is on Loch an Fhaing, Grimsay.

South Uist: The 2 Tundra Bean Geese were at Bornish again this morning. 35 Whooper Swans were also at Bornish and 4 Snow Buntings were at Ardvule. The Coal Tit is still at Snishival and 2 Fieldfare are at Stilligarry.

Ring-necked Duck with Tufted Duck (Steve Duffield)

26th December:

South Uist: 2 Tundra Bean Geese with Greylags on Bornish Machair today.

Bean Goose (Steve Duffield - 2 photos); Bean Goose (John Kemp)

25th December:

South Uist: A 1st winter Iceland Gull was at the Howmore River mouth and 2 Snow Buntings are on Drimsdale Machair.

24th December:

South Uist: 2 x 1st winter and an adult Glaucous Gull at Ardivachar today. At least 2 Snow Buntings were on the machair at Drimsdale.

Glaucous Gull (Steve Duffield)

23rd December:

Lewis: The 2nd yr Ring-billed Gull  and 3 Iceland Gulls in Stornoway Harbour. Drake Pintail and 1st winter Iceland Gull at Brue.

Benbecula: 900 Golden Plover at Torlum.

South Uist: 2 Fieldfare at Stilligarry and a Goldfinch at Drimsdale.

22nd December:

South Uist: Drake Green-winged Teal on Loch Ardvule today.

Green-winged Teal (John Kemp)

21st December:

Lewis: 2 Pink-footed Geese at Loch Branahuie today.

South Uist: Adult and 1st winter Glaucous Gull at Ardivachar.

Glaucous Gull (Steve Duffield)

20th December:

Lewis: 6 Iceland Gulls around Stornoway Harbour today..

South Uist: 1st winter and adult Glaucous Gull at Ardivachar.

Barra: 106 pale-bellied Brent Geese at Eoligarry and at least 36 Black-throated Divers in the Sound of Barra.

Glaucous Gull (John Kemp)

19th December:

Lewis: 2 x 1st winter Iceland Gulls in Stornoway Harbour today.

Insects: A very late Diamond-back Moth was caught at Gramsdale, Benbecula last night.

Diamond-back Moth (John Kemp)

18th December:

Lewis: 1st winter Iceland Gull in the Barvas area.

South Uist: A Coal Tit was in Snishival plantation today. Single Snow Buntings were at Howmore and Peninerine. A 2nd winter Glaucous Gull was at Ardivachar.

Coal Tit and Snow Bunting (Steve Duffield)

16th December:

North Uist: Green-winged Teal today on Loch Mor, Baleshare and Pintail nearby.

11th December:

Lewis: 7 Long-tailed Tits in the Castle Grounds, near the sawmill.

South Uist: At least 2 Lapland Buntings and 12 Snow Buntings on Eochar machair. 102+ Greenland White-fronted Geese at Eochar machair / west Loch Bee. 2 1st winter Glaucous Gulls at Ardivachar; plus Pied Wagtail there. 31 Greenland White-fronted Geese at Loch Thallan.

10th December:

Lewis: A juvenile Kumlien's Gull past Labost this afternoon. 8 Tundra Bean Geese and 4 European White-fronted Geese with Greylags at the south end of Loch Stiapabhat. 1st winter Glaucous Gull on the machair just north of Loch Stiapabhat.

South Uist: Male Lapland Bunting at Howmore.

                                                                                                                     Lapland Bunting and Long-tailed Duck (Steve Duffield); Bean Geese with Greylags (Tony Marr)

9th December:

South Uist: Snow Bunting at Drimsdale this morning and female Common Scoter off Ardvule.

7th December:

South Uist: Drake American Wigeon in the south-west corner of Loch Bee.

American Wigeon (Steve Duffield)

6th December:

Lewis: 3 immature Glaucous Gulls and 5 immature Iceland Gulls were at the Butt of Lewis today; plus 100 Redwings and 40 Fieldfare in the area.

Benbecula: 4 female Common Scoters were off Balivanich today and 23 Greenland White-fronted Geese are at Loch Mor.

5th December:

South Uist: Drake American Wigeon on south-west Loch Bee. At least 2 Lapland Buntings at Kilualay / Eochar machair and a Chiffchaff at Balgarva. A 1st yr Iceland Gull was seen heading south off Peninerine today.3 Woodcock were in South Glendale last night.

4th December:

Lewis: 6 European White-fronted Geese with 36 Greylags and 2 Barnacle Geese at Port of Ness. 1st winter Glaucous Gull and 2, 1st winter Iceland Gulls at the Butt of Lewis.

North Uist: A Goldfinch was at Carinish.

South Uist: Goldfinch at Drimsdale this morning.

2nd December:

Lewis: Late news of a probable 2nd yr male Lesser Kestrel near Port of Ness on 23rd November.

North Uist: At least 14 Gadwall were on Baleshare.

South Uist: A Snow Bunting flew over Drimsdale this morning.

1st December:

South Uist: A Snow Bunting is at Peninerine and 6 Goldfinch are at Howmore.

Snow Bunting (Terry Fountain)