Recent Sightings

To report sightings please contact Steve at: stephend@fast4.net

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

30th June

South Uist: eclipse male Goosander Peninerine, plus 2 Sandwich Terns south past there. 4 Siskin South Glendale. 3 Black-tailed Godwits Howmore River.

Siskin (John Kemp).

29th June

South Uist: 1st yr Bonaparte's Gull and 2 Black-tailed Godwits on Howmore River. Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff singing North Loch Eynort.

Insects: 2 Dark Green Fritillaries just east of Loch Dun na Cille, Kilpheder, South Uist. Also Small Heath here and another slightly further south. Meadow Browns and Common Blues widespread and common today. Colony of Colletes floralis (fossorial bee) at Milton, South Uist.

                                                                                               From left to right: Colletes floralis (2 photos); Dark Green Fritillary, Small Heath.

28th June

Benbecula: Ashy-headed Wagtail Torlum machair coastline.

South Uist: 1st yr Glaucous Gull Ardivachar. 1st yr Bonaparte's Gull Howmore River. Garden Warbler singing still North Loch Eynort.

Ashy-headed Wagtail (photos taken 1st June)

Bonaparte's Gull along side Common Gull.

27th June

North Uist: Quail calling around Balranald visitor centre.

Pyramidal Orchid at Eoligarry, Barra.

26th June

North Uist: Quail calling close to Balranald visitor centre.

Benbecula: Apparent Ashy-headed Wagtail singing along coast at Torlum machair (see sightings for 1st June - present from beginning of the month).

South Uist: 1st yr Bonaparte's Gull and 18 Black-tailed Godwits on Howmore River.

From left to right: female Ghost moth and The Shears - trapped at Drimsdale, South Uist last night.

24th June

South Uist: 1st yr Bonaparte's Gull on Howmore River along with 2 Black-tailed Godwits. Apparent male Lesser Scaup (in moult) at Stoneybridge. Features pointing to Lesser Scaup include: small size; peaked rear crown; small, concave bill; dark primary bar. 4 Siskin South Glendale.

Two shots showing pro Lesser Scaup features. Bill pattern not clearly seen in strong wind.

23rd June

South Uist: 1st yr Bonaparte's Gull Howmore River plus Black-tailed Godwit. Garden Warbler and 8 Siskin North Loch Eynort.          1st yr Glaucous Gull, 1st yr Iceland Gull, 2 Common Scoter and a Long-tailed Duck at Ardivachar.

North Uist: 1st yr Glaucous Gull Balranald.

Lewis: Wood Warbler Steinish plantation.

Lesser Butterfly Orchid. Seen flowering at Stoneybridge, South Uist today.

22nd June

South Uist: 1st yr Bonaparte's Gull on Howmore River. Garden Warbler singing North Loch Eynort. 1st yr Glaucous Gull, 1st yr Iceland Gull, 2 male Common Scoter and a Long-tailed Duck at Ardivachar.

Lewis: Iceland Gull Stornoway Harbour. Pair of Scaup and Long-tailed Duck Braigh.

21st June

South Uist: 1st yr Bonaparte's Gull Howmore River.

20th June

South Uist: Rose-coloured Starling, 1st yr Glaucous Gull, 1st yr Iceland Gull, Long-tailed Duck and 5 Common Scoter all Ardivachar. Garden Warbler still singing North Loch Eynort plus Siskin. 1st yr Bonaparte's Gull Howmore River this evening. Water Rail singing Howmore.

Moths: Moths trapped last night include Light Emerald, Brimstone Moth, Snout, Poplar Lutestring, Common White Wave and Pale-shouldered Brocade at North Loch Eynort. A Brown Silver Line was at Drimsdale.

                                         From left to right: Rosy Starling (John Kemp); Bonaparte's Gull, Brimstone Moth and Light Emerald (Steve Duffield).

19th June

St. Kilda: Male Harlequin seen yesterday: Following was email from Sarah Money " Of much more interest is the fact that I found a male Harlequin Duck (yes, really!) here yesterday afternoon. I'll put a full description in for you shortly, but basically I was sitting in the Tunnel doing a guillemot survey when I noticed a small duck bobbing about in the surf. I scoped it, and it was a superb male Harlequin. I managed to run up and radio Will Miles, who saw it just before it flew out towards Soay, and we couldn't relocate it again. I also got Ilka Winn, a JNCC seabird ecologist here at the moment, on to it. Will and Richard Luxmoore (NTS Head of Nature Conservation) tried to refind it today, but no luck."

South Uist: 1st yr Bonaparte's Gull plus 1st summer Glaucuous Gull and 1st summer Iceland Gull Ardivachar Point.                         Garden Warbler singing North Loch Eynort. Blackcap singing Kinloch B&B / Loch Skipport turning.

Benbecula: American Herring Gull Stinky Bay.

Insects: Large Heaths (at least 5 this evening), Small Heath, Yellow Shell (6+) North Loch Eynort, South Uist. Magpie moth widespread and common.

From left to right: 1st yr Bonaparte's Gull (1st two photos Steve Duffield); (2nd two photos John Kemp); 1st yr Glaucous Gull (Steve Duffield). Final three shots of American Herring Gull (John Kemp).

18th June

North Uist: Osprey seen over Ben Risary plantation before heading off over Vallay this evening.

South Uist: 1st summer Iceland Gull south of Peninerine.

Insects: Highland  / Common Darter at Drimsdale today (also seen at Torlum yesterday). Painted Lady's widespread and common. Red Admiral at roadside south of Market Stance, Benbecula. Meadow Brown, Common Blue and a few Large Heath butterflies around Burabhal area of North Uist.

  Common Spotted Orchid  - hebridensis at Howmore, South Uist.

17th June

South Uist: 2 x 1st yr Iceland Gulls and 1st yr Glaucous Gull at Peninerine. Moulting male Goosander on the sea here too.

                                                                      From left to right: 1st yr Glaucous Gull; 3 fledged juvenile Short-eared Owls, Loch Carnan turning South Uist, adult feeding young S E Owl, Juv. Short-eared Owls.

16th June

Lewis: Common Rosefinch heard again at Gress plus male Brambling singing.

South Uist: 1st yr Iceland Gull Ardivachar.