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]

 

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2007 Sightings

31st December:

Lewis: Grey Wagtail at Loch Airigh na Lic (nr rubbish dump), Stornoway.

                                                                                               Reed Buntings and Rock Doves at Daliburgh, South Uist (Steve Duffield)

 

30th December:

South Uist: A single Snow Bunting was on Drimsdale machair.

 

29th December:

Lewis: Waxwing in Urquhart Gardens, Stornoway. 15 Fieldfare and 7 Black-throated Divers near Grimsiadar.

North Uist: Green-winged Teal on Loch Sandary. Male Goosander on Loch na Moracha, to the north-west of Langass.

South Uist: 1st winter Glaucous Gull on the sea at Drimsdale plus 2 Snow Buntings with around 300 Twite on the machair.

Insects: Male Winter Moth found at Drimsdale this morning. The males are on the wing until January (the females are flightless).

Winter Moth

 

28th December:

North Uist: Pair of Goosanders on Loch nan Eun. 3 x 1st winter Iceland Gulls around Cheese Bay.

South Uist: Coot on Loch Tornish. Adult Glaucous Gull at Ardvule, 1st winter at North Bay and another at Ardivachar.

 

27th December:

Lewis: 2 Waxwings and 2 Brambling around Willowglen, Stornoway today.

 

23rd December:

Lewis: 1st winter Iceland Gull in Stornoway Harbour.

 

21st December:

South Uist: 2nd winter Glaucous Gull at Carnan.

 

20th December:

North Uist: Richardson's Canada Goose with 1,100 Barnacle Geese by Loch Brusda, Berneray

 

17th December:

Lewis: 1st winter Iceland Gull and 1st winter Glaucous Gull on Eurpoie machair.

South Uist: Long-billed Dowitcher with Bar-tailed Godwits in North Bay.

 

16th December:

North Uist: Iceland Gull at Loch Paible.

 

15th December:

South Uist: Waxwing in South Glendale today.

Waxwing (John Kemp)

 

14th December:

Lewis: 5 Lesser Redpoll in the Castle Grounds, Stornoway.

South Uist: 2 Fieldfare and a Water Rail at Drimsdale. Long-billed Dowitcher feeding with Bar-tailed Godwits in North Bay this morning. Male American Wigeon and Green-winged Teal along the west shore of Loch Bee.

 

13th December:

Lewis: 28 Fieldfare in Barvas.

South Uist: A female Common Scoter and Slavonian Grebe were off the north side of Vorran Island.

Linnet at Peninerine (John Kemp)

 

11th December:

South Uist: 23 Scaup at the north end of Loch Bee. 32 Snow Buntings and 7 Corn Buntings on Kilpheder machair.

Other: It is highly likely that the bat seen yesterday at North Loch Eynort is a Noctule Bat although Leisler's Bat has not been ruled out. According to the BBC website there was a report of two bats being chased by a Peregrine during the day on Skye very recently too.  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7777126.stm

 

10th December:

Lewis: 15 Goldfinch, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Coal Tits and a Blue Tit are all in Luirbost.

North Uist: Spotted Redshank at Claddach Vallay. 150 Snow Buntings on Sollas machair and 50+ at Balranald.

South Uist: 200 Snow Buntings, 150 Twite and 11 Corn Buntings at Ardivachar. 2 Snow Buntings on Drimsdale machair. 2 Coal Tits still at North Loch Eynort.

Other: A bat species (either Pipistrelle or possibly a Noctule) was seen feeding over the trees at North Loch Eynort, South Uist around mid-day today.

             Great Northern Diver, Long-tailed Ducks, 2 Little Grebe and a bat in South Uist (Steve Duffield)

     Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Goldfinch and Lesser Redpoll (Frank Stark)

 

9th December:

Benbecula: A mixed flock of around 250 finches on the stubble opposite Stinky Bay contained mostly Twite but also Linnet, Greenfinch, 12 Snow Buntings and a couple of Skylarks.

Snow Bunting, Twite and Greenfinch (Steve Duffield)

 

8th December:

Corn Bunting and Reed Buntings (Steve Duffield)

 

7th December:

North Uist: Spotted Redshank at Claddach Vallay.

 

6th December:

North Uist: Richardson's Canada Goose with around 500 Barnacle Geese at Loch Brusda, Berneray. 2 Little Egrets at Oban Trumisgarry.

South Uist: 2 Coal Tits at North Loch Eynort. 2 Fieldfare at Carnan.

 

5th December:

Lewis: Iceland Gull in Stornoway Harbour.

 

4th December:

Lewis: Glaucous Gull at Loch Barvas.

Sound of Harris (from ferry): 106 Great Northern Divers and 4 Porpoise.

 

3rd December:

Lewis: 3rd winter Iceland Gull and 4 Scaup on Loch Tiumpan. 211 Great Northern Divers, around 700 Eider, 94 Common Scoter and 313 Long-tailed Ducks in Broad Bay. Black-throated Diver and 16 Purple Sandpipers at Gress. 5 Slavonian Grebes off Coll.

 

2nd December:

Lewis: 2 Waxwings in Stornoway.

Harris: Male Surf Scoter in the Sound of Taransay.

Benbecula: 34 Snow Buntings on the stubble adjacent to Stinky Bay.

 

1st December:

Benbecula: 2 Fieldfare at Hacklett.

South Uist: American Wigeon, 12 Scaup and 2 Long-tailed Duck at the north end of Loch Bee. 3 Slavonian Grebe, Common Scoter and Glaucous Gull at Ardivachar. Snow Bunting at Daliburgh.