Recent Sightings

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

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

8th May:

North Uist: 1st summer Night Heron at Vallay Strand. Wood Pigeon and Siskin also in the area.

South Uist: Chiffchaff at Drimsdale. Spotted Flyctacher, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler and 2 Wood Pigeons at Grogarry Lodge.                 1st yr Iceland Gull at Peninerine.

Insects: Powdered Quaker trapped at Drimsdale, South Uist (probable first for Outer Hebrides). Red Admiral Claddach Vallay, North Uist. Painted Lady and Great Yellow Bumblebee at Borve Point, Benbecula. Widespread Small Tortoiseshells and Green-veined White butterflies.

                                       Night Heron; Knot and Powdered Quaker (Steve Duffield)

7th May:

Lewis: 2 White-billed Divers between Tiumpan Head and Tolsta Head. Near adult American Herring Gull Stornoway. 150 Pink-footed Geese north over Skigersta.

North Uist: Female Snowy Owl at Balranald as well as 1st yr Iceland Gull and Chiffchaff there. 13 Pink-footed Geese Baleshare. Male Whitethroat, Siskin and 1st yr Iceland Gull at Strome, Loch Portain. Adult Curlew Sandpiper at Loch Sandary.

South Uist: Hoopoe reported from D. MacDonald's builders yard at Daliburgh.

Other: Male Belted Beauties seen at Hougharry, and Loch Paible, North Uist. Slow Worm in the hills at Eisgean, Lewis.

                                                                                             Chiffchaff and Sedge Warbler (Steve Duffield); Slow Worm (Frank Stark)

6th May:

North Uist: Female Snowy Owl at Balranald. Male Garganey Loch Paible.

South Uist: 1st summer Black-throated Diver off South Glendale plus Blackcap there. Male Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Siskin at Druidibeg. 3 imm. Iceland Gulls at Peninerine. 3 Dotterel West Gerinish.

Barra: Wood Sandpiper flying over Ardmhor ferry terminal. Male Whinchat singing Eoligarry. Whitethroat in song at Castle Bay, plus 4 + Common Redpoll there. Whitethroat and Grasshopper Warbler in song at Breivig. 30 Long-tailed Duck off Allasdale and 2 Whooper Swans at Loch Tangusdale.

Insects: female Belted Beauties (minimum of 10) on posts around the car park by the village hall on Vatersay. Green-veined Whites widespread and common on Barra, plus a few Small Tortoiseshells. Hebrew Character trapped last night at Drimsdale. Puss Moth Muir of Aird (Steve Carter)

                                                                                                 Snowy Owl, Common Redpoll and Belted Beauty (Steve Duffield); Whimbrel and Puss Moth (Steve Carter)

5th May:

Lewis: Female Marsh Harrier over Pentland Road. 400 Pink-footed Geese heading south-west down the west side of Lewis. Chiffchaff Showbost.

South Uist: 3 Dotterel at West Gerinish. Male Blackcap and Chiffchaff at Druidibeg plantation. Sand Martin Ardvule, plus 20 Whimbrel and Brent Goose. 2 x 1st yr Iceland Gulls Peninerine. 2nd cal yr Glaucous Gull West Gerinish, heading south.

Insects: Male Belted Beauties seen at Bornish and West Gerinish. Common Heath moth at Druidibeg and North Loch Eynort. Green-veined White butterflies widespread in South Uist.

                                                               Dotterel (Steve Duffield, 4 photos); (John Kemp, one photo)

4th May:

Lewis: Carrion Crow at Borve. Snow Bunting at the Butt of Lewis plus 2 Pink-footed Geese. 40 Pink-footed Geese flew in off the sea at Port of Ness. Male Pintail and Shoveler at Loch Stiapavat as well as 2 Whooper Swans and a pair of nesting Mute Swans. Chiffchaff singing Port of Ness. Grasshopper Warbler singing in the Castle Grounds (3rd May).

North Uist: Adult Ring-billed Gull and Sedge Warbler Loch Sandary. 2 Black-tailed Godwits by Loch Eaval. Pale-bellied Brent Goose Balranald.

Benbecula: 1st yr / 2nd cal. yr Iceland Gull Gramsdale. 44 Pink-footed Geese grounded at Loch Mor.

South Uist: Male Whitethroat South Glendale.

Whitethroat (John Kemp) and Golden Eagle (Steve Duffield)

3rd May:

North Uist: Killdeer in the  ploughed fields around the Nissan shed / barn at Balranald. Adult Ring-billed Gull also reported from Loch Sandary in the morning and 2nd cal. yr Iceland Gull at Bayhead.

Benbecula: 2nd cal yr Iceland Gull at Gramsdale.

                                                                                                  Killdeer and Cowslip at Balranald (Steve Duffield); Ring-billed Gull (John Kemp); Ring-billed Gull (2 photos, Terry Fountain)

2nd May:

North Uist: Killdeer at Balranald in ploughed fields / machair to the south-west of the reserve. 5 Black-tailed Godwits and female Pintail also at Baranald. Male Pintail and single Pink-footed Goose on Baleshare. Hoopoe reported from Claddach Vallay this morning.

Insects: Puss Moth trapped at Drimsdale last night and Ruby Tiger found there this afternoon.

                                                                Killdeer (John Kemp) and Ruby Tiger (Steve Duffield)

1st May:

Lots of White Wagtails and Wheatears in the Uists today.

North Uist: Garden Warbler at Scotvein, Grimsay.

South Uist: 24 Whimbrel at Howmore. 32 Whimbrel at Smerclate and Siskin at South Glendale. Immature Iceland Gull at Kilpheder.

Insects: 2 male Belted Beauty moths on Borve machair, Benbecula. Male Belted Beauty, 3 Red Chestnut and Puss Moth trapped at Drimsdale, South Uist last night. Green-veined White in Balivanich.

               Siskin (John Kemp); male Belted Beauty (2 photos), Puss Moth, Red Chestnut and White Wagtail (Steve Duffield)