|
Recent Sightings To report sightings please contact Steve at: stephenduffield@tiscali.co.uk County bird recorder: Brian Rabbitts [rabbitts@hebrides.net]
|
|
|
|
|
|
30th April: Lewis: American Herring Gull Stornoway harbour. North Uist: male Ruff at Loch nam Feithan, Balranald. male Lesser Scaup on Loch Sandary Benbecula: 2 female Dotterel still on Liniclate machair Moths and butterflies: Lots of activity again today with Belted Beauties active in the evening on Liniclate / Torlum machair (at least 5 males). Common Carpet found in the Nunton trap - another early generation, normally not out until June / July in the Outer Hebrides.
29th April: Lewis: Whitethroat, Grasshopper Warbler, Blackap and 2 Lesser Redpoll Castle Grounds, Stornoway. Benbecula: 2 female Dotterel Liniclate / Torlum machair plus 1st yr Glaucous Gull at Borve Point. At Torlum: 2 male Blackcap. 2 Sedge Warblers and a Redwing. 5 Black-tailed Godwit Loch Fada. Moths and Butterflies: all the warm weather is bringing out plenty of Small Tortoiseshells and Green-veined Whites although more unusual was the Flame Carpet (photo below) seen at Loch Carnan today. Normally not out until June in Scotland this species has two generations in southern England (May - June / July - August) and occasionally two in the north in hot years. Nunton light trap held Silver Y, Emperor moth, Puss moth, 4 Red Chestnut and 2 Hebrew Characters last night. Carnan light trap (Paul Boyer) - Emperor moth, Angle Shades, Hebrew Character and 30 Red Chetnut. 28th April: South Uist: Chiffchaff at Stilligarry. 2 Sand Martins over machair at Grogarry. 2 Whooper Swans still on Loch na Balgan. Benbecula: Brent Goose Stinky Bay North Uist: male Blackcap Scolpaig plus 2 Whooper Swans. 23 White Wagtials on beach at Aird an Runair. Belted Beauties on Grogarry machair, South Uist - 3 males and a female.
27th April: Lewis: White-billed Diver off Tiumpan Head - distant to the north. In the Castle Grounds: Cuckoo, Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 45 Willow Warbler and a female Siskin. South Uist: pale-bellied Brent Goose, imm. Glaucous Gull and 3 Common Terns at Peninerine. 18 Whimbrel Smerclate. Cuckoo, Common Sandpiper and 7 Common Terns South Glendale. Benbecula: 3 Arctic Terns Loch Mor. Arctic Tern and 2 Common Terns at Coot Loch. Butterflies and moths: male Belted Beauty in the light trap at Nunton last night plus one at Peninerine, South Uist. Small Tortoiseshell and Green-veined Whites widespread today. A very early Great Yellow Bumblebee at Askenish, South Uist (Bill Niell).
26th April: Lewis: White-billed Diver Skigersta. American Herring Gull Stornoway harbour. White Wagtails widespread and common along many coastal locations in the southern isles. North Uist: Corncake calling at Balranald. Benbecula: first Common Tern off the machair at Liniclate today, plus 3 Little Terns. South Uist: Cuckoo at Askernish. 25th April: North Uist: 59 Pomarine Skuas, 6 Arctic Skaus and 13 Great Skuas north at Aird an Runair this afternoon (16:45 - 18:45) 22nd April: North Uist: first Corncrake reported this Spring (Jamie Boyle) from knockintorran Lewis: at least 9 Emperor moths bouncing off the glass of a greenhouse in Leurbost
21st April: Lewis: American Herring Gull Stornoway harbour. 63 Black-tailed Godwits and a Whimbrel Cross Street, Stornoway. Sand Martin, Swallow and 2 x 2nd cal yr Iceland Gulls Loch Stiapavat. North Uist: Snowy Owl Sollas 20th April: St. Kilda: male Snowy Owl Lewis: 1st yr Iceland Gull Garry.
19th April: North Uist: adult Ring-billed Gull at Balranald, plus 24 Brent Geese, an adult Iceland Gull and 1st yr Glaucous Gull Benbecula: 2 Lesser Scaup Coot Loch plus Pink-footed Goose and White-fronted Goose.
South Uist: 4 Little Tern Loch Bee and 80+ Black-tailed Godwits. 2 hours sea-watch from Ardvule (John Kemp) produced 6 Common Scoter, 2 Gadwall, 23 Brent Geese, 5 Barnacle Geese and a Great Skua. Also 2nd yr Iceland Gull and 2nd yr Glaucous Gull there. Lewis: 2 Little Tern passed Barvas. Pair of Pintail at Gress and 3 Black-tailed Godwits in off the sea at Port of Ness. Early Tooth-striped moth trapped in Castle Grounds last night - apparently new for Outer Hebrides
18th April: Benbecula: 2 male Lesser Scaup Coot Loch plus 5 White-fronted Geese, Whimbrel and Black-tailed Godwits South Uist: Cuckoo from Loch Bee causeway (T. Fountain) 17th April: Lewis: 50+ Pink-footed Geese north Loch Seaforth. Harris: pair of Surf Scoters in the Sound of Taransay. 1st yr Iceland Gull Northton. North Uist: Lapland Bunting Balranald. Benbecula: 2 male Lesser Scaup Coot Loch. 30 Black-tailed Godwits Loch Fada, 10 including a colour-ringed birds on Coot Loch and other scattered birds in west Benbecula. South Uist: 2 Pomarine Skuas north Ardvule (8.45). 31+ Black-tailed Godwits Ard Kenneth including a colour-ringed bird. 1st yr Glaucous Gull Peninerine. 16th April: Lewis: 3 Willow Warblers in the Castle Grounds plus 2 Chiffchaffs in Willowglen. North Uist: 5 Pomarine Skuas north in one and half hours off Aird an Runair this morning. Benbecula: male Lesser Scaup Coot Loch. Swallow Stinky Bay. South Uist: 1st yr Glaucous Gull North Bay. 1st and 2nd yr Iceland Gulls at Ardvule and 82 Brent Geese there this evening with two colour-ringed birds. Swallow at Peninerine. Lapland Bunting Ardvule. 2 Arctic Skua over Ardivachar machair. 15th April: Benbecula: 2 Lesser Scaup, one on Coot Loch and the other on Loch Bailfinlay. Also 25 Shoveler, 9 Gadwall and 11 Black-tailed Godwits in west Benbecula. Willow Warbler at Nunton. North Uist: Lapland Bunting at Balranald plus two flocks of Black-tailed Godwits 15 and 30. 3 Glaucous Gulls. 3 Black-tailed Godwits heading north at Bayhead. South Uist: Willow Warbler at Loch Eynort. Willow Warbler at South Glendale plus 10 Whimbrel. Moths and butterflies: male Belted Beauty, 5 Red Chestnut and 1 Hebrew Character in the light trap at Nunton. Male Belted Beauty at Balranald this evening. Emperor moth seen emerging Loch Eynort (T. Fountain and daughter).
14th April: Lewis: White-billed Diver Skigersta. Snowy Owl at Borve. Iceland Gull at Loch Branahuie. Benbecula: 2 male Lesser Scaup Coot Loch. 2 Black-tailed Godwits Loch Mor. Lapland Bunting east over Nunton this evening South Uist: Willow Warbler at North Loch Eynort. Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff at Loch Druidibeg. Willow Warbler Snishival. Moths and Butterflies: Common Heath (day-flying moth common on moorland) at Loch Eynort and Druidibeg. Lots of Emperor Moths at Druidibeg. Small Tortoiseshell and Green-veined Whites around in South Uist this afternoon. Nunton light trap had a male Belted Beauty and Hebrew Character in this morning.
13th April: Goose movements today include: 62 White-fronts and 80 Barnacles north over South Glendale, South Uist (7:30) 210 Barnacles in four flocks, largest being 130 north over Nunton, Benbecula (between 8:10 and 9:30). 240 Barnacles north over Smerclate, South Uist (9:30) and 60 Barnacles north at Ardvule, South Uist (11:30). Also 12 Whooper Swans over Ardvule (10:15). Benbecula: 2 male Lesser Scaup and male Scaup on Coot Loch, plus 7 Gadwall and 10 Shoveler. male Belted Beauty in the light trap at Nunton last night.
12th April: South Uist: 52 pale-bellied Brent Geese west at Carnan (8:10am). 11th April: Barra and Vatersay: Surf Scoter again off Vatersay (Bird guides) Benbecula: male Lesser Scaup and male Scaup Coot Loch. 1st yr Glaucous Gull Stinky Bay South Uist: 102 pale-bellied Brent Geese at Balgarva, 24 at Ardivachar and 8 at Carnan. 1st yr Glaucous Gull and Great Skua at North Bay. 70+ Brent Geese west at Carnan (9:15am) Lewis: Pine Beauty moth feeding on willow catkin at Leurbost (Frank Stark)
10th April: North Uist: 6 Pomarine Skuas passed Aird an Runair in 2 hours this morning. Benbecula: 2 Lesser Scaup Coot Loch (male Scaup on Loch Fada). Great Skua Stinky Bay and 70+ Brent Geese over heading from inland and out towards Ardivachar Point, S Uist. 1st yr Glaucous Gull Liniclate. South Uist: Swallow at Askernish. 9th April: NB 2 Snowy owls on the 5th including what appears to be a female on St. Kilda Barra and Vatersay: Surf Scoter off Vatersay (Bird guides) North Uist: 6 Pomarine Skuas north passed Aird an Runair in one and a half hours this morning. 4 1st yr Glaucous Gulls at Balranald this afternoon. South Uist: female Ring-necked Duck Loch an Eilein, Drimsdale. 51 Brent Geese Ardvule and 64 Kilpheder. Swallow at Carnan for 5 minutes in the evening. around 12 Bottle-nosed Dolphins were seen to the south of Ardvule this afternoon
8th April: Lewis: Bonaparte's Gull at Coll today (Bird guides). 1st yr American Herring Gull Stornoway harbour plus 2 Iceland Gulls. Adult Kumliens Gulls plus 1st yr Iceland Gull Loch Stiapavat. White-billed Diver Coll (Craig Shaw)
Benbecula: Lesser Scaup and Scaup on Coot Loch South Uist: female Ring-necked Duck Loch an Eilein, Drimsdale. Whimbrel, 58 pale-bellied Brent Geese at Bornish. 9 Black-tailed Godwits at Ard Kenneth and 12 pale-bellied Brents at Balgarva 7th April: Lewis: 1st yr American Herring Gull and 5 Iceland Gulls (1 adult) Stornoway harbour. Benbecula: male Lesser Scaup, male Scaup, 7 Gadwall (between here and Loch Fada), 5 Pink-footed Geese, Black-tailed Godwit, 1st yr Glaucous Gull Small numbers of Whooper Swans, Barnacle Geese, Greylag Geese heading north-west over Benbecula today. male Belted Beauty on edge of Balivanich, just west of school.
6th April: Lewis: 1st yr Iceland Gull Loch Branahuie, plus 1st yr and adult in Stornoway harbour. Chiffchaff in the Castle Grounds. North Uist: Pomarine Skua, 9 Manx Shearwaters, 390 Puffin, 490 Kittiwakes north passed Aird an Runair in 2 1/2 hours this morning. Frequent flocks of White-fronted Geese, Barnacle Geese and some Greylags heading north to north-west throughout today. Benbecula: 2 male Lesser Scaup and male Scaup on Coot Loch. South Uist: 1st yr Glaucous Gull Peninerine, female Ring-necked Duck Loch an Eilein, Drimsdale. 5 Gadwall and 3 Pintail Ard Kenneth
5th April: St. Kilda: Snowy Owl North Uist: imm Snowy Owl at Paiblesgarry plus 1st yr Glaucous Gull Benebcula: leucistic Great Black Backed Gull Borve Point and 5 Pink-footed Geese on the machair. 2 male Belted Beauty on Torlum machair. South Uist: Whimbel Bornish 4th April: North Uist: Snowy Owl on Paiblesgarry machair. Benbecula: male Lesser Scaup, male Scaup, 14 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 5 Pink-footed Geese and 4 Black-tailed Godwits Coot Loch South Uist: 3 imm White-tailed Eagles Loch Boisdale, talon grappling until chased off by Golden Eagle shortly followed by an adult White-tailed Eagle.
3rd April Benbecula: 2 male Lesser Scaup, male Scaup, 5 Gadwall and male Pintail on Coot Loch. South Uist: 1st yr Glaucous Gull at North Bay. pr of Pintail and male Gadwall north-west Loch Bee Lots of fresh Emperor Moths on the moorland (Jamie Boyle) . 2nd April: Benbecula: male Lesser Scaup on Coot Loch along with 4 Gadwall and a male Pintail. South Uist: 2 Wheatear Loch Carnan. 1st April: Benbecula: male Lesser Scaup, male Pintail and Black-tailed Godwit Coot Loch North Uist: Wheatear and Great Skua over this evening. Also at Balranald 6 male and a female Belted Beauty late this afternoon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
