Latest Outer Hebrides Bird and Wildlife Sightings 2018
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31st December:
Benbecula: The drake Ring-necked Duck is on Coot Loch. An Iceland Gull was seen at Nunton.
30th December:
Benbecula: 2 Pintail (male and female) are on Loch Mor.
Peregrine Falcon (John Kemp)
29th December:
Insects: A Dark Sword-grass came to light last nigth in South Glendale.
Dark Sword-grass and Goldfinch (John Kemp)
28th December:
Harris: 3 Surf Scoters (2 drakes and a female) were seen in the Sound of Taransay.
North Uist: A Jack Snipe was in Carinish. 29 pale-bellied Brent Geese were at Rubh' Arnal and a single was with Barnacle Geese at Balemore.
White-tailed Eagle (John Kemp)
27th December:
Benbecula: The female / immature Velvet Scoter was off Balivanich again today.
26th December:
North Uist: 47 pale-bellied Brent Geese were on Traigh Eachcamais, Baleshare.
Merlin (John Kemp)
Merry Christmas
25th December:
Barra: The small Canada Goose was on Borve machair.
24th December:
North Uist: 30 pale-bellied Brent Geese were near Rubh' Arnal and a single was with Barnacle Geese in the fields there.
Benbecula: The female / immature Velvet Scoter was off Balivanich.
23rd December:
Benbecula: The female / immature Velvet Scoter and a female Common Scoter were off Balivanich.
South Uist: A Rook and 12 Meadow Pipits were at Kilpheder point.
Barra: A Coot is on Loch Tangasdale, 2 Common Scoters were off Ardmhor.
Great Northern Diver and Rook (John Kemp)
22nd December:
North Uist: 13 Pintail are still on Loch nam Feithean.
South Uist: 18 Snow Buntings and a Black-tailed Godwit were seen at Stoneybridge.
21st December:
North Uist: 2 hyrbid Cackling x Barnacle Geese were at Grenitote and a Greenland White-fronted Goose was nearby at Sollas. A Snow Bunting was on Baleshare.
Benbecula: The female / immature Velvet Scoter and 3 Common Scoters were off Balivanich.
Marine Sightings: 5 Bottle-nosed Dolphins were off Ardvule.
Cackling x Barnacle Goose (Steve Duffield); Bottle-nosed Dolphins (John Kemp)
20th December:
North Uist: The Cackling Goose and small Canada Goose were at Balranald this afternoon whilst nearby 13 Pintail were on Loch nam Feithean. The drake Green-winged Teal was at Loch Sandary.
South Uist: A Pink-footed Goose was by Loch Bornish.
Barra: The White-billed Diver was off Eoligarry. The small Canada Goose was on Borve machair.
Marine Sightings: 3 Bottle-nosed Dolphins were off Ardvule.
Pink-footed Goose with Greylag (John Kemp); Richardson's Cackling Goose with small / intermediate Canada Goose (Steve Duffield)
19th December:
Benbecula: The female / immature Velvet Scoter is still present off Balivanich.
18th December:
Benbecula: The immature / female Velvet Scoter is still off Balivanich.
South Uist: Southerly movement off Ardvule this morning included 1 Slavonian Grebe, 54 Great Northern Divers, 102 Red-throated Divers, 11 Gannets, 62 Long-tailed Duck, 61 Eiders, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, 3 Kittiwakes, singles of Razorbill, Guillemot and Black Guillemot.
17th December:
Lewis: 10 Long-tailed Tits were along Sandwick Road, Storonoway today.
North Uist: 5 Snow Buntings were at Rubh' Arnal and 42 Brent Geese were nearby.
Barra: The small Canada Goose was at Borve with the Barnacle Geese today.
16th December:
North Uist: At least 100 Snow Buntings were on Borve machair, Berneray today. A drake American Wigeon was at Loch Aileodair.
South Uist: A Grey Phalarope was seen at Stoneybridge.
Barra: The White-billed Diver was off Eoligarry along with a Common Scoter whilst 28 Snow Buntings were on the shore there. The small Canada Goose was still near Borve today.
15th December:
Harris: A 3rd winter Glaucous Gull was just beyond the old whaling station at Bunavoneader.
South Uist: 1 Common Scoter, 9 Long-tailed Dicks, 19 Red-throated Divers, 13 Great Northern Divers and a Black Guillemot flew south at Ardvule this morning.
14th December:
Lewis: A juvenile Iceland Gull was in Stornoway Harbour today.
Benbecula: The juvenile / female Velvet Scoter is still off Balivanich (short vid here).
South Uist: Birds south at Ardvule today included 2 Gannets, 41 Red-throated Divers, 16 Great Northern Divers, 42 Eiders, 1 Common Scoter, 3 Long-tailed Ducks and 1 Kittiwake. 7 Greenland White-fronted Geese were at Askernish.
13th December:
North Uist: The drake Green-winged Teal was on Loch Sandary.
12th December:
Benbecula: The female / immature Velvet Scoter was still of Balivanich this morning.
South Uist: The Rook was seen at Kilpheder again today; also 2 Pink-footed Geese plus 104 Mallards on the sea.
Barra: The small Canada Goose was still near Borve today.
10th December:
North Uist: 15 Pintail were on Loch nam Feithean. A Fieldfare was near Loch Hosta.
South Uist: 25 Meadow Pipits were on the shore between Orosay and Kilpheder.
9th December:
Harris: 4 Surf Scoters (3 males and a female - short video of 2 here) and 325 Common Scoters were in the Sound of Taransay.
Sound of Harris: 162 Great Northern Divers, 32 Red-throated Divers and 17 Slavonian Grebes were seen from the ferry this afternoon.
Benbecula: 2 Pintail were on Coot Loch.
South Uist: 76 Whooper Swans and a female / immature Scaup were on Loch Bornish. A Little Egret was on Loch Stilligarry. A Scaup was on Loch Bee. 2 Bramblings were at Grogarry Lodge.
8th December:
Harris: 4 Surf Scoters ( 3 drakes and a female) were seen in the Sound of Taransay.
South Uist: Ardvule this morning produced 1 Gannet, 2 Red-throated Divers, 1 Black-throated Diver, 3 Great Northern Divers and 3 Long-tailed Duck. Also 1 Pied Wagtail, 140 Twite and a Snow Bunting. 71 Whooper Swans were on Loch Bornish.
Barra: The small Canada Goose was seen at Borve with Barnacle Geese and 2 Pink-footed Geese. A Corn Bunting was seen on Vatersay. A White-billed Diver was off Eoligarry.
Curlew and Pied Wagtail (John Kemp)
7th December:
South Uist: Birds south at Ardvule this morning included Gannets, 4 Red-throated Divers, 8 Great Northern Divers, 3 Fulmars, 82 Long-tailed Ducks, 12 Eiders and 3 Kittiwakes.
6th December:
Benbecula: A female / 1st winter Velvet Scoter was off Balivanich today.
Barra: The small Canada Goose was seen at Borve with 210 Barnacle Geese. A Corn Bunting was seen on Vatersay.
Velvet Scoter (Steve Duffield)
5th December:
Lewis: 2 Velvet Scoters were off Coll Beach (Traigh Chuil) this afternoon and a Little Egret was at Steinish.
North Uist: The drake Green-winged Teal was on Loch Sandary this afternoon.
South Uist: The 1st winter Rook is still at Kilpheder Point.
4th December:
North Uist: A Snow Bunting was at Rubh' Arnal.
Barra: The small Canada Goose was at Borve again today and the White-billed Diver was off Eoligarry. 4 Common Redpolls were in Castlebay.
3rd December:
St. Kilda: The female Snowy Owl was seen today in the quarry.
North Uist: The drake Green-winged Teal was on Loch Sandary. 10 Pintail and a Coot are on Loch nam Feithean. 10 Snow Buntings and 500 Twite were on the machair at Balranald whilst a Jack Snipe was at Aird an Runair.
South Uist: 3 Black-tailed Godwits are at Loch Bornish. 1st winter Rook is still at Kilpheder Point; also 3 Snow Buntings there with 120 Twite. A Snow Bunting flew north at Daliburgh. 2 Blackcaps are in South Glendale.
Snow Bunting and Rook (John Kemp)
2nd December:
St. Kilda: A Greenland White-fronted Goose was on Hirta.
North Uist: A Jack Snipe was at Lag Gorm, Baleshare.
Benbecula: A drake Ring-necked Duck was on Loch Fada.
Barra: The small Canada Goose was at Borve again today
1st December:
South Uist: A female Common Scoter flew south at Ardvule this morning. 2 Blackcaps were in South Glendale. 2 Glaucous Gulls (2nd winter and juvenile) between Stoneybridge and Peninerine. 20 Snow Buntings at Peninerine. 2 Bramblings and a Blackcap were in Bornish.
Barra: A White-billed Diver was seen distantly off Eoligarry today; also a Common Scoter and 16 Snow Buntings here. 3 Common Scoters were also off Vatersay.
Common Scoter and Merlin (John Kemp)