Latest Outer Hebrides Bird and Wildlife Sightings 2026
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28th February:
North Uist: 31 Snow Buntings were at Balranald today.
Benbecula: 8 Snow Buntings were in Culla Bay.
Barra: A Bonaparte's Gull was at Borve before relocating to Allasdale.
Snow Buntings (Steve Duffield)
27th February:
North Uist: The drake Scaup is still on Loch Sandary. A Puffin flew west past Griminish Point this morning.
Benbecula: 2 Ring-necked Ducks (an adult and 1st winer) were on Coot Loch today.
South Uist: 4 Snow Buntings were at Stoneybridge.
Barra: The 1st winter Surf Scoter was in Vatersay Bay.
Snow Buntings (Vanessa Wright)
25th February:
Lewis: An adult Little Gull was feeding off Coll beach.
24th February:
Barra: The 1st winter Surf Scoter was still on Vatersay Bay.
23rd February:
Benbecula: 3 Ring-necked Ducks are still on Coot Loch.
South Uist: The drake American Wigeon was at West Loch Ollay. A juvenile Glaucous Gull, drake Scaup and Ca. 20 Black-tailed Godwits were at Ardvule. Nearby 4 Jackdaws were on Bornish machair.
22nd February:
Lewis: 2 Glaucous Gulls (an adult and juvenile) and a juvenile Iceland Gull were on the machair by Loch Stiapabhat.
Benbecula: 3 Little Egrets were at Loch Mor.
South Uist: A Mistle Thrush was seen at Grogarry.
Barra: The Firecrest was seen at Nask again today.
21st February:
Benbecula: 3 Ring-necked Ducks (an adult female and 2 x 1st winters) were on Coot Loch.
South Uist: A juvenile Iceland Gull was at Ardivachar. A drake Scaup and 12 Black-tailed Godwits were at Loch Ardvule. 3 Jackdaws were on Bornish machair.
Barra: A Firecrest was Terranova garden. The 1st winter Surf Scoter was in Vatersay Bay this morning.
Ring-necked Ducks (Steve Duffield)
20th February:
Lewis: An adult Ring-billed Gull was reported from Loch Branahuie (12:15).
Barra: The 1st winter Surf Scoter is still in Vatersay Bay.
18th February:
Lewis: An adut Glaucous Gull flew south-east past Port of Ness early afternoon.
Barra: A Green-winged Teal was seen on the sea at Ardveenish. The 1st winter Surf Scoter was in Vatersay Bay.
17th February:
Lewis: The drake Ring-necked Duck was at Loch Tiumpan. The Taiga Bean Goose was seen at Coll again.
Benbecula:An Avocet was reported flying north past Peter's Port this afternoon.
South Uist: 4 Snow Buntings were at Stoneybridge. 3 Pink-footed Geese were amongst 220 Barnacle Geese at Balgarva.
Barra: The 1st winter Surf Scoter was off Vatersay.
Marine Sightings: 2 White-beaked Dolphins were off Tiumpan Head.
16th February:
Lewis: A Taiga Bean Goose was with Greylags just north of Coll beach. A juvenile Iceland Gull was in Stornoway Harbour.
15th February:
Lewis: A White-billed Diver drifted south-east past the Butt at 14:00. A juvenile Iceland Gull was in Stornoway harbour. The drake Ring-necked Duck was on Loch Tiumpan.
14th February:
Lewis: An adult Glaucous Gull was at Loch Stiapabhat. A juvenile Iceland Gull was in Stornoway harbour.
13th February:
Lewis: A Snow Goose was reported from the machair at Bragar.
North Uist: The female Ring-necked Duck was on the small loch opposite the old Carinish School again today. A drake Pintail was on Loch Bhrusda, Berneray.
Barnacle Geese pair and Ring-necked Duck with drake Tufted (Steve Duffield)
12th February:
Lewis: An adult Glaucous Gull was at the Butt.
North Uist: 4 Pintails were on Loch nam Feithean. A drake Scaup was on Loch Sandary. A Fieldfare was at Hosta.
Benbecula: 9 Russian White-fronted Geese were at Torlum.
Marine Sightings: 2 Humpback Whales moved west off the Butt 11:30.
10th February:
Benbecula: 9 Russian White-fronted Geese and 5 Pink-footed Geese were with Greylags by Borve Castle.
South Uist: A Little Egret was by Hebridean Jewellery. A hybrid Herring Gull x Glaucous Gull was at Ardivachar.
Russian White-fronted Geese (with Pink-footed Goose and Greylags 1st image - Steve Duffield)
9th February:
Lewis: An adult Glaucous Gull flew north past Port of Ness this evening.
North Uist: The drake Surf Scoter was off Balemore again today.
Barnacle Geese (Steve Duffield)
8th February:
North Uist: A drake Surf Scoter was off Balemore. A juvenile Glaucous Gull was at Paiblesgarry and a Puffin was off-shore. A Mistle Thrush was at Bayhead before flying east. A juvenile Glaucous Gull was at Paible. 50+ Snow Buntings were on the beach at Balranald; also a Puffin off-shore there.
Benbecula: 3 Little Egrets flew past Creagorry at 5pm.
Barra: The juvenile Surf Scoter was off Eoligarry.
Puffin and Snow Buntings (Steve Duffield)
7th February:
Lewis: A White-billed Diver flew south-east past the Butt at 15:15. An adult Glaucous Gull and juvenile Greenland White-fronted Goose were at Loch Stiapabhat.
North Uist: 58 Snow Buntings were on the beach at Balranald. A Grey Wagtail was on Grimsay by the post office. A pair of Pintail and a Pink-footed Goose were at Loch nam Feithean.
Barra: A Surf Scoter was off the east side of Vatersay.
6th February:
Lewis: The drake Ring-necked Duck was at Loch Tiumpan.
North Uist: A drake Scaup was on Loch Sandary.
Barra: A 1st winter Surf Scoter was off Ardmhor and a Green-winged Teal was in a creek nearby.
5th February:
North Uist: A drake hybrid Ring-necked Duck x Tufted Duck is on the small loch opposite the old Carinish school this morning (no sign of the female).
Benbecula: The drake Green-winged Teal was seen at Loch Fada again today.
hybrid Ring-necked Duck x Tufted Duck with Tufted Ducks (Steve Duffield)
4th February:
North Uist: A female Ring-necked Duck was on the small loch opposite the old Carinish school.
South Uist: 35 - 40 Black-tailed Godwits were at Ardvule. A drake American Wigeon was on West Loch Ollay. A Russian White-fronted Gooese was at Stoneybridge; by the Aird Mhicheil turning. A juvenile Iceland Gull and 2 Black-tailed Godwits were in North Bay.
American Wigeon and Russian White-fronted Goose (Steve Duffield)
3rd February:
North Uist: A Magpie was seen at Baymore, Grimsay this afternoon.
Benbecula: A Green-winged Teal was on Loch Fada. 2 Little Egrets were at Loch Mor and another was at Coot Loch. 4 Pink-footed Geese were at Borve.
2nd February:
Benbecula: A juvenile Iceland Gull was at Borve Point and a Puffin was off-shore. A Little Egret was at Coot Loch.
South Uist: 2 juvenile Glaucous Gulls and 6 Snow Buntings were at Ardivachar.
1st February:
Lewis: An adult Glaucous Gull was at Loch Stiapabhat and another adult was at the Butt.
North Uist: An adult and a juvenile Glaucous Gull were at Rubh' Arnal.
Benbecula: 2 female Scaup were at Loch Olobhat, Uachdar.
South Uist: A juvenile Glaucous Gull was at North Bay / Mol Mor.