Latest Outer Hebrides Bird and Wildlife Sightings 2025
Archive January February March April
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20th May:
North Uist: A White-billed Diver was reported off Callernish this afternoon. A Spotted Flycatcher was in Carinish.
South Uist: The juvenile Glaucous Gull was at Kildonan again today.
Marine Sightings: An Orca was seen close inshore off Aird an Runair at 17:15 before it moved north.
Insects: An Argent & Sable moth was seen in South Glendale today.
Argent & Sable (John Kemp)
19th May:
North Uist: A Little Stint was on the beach south of Aird an Runair this afternoon.
Barra: A Hawfinch was at Borve.
18th May:
Lewis: A Pectoral Sandpiper and a Ruff were at Loch Stiapabhat.
North Uist: An American Golden Plover was seen 300m along the track from the campsite at Balranald this morning. The juvenile Iceland Gull was also seen at Balranald this morning. A 1st summer Little Gull was hawking over Loch nan Gearachun; 1 mile west of the of the northern end of the Committee Road. A Spotted Flycatcher was in Carinish.
Benbecula: A Spotted Flycatcher was at Gramsdale.
South Uist: An Alpine Swift and 2 Common Swifts flew south-west over the shoulder of Hecla this morning.
Barra: A Hawfinch was at Ardveenish.
Little Gull (Steve Duffield)
17th May:
North Uist: A Common Crane was seen flying north at Balranald this morning. The immature Iceland Gull was at Loch Sandary this evening.
Benbecula: A House Martin flew north over Loch Mor in the morning.
South Uist: The juvenile Glaucous Gull was at Kildonan. A Spotted Flycatcher was at Druidibeg plantation. 2 Whinchats and 2 Spotted Flycatchers were at North Loch Eynort. A Curlew Sandpiper was seen at Ardivachar this evening.
Barra: A Bee-eater was seen over Brevig this evening and later at Cobhair Bharraigh, Nasg road end.
Insects: Moth trapping at Loch Eynort last night produced 88 moths of 27 species. This included 2 Clouded Border, 5 Peacock Moths, 6 Barred Red, 3 Dark Sword-grass, 8 May Highflyers, 4 Ruddy Highflyers, 2 Scalloped Hazel, 2 Shark, 1 Glaucous Shears, 3 Foxglove Pugs, 4 Common Pugs, 1 Syndemis musculana, 1 Anania fuscalis and one Epinotia tedella.
Peacock Moth (John Kemp)
16th May:
Lewis: The American Golden Plover was at Loch Ordais, Bragar again this evening.
North Uist: A Curlew Sandpiper was on Loch Paible.
Benbecula: A Curlew Sandpiper was in Stinky Bay this morning.
South Uist: The juvenile Glaucous Gull was at Ardvule.
Barra: 6 Spotted Flycatchers were around the island.
15th May:
Lewis: A female Marsh Harrier flew south-east at Port of Ness this afternoon.
St. Kilda: A Rustic Bunting was in Village Bay, Hirta.
North Uist: A Green-winged Teal and Marsh Harrier were seen on Baleshare this morning. An immature Iceland Gull was at Loch Paible and an immature male Marsh Harrier was also there late afternoon. A Spotted Flycatcher was at Langass Wood.
South Uist: The juvenile Glaucous Gull was back on the beach at Kildonan.
Barra: An Eastern Bonelli's Warbler was in Northbay.
Insects: 2 Elephant Hawkmoths, a Silver Hook and a Yellow-barred Brindle (1st for Outer Hebrides) were caught in South Glendale last night. Good numbers of Red Amdirals are around and smaller numbers of Painted Lady butterflies.
Silver Hook and Yellow-barred Brindle (John Kemp); Short-eared Owl (Alan Kennedy)
14th May:
Lewis: An American Golden Plover was seen at Loch Ordais.
North Uist: A Little Gull was seen near Sollas. A House Martin flew north east of Grenitote. A Whinchat was near Langass Lodge. A Marsh Harrier was seen from the west side of Loch Sandary heading towards Balranald.
Benbecula: A drake Garganey was seen on Loch Fada.
13th May:
Lewis: A White Stork was seen just south of Aline Community Woodland.
Benbecula: A Marsh Harrier and a Russian White-fronted Goose were at Loch Mor.
South Uist: A drake Goosander was on the Howmore River early morning. The female Marsh Harrier flew south over Hebridean Jewellery. An Osprey flew south-east at Kildonan. An Avocet was on the west side of Loch Bee. A juvenile Glaucous Gull was at Loch Bornish. A Long-tailed Tit was at North Loch Eynort.
Corncrake and Goosander (Alan Kennedy)
12th May:
Lewis: A Curlew Sandpiper was at Loch Ordais.
North Uist: The Lesser Yellowlegs was in fields by Loch Sandary; also around 50 Whimbrel there. A female Surf Scoter flew north past Aird an Runair this morning. An Iceland Gull flew north at Balranald this evening.
South Uist: The juvenile Glaucous Gull was still on the beach at Kildonan. 2 Sandwich Terns were at Smerclate.
Barra: Late news of a pair of White Storks at the southern end of Vatersay on 9th May
Sandwich Terns (Alan Kennedy)
11th May:
Lewis: An American Golden Plover was at Bragar this morning.
North Uist: A Lesser Yellowlegs and a juvenile Iceland Gull were at Loch Sandary. A Long-tailed Skua flew north past Aird an Runair in the morning and 2 Pomarine Skuas flew past in the evening,
Benbecula: A female Surf Scoter was off Stinky Bay this morning. A Brent Goose was at Stinky Bay this afternoon and a Pink-footed Goose was at Loch Mor.
South Uist: 3 Bee-eaters were in Bornish around midday. A juvenile Glaucous Gull was on Kildonan beach. A House Martin was in Howmore this morning.
Barra: An Osprey flew along the east side of the island today.
Bee-eaters (Andrew Stevenson); Lesser Yellowlegs, Whimbrel and Golden Eagle (Steve Duffield)
10th May:
Lewis: A Grey-headed or White-tailed Lapwing flew south over Adabroc, Port of Ness at 5pm but couldn't be relocated. A Little Egret was in Uig bay.
St. Kilda: A Turtle Dove was on Hirta.
North Uist: 2 Long-tailed Skuas flew north at Aird an Runair. A 1st summer Little Gull was on Loch na Revil, Hougharry.
White-tailed Eagle (Alan Kennedy)
9th May:
Benbecula: A Garganey was on Loch Fada.
Barra: A Hawfinch was at Glenn. A female / 1st summer male Golden Oriole was at Creachan this evening briefly.
Little Tern and Sanderling (Alan Kennedy)
8th May:
North Uist: An Osprey was seen heading west over Baleshare.
Barra: A Hawfinch was at Ardveenish.
Sedge Warbler and Wheatear (Alan Kennedy)
7th May:
Lewis: 170 Whimbrel were at the Butt. A Sandwich Tern was off Barvas.
South Uist: The male Ruff was still at Ardivachar.
Benbecula: A Little Egret was at Coot Loch. A Little Stint and 2 Sandwich Terns were seen in Stinky Bay.
Barra: A Hawfinch was seen at Bruernish.
Insects: A White-pinion Spotted was trapped at North Loch Eynort last night. It is the first for the Outer Hebrides and a substantial northern range expansion for this species.
Marine Sightings: 15 White-beaked Dolphins were seen off Port of Ness.
White-pinion Spotted (John Kemp)
6th May:
Lewis: The Solitary Sandpiper was seen at the Butt again this morning; as well as this evening. 2 Dotterel flew north over Cross towards the Butt in the afternoon.
Harris: 60 Pink-footed Geese were at Northton this morning.
Benbecula: An Osprey was seen circling over Creagorry before flying south this afternoon.
South Uist: A male Ruff was at Ardivachar. 3 Avocets and a Little Stint were in the south-west corner of Loch Bee.
Insects: Moth trapping in Carinish last night produced 48 moths of 12 species including Powdered Quaker, 6 Dark Sword-grass, Rush Veneer, Pebble Prominent, 6 Puss Moths and Common Pug amongst others.
Common Pug, Dark Sword-grass, Powdered Quaker and Otter (Steve Duffield); Solitary Sandpiper (Bob McMillan)
5th May:
Lewis: An adult White-billed Diver flew south-east past the Butt; also a Crossbill flew south-east there and a Green Sandpiper was seen briefly. A Solitary Sandpiper was seen at the Butt early morning.
North Uist: A Whitethroat was in Lochmaddy. Large numbers of Whimbrel were around with 38 At Balranald and at least 40 at Cnoc a Lin amongst many others. A male Ruff was at Loch Paible. A Garganey was at Loch a Roe, Balranald.
Benbecula: A Pied Flycatcher was seen from the causeway at Loch Olabhat.
South Uist: A Whitethroat was in South Glendale.
Insects: A Red Admiral and a Peacock butterfly were at North Loch Eynort.
Large Red Damselfly and Whitethroat (John Kemp)
4th May:
Harris: 40 Whimbrel were at Northton.
North UIst: The female Golden Oriole was seen briefly at Langass Wood today. 100 Whimbrel were at Loch Sandary.
South Uist: 3 Avocets were at the south-west end of Loch Bee.
3rd May:
Lewis: A Lapland Bunting was on crofts opposite the post office at Port of Ness this afternoon. 10 Whimbrel were at Garrabost. The drake Ring-necked Duck was back at Loch Geal, Great Bernera this morning.
North Uist: A Golden Oriole was at Langass Wood. 60 Brent Geese flew north past Aird an Runair.
2nd May:
North Uist: A Pied Flycatcher was at Claddach Vallay plantation.
Benbecula: A female Golden Oriole was reported from Loch Dun Mhurchaidh this morning.
South Uist: A Long-tailed Tit was at Loch Eynort.
Marine Sightings: 3 Killer Whales were seen heading north-west off the Butt.