Latest Outer Hebrides Bird and Wildlife Sightings 2026
Archive January February March
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30th April:
North Uist: A juvenile Glaucous Gull and an Iceland Gull were at Balranald.
29th April:
North Uist: An Iceland Gull was seen at Balranald. A drake Garganey was seen at Loch Bhrusda, Berneray.
South Uist: A Common Crane was seen from the Pollochar heading south-east this afternoon.
28th April:
St. Kilda: A Little Ringed Plover was seen on Hirta today.
South Uist: An Avocet was at Loch Bee and 16 Black-tailed Godwits were on The Range.
27th April:
Lewis: The drake Ring-necked Duck was at Loch Tiumpan.
St. Kilda: The Iceland Gull is still on Hirta.
North Uist: 42 Whimbrel and a House Martin were at Balemore this morning. 48 Whimbrel, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, a Pink-footed Goose and 150 Barnacle Geese were at Balranald. 4 Black-tailed Gowits were at Grenitote.
Benbecula: 4 Pink-footed Geese were at Muir of Aird.
South Uist: A Little Gull was seen in North Bay.
Barra: An Iberian Chiffchaff was at Ardmhor this morning.
26th April:
Lewis: A Grasshopper Warbler was at Achmore.
North Uist: 45 Whimbrel flew north at Aird an Runair and a House Martin was present. 250 Whimbrel were along the west side of the island today. A Tree Sparrow was at Paiblesgarry this morning.
Insects: 52 moths / 13 species were trapped in South Glendale last night including 20 Brown Silver-line, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 1 Silver Y, 1 Puss Moth, 7 Red Chestnut plus micros Rush Veneer, Diamond-back Moth, Acleris hastiana, Agonopterix subpropinquella and Agonopterix yeatiana. At North Loch Eynort 20 Clouded Drab, 8 Early Tooth-striped, 11 Red Chestnut, 5 Grey Pine Carpet, 2 Spruce Carpet, 6 Early Grey, 1 Golden-rod Pug, 1 Agonopterix ocellana; plus local rarities, White-pinion Spotted and Least Black Arches.
Grasshopper Warbler (Sam Borthwick); Least Black Arches and White-pinion Spotted (John Kemp)
25th April:
Benbecula: 13 Arctic Terns were off Balivanich. 13 Pink-footed Geese were at Coot Loch. 9 Pink-footed Geese and 6 Black-tailed Godwits were at Loch Mor.
24th April:
North Uist: 30 White Wagtails were at Loch Paible.
22nd April:
St. Kilda: A Little Tern at Hirta today was a first for the islands whilst an immature Golden Eagle there yesterday was the first since 1976.
Benbecula: A Yellow Wagtail was seen at Carnan-ard-Wiay today
Barra: A Blue-headed Wagtail was at Eoligarry.
21st April:
Lewis: A male Marsh Harrier was seen at Achmore this morning.
Benbecula: 3 Arctic Terns were at Loch Mor.
South Uist: 2 Common Sandpipers were at Loch Druidibeg and a Siskin was at Carnan.
Marsh Harrier (Sam Borthwick)
20th April:
North Uist: 280 Black-tailed Godwits, 38 Pink-footed Geese and a pale-bellied Brent Goose were at Balranald. The 2 Cackling Geese were sen at Loch na Reivil, Hougharry today.
Insects: Moths trapped in South Glendale last night include a single Diamond-back Moth, Rush Veneer, Acleris rufana, 3 Acleris hyemana and an Agonopterix subpropinquella.
Rush Veneer (John Kemp)
19th April:
North Uist: 2 Pintail and 27 Black-tailed Godwits were at Loch Paible.
Benbecula: 455 Black-tailed Godwits a drake Green-winged Teal and 8 Pink-footed Geese were at Coot Loch. 6 Pink-footed Geese were at Loch Mor.
South UIst: 370 Black-tailed Godwits, a male Ruff and a Whimbrel were on The Range.
Marine Sightings: 2 Orcas were seen heading south-east off Port of Ness.
18th April:
North Uist: 2 Cackling Geese and 250 Black-tailed Godwits were at Balranald today. 18 Black-tailed Godwits were at Balemartin and 124 were on Baleshare.
Benbecula: 50 Black-tailed Godwits flew north over Storme Cottages whilst 70 were at Oban Lionacleit. 200 Black-tailed Godwits were at Coot Loch and a Common Tern was on Loch Fada.
Barra: The 1st winter Surf Scoter was in Vatersay Bay.
16th April:
Benbecula: 2 Whimbrel were seen at the stables in Balivanich.
South Uist: 18 Black-tailed Godwits were at Ardvule and 3 Whimbrel flew north there.
15th April:
North Uist: A House Martin was at Balranald and 90 Black-tailed Godwits flew north off Aird an Runair.
Benbecula: 24 Black-tailed Godwits were at Coot Loch.
14th April:
North Uist: A Greenland White-fronted Goose was lingering at Balranald. 18 Pink-footed Geese were at Griminish.
13th April:
Barra: The 1st winter Surf Scoter was in Vatersay Bay.
12th April:
Benbecula: 125 Black-tailed Godwits were near Coot Loch and 22 were at Loch na Meallaird.
Black-tailed Godwits (Steve Duffield)
11th April:
Lewis: The adult Glaucous Gull was at Fivepenny and a Snow Bunting was at the Butt.
North Uist: A Little Tern was seen of Scotvein, Grimsay.
South Uist: A Little Tern and a Great Skua were off Balgarva.
10th April:
Lewis: The adult Glaucous Gull was at Fivepenny.
North Uist: A Great Skua flew north past Balranald this morning.
9th April:
North Uist: A Willow Warbler was seen at Claddach Kirkibost.
South Uist: 70 Redwings were in South Glendale this morning.
Barra: A 1st winter Surf Scoter was off Ardmhor ferry terminal. Another 1st winter Surf Scoter was in Vatersay Bay.
Marine Sightings: 2 Bottle-nosed Dolphins were off Balivanich. Around 5 Orcas were seen travelling south-east past Tiumpan Head.
8th April:
North Uist: A very early Swift was seen at Balemartin. 2 Swallows and 2 Sand Martins were at Hougharry. 7 Black-tailed Godwits were at Hougharry. The Russian White-fronted Goose was at Balranald. 5 Black-tailed Godwits were at Port Scolpaig. 6 Black-tailed Godwits were at Balemartin. 7 Black-tailed Godwits were at Rushgarry and a Swallow was at Loch Brusda, Berneray todau.
Black-tailed Godwits (Steve Duffield)
7th April:
North Uist: 3 Little Terns were at Malaclate beach this morning. 90+ Pink-footed Geese flew north over Aird an Runair this morning.
Benbecula: A drake Green-winged Teal, 2 Swallows and a Sand Martin were at Coot Loch.
6th April:
Lewis: An adult Glaucous Gull was at Fivepenny. The Ring-necked Duck was at Loch Tiumpan.
North Uist: An immature Iceland Gull was at Loch Sandary; also 100 Pink-footed Geese flew north there this morning. 200+ Pink-footed Geese and 40+ Greenland White-fronted Geese flew north over Carinish this morning. A drake Pintail was at Loch Paible.
South Uist: An immature Rook was on Bornish machair.
Barra: The 1st winter Surf Scoter was in Vatersay Bay.
Merlin (Steve Duffield); Golden Eagle and Rook (John Kemp)
4th April:
Lewis: A Taiga Bean Goose an adult Glaucous Gull and a Rook were seen at Loch Stiapabhat this afternoon.
North Uist: A juvenile Iceland Gull was still at Balranald; also 60 pale-bellied Brent Geese flew north there. 300+ Whooper Swans flew north at Balranald / Balelone this morning. 40 Greenland White-fronted Geese were at Balelone and another 40+ flew north there around midday. Large numbers of Barnacle Geese were also present on the west side of the island today.
Benbecula: A Ruff was at Torlum and 27 Black-tailed Godwits were at Coot Loch. A Little Egret was at Loch Mor. A Jackdaw was at the east end of the Torlum road.
3rd April:
North Uist: A Green-winged Teal, drake Pintail and 100 Greenland White-fronted Geese were at Loch nam Feithean. A juvenile Iceland Gull and 2 juvenile Glaucous Gulls were at Balranald. 6 Greenland White-fronted Geese were at Knockintorran and a drake Scaup was on Loch Sandary. 13 Pink-footed Geese were on Berneray and 53 flew over.
Barra: The 1st winter Surf Scoter was in Vatersay Bay.
Iceland Gull and Greenland White-fronted Geese (Steve Duffield)
1st April:
Barra: The 1st winter Surf Scoter was in Vatersay Bay.