Latest Outer Hebrides Bird and Wildlife Sightings 2025
Archive January February March April May June July
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31st August:
Lewis: 5 Curlew Sandpipers and a Ruff were at Loch Ordais.
North Uist: 32 Black-tailed Godwits and a Ruff were on Baleshare.
South Uist: 2 Great Shearwaters, 6 Sooty Shearwaters and 3 Pomarine Skuas flew past the east side of Eriskay this morning (07:00 0 09:00). The Wood Sandpiper was in fields west of Carnan again today. A Curlew Sandpiper and 5 Ruff were at Ardivachar.
Wood Sandpiper (Alan Kennedy)
30th August:
North Uist: A Wood Sandpiper was at Loch Sandary. The Little Stint is still on Loch Paible.
Benbecula: 22 Black-tailed Godwits and 3 Ruff were at Borve. A Curlew Sandpiper was in Stinky Bay.
South Uist: 2 Curlew Sandpipers were at North Bay and another was at Ardivachar; also 8 Ruff were at Ardivachar. 3 Curlew Sandpipers and a juvenile Spotted Redshank were on the South Ford. A Wood Sandpiper was in flooded fields near Carnan.
Wood Sandpiper (Steve Duffield)
29th August:
North Uist: A juvenile Little Stint and a Whimbrel were at Loch Paible.
South Uist: 31 Black-tailed Godwits were at Drimsdale. 2 Curlew Sandpipers were at Kildoanan.
Barra: A Pied Flycatcher was in North Bay.
Little Stint (Steve Duffield)
28th August:
South Uist: A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and a Ruff were in the south bay at Ardvule. 8 Ruff and 2 Whimbrel were at Kildonan. 22 Black-tailed Godwits and a Whimbrel were at Bornish.
Barra: 2 Cory's Shearwaters and 18 Sooty Shearwaters flew past Brevig early morning. 2 more Cory's Shearwaters and 10 Sooty Shearwaters flew south past Brevig mid-afternoon.
Marine Sightings: 2 Humpback Whales were off Port of Ness in the evening.
Curlew Sandpiper and Dunlin (Alan Kennedy)
27th August:
Lewis: 3 Ruff and a Coot were at Loch Stiapabhat. 2 Sooty Shearwaters flew past the Butt (in 30 minutes). 2 Ruff were at Loch Ordais.
Benbecula: 22 Black-tailed Godwits were at Nunton. 2 Ruff were in Stinky Bay.
Arctic Skua and Peregrine (Alan Kennedy)
26th August:
Lewis: 2 Great Shearwaters and 33 Sooty Shearwaters flew past the Butt (19:00 - 20:30).
North Uist: 40 Black-tailed Godwits were on Baleshare. 13 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Whimbrel were at Loch Sandary. A Ruff was at Balranald.
Benbecula: A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and 10 Black-tailed Godwits flew south over Coot Loch this morning.
South Uist: 17 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Ruff were on the beach at Howmore this morning.
25th August:
Lewis: A White-billed Diver was seen a mile west of the Butt whilst a Great Shearwater and 6 Sooty Shearwaters were seen passing. 4 Cory's Shearwater, 3 Great Shearwaters, 29 Sooty Shearwaters and a Pomarine Skua past the Butt (16:00 -19:00).
North Uist: 6 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Ruff were at Loch Paible. A Ruff was at Hougharry.
Benbecula: 46 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Ruff were at Nunton. A Ruff was in Stinky Bay.
South Uist: 9 Sooty Shearwaters were seen heading south at Ardivchar this afternoon. 6 Black-tailed Gowits and 2 Ruff were on the Range.
Barra: A Great Shearwater flew south past Brevig this morning. 2 Cory's Shearwaters, 8 Great Shearwaters, 27 Sooty Shearwaters, a Long-tailed Skua and a Pomarine Skua flew south off Brevig (14:00 - 17:00).
Sparrowhawk (Alan Kennedy)
24th August:
Lewis: A White-billed Diver and 6 Sooty Shearwaters were off the Butt (09:00 - 13:30).
Harris: 2 Great Shearwaters, 4 Cory's Shearwaters and 2 Sooty Shearwaters were seen off the Flannans.
North Uist: 12 Leach's Petrel and a Sooty Shearwater were seen from the Uig - Lochmaddy ferry today.
South Uist: 5 Ruff and a Black-tailed Godwit were at Ardivachar. A Ruff amd Black-tailed Godwit were seen at Drimsdale.
Barra: 36 Cory's Shearwaters, 3 Great Shearwaters and 2 Sooty Shearwaters were seen off Breving this afternoon.
Marine Sightings: A Leatherback Turtle was seen off the Butt of Lewis. 6 - 10 Risso's Dolphins were seen from the Uig- Lochmaddy ferry.
Insects: 494 moths of 35 species were caught in South Glendale last night iIncluding 1 Convolvulus Hawk-moth, female Anomalous, 1 Hedge Rustic, 2 Northern Deep-brown Darts and an Aspilapteryx tringipennella and an Udea ferrugalis.
Ruff and Snipe (Alan Kennedy); Arctic Skua and Sooty Shearwater (Neill Bennett); Convolvulus Hawkmoth (John Kemp)
23rd August:
Insects: 429 moth of 29 species were trapped at Carinish, North Uist last night including a Lesser Swallow Prominent, 61 Pink-barred Sallow and 3 Sallow amongst others.
Lesser Swallow Prominent (Steve Duffield)
22nd August:
Lewis: 8 Leach's Petrels were seen from the Ullapool - Stornoway ferry.
North Uist: 13 Black-tailed Gowits were on Baleshare.
Benbecula: 23 Black-tailed Godwits were in cut fields just south of Balivanich.
South Uist: The 1st winter Citrine Wagtail was still along the shore at Kildonan today; also 2 Ruff were present. 5 Sooty Shearwaters were seen from the Mallaig - Lochboisdale ferry, 40 minutes before arriving in Lochboisdale.
Marine Sightings: A Fin Whale was seen from the Ullapool - Stornoway ferry. 2 Minke Whales were seen from the Mallaig - Lochboisdale ferry this afternoon.
Sooty Shearwater (Alan Kennedy)
21st August:
Lewis: 7 Sooty Shearwaters flew past Port of Ness (06:30 - 08:00) this morning.
South Uist: A 1st winter Citrine Wagtail was on the shore at Kildonan today; also 4 juvenile Ruff there.
Marine Sightings: 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphins were off Ardivachar early afternoon.
Citrine Wagtail (2 photos- Steve Duffield); Citrine Wagtail (John Kemp)
20th August:
Lewis: A Great Shearwater and 5 Sooty Shearwaters past the Butt this morning (06:00 - 08:00).
North Uist: 4 Black-tailed Godwits were at Hougharry.
Benbecula: 7 Black-tailed Godwits were at Borve.
19th August:
South Uist: The Long-tailed Tit remains at North Loch Eynort.
17th August:
Lewis: 19 Sooty Shearwaters flew past the Butt this morning (07:00 - 11:30). A Cory's Shearwater and 7 Sooty Shearwaters flew past Skigersta this afternoon. 35 Sooty Shearwaters and 8 Storm Petrels were seen from the Ullapool - Stornoway ferry today.
Marine Sightings: 5 Minke Whales and 80 Common Dolphins were seen from the Ullaopool - Stornoway ferry.
Insects: An Iron Prominent was trapped in Carinish last night.
Iron Prominent (Steve Duffield); Storm Petrel and Common Dolphins (Andy Williams)
16th August:
Lewis: 17 Sooty Shearwaters were seen off Port of Ness during the day today. 2 Long-tailed Skuas, 12 Sooty Shearwaters and 20 Storm Petrels were seen off the Butt this evening.
15th August:
North Uist: 19 Black-tailed Godwits flew south over Carinish this afternoon.
14th August:
Lewis: 4 Sooty Shearwaters past Port of Ness this morning.
Insects: 616 moths / 21 species were trapped on Daliburgh machair last night including 352 Flounced Rustic, 81 White-line Dart, 10 Archer's Dart, 22 Cochylichroa atricapitana, 2 Rush Veneer, 2 Agonopterix kaekeritziana 3 Agonopterix yeatiana.
Rush Veneer (John Kemp)
13th August:
Lewis: 2 Sooty Shearwaters and 50 Storm Petrels were seen from the Butt (07:00 - 09:00).
12th August:
St. Kilda: The adult Ring-billed Gull is still in the village, Hirta.
South Uist: 3 Goosanders were at the south end of Loch Bee. A Little Gull was at Ardivachar.
Marine Sightings: 100 Common Dolphins were off Port of Ness this morning.
10th August:
Lewis: A Pomarine Skua, 10 Sooty Shearwaters and 30 Storm Petrels were seen from the Butt (07:00 0 09:45). A Sabine's Gull, Pomarine Skua, 9 Sooty Shearwaters and 50 Storm Petrels were seen from Port of Ness / Skigersta (13:00 - 17:00).
North Uist: 4 Sooty Shearwaters, a Leach's Petrel (Skye side) and 20 Storm Petrels were seen from the Uig - Lochmady ferry this morning.
South Uist: 6 Sooty Shearwaters past Ardivachar this afternoon. 13 Black-tailed Godwits were at Loch Bee.
9th August:
Lewis: A Cory's Shearwater and 4 Sooty Shearwaters flew past the Butt (5 - 8pm).
6th August:
North Uist: 2 Sooty Shearwaters were seen from the ferry between Leverburgh and Berneray this afternoon.
5th August:
North Uist: A sea-watch from Griminish Point this morning (07:50 - 11:50) produced 13 Sooty Shearwaters, a Sabine's Gull, a Pomarine Skua, 6 Common Scoters, a Tufted Duck, 3 Arctic Terns, a Great Northern Diver and several waders (Golden Plover, Dunlin, Sanderling, Ringed Plover and Turnstone) all heading west. 5 Pomarine Skuas were seen from the ferry between Uig and Lochmaddy today.
Pomarine Skua and Sooty Shearwater (Steve Duffield)
3rd August:
Lewis: 3 Sooty Shearwaters and 30 Storm Petrels flew past Port of Ness.
North Uist: The Pintail is still at the southern end of Loch Paible.
Marine Sightings: 100 Common Dolphins, 2 Risso's Dophins and a Minke Whale were seen off Port of Ness.
Insects: Lots of butterflies around today with 30 Red Admirals at a garden in Carinish, plus Painted lady and Dark Green Fritillary. Also 2 Painted Lady butterflies at Loch Paible.
Red Admiral (Steve Duffield)
2nd August:
Lewis: 6 Sooty Shearwaters were seen off the Butt this morning; also 4 Tree Sparrows in the lighthouse compound there.
S. Kilda: A Wilson's Petrel was seen roughly mid-way between Hirta and Leverburgh yesterday.
1st August:
Lewis: 30 Sooty Shearwaters flew past the Butt of Lewis (06:00 - 09:00).