2016
Please note that the sightings below do not reflect the variety of species you can see in a normal day out birding or wildlife watching. These reports concentrate on more unusual species or significant counts or movements.
30th June:
Lewis: 5 Whimbrel were at the Butt of Lewis and a Ruff was at Loch Stiapabhat.
South Uist: A Storm Petrel, 278 Manx Shearwaters, 9 Puffins and 2 Common Scoter flew south and a Great Skua flew north at Ardvule this morning; also a sngle Whimbrel was present.
Insects: 85 moths of 31 species were trapped in South Glendale last night including 3 Scarce Silver Y, 6 Drinkers, 11 Straw Dot, 3 Purple Clay, Grey Pug and micro moths Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Notocelia uddmanniana, Notocelia cynosbatella, Crambus pascuella and Aspilapteryx tringipennella.
Tufted Ducks, Crambus pascuella, Snout and Straw Dot (John Kemp)
29th June:
Benbecula: The Crane was just south of Loch Fada again today.
South Uist: 3 Black-tailed Godwits were at Loch Ardvule and 15 were at Stoneybridge.
Insects: A Ringlet was in South Glendale. A Painted Lady was at Stoneybridge.
Golden Eagle and Ringlet (John Kemp)
28th June:
Benbecula: The Common Crane was on the south side of Loch Fada this morning.
South Uist: 15 Storm Petrel flew south at Ardvule in the morning.
27th June:
South Uist: 5 Whimbrel were at Ardvule.
Short-eared Owl (Steve Duffield)
26th June:
South Uist: A pair of Whooper Swans have 3 young on Mid Loch Ollay.
Insects: 223 moths of 22 species were trapped or netted at Borve Point, Benbecula last night including 4 Ghost Moths (lekking together), 3 Map-winged Swifts, 5 Middle-barred Minors, 1 Antler Moth, 2 Drinkers, 2 Beautiful Golden Y, 94 Grass Rivulets, 1 Campion and micro moths 18 Eucosma campoliliana, 30 Plutella xylostella, 1 Eupoecilia angustana and 3 Bactra furfurana.
Whooper Swans and Bactra furfurana (John Kemp)
25th June:
North Uist: A Roseate Tern was seen in the Sound of Harris (from the ferry) close to the Harris side; also 2 Great Northern Divers.
Insects: A Painted Lady and Red Admiral were in Carinish this afternoon. 2 Painted Ladies and an Aethes rubigana were seen on Daliburgh machair.
Aethes rubigana (John Kemp)
24th June:
Insects: 310 moths of 53 species were trapped in South Glendale last night which included 14 Drinkers, 1 Buff-tip, 3 Purple Clay, 2 Dark Brocade, 1 Scarce Silver Y, 14 Straw Dot, 7 Mottled Beauty, 1 Brimstone Moth and micro moths 4 Bactra lacteana, 5 Bactra lancealana, 3 Eudonia murana, 2 Cochylimorpha straminea, 1 Phycitodes saxicola and 3 Notocelia uddmanniana.
Cochylimorhpa straminea, Purple Clay and Scarce Silver-Y (John Kemp)
23rd June:
Insects: Netting at North Loch Eynort produced a Hedya atropunctana and a Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, the latter only the third for OH. Other bits and pieces were Large Heath butterfly, Common Hawker, Four-spotted Chaser, Highland Darter, Common Blue Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly.
Hedya atropunctana and Pseudargyrotoza conagana (John Kemp)
22nd June:
South UIst: A southerly movement from Ardvule 05:40 – 09:20 included 324 Gannets, 1 Great Northern Diver (another flew N), 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 447 Manx Shearwaters, 25 Fulmars, 7 Storm Petrels, 53 Razorbills, 24 Guillemots, 51 Auks sp, 9 Puffins, 2 Black Guillemots, 35 Kittiwakes, 1 Great Skua and 1 Arctic Skua (another flew N).
Arctic Skua and Goldfinch (John Kemp)
21st June:
North Uist: A Ruff was on the shore at Balranald.
South Uist: A Black-tailed Godwit was in the south bay at Ardvule.
Barra: A male Goldeneye was seen in the Sound of Barra close to Ardmhor today.
Marine Sightings: A Minke Whale was seen in the distance from the Sound of Barra ferry today.
20th June:
North Uist: An Osprey flew over Grimsay this afternoon towards Kyles Flodda.
Benbecula: 4 Ruff (3 males and a female) were on Loch Mor, displaying this morning and the Crane flew onto the machair at Torlum before returning back inland.
South Uist: A male Ruff was at Loch an't-Saile. Seawatching from Ardvule (05:20 – 09:20) produced a southerly passage of 1 Great Northern Diver, 127 Gannets, 23 Fulmars, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 556 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Storm Petrels, 40 Guillemots, 91 Razorbills, 23 Auk species, 27 Puffins, 1 Black Guillemot, 48 Kittiwakes and 1 Great Skua. A small number of birds heading north. 3 Whimbrel were also present.
Insects: A Pained Lady was at Ardkenneth.
Great Northern Diver (John Kemp)
18th June:
Insects: 4 Painted Ladies were on Daliburgh machair and a Silver Y was in South Glendale today.
17th June:
North Uist: An Osprey flew north at Langass Lodge this evening.
Benbecula: The Common Crane and Great White Egret were at Loch Fada before moving to Borve and Linilcate respectively.
15th June:
South Uist: Sea-watching at Ardvule produced a southerly passage included 3 Great Northern Divers, 1 Red-throated Diver, 178 Gannets, 157 Manx Shearwaters, 15 Fulmars (and 20 north), 2 Great Skuas, 1 Arctic Skua and 4 Kittiwakes while 2 Storm Petrels flew north. A single Whimbrel present. A Siskin was in South Glendale.
Siskin (John Kemp)
14th June:
North Uist: A Great White Egret dropped in at Loch Mor, Baleshare this morning.
South Uist: A Tawny Pipit was seen at the end of the track to the beach at Kildonan yesterday.
13th June:
Insects: 276 moths /49 species were trapped in South Glendale last night including singles of Grey Dagger, Dark Brocade, Northern Eggar, Fox Moth, 3 Drinkers, Elephant Hawk-moth, Silver Y and micro moths included Eudonia murana, 2 Scoparia ambigualis, 6 Celypha lacunana, Notocelia uddmanniana, Notocelia cynosbatella, 5 Pleurota bicostella and 5 Aspilapteryx tringipennella.
Eudonia murana and Grey Dagger (John Kemp)
12th June:
Benbecula: The Common Crane flew north at from Borve towards Loch Fada this morning.
South Uist: At Ardvule this morning there were 5 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Whimbrel present. A few birds flying south included 1 Storm Petrel, 42 Manx Shearwaters, 15 Kittiwakes, 1 Great Northern Diver (plus 2 flying north) and a Great Skua.
Insects: A Large White and Beautiful Yellow Underwing were in South Glendale today.
11th June:
Thyme Pug ( John Kemp)
10th June:
Insects: Moth trapping at South Glendale last night produced 362 moths / 48 species which included a Scorched Wing (first for Outer Hebrides), Clouded Buff (3rd for OH), Silver Hook, 91 Buff Ermine, Small Angle Shades, Angle Shades, 2 Grey Scalloped Bar, 54 Narrow-winged Pugs. Micros included 49 Diamond-back Moths, 2 Ancylis geminana, Phiaris schulziana and Elachista subalbidella. On Eriskay 177 moths / 35 species were caught which included 76 Buff Ermine, 6 Poplar Hawk-moths, 3 Northern Rustic, 1 Thyme Pug, 8 Map-winged Swifts, 1 Small Square-spot, 1 Dark Brocade, 3 Campion. Micros included Eana penziana, Notocelia uddmanniana, 2 Ancylis subarcuana, Agapeta hamana, 2 Falseuncaria ruficiliana.
Clouded Buff, Scorched Wing and Silver Hook (John Kemp)
9th June:
Benbecula: The Common Crane was seen by Loch Fada late this evening.
Insects: Moth trapping at North Loch Eynort last night produced 126 moths / 31 species including 14 Buff-tip, 2 Coxcomb Prominent, 3 Drinker, 11 Poplar Hawkmoths, 3 Poplar Lutestring, 2 Scalloped Hazel, 3 Barred Red, 6 Brimstone Moths, 1 Mottled Beauty, 5 Common Pugs, 3 Foxglove Pugs, 3 May Highflyers as well as micros Pleurota bicostella, 2 Pandemis cerasana and Bactra lancealana. At south Glendale 233 moths / 38 species were caught including 50 Buff Ermine, 14 White Ermine, 1 Drinker, 1 Campion, 13 Broom Moth, 2 Satyr Pug, 2 Grey Pug, 1 Common Pug, 3 Foxglove Pug, 29 Narrow-winged Pug, 1 Scalloped Hazel, 8 Green Carpet, 2 Striped Twin-spot Carpet, 1 Purple Bar and micros 4 Pleurota bicostella, 1 Acleris hastiana, 3 Eucosma campoliliana, 6 Anania fuscalis, 9 Blastobasis lacticolella and 31 Diamond-back Moths.
7th June:
Lewis: A male Ruff was displaying to a female at Loch Stiapabhat today. plus another male was on pools near the Butt.
South Uist: 2 Siskins were in South Glendale today.
Insects: Trapping on Boisdale machair last night produced 136 moths / 14 species which included 38 Grass Rivulets, 23 Flame Shoulders, 16 Mottled Rustic, and micros Agapeta hamana, 2 Pleurota bicostella and 9 Cochylis atricapitana. In South Glendale 368 moths / 45 species were caught including 1 Map-winged Swift, 51 Buff Ermine, 1 Scalloped Hazel, 3 Satyr Pugs, 4 Grey Pugs, 52 Narrow-winged Pugs, 2 Foxglove Pugs. Micro moths included Epiblema scutulana, 5 Monopis weaverella, 5 Pleurota bicostella, 5 Notocelia cynosbatella, 3 Aethes cnicana and 62 Diamond-back Moths.
Agapeta hamana, Aethes cnicana and Mottled Rustic (John Kemp)
6th June:
Benbecula: The Crane was seen near Borve this morning.
South Uist: A Sandwich Tern flew south at Ardvule this morning; also a Whimbrel present there. 2 Whimbrel were at Orosay.
5th June:
Benbecula: The Crane was still on the machair at Borve today.
Barra: A Siskin was at Brevig. A Garden Warbler and Blakcap were in North Bay. A White-billed Diver was off Brevig this evening.
Insects: 2 Painted Ladies were seen on Barra. A few Painted Ladies were also seen in Harris.
On Daliburgh machair last night 62 Diamond-back Moths, 16 Scoparia pyralella, 2 Celypha striana, 7 Cochylis atricapitana, Phycitodes saxicola and a Eucosma campoliliana were caught. At South Glendale 632 moths were trapped included a Ruby Tiger, Grass Rivulet, 101 Narrow-winged Pugs, 162 Diamond-back Moths, Ancylis unguicella, 6 Syndemis musculana, 2 Pleurota bicostella. During the day 2 Beautiful Yellow Underwings and an Argent & Sable feeding on a prostrate cotoneaster.
Celypha striana, Ruby Tiger and Scoparia pyralella (John Kemp)
4th June:
North Uist: The Quail was still calling near the visitor centre at Balranald. The Slavonian Grebe was near Griminish Pier. A Whitethroat was singing at Langass. A White-billed Diver was seen off Berneray in the Sound of Harris.
Benbecula: The Common Crane was seen this morning on the machair to the south of Coot Loch.
Insects: 233 moths of 34 species were trapped in South Glendale including Fox Moth, Large Yellow Underwing, 17 Buff Ermine, 37 Narrow-winged Pugs, 7 Shears, Green Carpet, 82 Diamond-back Moths, 18 Crambus lathoniellus, 1 Matilella fusca, and Aspilapteryx tringipennella. Also 3 Glyphipterix forsterella netted yesterday evening. 131 moths of 26 species were trapped on Eriskay last night including 3 Poplar Lutestring, 2 Poplar Hawk-moths, 7 Dark Brocade, 6 Grey Pug,1 Brimstone Moth, 1 Pretty Pinion and micro moths Ancylis subarcuana, Monopis weaverella, Syndemis musculana as well as 49 Diamond-back Moths.
A Painted Lady was at Langass.
Ancylis subarcuana, Glyphipterix forsterella, Dark Brocade and Green Carpet (John Kemp)
3rd June:
Lewis: 2 male and 2 female Red-necked Phalaropes are on Loch na Muilne as well as 4 Whooper Swans today.
North Uist: A Quail was calling near Balranald visitor centre and a Spotted Crake near Hougharry. A summer plumage Slavonian Grebe was near Griminish Pier
Benbecula: The Common Crane was on the machair at Borve both this morning and early evening.
Insects: There has been a huge invasion of Diamondback Moths with thousands of the micros seen in Uist today.
Common Crane and Quail (Steve Duffield)
2nd June:
Lewis: A male Ruff was on Lionel machair and 3 Pink-footed Geese were at Loch Stiapabhat.
Benbecula: A Common Crane was again reported from Borve machair. A male Ruff was in Stinky Bay this afternoon before flying off towards Loch Mor.
South Uist: A Spotted Flycatcher and Blackcap were singing at North Loch Eynort. A drake Long-tailed Duck was on Loch Ardvule. A White-rumped Sandpiper was seen at the north end of Loch Bee.
Barra: 2 Long-tailed Skuas flew north off Brevig this evening.
Ruff (Steve Duffield); Bordered White (John Kemp)
1st June:
North Uist: A pale-bellied Brent Goose was at Balranald. An Osprey was seen at Langass this morning before flying off towards Clachan; a Whitethroat was also singing there.
Benbecula: A Common Crane was seen at Borve near the dunes at the south end of the machair.
South Uist: A 1st summer Iceland Gull and 8 Whimbrel were at Ardvule.
Corn Bunting, Corncrakes and Golden Eagle (Steve Duffield)