Latest Outer Hebrides Bird and Wildlife Sightings 2023
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30th January:
Lewis: A juvenile Iceland Gull and a Snow Bunting were at the Butt. 6 (4 adult and 2 juvenile) Russian White-fronted Geese were at Loch Stiapabhat.
North Uist: A Fieldfare was at Clachan.
South Uist: The female Lesser Scaup is still on West Loch Ollay whilst 13 (6 juvenile) Russian White-fronted Geese were on the machair to the west.
Barnacle Geese (Steve Duffield)
29th January:
Barra: 2 Russian White-fronted Geese were at Cleat.
28th January:
Lewis: The Ring-necked Duck was on Loch Tiumpan.
Benbecula: 3 (2 adults and a juvenile) Russian White-fronted Geese were at Borve.
South Uist: 8 adult Russian White-fronted Geese were at the north-west end of Loch Bee. 3 immature Glaucous Gulls were at Ardivachar. 12 (11 adults and a juvenile) Russian White-fronted Geese were at Ormiclate.
Barra: The Green-winged Teal was at the north end at Ardmhor.
Marine Sightings: 20 Common Dolphins were seen from the Stornoway - Ullapool ferry today.
Glaucous Gulls (Steve Duffield); Common Dolphins (Andy Williams)
27th January:
Barra: The female / 1st w male Harlequin Duck was still in a small bay to the south of Traigh Eais again today.
26th January:
Lewis: 6 Russian White-fronted Geese (4 adults and 2 juvenile) were at Loch Stiapabhat. A Snow Bunting was at the Butt.
Harris: The adult Glaucous Gull was at Bunavoneader again today. A dead Little Auk was at Scarista.
North Uist: A Cackling Goose was at Knockintorran. 13 Pintail were on Loch nam Feithean.
South Uist: 3 immature Glaucous Gulls were at Ardivachar. The Little Egret was at Snishival. Common Scoters were off Peninerine and Stoneybridge. The female Lesser Scaup and 10 (9 adult) Russian White-fronted Geese were at West Loch Ollay
Barra: The female / 1st w male Harlequin Duck is still in a small bay to the south of Traigh Eais again today.
25th January:
Lewis: The drake Ring-necked Duck is still at Loch Tiumpan.
Barra: The female / 1st w male Harlequin Duck was in a small bay to the south of Traigh Eais again today. 2 Russian White-fronted Geese were at Cleat.
24th January:
Harris: The adult Glaucous Gull was near the tennes court at Bunavoneader again today.
North Uist: 7 Fieldfares were at Claddach Kirkibost this afternoon.
South Uist: The Little Egret was at Snishival this morning.
Barra: The female / 1st w male Harlequin Duck was in a small bay to the south of Traigh Eais again today.
23rd January:
Lewis: The drake Ring-necked Duck is still at Loch Tiumpan.
Harris: An adult Glaucous Gull was near the tennes court at Bunavoneader this morning.
North Uist: A Glaucous Gull was seen at Traigh Iar, Balranald.
South Uist: The Little Egret was at Snishival again this morning.
Barra: A female / 1st w male Harlequin Duck was in a small bay to the south of Traigh Eais again today.
Harlequin Duck and Otter (Steve Duffield); Harlequin Duck -last 2 photos (John Kemp)
22nd January:
North Uist: 11 Fieldfares were at Vallay Strand and another 1 was at Balranald.
South Uist: The Little Egret was at Snishival again today. 30 Snow Buntings were on Dalibugh beach.
Barra: A female / 1st w male Harlequin Duck is at Traigh Eais.
20th January:
Lewis: 4 Snow Buntings were by Loch Ordais, Bragar.
North Uist: A female Ring-necked Duck was on Loch nam Feithean. 2 Cackling Geese were at Balranald; also a Snow Bunting amongst the Twite on the machair there. 11 Fiedlfares were at Balemartin.
Benbecula: A female Common Scoter was off Balivanich.
South Uist: The female Lesser Scaup and 6 1st winter Russian White-fronted Geese were at West Loch Ollay. A Lapland Bunting was on the west side of Loch Bee; also 6 Snow Buntings and a Pintail there. A Common Scoter was off Peninerine.
Cackling Geese (Steve Duffield)
19th January:
Lewis: The drake Ring-necked Duck and Green-winged Teal were at Loch Tiumpan. A Snow Bunting was at the Butt.
Benbecula: 3 Russian White-fronted Geese were by Coot Loch. 7 Greenland White-fronted Geese were on the west side of Loch Mor.
South Uist: 10 Snow Buntings were at Stoneybridge.
18th January:
Lewis: The drake Ring-necked Duck was on Loch Tiumpan.
South Uist: The female Lesser Scaup was on West Loch Ollay. 15 Greenland White-fronted Geese were at Askernish.
17th January:
Lewis: The drake Ring-necked Duck was on Loch Tiumpan.
North Uist: 80+ Brent Geese were on the North Ford between Baleshare and Benbecula this morning.
16th January:
Barra: The 2nd winter Glaucous Gull was at Borve.
15th January:
Lewis: 2 Snow Buntings were at Bragar.
Benbecula: 3 (2 adults and a juvenile) Russian White-fronted Geese were on Borve machair. A Common Scoter was off Balivanich.
South Uist: The female Lesser Scaup was on West Loch Ollay. 5 Snow Buntings were at Peninerine.
Barra: The Green-winged Teal was at Ardmhor.
14th January:
North Uist: An adult Russian White-fronted Goose was at Rushgarry, Berneray. A Green-winged Teal was on Loch nam Feithean.
13th January:
Lewis: The drake Ring-necked Duck and Green-winged Teal were on Loch Tiumpan.
North Uist: A pair of Cackling Geese were at Balranald, south-west of Loch Scarie. 16 Pintail were on Loch nam Feithean.
Benbecula: The Little Egret was on Loch Mor.
South Uist: The female Lesser Scaup was on West Loch Ollay. A female Pintail was at Loch Ardvule. 3 Common Scoters were off Peninerine.
Barra: The 2nd winter Glaucous Gull was at Borve.
12th January:
Benbecula: A Little Egret was at Loch Mor.
South Uist: The Little Egret was at Snishival again today.
11th January:
Lewis: The drake Ring-necked Duck is still on Loch Tiumpan.
South Uist: An adult Glaucous Gull was at Aird-mhicheil. The drake Ring-necked Duck was on West Loch Ollay.
10th January:
Benbecula: A Common Scoter was off Stinky Bay.
South Uist: 3 juveile Glaucous Gulls were at Ardivachar.
Barra: A Green-winged Teal was at Ardmhor. A 2nd winter Glaucous Gull was at Borve and 2 Russian White-fronted Geese were at Cleat.
Glaucous Gulls (Steve Duffield)
9th January:
North Uist: 14 Snow Buntings were along the shore on Baleshare, towards the southern tip. 11 Fieldfare were at Carnach. 3 Glaucous Gulls and 2 Iceland Gulls were at Rubh' Arnal.
Barra: A 2nd winter Glaucous Gull was at Borve.
Marine Sightings: 10+ Common Dolphins, 6+ White-beaked Dolphins and 3 Harbour Porpoise were seen off Tiumpan Head this morning.
Fieldfare (Steve Duffield)
7th January:
Lewis: An adult Glaucous Gull was at Loch Branahuie late morning. An immature Iceland Gull was in Stornoway harbour this afternoon.
Benbecula: A Common Scoter was off Stinky Bay.
South Uist: The female Lesser Scaup and a female Pochard were on West Loch Ollay. A juvenile Russian White-fronted Goose and a Little Egret were at Peninerine whilst 3 Common Scoters were off-shore.
Barra: The 2nd winter Glaucous Gull was at Earsary. The Green-winged Teal was at Ardmhor and 2 Russian White-fronted Geese were at Cleat. An adult Glaucous Gull was at Traigh Mhor.
Russian White-fronted Goose (Steve Duffield)
6th January:
Lewis: The drake Ring-necked Duck and Green-winged Teal were on Loch Tiumpan.
North Uist: A Sooty Shearwater and a Manx Shearwater flew south-west past Griminish Point between 09:40 - 11:10; also 10 Red-throated Divers, 219 Kittiwakes, 9 Gannets, 9 Eider, a Puffin, Black Guillemot, 23 Razorbills, 5 Guillemots and 5 Fulmars were seen.
South Uist: The female Lesser Scaup, a drake Ring-necked Duck and a female Pochard were on West Loch Ollay this afternoon. 12 Snow Buntings were at Stoneybridge.
Barra: The 2nd Glaucous Gull was at Earsary.
5th January:
Barra: The 2nd winter Glaucous Gull is still at Earsary.
4th January:
Benbecula: 2 Russian White-fronted Geese were at Liniclate.
Barra: A 2nd winter Glaucous Gull was at Earsary this afternoon. An adult Glaucous Gull was off Borve.
Marine Sightings: 100+ Common Dolphins and a couple of small pods of Risso's Dolphins were seen feeding off Tiumpan head today.
3rd January:
Lewis: The drake Ring-necked Duck and Green-winged Teal were on Loch Tiumpan.
South Uist: 4 Common Scoters were off Peninerine and a Little Egret was at Snishival. The female Pochard was on West Loch Ollay. 12 Russian White-fronted Geese and 7 Barnacle Geese were at Bornish.
Barra: A 1st winter Little Gull was at Traigh Mhor.
Golden Eagle and Russian White-fronted Geese (Steve Duffield); Long-tailed Ducks (Vanessa Wright)
2nd January:
Lewis: The drake Ring-necked Duck and Green-winged Teal were on Loch Tiumpan whilst a Glaucous Gull flew past Tiumpan Head early afternoon.
North Uist: 7 Iceland Gulls, a juvenile Glaucous Gull and 18 Snow Buntings were at Rubh' Arnal. 7 Pintail were at Loch Paible. A drake Green-winged Teal was on Loch nam Feithean. A Cackling Goose, 3 Snow Buntings and a young Rook were at Balarnald.
Barra: The Green-winged Teal was at Ardveenish.
1st January:
South Uist: 140+ Greenland Whte-fronted Geese were on the west side of Loch Bee; a Little Egret was also present. A juvenile Glaucous Gull, 3 Black-tailed Godwits and a male Pintail were at Ardivachar. 2 Common Scoters were off Balgarva. 20 - 25 Snow Buntings were on the shore at Daliburgh today.
Barra: A Green-winged Teal was at Ardveenish. 2 x 1st winter Little Gulls were at Traigh Mhor this morning. A juvenile Iceland Gull was at Brevig.
Otters (Steve Duffield)