Latest Outer Hebrides Bird and Wildlife Sightings 2021
January February March April May Archive
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30th June:
Barra: The Rose-coloured Starling was still at Eoligarry on the machair just north of the airport.
Red Sword-grass caterpillar (John Kemp)
29th June:
St. Kilda: A Pectoral Sandpiper was on Hirta this evening. The adult female Snowy Owl was also still present in the afternoon.
Harris: 58 Common Scoters were in the Sound of Taransay.
Barra: A Rose-coloured Starling was at Eoligarry this evening.
Marine Sightings: 14 White-beaked Dolphins, a Minke Whale and several Harbour Porpoise were off Tiumpan Head between 09:00 - 11:00.
28th June:
Marine Sightings: A Minke Whale and a handful of Common Dolphins were seen between the Shiants and Tarbet today. A Minke Whale and around 50 Common Dolphins were seen from the Stornoway - Ullapool ferry this afternoon.
Red-throated Diver (Andy Williams)
26th June:
Lewis: The Quail is still calling by Loch Stiapabhat.
Marine Sightings: 15 - 20 Common Dolphins, A Minke Whale and 5 Harbour Porpoise were off Tiumpan Head late morning.
25th June:
Lewis: An adult Sabine's Gull flew north past Skigersta at 12:35; also 2 Leach's Petrels and 200+ Storm Petrels were off there.
North Uist: A 2nd cal yr Glaucous Gull was at Loch Sandary this afternoon and the Rose-coloured Starling is still at Clachan Sands.
South Uist: 5 Whimbrel were at Aird Mhicheil.
Marine Sightings: 5 Orcas were off Skigersta this evening around 08:20. At least 3 Harbour Porpoise were off Balranald this afternoon.
24th June:
North Uist: The Rose-coloured Starling is still at Clachan Sands.
Barra: The Rose-coloured Starling was still in Brevig.
Rose-coloured Starling and Short-eared Owl (Steve Duffield)
23rd June:
Lewis: A Turtle Dove was in Cross today.
Barra: The Rose-coloured Starling was still at Brevig.
Mingulay: The Rose-coloured Starling was still on the island by the abandoned village.
Marine Sightings: A Minke Whale and 6 White-beaked Dolphins were off Tiumpan Head today.
Turtle Dove (Lin Trimmer)
22nd June:
Lewis: 4 Sooty Shearwaters were reported off Skigersta. A 'Blue' Fulmar was seen from the Butt of Lewis.
North Uist: A Hobby wa reported in Lochmaddy, heading towards the ferry terminal.
Barra: A Rose-coloured Starling was in Brevig. A 1st summer Glaucous Gull was at Cleat this afternoon.
Marine Sightings: A Killer Whale was reported off Skigersta this afternoon and 5 were later seen off the Butt. 3 Orcas were also seen off Tiumpan Head this morning.
21st June:
Lewis: The Quail was heard by Loch Stiapabhat again today.
Mingulay: A Rose-coloured Starling was on Mingulay.
Marine Sightings: A distant breaching Minke Whale was off Tiumpan Head this morning; also a few White-beaked Dolphins, 3 Common Dolphins, 6 Risso's Dolphins and a single Bottle-nosed Dolphin.
Rose-coloured Starling (Steve Duffield)
20th June:
North Uist: A Glaucous Gull was at Loch Sandary this afternoon. 2 Sandwich Terns were feeding off Aird an Runair before flying north. The Rose-coloured Starling was seen in Clachan Sands again today.
Insects: 23 Poplar Hawk-moths, 1 Poplar Lutestring, 3 Scalloped Hazel, 3 Coxcomb Prominent, 1 Angle Shades, 1 Green Carpet, 3 Shears, 1 Drinker, and micromoths Pandemis cerasana and Carpatolechia proximella were caught at Loch Eynort last night.
juvenile Long-tailed Tit (Hector Neally); Coxcomb Prominent and Pandemis cerasana
19th June:
North Uist: A Rose-coloured Starling was at Clachan Sands today.
Barra: The 2nd summer Glaucous Gull is still at Craigston today.
Marine Sightings: 6 Minke Whales, 6 White-beaked Dolphins, 4 Common Dolphins and 5 Harbour Porpoise were seen off Tiumpan Head today.
18th June:
South Uist: A 1st yr Iceland Gull flew north at Stoneybridge early afternoon.
Barra: A 2nd summer Glaucous Gull was at Craigston.
Marine Sightings: A Minke Whale and 3 Harbour Porpoise were off Tiumpan Head this morning.
Insects: An Arget & Sable moth was seen at Druidibeg this morning.
17th June:
Lewis: The Quail was calling by the hide at Loch Stiapabhat this evening. The 1st summer Bonaparte's Gull was at Cleat in the morning.
North Uist: A Rose-coloured Starling was seen in Loch Euphort.
South Uist: A Glaucous Gull was seen on the beach at Boisdale.
Barra: A Rose-coloured Starling was on the island again today.
16th June:
Lewis: 2 Crossbills were in Lew's Castle Grounds.
Barra: A Rose-coloured Starling was seen on the island today.
15th June:
Lewis: The Quail was calling buy the hide at Loch Stiapabhat this evening.
St. Kilda: The male Black Redstart is still on Hirta.
Barra: The 1st summer Bonaparte's Gull was at Cleat in the morning around the high tide and at Traigh Mhor on the ebbing tide.
Marine Sightings: 5 Orcas moved south off Port Stoth, Butt of Lewis at 5pm.
Insects: A Poplar Hawk-moth, 9 Silver-ground Carpet, Dusky Brocade and a Dark Brocade were caught in South Glendale last night.
Dark Brocade (John Kemp)
14th June:
Lewis: The Quail was heard close to the hide at Loch Stiapabhat and a male Ruff was present.
Barra: The 1st summer Bonaparte's Gull was at Cleat at 10:20 this morning before flying off to the north-east. It was also seen there this evening.
13th June:
Barra: A 1st summer Bonaparte's Gull was ar Cleat briefly this morning; and at Traigh Mhor, infront of the airport in the evening.
12th June:
North Uist: The Great White Egret was seen at Blathaisbhal this afternoon.
South Uist: 2 1st summer Glaucous Gulls were at North Boisdale.
Marine Sightings: 7 Killer Whales were seen off Village Bay, St. Kilda in the morning.
11th June:
St. Kilda: A Blyth's Reed Warbler and 2 Black Redstarts were on Hirta.
North Uist: A juvenile Glaucous Gull was at Paiblesgarry.
South Uist: A juvenile Glaucous Gull was on the shore at North Boisdale. Birds moving south off Ardvule today included 234 Gannets, 2 Great Northern Divers, 99 Auks, 98 Guillemots, 36 Razorbills, 99 Auk sp., 4 Puffins, 17 Fulmars, 45 Storm Petrels, 237 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Great Skua and 56 Kittiwakes.
9th June:
Lewis: The White-billed Diver was again reported from Port Stoth, near the Butt today and the Quail was at Loch Stiapabhat.
South Uist: 17 Storm Petrels flew south at Ardvule this morning.
8th June:
Lewis: 2 Rose-coloured Starlings were seen on the cliffs to the west of the Butt lighthouse this morning.
St. Kilda: A Black Redstart was on Hirta and a Pomarine Skua seen from a boat 5 miles east of there.
South Uist: A seawatch at Ardvule today produced a southerly movement of 111 Gannets, 3 Great Skuas, 1 Arctic Skua, 59 Manx Shearwaters, 7 Fulmars and 19 Storm Petrels.
Bar-tailed Godwit (Edd Cottell); Great White Egret (Pauline Greenhalgh - from 6th June)
7th June:
Lewis: A White-billed Diver was seen at the Butt of Lewis from Port Stoth this afternoon. A Red-spotted Bluethroat was seen at the Butt in the lighthouse compound at 15:20. A Quail was heard this morning at Knockaird. near Port of Ness.
South Uist: A juvenile Glaucous Gull was at Boisdale.
Marine Sightings: A Humpback Whale and 4 Minke Whales were seen from Tiumpan Head.
6th June:
Lewis: A White-billed Diver was seen at the Butt of Lewis from Port Stoth this evening.
North Uist: A Great Whte Egret was seen at Minish this evening.
South Uist: The juvenile Glaucous Gull was on the beach again at Boisdale today.
Barra: A Rose-coloured Starling was at Sgaillairaidh.
5th June:
Lewis: The Quail was calling at Loch Stiapabhat again today.
Barra: The Rose-coloured Starling was at Borve.
Poplar Hawkmoth (Julian Nicholas)
4th June:
Lewis: The Quail was heard calling again at Loch Stiapabhat close to the hide.
South Uist: A 2nd cal yr Glaucous Gull was on the beach at Boisdale.
Barra: The Rose-coloured Starling was on Borve machair.
3rd June:
Lewis: A Quail and 2 male Ruff are at Loch Stiapabhat. 3 Curlew Sandpipers were at Steinish.
North Uist: A Great White Egret was seen at Loch Tormasad Beag, near Langass this morning.
South Uist: A Spotted Flycatcher and 3 Crossbills were in Snishival plantation today. A Spotted Flycatcher was also in Bornish.
Barra: A Rose-coloured Starling was at Brevig this morning. Another Rose-coloured Starling was at Borve this afternoon.
Marine Sightings: Around 60 Common Dolphins were seen from the Lochmaddy - Uig ferry this afternoon. A Minke Whale and 26 Harbour Porpoise were off Tiumpan Head today.
Insects: 41 moth species were trapped in South Glendale last night. This included 14 Common Pug, 15 Satyr Pug, 20 Narrow-winged Pug, 1 Foxglove Pug, 1 Spruce Carpet, 3 Clouded-bordered Brindle, 1 Saxon, 2 Grey Scalloped Bar, 1 Sweet Gale, 1 Water Carpet, 3 Glaucous Shears and a Pebble Prominent. Micro moths included 1 Elachista subalbidella, 1 Ancylis uncella, 1 Hedya atropunctana, 3 Caloptilia elongella, 4 Aspilapteryx tringipennella, 4 Acleris hyemana, 4 Pseudotelphusa paripunctella and Monopis weaverella.
Common Dolphins (Steve Duffield); Saxon and Spruce Carpet (John Kemp); Ruff (Andy Williams)
2nd June:
Lewis: A male Golden Oriole was singing in South Dell this afternoon (sound recording by Andy Williams here).
St. Kilda: The male Grey-headed Wagtail is still in Village Bay, Hirta.
North Uist: At least 1 Sandwich Tern was off Griminish. A Whitethroat was in Carinish.
South Uist: A seawatch off Ardvule produced a Storm Petrel, 19 Manx Shearwater, 1 Fulmar,10 Gannets, 12 Auks, 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Great Skua, 5 Razorbills, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Common Tern and 8 Kittiwakes.
Marine Sightings: 4 or 5 Minke Whales were seen east of Tiumpan Head this afternoon.
1st June:
Lewis: 2 Sandwich Terns were on the beach at Eoropaidh this morning. A Little Stint was at Loch Barvas.
Harris: A Rose-coloured Starling was at Northton by Temple Cafe this morning.
North Uist: A Hawfinch was at Claddach Vallay this afternoon. A female Marsh Harrier was seen by Bayhead shop this evening.
South Uist: A 1st yr Little Gull was at Ardkenneth, Loch Bee this morning; also a male Ruff there. A Hawfinch was seen at North Loch Eynort; also a Spotted Flycatcher there. 5 Siskins and a House Martin were at Druidibeg. A Sandwich Tern was at Stoneybridge.
Marine Sightings: 3 Minke Whales, 10 Common Dolphins and 3 Harbour Porpoise were seen off Tiumpan Head.
Red-necked Phalaropes (Edd Cottell); Sandwich Tern (Steve Duffield)