The Skye-Birds Blog

Although there have been occasional reports of Black-throated Divers breeding on Skye, none of these have been confirmed, and as far as we can establish the last report was in 1987, when an adult and two young were reported at a site.  Summering birds were reported  during recent Atlas fieldwork, and a pair with a single small young were discovered on a Skye loch in July.  The young bird was fully feathered during a recent visit and we are confident that it has fledged successfully.  As this is a species which is vulnerable to a number of threats including disturbance the breeding location is being kept confidential.

RC & RMcM

Skye and Lochalsh have 16 established White-tailed Eagle territories, two of which were confirmed as attempting to breed for the first time in 2013.

Thirteen pairs of White-tailed Eagles were confirmed as attempting to breed and despite the wet and windy weather during the incubation period, 10 of these were successful. In total, 14 chicks fledged.

Luckily, the moor burning in the spring did not cause any breeding attempts to fail but some burns were worryingly close to eyries. Human disturbance remains a threat to White-tailed Eagle breeding attempts with evidence recorded of birds being disturbed at nest sites during the season.

All in all, it has been a good season for White-tailed Eagles in the area. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody for their contributions to the monitoring of White-tailed Eagles and for their assistance in my work this season. It has been a thoroughly enjoyable season