Skye Birds - A Birding Guide to the Isle of Skye
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Bird sightings on the Island of Skye and the neighbouring area

The objective of this page is to keep everyone, locals and visitors, up to date with what birds are about. It is therefore dependent on everyone contacting me as quickly as possible to ensure I can update the site so that others might benefit from the observations. In the case of rarer species details would also be passed on the Highland Recorder Peter Stronach (  who may require a full description before the record was accepted. This website will very much be locally focused but some records will be included in the SOC Highland website www.highlandbirds.scot. and may also reach national sites.  We have complete discretion as to what information is added to these pages and will try to avoid any details which might reveal breeding sites of vulnerable species.  It is impossible to record everything reported and for the more regularly observed species, we would encourage the use of 'Birdtrack' - http://blx1.bto.org/birdtrack.  Records sent to us are also submitted to Birdtrack.

Date Species Image Details
30th Oct 2004 Northern Lapwing View Image flock of 60 at Aird Bernisdale which seems to be one of the few places on Skye where birds winter.
30th Oct 2004 Linnet Pair of Linnets at Aird Bernisdale - this is a scarce bird on Skye and these birds were along with a small group of Twite and some Goldfinches.
30th Oct 2004 Waxwing View Image The big flocks seem to be dispersing - bird(s) heard calling near Balmeanach.
30th Oct 2004 Golden Plover Still a flock of 40 at Camusunary on Loch Scavaig.
30th Oct 2004 Greenland White-fronted Goose First report of the autumn from David Rogers of a flock of 14 at Ardnish near Broadford.
28th Oct 2004 Waxwing View Image As I have only 2 trees in my garden at Elgol I was delighted when a single Waxwing landed on one of them! However,still massive flocks about with a report from Jeff Lawson of 150+ in Dunvegan Woods and a report of an incredible 300 in Kyle of Lochalsh.
27th Oct 2004 Long tailed Duck View Image 1st winter bird on the small lochan at the Kilt Rock Car Park near Staffin.
27th Oct 2004 Waxwing View Image This spectacular winter visitor continues to hog the limelight. There have been flocks of 15+ at Kensaleyre, 28 at Strollamus and 50+ at Portree late in the day. In Trotternish there were 11 at Culnacnoc, 36 in Staffin itself, 10 at Stencholl and a wonderful flock of 200 on Rowan and Elder berries at Digg. Also a report of 100 in Kyle of Lochalsh.
26th Oct 2004 Waxwing View Image Flock of 40+ feeding on rowan berries at Glasnakille, Strathaird around 12 noon, and in early afternoon report of a large flock of c100 at Ferindonald in Sleat. Along with the earlier flock at Harrapool and Glen Brittle, these are amongst the largest flocks ever recorded in Skye indicating a considerable invasion. Flocks seem to be smaller in Lochalsh with groups of 8 and 12 in Kyle, and 13 in Achmore.
26th Oct 2004 White tailed Sea Eagle an immature bird with blue tags seen at the Coastguard Hut near Duntulm - this would be a 2002 bird.
25th Oct 2004 Waxwing View Image Still flock of 12 at Harrapool and report of flock of 30 at Glen Brittle. First report from Lochalsh with 15 reported from Kyle.
25th Oct 2004 Gadwall View Image Report from Martin Benson of a pair at Loch Suardal at Dunvegan, the first record that we can trace for Skye since 1968.
25th Oct 2004 Moorhen Report of 2 at Loch Suardal, Dunvegan - a favourite haunt.
24th Oct 2004 Waxwing View Image Report from Martin Benson that one of our favourite winter visitors has arrived. A flock of 36+ Waxwing feeding on berries at Harrapool. Good nos of thrushes and Goldcrests also about suggest a movement of migrants through the area.
24th Oct 2004 Goldfinch Report of a flock of 20 at Drumbuie in Lochalsh
24th Oct 2004 Fieldfare View Image Flock of 200 at Drumbuie in Lochalsh. Reports of large nos of Scandinavian thrushes passing through the Northern Isles so look out for them on their way south.
23rd Oct 2004 Kingfisher Superb record of a bird seen by Roger & Pat Cottis at the Duisdale Burn near Isle Ornsay. An extremely scarce bird on Skye there was a record from the same area in 2002.
23rd Oct 2004 Pale bellied Brent Goose still a straggler, an immature, at Broadford Bay area.
23rd Oct 2004 Whooper Swan View Image report from Grahan Leatherbarrow of 16 flying south at Ullinish
23rd Oct 2004 Brambling View Image 1st report of the winter with 3 on peanut feeders in Glen Brittle.
22nd Oct 2004 Storm Petrel single bird off Strathaird Point.
22nd Oct 2004 Great Northern Diver View Image winter numbers are starting to build up with 17 in Loch Slapin.
22nd Oct 2004 Black throated Diver View Image group of 9 in Loch Slapin opposite Glasnakille
20th Oct 2004 Golden Plover Nice flock of 60+ at Camusunary, Loch Scavaig - also a good flock of 50+ Ringed Plover.
18th Oct 2004 Fieldfares Scandinavian thrushes are much scarcer than in 2003 but there have been reports of small flocks (50+) from Trotternish and from Strathaird - mainly Fieldfares but with a few Redwings.
17th Oct 2004 Pomarine Skua View Image short sea watch at Strathaird Point produced 2 further Pomarines, harassing Kittiwakes.
16th Oct 2004 Pomarine Skua View Image Immature intermediate phase over Ardnish, Broadford, probably brought in by NE winds.
15th Oct 2004 Pale bellied Brent Goose Still a single in the Broadford Bay area
15th Oct 2004 Black-tailed Godwit View Image Report from Martin Benson of a single along with Bar Tails at Harrapool/Waterloo. Though most of the main passage is over a single Blak-tailed also lingered long into the autumn in 2003.
11th Oct 2004 White Wagtail View Image single on shore at Scaladal, Loch Scavaig.
10th Oct 2004 Twite View Image Exceptional flock of 250+ at Roag near Dunvegan - there was a similar sized flock at this time in 2003.
10th Oct 2004 Long-tailed Duck View Image Single immature bird on Loch Mor at Waterstein.
10th Oct 2004 Scaup Another Scaup, on Skye this time, an immature on Loch Eishort (the freshwater version at Waterstein)
10th Oct 2004 Jack Snipe View Image 1st of the autumn - a single flushed from the remote Lochan Dubh, above Gleann Meodal in Sleat.
9th Oct 2004 Redwing View Image Another report from Carr Braes, Dornie, of a large flock of c100 - no reports from Skye yet!
8th Oct 2004 Great Northern Diver View Image First birds of the autumn with 2 off Isay in Loch Dunvegan
7th Oct 2004 Tufted Duck View Image A flock of 22 at Loch Duich - extremely unusual for Lochalsh.
7th Oct 2004 Scaup Rare report of two f. Scaup along with the Tufties at Loch Duich.
7th Oct 2004 Iceland Gull View Image Report from Brian Neath of 1st winter bird at Shiel Saltings in Lochalsh - an excellent record.
7th Oct 2004 Redwing View Image First report of the autumn from Carr Braes, Dornie, with small group of 6.
6th Oct 2004 Barnacle Goose View Image Several skeins, largest of 100+ passed over the Cuillins heading southwest, presumably for Islay.
6th Oct 2004 Whooper Swan View Image Report from Roger Cottis of 20+ Whoopers heading swest down the Sound of Sleat.
2nd Oct 2004 Storm Petrel single off Strathaird Point.
2nd Oct 2004 Great Skua View Image Offshore winds are keeping good numbers of Gannets about which is attracting Bonxies. There were 4 to-day off Strathaird Point - with one even having a go at a Peregrine.

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