Skye Birds - A Birding Guide to the Isle of Skye

Bird sightings on the Island of Skye and the neighbouring area

The objective of these pages 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 Gordon (  who may require a full description before the record was accepted. This website will very much be locally focused but has become part of the SOC local recorder system and other networks and we hope we can enhance these systems. We will also 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.

Date Species Image Details
28th Nov 2004 Red throated Diver View Image Count of 11 between Camas na Sgianadin and Loch na Cairidh, north of Broadford.
28th Nov 2004 Long- tailed Duck View Image immature on Loch Mealt at Staffin - probably the same bird which was at the nearby dubh lochan on 27.10.04.
28th Nov 2004 Greater white-fronted Goose View Image flock of 27 at Loch Chaluim Chille at Kilmuir
28th Nov 2004 Barn Owl View Image report of a bird at first light at Drynoch.
27th Nov 2004 Blackcap View Image report of female at bird table on Isle Ornsay.
25th Nov 2004 Brambling View Image Reports refer to small numbers only, this time 2 with Chaffinches at Glenelg.
23rd Nov 2004 Black-throated Diver View Image Report of 3 at Plock of Kyle.
23rd Nov 2004 Purple Sandpiper View Image Always scarce on our coast report from Brian Neath of mixed flock of 20, with Turnstones on Eilean a 'Mhal islands off Kyle of Lochalsh.
22nd Nov 2004 Water Rail First report of the winter - unfortunately a dead bird, possibly a window strike, from Isle Ornsay. There are several reports of this species each winter, nearly always from the Sleat peninsula or Broadford area.
20th Nov 2004 Greenshank Count of 7 in greater Broadford Bay.
20th Nov 2004 Slavonian Grebe First reports of the winter with 4 during WeBS count of gt. Broadford Bay.
20th Nov 2004 Grey Plover View Image single at Ardnish, Broadford.
20th Nov 2004 Long Tailed Duck View Image Female flying east off Ardnish, Broadford.
20th Nov 2004 Golden Plover Flock of 85 reported from South Cuidreach near Uig - by Skye standards a big flock.
19th Nov 2004 Waxwing View Image Thought that all had disappeared but report of 6/7 back in Kyle of Lochalsh.
15th Nov 2004 Goldfinch Report from Jeff Lawson of 40 with other finches at Dunvegan
14th Nov 2004 Red Kite View Image Report from Pat Newman of a bird at Ardvarsar in Sleat. Over the last few years most Kite records have been in Sleat and are thought to be birds dispersing for the winter from the Black Isle breeding population.
13th Nov 2004 Grey Plover View Image single in Broadford Bay
13th Nov 2004 Greater White-fronted Goose View Image Broadford flock building up to c30 birds.
10th Nov 2004 ? Skua Report from Brian Neath of an unco-operative Skua off An Dubh-aird which failed to reveal its species (experienced observers have problems too!)
10th Nov 2004 Black-throated Diver View Image Scarce in Lochalsh there was a single bird off An Dubh-aird
10th Nov 2004 Purple Sandpiper View Image Scarce in Lochalsh there was a single at An Dubh-aird
9th Nov 2004 Waxwing View Image Numbers dwindling but still 5 at Portree.
9th Nov 2004 Knot a single straggler in Broadford Bay
9th Nov 2004 Brambling View Image report from Carl Farmer of several on beech trees at Portree
8th Nov 2004 Little Grebe View Image a count of 9 at Shiel Saltings in Lochalsh is the best for some time.
7th Nov 2004 Blackcap View Image 1st report of the winter with 2 at Dunvegan
7th Nov 2004 Waxwing View Image Still sizeable flock of 50 at Kyleakin
6th Nov 2004 Common Scoter report of 3 in Broadford Bay.
5th Nov 2004 Brambling View Image report of 2 at Ardelve
2nd Nov 2004 White tailed Sea Eagle The 2002 bird 'Blue T' has spend most of the day at the head of Loch Slapin being harassed by Hoodie Crows. It was seen feeding on a Guillemot, probably a weak bird from the ongoing 'wreck'.
1st Nov 2004 Waxwing View Image No reports of large flocks from Skye though still a few scattered groups about. Still good numbers Lochalsh with flocks of 90 in Kyle and 60 in Balmacara Square.

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