Skye Birds - A Birding Guide to the Isle of Skye

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 John Poyner ( 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	Details
27th Mar 2005	Water Rail	There was an earlier report from Carole Millington of a wintering bird at Ose and unfortunately its remains have been found - cause of death unknown but probably predator!
25th Mar 2005	Great Northern Diver	With little wind it was an excellent evening for a Diver count of Loch Slapin - result was 59 Great Northern and 5 Black Throats!
25th Mar 2005	Magpie	Report of a bird near Achmore in Lochalsh - this is extremely unusual and possibly only the second reported occurrence in the Lochalsh area
24th Mar 2005	ChiffChaff	A singing bird in Rod Stenson's garden at Carr Brae, Dornie - again exceptionally early.
23rd Mar 2005	Hen Harrier	During Highland Ranger Service 'tour' of the north of the island, two 'ringtail' Hen Harriers observed at Bornesketaig and Kilvaxter.
23rd Mar 2005	Wheatear	More birds about with females at Bornesketaig and Elgol.
23rd Mar 2005	Greenland white-fronted Goose	Family party of 2 adults and 3 juveniles at Drumbuie in Lochalsh.
20th Mar 2005	Wheatear	Superb early record from Carl Farmer of two males on the Quirang - our first genuine arrival back of a long distance migrant. Later reports from Sylvia of a female at Rubha Hunish and from Andy Staples of a male at Lower Milovaig a real flush of records.
20th Mar 2005	Whooper Swan	The fine weather is encouraging birds to move back north with a scattering of records - 4 on Loch Fada on the 19th and to-day - 6 on Loch Cill Chriosd, 5 north over Loch Poolteil, 4 flying north over Loch Bracadale and 2 stopping briefly on Loch Niarsco.
19th Mar 2005	White-tailed Eagle	Probably the most frequently asked question of this site is 'where can I see a Sea Eagle?' - I suspect many individuals think I am simply evading answering when I suggest that it is a very fickle species, which will turn up virtually anywhere when you least expect it. I bumped into 3 birders from Nottingham to-day who had been to a few likely spots trying to find White-tailed without success. After leaving them I was counting (as usual) in Loch Portree - suddenly the Gulls were spooked and there was a Golden Eagle thermalling above the loch - it was then joined by a sub-adult White Tailed - then another Golden Eagle - all within half a mile of the middle of Portree. If I had suggested to them to try sitting for a few hours in the Aros Car Park I suspect they would have thought it was a 'wind-up' (Bob).
19th Mar 2005	Short - eared Owl	This is an extremely elusive species so 4 separate sightings during a round trip of the Trotternish peninsula was extremely encouraging.
18th Mar 2005	Gannet	Report of 2 birds flying north at Staffin - another sign of Spring.
17th Mar 2005	Brambling	At least 10+ with the Chaffinch flock in Glenelg - about the only location in the area where they are recorded with any regularity.
13th Mar 2005	Greater White-fronted Goose	Count of 62 at Ardnish, Broadford - the biggest total this winter.
13th Mar 2005	Golden Plover	Flock of 43 on Ardnish, Broadford.
12th Mar 2005	Glaucous Gull	1st winter bird found dead on the shore near the Elgol slipway.
12th Mar 2005	Lapwing	Flock of 29 on Ardnish at Broadford.
11th Mar 2005	Barn Owl	report of bird seen on the outskirts of Broadford on the Elgol road.
5th Mar 2005	Hen Harrier	Report of male near Torrin - this followed on reports of posssibly two ringtails on 1st March near Broadford. Birds are possibly beginning to move back into breeding territories despite the cold weather.
2nd Mar 2005	Snow Bunting	Report from Ray Mackenzie of flock of 80+ Snow Buntings at over 600m. on Beinn Dearg Bheag in the Red Cuillin - this is one of the largest flocks recorded in recent winters.

Bird sightings on the Island of Skye and the neighbouring area

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