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
31st Mar 2006 Wheatear View Image a nice male at Elgol.
31st Mar 2006 Swallow Hard on the heels of the Wheatear is our first Swallow - exceptionally early - John Phillips had one on the wires at Waterloo, Broadford.
30th Mar 2006 Wheatear View Image this ones the first of the year (so far) - a male on Ben Suardal - Alan and Elaine Horner
28th Mar 2006 Reed Bunting View Image report from Rob and Suzanne Arnold of a male bird in their garden at Ord.
28th Mar 2006 Goosander View Image 9 on Lochs Fada and Leathan (3mm & 6ff)(NBielby)
28th Mar 2006 Coot View Image this is now an extremely unusual species on Skye so a single on Loch Mealt is the first occurrence for 2 years. (N Bielby)
28th Mar 2006 Wigeon numbers have remained high at Loch Portree throughout the winter and a count of 90 reflects this (NB)
28th Mar 2006 Black-headed Gull Good count of 51 at Loch Portree (NB)
27th Mar 2006 Meadow Pipit View Image Report from Brian Neath of the first birds back in the Carr Brae area. This is interesting in a geographical context given that small flocks winter on Skye and numbers began to increase again some weeks ago.
27th Mar 2006 Purple Sandpiper View Image 3 at Camas Mor, Kilmuir. (NB)
27th Mar 2006 Lesser Black-backed Gull View Image numbers beginning to move back north with 28 at Kilmaluag. (NBielby)
26th Mar 2006 Yellowhammer report from Martin Benson of a singing bird at Harrapool - this is an extremely rare species on Skye.
26th Mar 2006 Carrion Crow View Image report of an all black Carrion Crow at Breakish.
26th Mar 2006 Goldeneye good count of 12 at Loch Kishorn.
26th Mar 2006 Gannet spring birds returning with a singles at Neist Point and Kilt Rock, Staffin on 28th (N Bielby)
26th Mar 2006 Carrion Crow View Image report of 3 at Glendale (NB)
26th Mar 2006 Skylark View Image good flock of 30 near Colbost
26th Mar 2006 Whooper Swan View Image noticeable through passage north with 5 at Ardmore Pool, Waternish and 5 at Loch Husabost (NB)
26th Mar 2006 Goosander View Image 4 at Loch Mor Waterstein (NB)
25th Mar 2006 Little Grebe View Image though some birds are back in breeding territories Brian Neath counted 6 at Loch Long with 4,s at Loch Carron and Loch Kishorn the following day.
24th Mar 2006 Yellowhammer report of a singing bird on Carr Brae, Dornie.
23rd Mar 2006 Teal View Image good count of 26 at Reraig, Lochalsh
23rd Mar 2006 Whooper Swan View Image still a herd of 14 on Loch Meodal (NBielby)
22nd Mar 2006 Whooper Swan View Image excellent count of 26 at Loch Meodal - presumably birds returning north to Iceland (Rob Arnold).
21st Mar 2006 Wigeon some good counts on Lochalsh with 66 at Nostie Bay and 70 at Glenelg
20th Mar 2006 Reed Bunting View Image report from Ken Crane of a single at Glen Brittle - unusual in that area.
19th Mar 2006 Slavonian Grebe scarce in Lochalsh, Brian Neath had 2 at Port Cam, Drumbuie.
19th Mar 2006 Greenland White-fronted Goose report of a single along with 35 Greylags at Dubh-aird, Plockton. This is interesting in that there was a single with Greylags at Stein, Waternish on 21st February - could it be the same flock?
18th Mar 2006 Barn Owl View Image A bird had been seen for several nights in the Elgol area and unfortunately it was found dead to-day - no evidence of the cause so we will try and get a pm done.
18th Mar 2006 Jack Snipe View Image report from Martin Benson of a bird at Harrapool.
15th Mar 2006 Barn Owl View Image bird spotted on the north side of Broadford by several members of the local SWT committeee.
14th Mar 2006 Purple Sandpiper View Image flock of 15 on the coast south of Elgol.
14th Mar 2006 Great Northern Diver View Image numbers building up towards spring peak with 42 at dusk in Loch Slapin
14th Mar 2006 Goosander View Image report from Dave Monks of a pair at the head of Loch Sligachan
13th Mar 2006 Barn Owl View Image Another report, this time from Dave Monks of a bird at the roadside in Broadford on the Elgol road.
12th Mar 2006 Goosander View Image a drake bird feeding at the mouth of the Broadford River.
12th Mar 2006 Whooper Swan View Image report from Roger and Pat Cottis of 8 swans back on Loch nan Bubrachan in Sleat.
7th Mar 2006 Peregrine View Image report from Grace Yoxon of a female found injured in the snow at Ashaig, Broadford, and taken into care.
7th Mar 2006 Stonechat View Image further excellent count of 11 at Kirkton Bay
7th Mar 2006 Carrion Crow View Image report from Brian Neath of a Carrion making advances to a Hoodie at Morvich.
5th Mar 2006 Reed Bunting View Image report from Graham Leatherbarrow of 3 at Ullinish
5th Mar 2006 Golden Plover more flocks with reports from Marjorie MacInnes of 24 at Claigan, Dunvegan and 50 at Uiginish.
5th Mar 2006 Peregrine View Image thought to be a female - heading north west over Isle Ornsay.
4th Mar 2006 Barn Owl View Image There have been few reports from Lochalsh but a single bird was disturbed in a cave on the west shore of Ard Hill.
3rd Mar 2006 Skylark View Image report from Martin Benson of 55+ at Ardnish, with another 10-25 in a flock at Ullinish. Also report of a pair at Kylerhea on the 5th (Andy Law).
3rd Mar 2006 Snow Bunting View Image 3 along with the Skylarks at Ardnish (M.Benson)
3rd Mar 2006 Golden Plover report from Brian Smith of a flock of 20-25 at Gesto Farm, Ullinish.
3rd Mar 2006 Jack Snipe View Image another report of a single at Kirkton Brae, Lochalsh.
3rd Mar 2006 Stonechat View Image More weather related counts with an amazing count of 14 (minimum!) at Kirkton Bay, Lochalsh (Brian Neath)
2nd Mar 2006 Golden Plover Alan and Elaine Horner report a flock of 36 at Ardnish, Broadford.
2nd Mar 2006 Pink-footed Goose View Image a report from the Horners of a single bird with 2 Greylags at Ardnish, Broadford.
2nd Mar 2006 Goosander View Image report from Jean Thomas of a pair at Portnalong Pier
1st Mar 2006 Snow Bunting View Image We have a significant snow fall on Skye to-day so it is more than appropriate that John Phillips reports 5 Snow Buntings on the Obbe at Lower Breakish, clearly forced down off higher ground.
1st Mar 2006 Jack Snipe View Image Brian Neath reports flushing both a single Jack Snipe and a Common Snipe from a roadside verge at Carr Brae, Dornie.

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