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 May 2008 Manx Shearwater View Image 3 north through the Narrows of Raasay (WM)
30th May 2008 House Martin View Image re previous comments on the scarcity of this species there has been a big influx during the last week of May though Whinchat is still scarce in Lochalsh (BN - following the previous comments on Swallows the general view is that number son Skye are generally as normal.
30th May 2008 Redstart single by the roadside near Glenelg (Dennis Bates)
30th May 2008 Chiffchaff several singing birds at Erbusaig (Dennis Bates)
29th May 2008 Goldeneye a late straggler of a male on the river at Camasunary, Strathaird (Mike Fordyce)
27th May 2008 Reed Bunting View Image probably up to 8 pairs occupying a section of Eilean Chaluim Chille, Kilmuir + 13 singing Sedge Warblers - by Skye standards these are exceptional densities. This was part of a tetrad visit and just a reminder that there are only a few days left to carry out the first tetrad 'breeding' visits. (Bob)
27th May 2008 Golden Plover still birds at the move with 17 at Ashaig, Broadford (A&EH)
26th May 2008 Common Rosefinch View Image Alan & Elaine Horner have hit a bit of a 'purple patch' and following hard on the heels of their Marsh Harrier, a beautiful male Common Rosefinch turned up in their garden at Kyleakin - see image
25th May 2008 Spotted Flycatcher View Image not too many trees in Elgol to support this species so a bird using our decking was probably a migrant (RMcM)
25th May 2008 Sand Martin View Image report from Derek Dowsett of a small colony with at least 4 birds near Skeabost Bridge.
24th May 2008 Great Skua View Image reports of 4 on Staffin Island and 3 at Rubha Hunish (MPerry)
23rd May 2008 Gannet 20+ feeding in Loch Bracadale between Tarner & Ose (LMillington)
23rd May 2008 Swallow Sue Tate has raised the question of a shortage of Swallows at traditional sites in the Portnalong area - just wondering if anyone else out there has the same perception?
23rd May 2008 House Martin View Image birds do not normally nest in Elgol so a group of 6 was unusual and would suggest that migrants are still moving in (RMcM). On the subject of numbers MB is of he view that there are more about the Broadford area than normal.
23rd May 2008 Knot two in Broadford Bay (MB)
23rd May 2008 Great Northern Diver View Image still a straggler in Staffin Bay (MPerry)
22nd May 2008 Whitethroat View Image singing male in garden at Lower Milovaig, Glendale (AS)
22nd May 2008 Marsh Harrier this is a good time to pick up rarities and Alan Horner managed to get some photographs of an unusual raptor at Lower Breakish which turns out to be a female Marsh Harrier, only the 3rd known record for Skye.
22nd May 2008 Carrion Crow View Image one paired up with a Hooded Crow at Ashaig (A&EH)
22nd May 2008 Linnet at least 4 at Hallin, Waternish + 6 Siskins coming to feeders (A.Mearns)
22nd May 2008 Ring Ouzel View Image up to four different birds recorded in the Quirang area of Trotternish, an excellent report of a rarely reported species on Skye (Martin Perry)
21st May 2008 Great Skua View Image single flying over Greshornish forestry east-west probably moving from Loch Snizort to Loch Bracadale (RMcM)
21st May 2008 Golden Plover 13 at Ardnish were probably late migrants - also 6 Greylags with 10 goslings (A&EH)
21st May 2008 Short-eared Owl View Image a report from Andy Law of a bird hunting the Kylerhea road - this is only the second report recently suggesting birds are much scarcer than last year.
18th May 2008 Greater Black-backed Gull further to Brian Neath's note from Kylerhea, Peter Elford, a skipper on the 'Ferry has been in touch - Peter adds that the 'gulls and seals are most active on the flood tide. The seals are both Harbour and Grey and mostly juveniles. There is also a chance of seeing a White-tailed Eagle.
18th May 2008 Whimbrel View Image two at Glenelg (BN)
18th May 2008 House Martin View Image Brian Neath recorded a House Martin at Glnelg during a tetrad visit, only his second sighting of the year - they also appear to be scarcer than normal on Skye.
18th May 2008 Merlin View Image this is a species which is prone to using old Hoodie Crow nests - to try and sustain birds in territories when the old nests 'expire' I've been erecting a few artificial baskets and wooden trays - my first success so far with a pair with 5 eggs near Edinbane. (RMcM)
18th May 2008 Bee Eater reliable report of a Bee Eater on wires at Elgol at 8.00 pm (Mathew Kirk)- bird had disappeared by the time yours truly followed it up - this is only the second record for Skye, the first being in Linicro in 1993. A bird has been seen on the western isles in the last week, last seen on Lewis on the 15th (per Birdguides site)
15th May 2008 Great Spotted Woodpecker View Image nice male coming to garden feeders at Kyleakin (A&EH)
15th May 2008 Common Crossbill View Image party of four in Sandaig Plantation near Glenelg (BN)
15th May 2008 Black-throated Diver View Image two at Meanish Pier + a Red-throat & 4 Puffins (AS)
15th May 2008 Greater Black-backed Gull report of c50 at Kylerhea possibly feeding on fish scraps as there was a lot of seal activity - unusual at this time as it was thought they should be in breeding territories (BN)
14th May 2008 Garden Warbler rarely reported, there was a singing bird at Carr Brae, Lochalsh (BN)
13th May 2008 Common Crossbill View Image party of four recently fledged juveniles in the Allt Ruaridh plantation, Balmeanach, Struan (RMcM)
13th May 2008 Short-eared Owl View Image very few reports this year so a single bird near Carbost is of note (PHowlett)
13th May 2008 Common Tern View Image birds arriving back with a single at Loch Brittle (PHowlett)
12th May 2008 Blackcap View Image one singing at Carbost (Peter Howlett)
12th May 2008 Whinchat View Image singing birds at Carbost (PHowlett) and at Ullinish (GLeatherbarrow)
12th May 2008 Sedge Warbler View Image singing birds at Carbost & Struan (PHowlett) and at Ullinish (GLeatherbarrow)
12th May 2008 Black-throated Diver View Image two at Loch Beag, Struan + a summer plumage Great Northern Diver (PHowlett)
12th May 2008 Arctic Tern View Image arriving back with 4 on Staffin Island (Sylvia Porter)
11th May 2008 Blackcap View Image singing bird Broadford & Spotted Flycatchers back nest building (MB)
11th May 2008 Sanderling View Image single summer plumage bird in Broadford Bay (MB)
11th May 2008 Iceland Gull View Image 1st summer bird in Mallaig Harbour (P Howlett)
11th May 2008 Great Skua View Image up to 6 birds on a trip round Wiay + 2 Whimbrel and 2 Black-throated Diver (Sue Tate)
9th May 2008 Puffin c100 in feeding frenzy off Rubha Hunish (Sylvia Porter)
8th May 2008 Grasshopper Warbler reeling bird in Kensaleyre (GFerguson)-and three reeling birds at Upper Tote since 3/5 (Carol Hawley)
8th May 2008 BTO Breeding Atlas - Tetrad Visits just a wee reminder that the first tetrad visits should be completed by the end of this month and the summer migrants have now arrived with a bit of a bang - this morning at Kilmarie there were two singing Blackcap, a Wood Warbler, two Common Whitethroat, a pair of Spotted Flycatcher and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. On the 6th I had 63 singing Willow Warbler in an upland forestry plantation tetrad (Bob)
7th May 2008 Brent Goose View Image a pale bellied with Greylags at Ardnish - Brent are pretty scarce on spring migration. (A&EH)
7th May 2008 Bar-tailed Godwit View Image 16 + 2 Black-tailed Godwit at Glas Eilean, Harrapool in evening (MB)
7th May 2008 Garden Warbler rarely reported on Skye there was a singing bird at Hallin, Waternish (AMearns) - also a Common Whitethroat.
6th May 2008 White Wagtail View Image single at Balmacara Woodland Garden (INorris)
6th May 2008 Grasshopper Warbler singing bird in Elgol (David Wright)
6th May 2008 Corncrake View Image report from Alan Mearns of a calling bird at Waternish - though this is the first report to the site we are aware of a calling bird in another undisclosed location(Bob)- and have now heard that a bird was calling at another Waternish location on the 5th (Alan Sillence)
6th May 2008 Sand Martin View Image small colony at Suladale with 8 pairs (Helen West)
6th May 2008 Whinchat View Image pair at Upper Tote (Carol Hawley)
6th May 2008 Brent Goose View Image solitary pale bellied observed off Sconser Lodge (D&SMorgan)
5th May 2008 Sedge Warbler View Image further report from Lephin, Glendale - also a Sand Martin (AS)
5th May 2008 Goshawk report of a Goshawk mobbing a white tagged White-tailed Eagle at Balmeanach, Struan (S.Hingston)
4th May 2008 Sedge Warbler View Image now reported from four separate locations in the Broadford area (MB, DR)
4th May 2008 White Wagtail View Image single at Waterloo (DR)
4th May 2008 Whinchat View Image first report from Lochalsh with a single at Carr Brae (BN)
4th May 2008 Tree Sparrow still at the feeders at Lower Milovaig consorting with female House Sparrows (AS) - see Gallery.
4th May 2008 Blackcap View Image male singing in garden at Lower Milovaig (AS)
4th May 2008 Canada Goose View Image two at Ardnish and probably the same birds later at The Obbe, Kyleakin, along with Greylags (A&EH)
4th May 2008 Wheatear View Image clearly still moving through with 12 on Ardnish, Broadford (A&EH)
3rd May 2008 Tree Sparrow this species is rarely recorded on Skye although there was a report from the Dunvegan area about a year ago - Andy Stables had a single on the bird table in his garden at Lower Milovaig.
3rd May 2008 Grasshopper Warbler reeling bird at Fiskavaig (Denise Ghalebi)
3rd May 2008 Snow Bunting View Image 4 on the beach at Ord, Sleat (SHingston)
2nd May 2008 Cuckoo relatively thin on the ground until to-day with widespread reports from several observers - Greshornish, Portnalong, Harrapool and Ashaig.
2nd May 2008 Sedge Warbler View Image first report of the year with a singing bird at Harrapool (MB)
2nd May 2008 Common Whitethroat View Image first report of the year with a singing bird at Harrapool (DR)
2nd May 2008 Sand Martin View Image slow in arrival with possibly 4 at Morvich, Lochalsh (BN) - also up to 10 at Loch Slapin where birds were seen nest prospecting along roadside banks on the 4th (RMcM)
2nd May 2008 Common Sandpiper View Image 6 on Croe Saltings, Lochalsh (BN)
1st May 2008 Snow Bunting View Image just to let you know that we still have our male Snow Bunting at Elgol - tends to disappear for most of the day but has now been with us for nearly a month - most unusual.
1st May 2008 Whimbrel View Image otherwise known as the "May fowl" though it has of course been earlier - 7 at Camas Malag, Strathaird.
1st May 2008 Siskin report of 3males and 2 females on feeders at Staffin - + 10 Goldfinch (Sylvia Porter) - some of our Siskins are back in breeding territories and it is not clear whether some of the feeding birds are Scandinavian stragglers from the big winter influx.

© 2013 Skye Birds