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 Aug 2008 Bar-tailed Godwit View Image good count of 19 at Harrapool + 150 Dunlin, 4 Sanderling & 2 Knot (1 at Ashaig) (MB, RMcM)
30th Aug 2008 Sabine's Gull report of a single in Staffin Bay - per www.birdguides.com
30th Aug 2008 Tufted Duck View Image 11 on Loch Mealt + a male Wigeon in eclipse (DCJ)
30th Aug 2008 Black-tailed Godwit View Image single at Ashaig and two at Waterloo (DCJ)
30th Aug 2008 Great Skua View Image single on Staffin island patrolling - strongly suggesting a breeding territory with young (DCJ)
30th Aug 2008 Arctic Skua View Image single at Waterloo (DCJ)
30th Aug 2008 Common Crossbill View Image 2 at Ashaig + a Linnet (DCJ)
30th Aug 2008 Twite View Image 45 at Staffin (DCJ)
29th Aug 2008 Common Tern View Image 8 at Waterloo (DR)
28th Aug 2008 Short-eared Owl View Image two at the roadside near Struan (Mike Porter)
27th Aug 2008 Manx Shearwater View Image numbers dwindling in Broadford Bay with only c100 + a Great Skua & single Arctic Skua (DR)
27th Aug 2008 Black-throated Diver View Image single in Broadford Bay is much earlier than we normally record them (DR)
27th Aug 2008 Dunlin View Image peaking at Harrapool at 250+, 100+ Ringed Plover, 8 Sanderling (2 at Ashaig), 17 Knot (14 at Ashaig), 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Black-tailed Godwit and 12 Turnstone at Ardnish, + 3 Greenshank at Ashaig (DR, RMcM, A&EH)
27th Aug 2008 Wigeon first migrants on the move with 18 at Ardnish (A&EH)
27th Aug 2008 Great Spotted Woodpecker View Image away from their normal range a single was seen in Lower Breakish (per DR)
27th Aug 2008 Golden Eagle View Image adult pair seen on the mainland side of the Kylerhea Ferry (Pete Jones)
27th Aug 2008 Short-eared Owl View Image report of a single at Ullinish (GLeatherbarrow)
26th Aug 2008 Black-tailed Godwit View Image 3 at Harrapool early afternoon but 7 later + 2 Knot, 40+ Redshank, 30+ Ringed Plover, & single Bar-tailed Godwit & Sanderling - with 150 Dunlin later (DR)
26th Aug 2008 More waders in dreich weather such as to-day we pick up lots of waders & after Dave Rogers's good counts, the Horners then had 60+Redshank, 100+Ringed Plover, 6 Turnstone, 12 Sanderling & 8 Knot - all at Harrapool as high tide was approaching.
26th Aug 2008 Manx Shearwater View Image according to A&EH still big numbers in the outer Broadford Bay area with group of 12 Bottlenosed Dolphins in attendance!!
26th Aug 2008 Brent Goose View Image skein of 22 came in off the sea at Broadford Bay (A&EH) - this is an exceptionally early date for this species.
26th Aug 2008 Twite View Image huge flock of 300+ at Hamaramore, Glendale + family group of 6 Linnet at Fasach (AS)
25th Aug 2008 Manx Shearwater View Image more again with the stormy weather - 200 per hour south at Neist Point mid-morning & c1000 in Broadford Bay late afternoon. (RMcM)
25th Aug 2008 Great Skua View Image 5 at Neist Point & 6 in Broadford Bay (RMcM)
25th Aug 2008 Grey Plover View Image single at Traigh, Mallaig + 35+ Golden Plover, 60 Ringed Plover, 40 Dunlin & 3 Turnstone (Stephen MacDonald)
24th Aug 2008 Manx Shearwater View Image following strong westerlies c1200+ in Loch Slapin (RMcM)
24th Aug 2008 Great Skua View Image c7 from Strathaird Point including group of 3 mobbing a Buzzard (RMcM)
21st Aug 2008 Golden Eagle View Image it has been a better year for breeding Golden Eagles on Skye & Raasay. There were 24 breeding attempts and a total of 17 chicks fledged, almost twice as many as in 2007. The good weather through spring into summer was thought to be a factor. One young bird from a brood of two was taken to Ireland as part of the Irish Golden Eagle Reintroduction project. Although this has been a good year the long-term trend in this 25 year study shows a general decline in productivity in the last 10 years and this is a cause for concern. (Kate Nellist & Ken Crane)
21st Aug 2008 High Pasture Cave this cave is an archaelogical site near Kilbryde in Strathaird - contrary to thoughts that archaeologists are always 'heads down' - they are clearly often 'heads up' and have seen Red Kite in the past - within the the last few days they have also had a White-tailed Eagle, a pair of Golden Eagles and a Sparrowhawk above the site (SBirch, MWildgoose et al - and for info have a look at www.high-pasture-cave.org)
20th Aug 2008 Black-tailed Godwit View Image single in Broadford Bay + 13 Sanderling, 6 Knot & 74 Redshank (MB)
20th Aug 2008 Peregrine View Image single around Ardnish for the second day - obviously attracted by the waders which included 3 Whimbrel & 2 Bar-tailed Godwit. (A&EH)
19th Aug 2008 Whimbrel View Image 2 at Broadford Bay + 2 Sanderling & 3 Bar Tailed Godwit (MB)
19th Aug 2008 Ruff juvenile at Traigh, Mallaig + 3 Knot & 2 Sanderling (Stephen MacDonald)
19th Aug 2008 Barn Owl View Image single around the Barracks, Glenelg (PJones)
19th Aug 2008 Raven group of 25, probably on carrion, at Kilbryde, Strathaird. (JJones)
18th Aug 2008 Storm Petrel reports of singles seen in Staffin Bay - per www.birdguides.com
17th Aug 2008 Knot good numbers passing through with another 19 on Ardnish (EHorner)
16th Aug 2008 Red Kite View Image report from Ian Norris of a bird at Kensaleyre - we get a few reports each year - probably birds dispersing from the Black Isle breeding group.
15th Aug 2008 Red-breasted Merganser View Image report from Alan & Elaine Horner of two broods on Ardnish, Broadford - one of 6 well grown but the other of seven were tiny - this is extremely late.
15th Aug 2008 Sanderling View Image 17 at Ardnish + 3 Knot (see Gallery) - & 4 Golden Plover (A&EH)
15th Aug 2008 Knot 6 at Broadford Bay + a Sanderling in the evening (MB)
14th Aug 2008 Knot small flock of 16 resting at Ardmore Bay, Waternish + 4 Dunlin & 3 Lapwing (RMcM)
14th Aug 2008 Linnet several small groups totalling 25+ at Ardmore, Waternish + a few Twite (RMcM)
14th Aug 2008 Black-tailed Godwit View Image single at Pool Roag, Dunvegan + 20 Redshank, 16 Dunlin and a few Ringed Plover (RMcM)
14th Aug 2008 Raptors beautiful weather to-day with a nice breeze helped several raptors to put on a show - adult & juvenile White-tailed Eagle soaring above Loch Harport, pair of Golden Eagles above the Fairy Bridge, 2 Peregrines at Loch Cillchroisd, female Merlin at Roskill, Dunvegan, and Sparrowhawk at several locations (see Gallery) and a Short-eared Owl at Breakish late evening - (M.Perry, S&H Birch, RMcM)
12th Aug 2008 Whimbrel View Image single at Lower Milovaig (AS)
11th Aug 2008 Short-eared Owl View Image single on Ardnish (DR)
11th Aug 2008 Knot waders on the move in the evening at Broadford Bay with 18 Knot, 3 Sanderling, 72 Dunlin, 4 Greenshank and a terrific count of 144 Ringed Plover (MB)
9th Aug 2008 Common Whitethroat View Image single in a garden in Kyleakin was probably a migrant (LCard)
8th Aug 2008 Yellow Wagtail report from Andy Stables of a single beside the Glendale Road at Dunvegan. There are only historical records for the area from Raasay so this could be a first in many years.
8th Aug 2008 Golden Plover flock of 50 on the slopes of Marsco (Bill Peppe)
8th Aug 2008 Pomarine Skua View Image report of a single in Staffin Bay - per www.birdguides.com
7th Aug 2008 Sandwich Tern View Image single off Tarscavaig - scarce in this area (Neil Bird)
6th Aug 2008 Swift 3 over Elgol in the morning (RMcM)
5th Aug 2008 Greenshank good count of 12 on Ardnish, Broadford (RMcM)
3rd Aug 2008 Greenshank 5 at Pool Roag, Dunvegan (RMcM)
3rd Aug 2008 Greylag Goose View Image just a reminder that there is a Scottish Greylag Goose survey in the last three weeks of August - records all month are welcome - 52 to-day at the head of Pool Roag and big count of 130 at nearby Feorlig (RMcM)
3rd Aug 2008 Whimbrel View Image 15 over Broadford Bay in evening (MB)
3rd Aug 2008 Great Northern Diver View Image two off Tarscavaig with singles later on 6th, 9th & 11th Aug in the same area, presumably the same bird (Neil Bird)
2nd Aug 2008 Knot 8 in summer plumage, Broadford Bay (MB)
2nd Aug 2008 Arctic Skua View Image dark phase bird at Peinchorran (DCJ)
2nd Aug 2008 Common Scoter 6 at Broadford Bay (DCJ)
2nd Aug 2008 Common Tern View Image count of 20 at Eyre Point, Raasay - also reports of fledged broods of Long-tailed Tit at Brochel, Buzzard and Kestrel broods + a female Merlin - always good to get reports from Raasay (DCJ)
1st Aug 2008 Sanderling View Image big count of 29 at Ardnish, with 5 at Broadford later and also 13 at Traigh, Mallaig + Knot - 4 at Broadford & 10 at Traigh (A&EH, MB & Steven MacDonald)

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