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 Oct 2008 Waxwing View Image 16 in garden at Isleornsay at 12.30pm which increased to 30-40 by early afternoon(RCottis) + report of 42 in garden at Storr Road, Portree in mid-afternoon(Neil Bennett) - keep a look out for others on the move!!
31st Oct 2008 Grey Phalarope View Image still big numbers off the northern tip of An Aird, Gedintailor, Braes - count of 108 and single feeding flock of 75 very prominent (RMcM, MB)
31st Oct 2008 Fieldfare View Image big movement in with 100 at Orbost, 200 at Skinidin and flock of 400 mixed Redwing/Fieldfare at Camustianavaig which were 70% Fielfare. (A.Sime,H.West et al) - also several hundred in the Portnalong/Fiscavaig area which were predominantly Fieldfare (Sue Tate)
31st Oct 2008 Slavonian Grebe single off Gedintailor (DB)
31st Oct 2008 Blackcap View Image female beside Braes Village Hall - our first report of the autumn (DB)
31st Oct 2008 Gadwall View Image pair still at the head of Loch Sligachan (DB)
30th Oct 2008 Waxwing View Image single in Bob's garden in Elgol at 0800 - birds have been found further north and west so look out for them passing through.
30th Oct 2008 Grey Phalarope View Image still huge numbers around with a count of 90+ between An Aird, Gedintailor and Ardhuish on Raasay - also 60+ on the east side of An Corran at the entrance to Loch Sligachan (RMcM)
30th Oct 2008 Fieldfare View Image 150+ with some Redwings at Camustianavaig, Braes, (see Gallery) with a couple of Sparrowhawk spicing things up (RMcM)
30th Oct 2008 Brent Goose View Image still some stragglers with 8 at Ardnish (MKirk)
29th Oct 2008 Grey Phalarope View Image still 36, very much behaving as a group now off the point of An Aird at NG533357, Braes. (WMarshall)
29th Oct 2008 Redwing View Image bigger numbers on the move in the last few days with 24 at Kyleakin, 35 at Balmeanach, Struan, and also c50 at Elgol. Also 20 Goldfinches at the Obbe, Kyleakin (A&EH)(FReynolds)
28th Oct 2008 Grey Phalarope View Image following on Bill Marshall & David Pratt's exciting find yesterday - there was a staggering count of 52 at Camas a Mhor-bhreoid, Braes - not only is this an outstanding record locally but one of the biggest counts ever of this species in Scotland. Martin Benson also found 8 in Broadford Bay - it is an excellent opportunity to see this rare species on Skye at the present time. (see Gallery)
28th Oct 2008 Storm Petrel in the northerly winds there was a single in Broadford Bay (MB)
28th Oct 2008 Greenland White-fronted Goose 43 at Ardnish - probably the arrival of our wintering flock (A&EH)
28th Oct 2008 Long-tailed Duck View Image an immature on Loch Fada (M.Kirk, RMcM)
28th Oct 2008 Barnacle Goose View Image 36 at Staffin (M.Kirk, RMcM)
27th Oct 2008 Grey Phalarope View Image reports of birds at Camas a Mhor-bhreoid, Gedintailor, Braes - possibly up to 30 (W.Marshall, D.Pratt) - this is a terrific find and there are currrently unprecedented numbers round the west and north of Scotland.
26th Oct 2008 Barn Owl View Image one at the roadside (am) just north of Broadford
26th Oct 2008 Great Skua View Image late straggler going south in 3+ hour seawatch at Neist Point - also heading south - 5 Great Northern Divers, 15 Brent Geese, c300 Kittiwake & c220 Gannet (RMcM)
25th Oct 2008 Grey Phalarope View Image a juvenile stormbound in the garden at Kilmarie House beside Loch Slapin unfortunately died. (per RMcM). This is just the 4th record for Skye.
25th Oct 2008 Sabine's Gull another storm casualty, an adult Sabine's was found by John & Anita Jones at Camas Malag, Kilbryde, another extremely rare record for Skye and unfortunately dead for several days.
24th Oct 2008 Greenland White-fronted Goose 13 at Ardnish + 52 Brent & 16 Whooper Swan (A&EH)
23rd Oct 2008 Whooper Swan View Image 10 at Harrapool and a similar number at Loch nan Dubhrachan (RThornton)
23rd Oct 2008 Brent Goose View Image still 44 at Broadford Bay, 69 Black-headed Gulls and up to 20 Whooper Swan (MB)
23rd Oct 2008 Heron excellent count of 50 in the Obbe, Kyleakin (A&EH)
23rd Oct 2008 Knot 6 at Harrapool (MB)
22nd Oct 2008 Yellowhammer sigle visited garden at Kyleakin - still scarce on Skye (HScott)
22nd Oct 2008 Brent Goose View Image still 42 Ardnish & Ashaig (A&EH)
22nd Oct 2008 Whooper Swan View Image 12 at Drynoch (8 adults & 4 juvs) (JThomas)
21st Oct 2008 Greenland Whitefronted Goose several skeins moving through Broadford Bay - total 123 (A&EH)
21st Oct 2008 Fieldfare View Image flock of 35 at Upper Breakish (S&H Birch)
21st Oct 2008 Whooper Swan View Image total 38 Broadford Bay off Pabay + 13 Brents at Ardnish (A&EH)
20th Oct 2008 Goldfinch following the report of the big flock at Upper Breakish, there was an even bigger 'charm' at Ardroag, around 70. (RMcM)
20th Oct 2008 Barnacle Goose View Image small flock of 22 at the head of Loch Dunvegan (RMcM)
19th Oct 2008 Winter Talks and Lectures just to remind visitors to the site that there are a series of wildlife & related talks throughout the winter months organised by the local SWT Members Centre and the South West Ross Field Club. These can be viewed in the Events Diary. The next two talks are 'yours truly' speaking on Skye Birds at Kirkton Hall on 31st October, and Roy Dennis on A life with Ospreys at Tigh na Sgire, Portree on 4th November.
19th Oct 2008 Brent Goose View Image 43 in Broadford Bay managing to avoid the wind - no sign of the Spotted Redshank (MB)
18th Oct 2008 Black-throated Diver View Image 5 in Loch Slapin at Glasnakille + 2 Great Northern Divers
16th Oct 2008 Teal View Image 6 at Loch Erghallan, Skinidin (AS)
16th Oct 2008 Barnacle Goose View Image first report of the winter with flight of 15 at Ard Dorch (S&HBirch)
16th Oct 2008 Goldfinch flock of up to 40 birds present in the Upper Breakish area (S&HBirch)
15th Oct 2008 Spotted Redshank View Image still showing well in Broadford Bay, in front of Waterloo (MB)
15th Oct 2008 Whooper Swan View Image 7 at Achachork, Sleat (Carol Lomas)
14th Oct 2008 Brent Goose View Image min. of 120 between Harrapool & Ardnish - also 48 Turnstone at Ardnish (A&EH)
13th Oct 2008 Brent Goose View Image still good numbers with 88 in Broadford Bay in the evening - Spotted Redshank still around (MB)
12th Oct 2008 Spotted Redshank View Image still showing well in front of Waterloo, Broadford Bay (MB)
12th Oct 2008 Brent Goose View Image moving through in good numbers in the strong westerlies with 47 in the Ob at Lower Breakish (Ardnish) Broadford Bay (Liz & John Phillips)& 33 at the mouth of the Broadford River (MB)
11th Oct 2008 Spotted Redshank View Image single found by Martin Benson at Waterloo, Broadford - this is only the second record for Skye, the last being in 1996 (see Gallery).
11th Oct 2008 Brent Goose View Image another 23 at Ardnish (A&EH) & 13 at Waterloo (MB)
10th Oct 2008 Brent Goose View Image another flock of 27, this time at Aird Bernisdale (Sue Watkins) - there are few reports from the north of the island. However there were 28(same group ?) in Broadford Bay in the evening,later to be joined by another 21 (MB)
10th Oct 2008 Barn Owl View Image fewer reports this year, there was a hunting bird at Upper Breakish (S&HBirch)
8th Oct 2008 Pomarine Skua View Image a single at Neist Point as small groups of Kittiwakes were heading south (RMcM)
8th Oct 2008 Whinchat View Image straggler at Pool Roag - also 150+ Twite (RMcM)
8th Oct 2008 Gadwall View Image pair at the head of Loch Sligachan - birds have wintered here for several years.
8th Oct 2008 Whooper Swan View Image seem to be slow this year - 2 on Loch a Ghlinne, Sleat (Claire Wylie)
6th Oct 2008 Fieldfare View Image small flock of c20 at Kilbryde, Strathaird (JJones)
6th Oct 2008 Redwing View Image reports seem to be fewer this year - 30 flying over Carr Brae, Dornie (BN)
5th Oct 2008 Golden Eagle View Image good day for soaring raptors with 5 Golden Eagle above Waterstein Head - also Hen Harrier with a ruingtail at Neist Point and a male at Lower Milovaig (AStables)
5th Oct 2008 Goldeneye 2 on Loch Mor , Waterstein + 2 Little Grebe (AS)
5th Oct 2008 Teal View Image 21 at Croe Saltings, Lochalsh + 21 Redshank, 2 Goosander and a Greenshank (BN)
5th Oct 2008 Whooper Swan View Image 7 at the Ob, Lower Breakish (Liz & John Phillips)
5th Oct 2008 Long-tailed Tit View Image flock of 14 in the hazel woods at Glanakille (Liz Phillips)
4th Oct 2008 Peregrine Falcon three, possibly a family group at Staffin slipway (MPerry)
3rd Oct 2008 White-tailed Eagle View Image adult pair flew low over Glas Eilean, Harrapool scattering everything in their wake including 8 Brent Geese (RMcM)
3rd Oct 2008 Brent Goose View Image still passing through with 12 at Ashaig (A&EH)
3rd Oct 2008 Scaup 6 in Broadford Bay in early evening (MB,BN)
2nd Oct 2008 Leach's Storm Petrel single in Broadford Bay during strong northerlies + Manx Shearwater, 2 Great Skua and an unidentified small skua, c100 Gannet, c150 Kittiwake + a probable Arctic Tern (RMcM)
2nd Oct 2008 Sandwich Tern View Image two at Ashaig + a couple of 'comic' Terns (A&EH)
2nd Oct 2008 Redwing View Image first report (later than usual)of birds in garden at Carr Brae, Dornie (BN)
2nd Oct 2008 Black-headed Gull huge count of 170 in Balmacara Bay (BN)
1st Oct 2008 Brent Goose View Image still moving through with 120 at Ashaig in the afternoon then 48 in Broadford Bay later (A&EH, MB)
1st Oct 2008 Greylag Goose View Image probable Icelandic migrants - 60 being blown through Broadford Bay over Ashaig and heading out to the south-east (A&EH)
1st Oct 2008 Whooper Swan View Image 4 in Broadford Bay and possibly the same group later on the Black Lochs (A&EH,RMcM)
1st Oct 2008 Mute Swan View Image single in Broadford Bay - this species is rare on Skye (MB)
1st Oct 2008 Hen Harrier View Image male in the Harport Park, Carbost - with possibly a Rock Dove kill (jance)
1st Oct 2008 Goldeneye 1st report of autumn with female on Loch Dhugaill, Sleat (RMcM)

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