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
30th Apr 2009 Red-throated Diver View Image 5 landed in the sea off Ashaig (A&EH)
30th Apr 2009 Whimbrel View Image 4 at Coral Beach, Dunvegan (MSuller)
30th Apr 2009 Sedge Warbler View Image two at Ardelve - Brian Neath's 1st ever April record in Lochalsh.
30th Apr 2009 Great Northern Diver View Image 5 at Ardmore Bay, Waternish (AM)
28th Apr 2009 Reed Bunting View Image not an unusual sighting but a male at Harrapool was caught feeding - worth a look in the Gallery for Martin Benson's triple-images.
28th Apr 2009 Glaucous Gull View Image the well fed bird at Dornie is still hanging about (per BN)
28th Apr 2009 BTO Atlas Tetrads good time to get out and do your first breeding visit to Atlas tetrads - Brian Neath recorded 35 species near Sallachy, Lochalsh including 3 Grasshopper Warbler, singing Wood Warbler and Blackcap, 19 Sand Martin and mating Greenshank.
28th Apr 2009 Linnet 3 on wires at Carnach,Waternish (AM)
27th Apr 2009 White Wagtail View Image 3 at Camas Malag, Torrin (RMcM)
27th Apr 2009 Black-throated Diver View Image 7 at Kilmarie Bay, Strathaird - possibly non-breeding birds (RMcM)
27th Apr 2009 Northern Wheatear View Image the last few days has seen a big number of birds move through Skye - they are probably birds from the Faoroes, Iceland and Greenland and are generally slightly bigger and a bit brighter - see the Gallery. You will also see them in places you would not normally see Wheatears.
27th Apr 2009 Whinchat View Image 1st report of the year at Harrapool - see Gallery (MB)- also a Sedge Warbler which is our first report.
27th Apr 2009 Grasshopper Warbler reports from Dunhallin,Waternish (AM), Elgol (MMcM) & up to 3 at Harrapool (MB)
26th Apr 2009 Wood Warbler two singing at Carr Brae, Dornie (BN)
26th Apr 2009 Black-tailed Godwit View Image 2 at Harrapool along with 8 Bar-tails (MB - see Gallery)
26th Apr 2009 Whimbrel View Image 2 at Harrapool (am) and 5 (pm - other wader numbers building up with 46+ Dunlin (MB)
26th Apr 2009 Great Skua View Image single at Loch Pooltiel (BSmith)
26th Apr 2009 White Wagtail View Image 2 at Lower Milovaig (KLindsley)
25th Apr 2009 Bar-tailed Godwit View Image 11 in winter plumage at Broadford Bay (MB)
25th Apr 2009 Wheatear View Image 9 in the Broadford Bay area to-day, obviously migrants and all showing characteristics of the leucorhoa race which breed in Iceland & Greenland - see Gallery (MB). Also c15 in Applecross area (DCJ) and a further 5 at Edinbane on 26th (RMcM)
25th Apr 2009 White Wagtail View Image 2 at Broadford Bay - also 2 House Martin (MB)
25th Apr 2009 Long-tailed Duck View Image 12 off Lonbain, Applecross - a good count for ths area of the north-west. (DCJardine)
25th Apr 2009 Twite View Image 14 at Ardelve + 2 Grasshopper Warbler (BN)
24th Apr 2009 Black-tailed Godwit View Image 26 at Broadford Bay in magnificent summer plumage + 28 Ringed Plover and a single Knoe (MB)
24th Apr 2009 Redshank passage continuing with 13 at Camus a Mhor, Braes (WM)
24th Apr 2009 White Wagtail View Image single at Camus a Mhor, Braes (WM)
24th Apr 2009 Cuckoo more reports coming in from Colbost (AS), Edinbane & Greshornish (RMcM)
23rd Apr 2009 Whimbrel View Image starting to move through with two at Ardvarsar (RMcM), a single near Broadford Pier (DR), 6 over Harrapool at midday (MB), and 2 at Ard Dorch (Terry Swainbank)
23rd Apr 2009 Purple Sandpiper View Image 3 on the shore near Ardvarsar, Sleat along with 10 Turnstone (RMcM)
23rd Apr 2009 House Martin View Image two at Teangue, Sleat (RMcM)
22nd Apr 2009 Glaucous Gull View Image bird remaining in residence in the Dornie area and showing up from the village and Eilean Tioram earlier to-day (BN)
22nd Apr 2009 Whooper Swan View Image two more stragglers on Loch Suardal, Dunvegan (Susan Greaves)
22nd Apr 2009 Sand Martin View Image a few birds coming in with 3 at Waterloo (MB) and 2 at the The Obbe, Kyleakin (AH)
21st Apr 2009 Brent Goose View Image another group of 6 at th head of Loch Caroy (MSellors)
21st Apr 2009 Whooper Swan View Image straggler on Loch Harport (DHammond)
21st Apr 2009 Redshank good count of 80+ on Ardnish, and 33 at Harrapool later in the day, probably Icelandic birds heading north (EH)& (MB)
21st Apr 2009 Black-throated Diver View Image 3 in Broadford Bay (MB)
20th Apr 2009 Grasshopper Warbler 1st reports of the year with 'reeling' birds at Portree(GFerguson),Greshornish (RMcM)and Harrapool (MB)
20th Apr 2009 Brent Goose View Image flock of c75 pale bellied (hrota) resting at the head of Loch Caroy (Marie Sellars). Flocks of spring migrants are relative scarce on Skye and these birds probabaly came in with the overnight front of light rain - then moved on whenever it cleared.
20th Apr 2009 Cuckoo reported from Tote (CHawley)
19th Apr 2009 Cuckoo not the first, but calling birds at Balmeanach and Struan (RMcM, JMarchington))
19th Apr 2009 White-tailed Eagle View Image another report of a pair over Kylerhea Ferry (PJones) + 3 sub-adults on a sheep carcase near Struan (RMcM)
18th Apr 2009 Golden Plover flock of 20 at Ramasaig (A&AS)
17th Apr 2009 White-tailed Eagle View Image pair seen over the Kylerhea ferry (Pete Jones) - this is the spectacular and traditional way to visit Skye and the chance of seeing White-tails is an added bonus.
17th Apr 2009 Barn Owl View Image single outside Broadford on the Elgol road (DR)
16th Apr 2009 Tree Pipit View Image 1st report of the year from Carr Brae - previous early date has been 21st April (BN)
16th Apr 2009 Glaucous Gull View Image still a single on Croe Saltings, Lochalsh (BN)
16th Apr 2009 Willow Warbler View Image good numbers have come in with a rush and BN had 19 singing in a Lochalsh tetrad - whilst RMcM had 29 singing in a tetrad on Sleat.
16th Apr 2009 Ring Ouzel View Image single bird on coastal path Loch Scavaig near Glen Scalatal (Caroline Kirk)
15th Apr 2009 Red-throated Diver View Image good numbers in some of the sea lochs with 6 round the Moll Road last week (S.Dix) and 7 in Loch Harport to-day along with 12 Red-breasted Merganser (DHammond)
15th Apr 2009 Common Sandpiper View Image another early arrival at Loch Coruisk (MKirk)
15th Apr 2009 Whooper Swan View Image straggler on the Black Lochs, Broadford (RC)
14th Apr 2009 Linnet pair at Broom Place, Portree (AS)
14th Apr 2009 Greenshank single at Balmeanach Bay (WM) - there are a number at some of our coastal lochs at the moment, some of which will be local breeders and others passage migrants.
14th Apr 2009 Swallow 3 at Waterloo (MKirk) and a single at Upper Milovaig (Clare Gray)
14th Apr 2009 Common Scoter single male in Broadford Bay off Waterloo (MB)
14th Apr 2009 White-tailed Eagle View Image Skye is a good place to see this species though we tend not to carry too many reports on the site. There was a young bird in Waternish to-day shown in a photograph in the Gallery. Though the image does not show it, this was a yellow tagged 2006 bird though only the clip on the tags was still visible. Several birds have been photographed recently which only show the wing tag clip or where the tag itself is worn and unreadable. Whilst sightings of tagged birds has been helpful, many welcome the recent decision that wing tagging will cease. Birds will be fitted with coloured leg rings - a little more dignified!
13th Apr 2009 Skye Birds Book Launch though we still have to update the website the 2nd edition of Skye Birds has now been published containing new records and photographs. It will be launched at Elgol Village Hall on Friday 17th April at 8.00 pm with a talk on 'The Birds of Strath & Sleat' - everyone is welcome and admission is free. Details in the events section.
13th Apr 2009 Willow Warbler View Image reports of singing birds at Broadford (MB)and at Attadale Gardens where there were also 2 Chiffchaffs (BN)
13th Apr 2009 Black Redstart View Image no further details but report of a bird at Lohcarron (per BN)- also a Blackcap singing at Lochcarron.
13th Apr 2009 Common Sandpiper View Image single at Lower Milovaig (Alison Stables)
13th Apr 2009 Linnet pair in garden at Lower Milovaig (AS)
13th Apr 2009 Twite View Image flock of 20 at the Serpentarium, Broadford (MB)
12th Apr 2009 Willow Warbler View Image flood of records in with singing birds at Isleornsay (RC), Carr Brae, Dornie (BN), Kylerhea (DR), and Ramasaig (A&AS)
12th Apr 2009 Glaucous Gull View Image still coming to feed with Herring Gulls in the garden at Carr Brae, Dornie (per BN)
12th Apr 2009 Chiffchaff report of two birds at Ramasaig, Glendale (A&AS)
12th Apr 2009 Twite View Image small flock of 10 at Lower Milovaig (A&AS)
12th Apr 2009 Redwing View Image still some stragglers with singing birds at Ramasaig and birds also recently at Lower Milovaig (A&AS)
12th Apr 2009 Redwing View Image singing bird in garden at Carr Brae, Dornie (BN)
11th Apr 2009 Meadow Pipit View Image big movements of birds in with up to 200 at Lower Milovaig (AS) - and also c100 at Elgol on the 10th (RMcM)- understandably there were reports of Merlin at both locations.
11th Apr 2009 Willow Warbler View Image first reports from Lochalsh with two at the head of Glen More, Glenelg (RPrentice)
11th Apr 2009 Swallow pair at Braeside, Glen More, Glenelg (RPrentice)
11th Apr 2009 Cuckoo single at Braeside, Glen More, Glenelg (RPrentice)
8th Apr 2009 Black-headed Gull a pair at Balmeanach, Braes (WM) & a recent single at Kilmarie are away from normal areas (RMcM)
8th Apr 2009 Common Sandpiper View Image report of 4 at Ashaig (RDavison)
8th Apr 2009 Barnacle Goose View Image still c70 at Staffin and two Great Skua on Staffin Island (MKirk)
7th Apr 2009 Manx Shearwater View Image single from Uig - Tarbert ferry (PDolton)
7th Apr 2009 Iceland Gull View Image 1st winter in Uig Harbour (PDolton)
7th Apr 2009 Barnacle Goose View Image c220 between Duntulm and Kilmaluag is a higher count than normal for the area (PDolton)
6th Apr 2009 Manx Shearwater View Image single bird in the Narrows of Raasay, first report of the year (WMarshall)
5th Apr 2009 Slavonian Grebe still 3 in Broadford Bay in summer plumage (MB)
4th Apr 2009 Swallow 1st report of the year with a single bird at Portree (Simon Dix)
3rd Apr 2009 Brent Goose View Image yet another unusual spring record with a single flying into Ardnish with two Greylags (A&EH)
2nd Apr 2009 Brent Goose View Image single pale bellied still at the head of Loch Greshornish along with Wigeon (RMcM)
2nd Apr 2009 Gadwall View Image still 3 at the head of Loch Sligachan, 2 males and a female (RMcM)
1st Apr 2009 Greylag Goose View Image skeins heading north over Elgol (am) - 150+ (RMcM)
1st Apr 2009 Whooper Swan View Image herds flying north this morning over Milovaig, group of 30 followed later by group of 60 (Clare Gray). Also 7 north over the Storr (RC).
1st Apr 2009 Wheatear View Image seems like a new flush of birds passing through with widespread reports including Ullinish & Claigan (MMcI, GL)
1st Apr 2009 Barn Owl View Image several recent reports have been from areas where birds have been rarely reported, the most recent of which was Ullinish (GLeatherbarrow)

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