The objective of this page 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 John Poyner ( who may require a full description before the record was accepted. This website will very much be locally focused but some records will be included in the SOC Highland website www.highlandbirds.scot. and may also reach national sites. We 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. Records sent to us are also submitted to Birdtrack.
Date | Species | Image | Details |
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31st Oct 2009 | Chough | (uncertainty around date) but 4 Chough visited croft at Glasnakille feeding for c20 minutes before flying off (John MacKinnon per RMcM) | |
31st Oct 2009 | Thrushes | big numbers passing through - a mix of Redwings/Fieldfare in many hundreds at Torrin, Balmacara and Shiel Bridge. (RMcM) Good numbers at Kyleakin on the first (LC) | |
30th Oct 2009 | Great Northern Diver |
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3 at Ashaig + 8 Bar-tailed Godwit (A&EH) |
29th Oct 2009 | Whooper Swan |
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family group of 5 at the head of Loch Dunvegan (Rob Wright) and 22 at Loch Sligachan (RMcM) |
29th Oct 2009 | Turnstone | flock of c40 at the head of Loch Sligachan, a good count for this location (RMcM) | |
29th Oct 2009 | Chiffchaff | very late bird at Morar (S.MacDonald) | |
29th Oct 2009 | Snow Bunting |
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singles on the Quirang (Niki Fulton) and at kilmuir on the 1st. (Richard Lockett) |
28th Oct 2009 | Fieldfare |
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800-1000 at Mallaig bheag + 200 Redwing & 20+ Blackbirds - also c1000 mixed thrushes at Arisaig (SMacD) - bug flocks of migrant thrushes seem to have avoided Skye apart from Sleat (RC) |
26th Oct 2009 | Barnacle Goose |
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3 at the head of Loch Ainort (DCJ) |
26th Oct 2009 | Common Crossbill |
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6 in Tormore Forest, Sleat (DCJ) |
26th Oct 2009 | Fieldfare |
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100 flying east in Glen Drynoch (DCJ) |
26th Oct 2009 | Mallard | 120 at Loch Dubrachan, Sleat, + 20 Teal & 2 Whooper Swan (DCJ) | |
26th Oct 2009 | White-tailed Eagle |
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3 enjoying the thermals on MacLeod's North table along with 3/4 Golden Eagles and several Ravens (Rob Wright) |
25th Oct 2009 | Brambling |
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3 with Chaffinches in garden at Achacork, Portree (C.Lomas) |
24th Oct 2009 | Brambling & albino Chaffinch | report from Sarah Kay of a Brambling with Chaffinch in the grounds of Home Farm Nursing Home, Portree - also with this group was a semi-albino male Chaffinch - this latter bird was seen in the garden at Benview, Dunvegan, a few days ago with plumage similar to a male Snow Bunting (I&CHouston). There is a strong possibility that these birds are all of Scandinavian origin. | |
23rd Oct 2009 | Wheatear |
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straggler near Dunvegan (RMcM) |
23rd Oct 2009 | Twite |
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flock of c60 at Kildonan, Edinbane (RMcM) |
23rd Oct 2009 | Red-throated Diver |
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4 at Camastianavaig Bay + 4 Great Northerns at nearby Balmeanach Bay (AM, WM) |
23rd Oct 2009 | Redwing |
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150 + 30 Fieldfare at Camastianavaig (AM) |
23rd Oct 2009 | Common Scoter | 2 at Broadford Bay + 4 Slavonian Grebes & a female Goldeneye (MB) | |
23rd Oct 2009 | Common Swift | report of an extremely late bird over Portree this morning - per www.birdguides.com - coincidentally one was reported in Benbecula at 1340 hours!! | |
23rd Oct 2009 | Hoopoe | delayed report that a Hoopoe was at Achacork, Portree, from 16-18th October and photographed on mobile phone (Ian Bates) | |
23rd Oct 2009 | Whooper Swan |
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6 in Loch Dunvegan (MCullen), pair with 2 young still at Loch Suardal, and single in the sea at the Sound of Raasay (SBungard) |
22nd Oct 2009 | Red-throated Diver |
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group of 13 to-gether in the Sound of Raasay (SBungard) |
20th Oct 2009 | Whooper Swan |
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8 on the Black Lochs, Broadford (RC) |
20th Oct 2009 | Whooper Swan |
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20 flying south at An Aird, Braes (P.Dark) |
20th Oct 2009 | Woodcock | still scarce though two flushed at Kilbryde, Torrin (JJ) | |
19th Oct 2009 | Redwing/Fieldfare | mixed flock of 300 around Isleornsay for several days (RC) | |
19th Oct 2009 | Turtle Dove | bird which appears to be a juvenile/1st winter, still visiting garden at Waternish (AMearns) - see Gallery - can also be seen on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUmKfr5eDWU. | |
19th Oct 2009 | Whooper Swan |
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still reports of small groups - 9 over Breakish at midday & 11 over Ashaig late afternoon - both heading south (Pam Davison) |
18th Oct 2009 | Turtle Dove | a garden visitor at Hallin, Waternish - see gallery for outstanding image (Al Mearns) | |
18th Oct 2009 | Blackcap |
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female on rowan berries at Meanish Pier, Glendale (AS) |
18th Oct 2009 | Eider | numbers building up with 70 at Kyleakin (H Scott) | |
18th Oct 2009 | Snow Bunting |
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c20 on east side of Marsco (Terry Swainbank) |
18th Oct 2009 | Greenland White-fronted Goose | early returners with 8 at Kilmuir (RMcM) | |
17th Oct 2009 | Common Scoter | single female in Broadford Bay (MB) | |
17th Oct 2009 | Whooper Swan |
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7 at the head of Loch Duich & 10 Little Grebe (BN) |
17th Oct 2009 | Goosander |
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11 on the Shiel/Croe saltings, Lochalsh + 23 Teal on the Shiel saltings (BN) |
16th Oct 2009 | Redwing |
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big influx overnight with small flocks at Lower Milovaig, Fasach, Dunvegan, Edinbane and Suledale - also a few Fieldfare in the morning but 30 at Lyndale late afternoon(AS) |
15th Oct 2009 | Redwing |
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more on the move with 30 at Elgol and 60 at Loch Cillchroisd (RMcM) |
15th Oct 2009 | Jack Snipe |
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single on Ardnish, Broadford (RMcM) |
15th Oct 2009 | Slavonian Grebe | 2 in Glenelg Bay (Pete Jones) - very few reports from this part of Lochalsh. | |
14th Oct 2009 | Redwing |
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two small groups of Redwing (7/8) passing through Broadford - still waiting for big influx (MB) |
12th Oct 2009 | Wheatear |
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straggler at Elgol + 3 White Wagtails(RMcM) |
12th Oct 2009 | Great Northern Diver |
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starting to return with 4 in Kilmarie Bay, Loch Slapin + 2 Black-throated Divers (RMcM) |
11th Oct 2009 | Redwing |
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5 over Isleornsay (RC) |
11th Oct 2009 | Great Skua |
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2 in the Narrows of Raasay harassing 250+ Kittiwake (RMcM) - also a single at Ardmore yesterday (DCJ) |
11th Oct 2009 | Whimbrel |
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still 2 at Ardnish + 8 Bar-tailed Godwit (A&EH) |
11th Oct 2009 | Lesser Whitethroat |
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interesting migrant at Lower Milovaig, a rare occurrence for Skye (AS) - well worth looking for more unusual migrants at the moment. |
10th Oct 2009 | Brent Goose |
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3 at Lower Milovaig is a first from this area (AS) |
10th Oct 2009 | Goldeneye | 3 at Loch Mor, Waterstein are the first for the autumn + 3 Whooper Swan and a Tufted Duck (AS) | |
10th Oct 2009 | Redwing |
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at least 4 at Lower Milovaig amongst a mixed group including Blackbirds and Song Thrushes which were thought to be migrants (AS) - also 8-10 Robins suggesting a bit of an influx. |
10th Oct 2009 | Ring-necked Parakeet | our wandering Parrot was at Camustianavaig feeding on garden berries (Gill Barnett) - the origins of this bird remain a mystery. | |
10th Oct 2009 | Gadwall |
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a male at Loch Sligachan along with Wigeon - possibly the return of one of our wintering birds (DCJ) |
9th Oct 2009 | Brent Goose |
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single at Harrapool (DR) |
8th Oct 2009 | Ring-necked Parakeet | the parakeet has returned to Balmeanach, Braes, and positively identified as a Ring-necked (WM) | |
8th Oct 2009 | Wheatear |
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straggler at Balmeanach, Braes (WM) |
8th Oct 2009 | Woodcock | single flushed at Kilbryde, Torrin, the first report of the autumn (JJ) | |
8th Oct 2009 | Whooper Swan |
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two adults and two young on Loch Suardal (MSellars) and 10 flew south-east over Loch Portree (PE) |
7th Oct 2009 | Curlew Sandpiper |
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a 2nd record this autumn of this scarce passage migrant at Ashaig (A&EH) |
6th Oct 2009 | Scaup | 3 in Broadford Bay in the morning, a male and two females (DR)- then 8 in the afternoon - a male, 5 females and 2 juveniles (MB) | |
6th Oct 2009 | Red Kite |
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a day after the bird was seen in Kintail, one was spotted at Kinloch, Skye (perhaps the same bird!) (Brendan Henry) |
5th Oct 2009 | Red Kite |
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wandering bird following stalking party at Gleann Lichd, Kintail (Rule Anderson) - probably a bird from the Black Isle population which had a better breeding year. |
4th Oct 2009 | Fieldfare |
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another small group of 8 at Kensaleyre (SClarke) |
4th Oct 2009 | Scaup | mixed flock of 10 Scaup/Tufted Duck in Broadford Bay (MB) - also two Tufted Duck on Loch Mor, Waterstein (RMcM) | |
3rd Oct 2009 | Great Skua |
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5 heading north at Narrows of Raasay - also 3 Arctic Skua and 60-80 Gannets in about 30 minutes (WM) |
3rd Oct 2009 | Fieldfare |
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flock of 13 at Camas Malag, Torrin (JJ) |
2nd Oct 2009 | Mute Swan |
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3 at Eilean Donan, Lochalsh - always rare occurrences in these parts. (BN) |
1st Oct 2009 | Willow Warblers | two still at Staffin (MPerry) | |
1st Oct 2009 | Slavonian Grebe | 4 at Ardnish (A&EH) |