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 Jan 2010 | Turnstone | good count of 48 at Ardnish/Ashaig + 12 Dunlin (A&EH) | |
30th Jan 2010 | Barn Owl |
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few reports this winter but a single bird at Breakish (JP) |
29th Jan 2010 | Carrion Crow |
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at least 5 along with a large group of Hooded Crows at Kilvaxter (RMcM) |
29th Jan 2010 | Greenland White-fronted Goose | 22 at Kilvaxter, Kilmuir (RMcM) | |
27th Jan 2010 | Whooper Swan |
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2 on Loch Cillchroisd and 8 on Loch nan Dubrachan, Sleat (RMcM) |
27th Jan 2010 | Common Crossbill |
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3 in Tormore Forest, Sleat (RMcM) |
27th Jan 2010 | Greenland White-fronted Goose | 25+ on Ardnish, Broadford + a Merlin at Waterloo (DR) | |
25th Jan 2010 | Slavonian Grebe | single off Drumbuie, Lochalsh (BN) | |
25th Jan 2010 | Skylark |
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3 back on croftland at Drumbuie, Lochalsh - earlier than normal (BN) |
25th Jan 2010 | Yellowhammer | 3 in Drumbuie village (BN) | |
25th Jan 2010 | Goldeneye | 8 on partially frozen Loch Fada (MPerry) | |
25th Jan 2010 | Turnstone | 4 at Achnacloich, Sleat (MPerry) | |
23rd Jan 2010 | Turnstone | 8 at the corran at the entrance to Loch Sligachan + a single Lapwing (WM) | |
21st Jan 2010 | Whooper Swan |
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2 on Loch Fada (MPerry) |
19th Jan 2010 | White-tailed Eagle |
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the report of the radio tagged bird seen on Raasay on 4 January is likely to be 'Breaga', a 2008 Mull bird - see http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/tracking/mulleagles/ |
19th Jan 2010 | Common Crossbill |
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4 at Duirinish (BN) |
18th Jan 2010 | Jack Snipe |
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single on saltmarsh at Plockton (BN) |
17th Jan 2010 | Greenland White-fronted Goose | flock of 27 at Ardnish still intact after the bad weather. (A&EH) | |
15th Jan 2010 | Lapwing | 9 at Claigan, Dunvegan (MMacInnes) | |
14th Jan 2010 | Goldeneye | 6 at Ashaig (A&EH) | |
14th Jan 2010 | Snow Bunting |
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report of a single at the Aird, Balmeanach - also 20 Golden Plover & 2/3 Woodcock (WM) |
12th Jan 2010 | Whooper Swan |
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still 2 on some open water at Loch Suardal (Rob Wright) |
12th Jan 2010 | Woodcock | at least 3 on open ground at Claigan Farm, Dunvegan (RWright) | |
12th Jan 2010 | Barnacle Goose |
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100 on grazings at Kilmaluag (SPorter) |
10th Jan 2010 | Woodcock | some big counts with 10 in the Lower Milovaig area with 4 feeding to-gether on one of the few places with clear soft earth (AS) - also 3 at Kyleakin (A&MScott)- and another c10 in the Ullinish area (PE)where unfortunately one succumbed to a cat. | |
10th Jan 2010 | Common Snipe |
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6 at Lower Milovaig and single Jack Snipe remained all week (AS) |
10th Jan 2010 | Golden Plover | 15 at Ardnish & a single Lapwing (A&EH)- also 6-8 at the Coral Beaches (PE) | |
10th Jan 2010 | Whooper Swan |
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6 on a frozen Loch nan Dubrachean, Sleat (RWare) |
10th Jan 2010 | Great Northern Diver |
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9 in Loch Bracadale (PE) |
9th Jan 2010 | Water Rail | still feeding with hens at Ullinish + 4 Reed Buntings (G.Leatherbarrow) | |
9th Jan 2010 | Woodcock | still being widely reported with birds scraping for feeding in any vegetation clear of snow and often near to houses -reports from The Lump, Portree, from Ullinish and from Heaste | |
8th Jan 2010 | Whooper Swan |
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7 noisy birds flying east over Achachork, Portree (CLomas) |
8th Jan 2010 | Greylag Goose |
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not so much present but absent - resident flock disappeared from Kyleakin (A&EH) |
8th Jan 2010 | Fieldfare/Redwing | still a dozen birds at Kyleakin with scattered reports of small numbers from Harrapool, Aird (Sleat), and Staffin. | |
7th Jan 2010 | Whooper Swan |
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two at Dunvegan heading for Loch Suardal though not sure whether it has any clear water (Rob Wright) - otherwise most Whoopers seem to have left the island. |
6th Jan 2010 | Reed Bunting |
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up to 20 at Staffin feeding on seeds on reeds and pampas grass - also Snipe in garden (SP) & a report of Curlew in garden at Portree (M.Henrikson) |
6th Jan 2010 | Skylark |
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despite fresh snow still 4 at Glasnakille (see Gallery) (RMcM) |
5th Jan 2010 | Skylark |
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a bird singing after dark at Isleornsay was unfortunately dead this morning (RC). |
5th Jan 2010 | Cold Weather and birds | as well as the dead Skylark above, there are reports to-day of dead Snipe in two separate gardens in the Broadford area - with this spell of hard weather set to continue I am sure most visitors to the site will be aware of the importance to try and increase feeding levels as more species are liable to visit garden feeding stations. It is equally important to try and avoid unnecessary disturbance to feeding groups of wildfowl and waders, and other birds and there is some sound advice at the following links http://www.bto.org/home/cold_weather_and_waterbirds.html |
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5th Jan 2010 | Hen Harrier |
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good report of 2 at Tote + 2 Kestrels and 2 Buzzards as well as 2 Woodcock (CHawley) |
4th Jan 2010 | Barn Owl |
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one seen early morning at Duirinish (JP) |
4th Jan 2010 | Red Kite |
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any recent observations on Red Kites in the area in addition to those listed would be very welcome - information from Brian Etheridge the RSPB Red Kite Officer for the Highlands suggests that a number of Black Isle roosts have completely dispersed because of the bad weather and any records away from normal locations would be welcome. |
4th Jan 2010 | Eider | 23 in the Sound of Raasay (CHawley) | |
4th Jan 2010 | White-tailed Eagle |
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3 immature birds seen over Raasay one of which semed to have a satellite transmitter - this will probably be an east of Scotland release bird (CHawley) |
3rd Jan 2010 | Jack Snipe |
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single in a roadside drain at Lower Milovaig (AS) |
3rd Jan 2010 | Goosander |
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7 at Greshornish Point (CHawley) |
2nd Jan 2010 | Skylark |
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flock of c30 at Aird, Sleat (RMcM) |
2nd Jan 2010 | Peregrine |
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single over Lower Milovaig (AS) |
2nd Jan 2010 | Chiffchaff | wintering bird still present at Lower Milovaig, Glendale (AS) - amazing that it is surviving all the winter weather. | |
2nd Jan 2010 | Water Rail | one seen in the garden at Badicaul (Susan Smith) | |
2nd Jan 2010 | Common Crossbill |
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2 in Tote Forest (CHawley) |
1st Jan 2010 | Woodpigeon |
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flock of 75 at Armadale Castle woods - an unusually high count for Skye (RMcM) |
1st Jan 2010 | Goldfinch | c30 at Armadale Castle woods + 30 Siskin & c12 Redpolls (RMcM) | |
1st Jan 2010 | Water Rail | one unfortunately succumbed to a cat at Torrin (MMJohnson) | |
1st Jan 2010 | Reed Bunting |
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3 at Peinachorrain, Sleat (WM) |
1st Jan 2010 | Hen Harrier |
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male at Camas Beag, Earlish (Nick Hodgetts) |
1st Jan 2010 | Merlin |
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female at Meanish Pier, Glendale (AS) |