Skye Birds - A Birding Guide to the Isle of Skye
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Bird sightings on the Island of Skye and the neighbouring area

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 Peter Stronach (  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
31st Jul 2012 Golden Plover c40 on route to Bruach na Frithe (J.Phillips)
30th Jul 2012 Hen Harrier View Image male reported from Ullinish (PE)
29th Jul 2012 Sabine's Gull a search for yesterday's two birds this morning was negative but MB found a 'new' adult this afternoon.
29th Jul 2012 Kittiwake 500+ birds in Broadford Bay with 50+ Black-headed Gulls - including this year's young of both species. (MB)
29th Jul 2012 Arctic Skua View Image 5 in Broadford Bay, 3 dark and 2 light phase, obviously attracted by the Kittiwake (MB)
29th Jul 2012 Hen Harrier View Image report of a male at Breakish (P.Phillips) & a Peregrine over Ardnish (MB,RMcM)
28th Jul 2012 Sabine's Gull two adults along with 400+ Kittiwake in Broadford Bay (MB,RMcM)
28th Jul 2012 Whimbrel View Image c36 in Broadford Bay (MB)
28th Jul 2012 Stonechat View Image 3 territories on a HBRG visit to Crowlins - Grasshopper Warbler and Bullfinch also recorded bringing total species on two visits to 28 (see Brian Neath's blog of June visit)
27th Jul 2012 Manx Shearwater View Image c200 just off Elgol Jetty + two Great Skua (A.Mathewson)
27th Jul 2012 Knot excellent count of 33 in Staffin Bay (MP)
27th Jul 2012 Red-throated Diver View Image 5 in Staffin Bay included juveniles (MP)
26th Jul 2012 Common Whitethroat View Image recent reports include singles at Kyleakin Obbe on the 25th (K.McAskill)and Treaslane Woods to-day (DFMacdonald)
25th Jul 2012 Kestrel though several reports recently, very little on breeding success so brood of three on the wing at Glasnakille worth noting (RMcM)(see Gallery)
25th Jul 2012 Spotted Flycatcher View Image pair feeding young on The Obbe, Kyleakin (K.McAskill)
25th Jul 2012 Red Grouse pair with brood of 6 near Healaval Mhor, Dunvegan (N.Bird)
24th Jul 2012 Arctic Skua View Image 4 in outer Loch Portree, 3 light and 1 dark morph (PE)
24th Jul 2012 Sanderling View Image 18 in Broadford Bay (MB)
23rd Jul 2012 Sandwich Tern View Image at least 4 in Broadford Bay (MB,RMcM)
23rd Jul 2012 Manx Shearwater View Image c20 heading south in Narrows of Raasay (WM)and c200 feeding in Broadford Bay in early evening (MB)
22nd Jul 2012 Sanderling View Image 12 at Harrapool(MB)
22nd Jul 2012 Osprey View Image single battling aginst the elements at Lochlonghead (PS)
22nd Jul 2012 Dunlin View Image 132 at Harrapool + 57 Redshank, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit and a Knot (MB)
22nd Jul 2012 Black-tailed Godwit View Image single in summer plumage at Waterloo (RMcM)
21st Jul 2012 Hen Harrier View Image ringtail reported from Kirkibost, Strathaird may have been a juvenile (J.Storie)
20th Jul 2012 Spotted Flycatcher View Image pair in grounds of Hamara Lodge, Glendale (N.Bird)
19th Jul 2012 Hen Harrier View Image a poor year for breeding birds with numbers well down (see Blog)
19th Jul 2012 Whooper Swan View Image summering bird still around and back on Loch Druagrich (M.Herbert)
18th Jul 2012 Merlin View Image adult female and 3+ fledged young in Choisleadar Forest, Edinbane (RMcM) (see Gallery)
18th Jul 2012 Sanderling View Image now 14 at Ashaig + 7 Turnstone (A&EH)(see Gallery)
18th Jul 2012 Oystercatcher numbers building up with 100+ at Ashaig (A&EH) and 128 at Broadford later in the day (MB)
18th Jul 2012 Black-tailed Godwit View Image single in Broadford Bay + 7 Bar-tailed (MB)
18th Jul 2012 Grasshopper Warbler single still reeling in Choisleadar Forest (RMcM)
18th Jul 2012 Greenshank family group of 5 at Loch Beag, Struan (RMcM)
17th Jul 2012 Puffin up to 100 birds currently feeding off Rubha Hunish (RMcM) (see Gallery)
17th Jul 2012 Manx Shearwater View Image huge numbers off the north of Skye with 2000+ off Rubha nam Brathairean, and 500 per hour west at Rubha Hunish (RMcM)
17th Jul 2012 Great Northern Diver View Image single off Rubha nam Brathairean (RMcM)
17th Jul 2012 Minke Whale single off Rubha nam Brathairean, and at least 4 off Rubha Hunish (RMcM)(see Gallery)
15th Jul 2012 Sanderling View Image 3 on the beach at Ashaig, Broadford (A&EH)
15th Jul 2012 Sooty Shearwater View Image single south in Staffin Bay (N.Davies, Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Cruises) + yesterday's Sabines Gull still in the same area off Kilt Rock.
14th Jul 2012 Whimbrel View Image 4 in Broadford Bay + 48 Curlew (MB)
14th Jul 2012 Sabine's Gull adult at sea 2 miles east of Kilt Rock (Nick Davies, Hebridean Whale Cruises, Gairloch)(see Gallery)
13th Jul 2012 Gannet c80 from the Mallaig-Armadale ferry + Common Dolphins (JG)
12th Jul 2012 Glaucous Gull View Image report of a single amongst Black-backs at Loch Beag, Struan. (MH)
12th Jul 2012 Ring Ouzel View Image alarming bird on Beinn na Caillich (P.Knott)
11th Jul 2012 Ring Ouzel View Image juvenile alarming at The Storr (JGrant)
11th Jul 2012 Lapwing 28 at Suardal, Strathaird, included many juveniles (RMcM)
11th Jul 2012 Whimbrel View Image single at Knock Bay, Sleat (J.Grant)
11th Jul 2012 Greenshank adult and two fledged young at Loch Meodal (RMcM) and family group at Knock Bay, Sleat (J.Grant)
10th Jul 2012 Arctic Skua View Image single from 'Brigadoon' in Loch Portree (PE)
9th Jul 2012 Rose-coloured Starling report of what appears to be an adult Rosy Starling feeding in gardens in Kyle over the last few days - to be followed up.
9th Jul 2012 Sedge Warbler View Image singing bird near Trumpan Church and another feeding young in an adjacent territory (P.Knott)
9th Jul 2012 Whinchat View Image adult feeding two fledged chicks near Trumpan Church (P.Knott)
9th Jul 2012 Arctic Skua View Image single at Waternish Point, c350 Kittiwake offshore & heavy passage of Manx Shearwater (P.Knott)
9th Jul 2012 Black Guillemot View Image 30 on the cliffs at Ardmore, Waternish & 10 occupied Shag nests (P.Knott)
8th Jul 2012 Short-eared Owl View Image several pairs thought to be breeding on Skye though proof of breeding difficult to establish (RMcM) - a report from Sanday, Canna is unusual (G.Uney)
7th Jul 2012 Great Northern Diver View Image summering juvenile in Kilmarie Bay, Loch Slapin (RMcM)
7th Jul 2012 Merlin View Image report of a single near Rigg, Staffin (GJ)
6th Jul 2012 Common Crossbill View Image c15 in Choisleadar Forest (RMcM)
6th Jul 2012 Cuckoo had an email about a week ago reporting a late cuckoo calling - there was one to-day at Greshornish - maybe more difficult to get the last call rather than the first call! ...and still calling in Glendale (AS).....and at Earlish (NH)
6th Jul 2012 Common Sandpiper View Image c10 at the head of Loch Slapin + 3 Greenshank (RMcM)
5th Jul 2012 Bar-tailed Godwit View Image 15 at Glas Eilean, Broadford (A&EH)
5th Jul 2012 Curlew 66 at high tide roost Broadford Bay + a single Whimbrel (J.Martin)
4th Jul 2012 Red-throated Diver View Image 6 in Uig Bay (M.Lumb)
4th Jul 2012 Curlew 52 in Broadford Bay + 8 Bar-tailed Godwit (MB)
4th Jul 2012 Common Scoter still male in Uig Bay (MLumb) & single in Broadford Bay (MB)
4th Jul 2012 Eider moulting flock at Loch Ainort now 115 with 95% drakes ((J.Martin)
3rd Jul 2012 Lapwing conspicuous by their absence with only 3 on Ardnish (A&EH) - however 3 young have fledged at Elgol (RMcM)
2nd Jul 2012 Common Scoter Male in Uig Bay (M.Lumb) & pair still in Loch Portree (PE)
2nd Jul 2012 Ring Ouzel View Image territorial type behaviour by two birds on the Storr and at the Quirang (JGrant). Juvenile also reported at the Storr by J.Martin.
2nd Jul 2012 Common Crossbill View Image c10 in forest at the Storr (J.Martin)
1st Jul 2012 Starling 150+ including juveniles roosting at Ullinish (GL)- also 70 in a garden at Achachork (CL) - all this would point to a good breeding season.
1st Jul 2012 Pomarine Skua View Image Two heading north at Knock Bay, Sleat. (S.Dawber)
1st Jul 2012 Whooper Swan View Image a single (presumably the same bird)back on Loch Duagrich (M.Herbert)

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