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 Oct 2012 Woodlark the Eigg bird is still present (JC) and being extremely obliging for a Skye visitor (see Gallery)
31st Oct 2012 Stock Dove single bird still present on Eigg (JC)
31st Oct 2012 Whooper Swan View Image 8 heading west down the sound of Sleat off Aird (RMcM)
31st Oct 2012 Pomarine Skua View Image dark morph bird seen from Mallaig-Eigg ferry (RMcM)
31st Oct 2012 Slavonian Grebe two off Ashaig (A&EH)
31st Oct 2012 Fieldfare View Image 150+ with Redwings at Auchmore (Jan Storie)
31st Oct 2012 Common Scoter 3 in Balmeanach Bay (WM)
31st Oct 2012 Great Northern Diver View Image 6 in Balmeanach Bay (WM)
30th Oct 2012 Hooded Crow the tame 'hoodie' at Struan may well have a history - a similar bird was in Portree Harbour and was thought to have been 'hand reared' in either Plockton or Sleat (Colin Alston)
30th Oct 2012 Common Scoter single female at new Raasay Pier (MPerry)
29th Oct 2012 Waxwing View Image first report of the autumn with a singles at Morar (SMacD)and on Eigg (perJC)
29th Oct 2012 Whooper Swan View Image 3 at Ashaig (P&RD)
29th Oct 2012 Snow Bunting View Image c20 on the shoulder of Blabheinn (J.Bowie)
28th Oct 2012 Hooded Crow for obvious reasons 'hoodies' are rather wary of humans but Malcolm Herbert from Amer, Struan has an exceptionally tame bird which is uninjured, is strong on the wing, and will even allow him to pick it up - see the Gallery for a picture of Malcolm and his 'bird'
28th Oct 2012 Jack Snipe View Image single on Ardnish (P.Phillips)
27th Oct 2012 Woodlark a rare find and the 2nd record for Eigg recently - at Kildonan (J.Chester)
27th Oct 2012 Stock Dove a single at Kildonan,the first record on Eigg since 2003 - two rarities on the one day - a great reward for the Eigg 'bird man' John Chester. (There is no record for Stock Dove on Skye)
27th Oct 2012 Fieldfare View Image another huge influx with c1500 at Holmisdale, Glendale (AS) - still big numbers at Torrin.
27th Oct 2012 Brambling View Image single female on feeders at Isleornsay with other finches (RC)
26th Oct 2012 Woodcock two in Glen Varrigal (C.Alston)
26th Oct 2012 Swallow late straggler at Morar flying around in sleet & snow showers (SMacD)
26th Oct 2012 Whooper Swan View Image 4 flying south/west at LochLonghead (PSpeak)
26th Oct 2012 Fieldfare View Image major movement through Torrin - c2000 birds including Redwing and a few Mistle Thrushes - gorging on rowan berries (RMcM)
25th Oct 2012 Fieldfare View Image c80 at Gedintailor, Braes included a few Redwings (C.Atkins)& c30 at Achnahinich and Achnandarach, Lochalsh (J.Storie), and 30 at Lephin, Glendale (AS)
25th Oct 2012 Whooper Swan View Image 3 flying over Achnahinich, Lochalsh (JStorie)
25th Oct 2012 Long-tailed Tit View Image flock of 24 at the old road Kyleakin (A&EH)
24th Oct 2012 Brambling View Image two males with Chaffinches at feeding station at Amer, Struan (MH)
24th Oct 2012 Raven 28+ roosting above Loch Beag, Struan (MH)
24th Oct 2012 Red Kite View Image a Black Isle reared Red Kite is presently on Skye in the Dunvegan area - tagged blue left wing and red right wing it is satellite tagged and called Ruaridh - it can be tracked at http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/tracking/tollieredkites/index.aspx - (Alison MacLennan, RSPB)
23rd Oct 2012 Snow Bunting View Image 6 on Dun Cann, Rassay (P.Phillips)
23rd Oct 2012 Red-throated Diver View Image 6 off Duntuilm Castle (A.McLean)
23rd Oct 2012 Minke Whale a late single in the Little Minch north of Waternish - scoped from Uig (A.McLean)
23rd Oct 2012 Goldeneye 3 in Loch Kishorn (RMcM)
23rd Oct 2012 Whooper Swan View Image 5 on Loch a Mhulinn, Applecross (RMcM)
23rd Oct 2012 Great Northern Diver View Image 27 between Camusteel and Callakille, Applecross (RMcM)and 4 in Loch Scavaig (J.Storie)
23rd Oct 2012 Black-throated Diver View Image 10 between Applecross Bay and Lonbain (RMcM)
22nd Oct 2012 Blackcap View Image male at Earlish (N.Hodgetts)
22nd Oct 2012 Long-tailed Tit View Image c10 on feeders at Caroy (MS)
22nd Oct 2012 Fieldfare View Image c25 on the summit of Garbh Bheinn (P.Phillips)
22nd Oct 2012 Fieldfare View Image 2-300 at Sallachy, Loch Long (P.Speak)
21st Oct 2012 Brambling View Image 3 in Glen Elchaig, Kintail (H&MS)
20th Oct 2012 Yellowhammer male back on bird table at Kyleakin (A&EH)
20th Oct 2012 Turnstone 32 in Broadford Bay (MB)
20th Oct 2012 Starling flock of 150 at Balmeanach, Braes (WM) - seem to be good sized flocks this year suggesting a good breeding season
20th Oct 2012 Long-tailed Tit View Image flock of 9 through garden at Ose (L.Millington)
20th Oct 2012 Barnacle Goose View Image first report of the autumn with 30 at Stenscholl, Staffin (C.MacLeod)
20th Oct 2012 Pink-footed Goose View Image single with 50 Greylags at Trumpan, Waternish (Andy McLean)
20th Oct 2012 Redwing View Image up to 100 at Breabost for several days(J.Nicholson)
19th Oct 2012 Whooper Swan View Image 15 east over Elgol (RMcM)
19th Oct 2012 Great Skua View Image single still at Rubha Hunish harassing Kittiwakes (ADimmick)
19th Oct 2012 Magpie the 'Uig' bird appears to have moved to Kilvaxter (ADimmick)
19th Oct 2012 Swallow two stragglers at Tarskavaig (J.Bentall)
19th Oct 2012 Snow Bunting View Image single female near the summit of The Storr (J.Nicholson)
19th Oct 2012 Whooper Swan View Image 7 east over Fanks, Edinbane (J.Nicholson)
18th Oct 2012 Long-tailed Duck View Image single male off Bernera Beach, Glenelg Bay (P.Jones)
18th Oct 2012 Grey Geese small skeins still moving east over Skye Bridge (Greylags or Pink-feet?)(A&EH)
18th Oct 2012 Fieldfare View Image two flocks of 40+ moving south, gorging on rowan berries at Amer, Struan (MH)
17th Oct 2012 White Wagtail View Image late single at Elgol (RMcM)
17th Oct 2012 Magpie still showing at Uig, outside the Ferry Inn (M.Lumb)
17th Oct 2012 Golden Plover 20 near Talisker Bay (J.Bentall) and 8 at Ardnish (RMcM)
17th Oct 2012 Goosander View Image 12 at the mouth of the Drynoch, mainly males (J.Bentall)
17th Oct 2012 Redwing View Image 'several hundred' at Isleornsay with a few Fieldfare (RC)
17th Oct 2012 Greenshank single north of Gairbh Eilean, Loch Dunvegan (J.Nicholson)
15th Oct 2012 Hen Harrier View Image recent reports include a male and female at Loch Duagrich (MH) and males at Loch Meodal (A.Lyle)and Eynort (S.Davies)
15th Oct 2012 White-tailed Eagle View Image widespread reports at the moment with juveniles at Ullinish and Dunan, a pair at Uigshader and an adult at Elgol. (PS,JK et al)
15th Oct 2012 Goosander View Image 10 at Loch Slapin (RMcM)
15th Oct 2012 Slavonian Grebe two at Ardnish (A&EH)
15th Oct 2012 Redwing View Image 8 near Loch Bracadale (C.Crowther) and overnight fall in south Skye though no big flocks + single Fieldfare at Aird (RMcM)
15th Oct 2012 Black-tailed Godwit View Image report of single at Loch Beag (C.Crowther)
14th Oct 2012 Common Scoter two in Loch Portree from MV Brigadoon (PE)
14th Oct 2012 Grey Plover View Image two on Ardnish (A&EH)
14th Oct 2012 Snow Bunting View Image 12 on the shore at Meanish Pier (AS)
14th Oct 2012 Woodcock first report of the autumn with a single at Lower Milovaig (AS)
14th Oct 2012 Goldcrest View Image two probable migrants at Lowe Milovaig(AS)
14th Oct 2012 Redwing View Image 50+ at Glen Brittle (S.Terry)
14th Oct 2012 Lapwing c15 on the beach at Loch Caroy (M.Sellors)
13th Oct 2012 Redwing View Image reports still scarce but 18 at Lephin, Glendale (AS)
13th Oct 2012 Yellowhammer a nice male on the Horner's bird table at Kyleakin (A&EH)which was obviously doing the rounds as it later visited the Scott's (H&MS) (see Gallery)
12th Oct 2012 Wheatear View Image late straggler at Balmeanach Bay (WM)
11th Oct 2012 Whooper Swan View Image family group of 5 still at Loch Suardal, Dunvegan & 3 on Loch Fada yesterday (RMcM)
11th Oct 2012 Moorhen two juveniles on Loch Suardal, Dunvegan(RMcM)
10th Oct 2012 Orca a small pod of at least 5 Killer Whales including 2 bulls, moving west near An t-Iasgair, Lub Score at 1300 (RMcM)
10th Oct 2012 Eider c95 off Sconser Quarry (RMcM)
10th Oct 2012 Bar-tailed Godwit View Image 19 In Loch Portree + 14 Redshank(RMcM)
10th Oct 2012 Great Northern Diver View Image 7 in Camas Mor, Bornesketaig & 4 Red-throats(RMcM)
10th Oct 2012 Greenland White-fronted Goose early arrival of wintering flock with 24 at Kilmuir, only one of which was juvenile (RMcM)
10th Oct 2012 Goldfinch c50 at Kilvaxter(RMcM)
10th Oct 2012 Slavonian Grebe two at Luib na Moil(RMcM)
9th Oct 2012 Hen Harrier View Image recent reports of males from Coillore (PE), Elgol (DW) and Ullinish (PS)
7th Oct 2012 Black-throated Diver View Image 6 in Kilmarie Bay, Loch Slapin + a Great Northern Diver (RMcM)
7th Oct 2012 Goldfinch flock of 30+ at Earlish (L.Murdoch)
7th Oct 2012 Whooper Swan View Image herd of 9 on Loch Druagrich and 13 over Garalpin (MH)
7th Oct 2012 Grey Wagtail View Image still a scarce bird on the island - recent reports include 2 on the Broadford River (PE) and a single at Ord (S.Arnold)
5th Oct 2012 Whooper Swan View Image 5 on Loch Suardal - pair with 3 cygnets (RW)
4th Oct 2012 Fieldfare View Image 12 at Amer, Struan (MH)
4th Oct 2012 Twite View Image still small flocks about with 4 on Beinn Dearg Mhor and another 2 on Bealach na Sgairde (J.Grant)
3rd Oct 2012 Whooper Swan View Image 14 now in Loch Portree (PE)
2nd Oct 2012 Brent Goose View Image still a single in Broadford Bay + a Knot and 45 Ringed Plover (MB)
1st Oct 2012 Wheatear View Image still two at Staffin Slip (SP)
1st Oct 2012 Whooper Swan View Image c15 in Staffin Bay (SP) & 14 in Loch Mealt (JMcL) - same birds?
1st Oct 2012 Wheatear View Image still two at Staffin Slip (SP)

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