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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28th Jun 2013 | White-tailed Eagle |
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amazing count of 11, mostly juveniles and sub-adults, on carrion near Glenmore (AMcL) |
28th Jun 2013 | Arctic Skua |
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3 heading north in short seawatch at Neist Point (AH) |
28th Jun 2013 | Common Scoter | two groups in Broadford Bay totalling 35 - 19 males in one group and 12 males and 4 females in another. Such summer counts are extremely unusual especially of males (MB) | |
28th Jun 2013 | Great Northern Diver |
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single at Loch Pooltiel (AH) |
27th Jun 2013 | Long-tailed Tit |
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probable family group of 10 at Inverinate (D.MacIntosh) |
27th Jun 2013 | Common Scoter | two pairs in Broadford Bay (MB) | |
27th Jun 2013 | Great Northern Diver |
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3 in Loch Slapin and 2 in Broadford Bay (AH) |
27th Jun 2013 | Black-throated Diver |
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single adult in Broadford Bay (AH) |
26th Jun 2013 | Marsh Warbler | still singing at site at Uig (RMcM) | |
26th Jun 2013 | Osprey |
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single over Loch Snizort Beag (G.Ferguson) |
26th Jun 2013 | Manx Shearwater |
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1000 off Neist Point (A.McLean) |
25th Jun 2013 | Chiffchaff | newly arrived bird singing at Hallin, Waternish (AM) | |
24th Jun 2013 | Common Crossbill |
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juvenile female reported from Tarskavaig in Sleat. This bird had been on peanut feeders which is extremely unusual. (P&V Piddock) |
24th Jun 2013 | Grey Wagtail |
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few reports recently but single at Armadale Castle today (TH); pair recently nest prospecting Kilmarie, Loch Slapin (RMcM), and pair with fledged young Portree (TB) |
23rd Jun 2013 | Barn Owl |
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single reported from Glen Varrigal (DU) |
23rd Jun 2013 | Tufted Duck |
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count of 17 on Loch Mealt (AH) |
23rd Jun 2013 | Greylag Goose |
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count of 30 including goslings at Staffin Island (AH) |
23rd Jun 2013 | Whimbrel |
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a possible pair noted Staffin Island with some display (AH) |
21st Jun 2013 | Manx Shearwater |
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6-700 reported in Sound of Sleat off Ardvarsar (S.Wells) |
21st Jun 2013 | Black Kite | bird reported from Bernisdale early evening moving north (AH,SH) - subject to acceptance, this would be the 2nd record for Skye and Lochalsh. | |
21st Jun 2013 | Common Scoter | 8+ in the Sound of Raasay (PE) | |
21st Jun 2013 | Little Gull |
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adult coming in off the sea at Loch Eynort (G.Masters) |
21st Jun 2013 | Whinchat |
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3 pairs at Bernisdale (AH) - pairs also found earlier at Harlosh and Balmore. |
21st Jun 2013 | Greenshank | nest with 3 young at Bernisdale (AH) | |
20th Jun 2013 | Common Crossbill |
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14 at Greshornish Forest (AH) |
19th Jun 2013 | Bullfinch | now a pair visiting feeders at Morar (SMacD) - would be interested of any other reports of Bullfinch visiting feeders in the area | |
19th Jun 2013 | Common Crossbill |
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5 at Aird of Sleat (AH) |
19th Jun 2013 | Tree Pipit |
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one singing Tormore Forest, Aird of Sleat (AH) |
18th Jun 2013 | Cuckoo | Karma has moved to Deeside see - http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking/karma | |
18th Jun 2013 | Common Scoter | 8 new birds (4 pairs) in Broadford Bay (MB) | |
18th Jun 2013 | Sandwich Tern |
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3 in Broadford Bay (MB) |
18th Jun 2013 | Long-eared Owl |
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one long dead at Cuidrach, Trotternish (AH) |
18th Jun 2013 | Lapwing | 4 pairs with young at Cuidrach, and a pair with young at Kingsburgh, Trotternish (AH) | |
18th Jun 2013 | Swift | single at Uig (AH) | |
17th Jun 2013 | Marsh Warbler | singing bird located at Uig last night (per Birdguides) still present this afternoon (RMcM) | |
17th Jun 2013 | Redstart | male at Gleann Bheag, Glenelg - also Spotted Flycatcher (MP) | |
17th Jun 2013 | Common Scoter | unusual summer count of 21 in Broadford Bay (MB) | |
17th Jun 2013 | Whimbrel |
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late straggler in Broadford Bay (MB) |
17th Jun 2013 | Osprey |
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single bird seen flying west near Roag (A.Harris) |
17th Jun 2013 | Pomarine Skua |
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single between Arisaig and Eigg - seen from MV Sheerwater (R.Dyer) |
17th Jun 2013 | Grasshopper Warbler | pair feeding young at Greshornish (AH) | |
16th Jun 2013 | Swift | two drifting north at Lower Milovaig (AS) | |
16th Jun 2013 | House Martin |
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newly arrived pair nest building at Upper Milovaig (AS) |
16th Jun 2013 | Orca | pod of 4 seen off Neist Point (Keith & Sue Brown et al) - see http://www.whaledolphintrust.co.uk/news_article.asp?news_id=342 | |
16th Jun 2013 | Black Guillemot |
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count of 60 at Neist Point (AH) |
15th Jun 2013 | Rosy Starling | unconfirmed report of adult bird on feeders at Erbusaig (per BN) | |
14th Jun 2013 | Goosander |
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8 in Loch Sligachan (RMcM) |
14th Jun 2013 | Arctic Tern |
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36 over Sula Skerry, Ullinish (A.McLean) |
12th Jun 2013 | Cuckoo | see the Blog - and for details of the movements of the 4 satellite tagged birds from Skye and Lochalsh, 'Waller', 'Livingstone', 'Karma' and '128303', - visit http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking | |
12th Jun 2013 | Great Northern Diver |
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stragglers in Loch Bracadale off Ullinish (D.Bradshaw)and at Meanish Pier (A.McLean) |
12th Jun 2013 | Great Skua |
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a pair at the mouth of Loch Brittle (J.Lees) and two at Glasnakille (MK) |
11th Jun 2013 | Whooper Swan |
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single summering at Loch Suardal (P.Semler) |
11th Jun 2013 | Ring Ouzel |
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possibly up to 4 birds in the Quirang area (S.Allen) |
11th Jun 2013 | Whimbrel |
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still stragglers going through with two in Broadford Bay (MB) |
11th Jun 2013 | Bullfinch | male feeding on niger seed on bird table at Morar (SMacD) | |
11th Jun 2013 | Great Northern Diver |
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late single on Loch Slapin at Camas Malag (C.Scott) |
11th Jun 2013 | Common Crossbill |
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three at Isleornsay (D.Bradshaw) |
10th Jun 2013 | Puffin | c120 counted at the colony on Eilean Creagach on the Ascribs (RMcM et al)(see Gallery) | |
10th Jun 2013 | Greylag Goose |
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on Ascribs, count of moulting and breeding birds including several groups of goslings totalled c150 (RMcM et al) |
9th Jun 2013 | Common Scoter | pair in Broadford Bay since yesterday (MB); and 7 in Staffin Bay (MP) | |
9th Jun 2013 | Sanderling |
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single in summer plumage in Staffin Bay (MP) |
9th Jun 2013 | Great Skua |
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c10 counted in a relatively small area of the Sound of Raasay (PE from MV Brigadoon) |
7th Jun 2013 | Common Redpoll | two pairs reported from Sconser (H.Insley) | |
7th Jun 2013 | Common Whitethroat |
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a bird singing at a regular Elgol site is thought to be newly arrived indicating some migrants are still coming in (RMcM) |
7th Jun 2013 | White-tailed Eagle |
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a count of 9 juvenile and sub-adult birds bathing and preening on the shore of a freshwater loch in central Skye is extremely unusual |
7th Jun 2013 | Storm Petrel | several between Arisaig and Eigg - seen from MV Sheerwater (R.Dyer) | |
6th Jun 2013 | Sandwich Tern |
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3 at Camus a Mhor, Braes (WM) |
5th Jun 2013 | Brent Goose |
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very late straggler at Traigh, Morar (SMacD) |
5th Jun 2013 | Sanderling |
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3 at Traigh, Morar & 13 Dunlin (SMacD) |
5th Jun 2013 | Whinchat |
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single on the Marble Line near Broadford (PK) |
4th Jun 2013 | Ring Ouzel |
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report of a single on Healabhal Mhor, Dunvegan (M.Forsyth) |
3rd Jun 2013 | Cuckoo | please see the blog for some results in the BTO satellite tagging project which recently captured birds in Skye and Lochalsh - details should be available on the BTO website in 2/3 days. | |
3rd Jun 2013 | Fieldfare |
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single reported from Kylerhea which is very late (SH) |
2nd Jun 2013 | Common Crossbill |
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group of 5/6 in Choisleadar Forest (RMcM) |
2nd Jun 2013 | Magpie | still in the Uig area with a report from Glen Conan (D.Emerson) | |
1st Jun 2013 | Lesser Whitethroat |
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single reported singing at Loch Suardal, Dunvegan (AM) |
1st Jun 2013 | Whooper Swan |
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still a single at Loch Suardal, Dunvegan (AM) |
1st Jun 2013 | Arctic Tern |
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24 birds in colony north of Dunvegan Castle, smaller than last year (AM) - colony at Armadale also thought to be smaller than previous years (A&EH) |
1st Jun 2013 | Canada Goose |
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two at Ardnish (A&EH) |