Skye Birds - A Birding Guide to the Isle of Skye

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 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	Details
30th Nov 2014	Hen Harrier	ringtail reported from Uigshader (JK) and adult male from Old Man of Storr
30th Nov 2014	Grey Wagtail	wintering bird at Camas Malag, Torrin (JJ)
29th Nov 2014	Goosander	8 at Drynoch River mouth & 9 at Ose River mouth (R.Arnold)
28th Nov 2014	Hen Harrier	ringtail at Portree (M.MacDonald)
27th Nov 2014	Lesser Black-backed Gull	still two on Sgeir Dubh, Sound of Raasay (PE)
27th Nov 2014	Purple Sandpiper	four on Sgeir Chnapach, Sound of Raasay (PE)
26th Nov 2014	Greenland White-fronted Goose	five over Lower Breakish (S.Bentall)
25th Nov 2014	Blackcap	more reports with pair at feeders Kyleakin (AH) & male at Staffin (MP)
25th Nov 2014	Jay	getting ever closer with report from Achintraid, Loch Kishorn (MP)
23rd Nov 2014	Blackcap	female at Miller's Cottage, Eigg (JC)
23rd Nov 2014	Merlin	single at Waterstein (AS)
22nd Nov 2014	Woodcock	single in Kyleakin Forest (A&EH)
22nd Nov 2014	Slavonian Grebe	5 on Loch nan Ceall, Arisaig (SMacD)
22nd Nov 2014	Brambling	single near Loch nan Eala, Arisaig (SMacD)
22nd Nov 2014	Greenland White-fronted Goose	five over Upper Breakish (S.Bentall)
21st Nov 2014	Firecrest	further report of bird at Totscore for the last week (B.Bailey)
21st Nov 2014	Grey Plover	single on Ardnish (EH)
20th Nov 2014	Moorhen	two, including a juvenile, at Loch Suardal (R.Arnold)
20th Nov 2014	Tawny Owl	a bird at Lower Milovaig is the 1st recent report from this area (AS)
20th Nov 2014	Barn Owl	single hunting all over Neist Point (AS)
19th Nov 2014	Glaucous Gull	1st winter bird in Mallaig Harbour + 38 Turnstone (SMacD)
18th Nov 2014	Glaucous Gull	1st winter bird in Kildonan Bay, Eigg (JC)
18th Nov 2014	Whooper Swan	9 in Loch Suardal (PS)
18th Nov 2014	Snow Bunting	5 near Loch Connan forestry (PE)
18th Nov 2014	Long-eared Owl	4 in forestry plantation on Eigg at dusk (JC)
17th Nov 2014	Firecrest	one reported with two Goldcrests at Totscore, Trotternish & remained throughout the day (A.Mason)
17th Nov 2014	Whooper Swan	4 at Lochlonghead (PS)
17th Nov 2014	Magpie	long staying bird now at Herbusta (N.Macleod)
17th Nov 2014	Long-tailed Duck	pair on the south side of Loch Kishorn (M.Bliss)
16th Nov 2014	Great Northern Diver	15 in Loch Scavaig at Camasunary (MK)
15th Nov 2014	Redwing	c35 in the Fairy Glen, Uig (A.Mason)
15th Nov 2014	Fieldfare	60+ at Beinn Tianavaig, with some Redwing (MK)
14th Nov 2014	Blackcap	males at Lower Milovaig (AS) and on feeders at Portnalong (W.Brown)
14th Nov 2014	Hen Harrier	several recent reports including two at Uigshader/Peiness (JK, CR), Elgol (MK), Ullinish (PS) & three at Trotternish roost (RMcM)
13th Nov 2014	Whooper Swan	7 on Loch Suardal, Dunvegan (A.Mason)
13th Nov 2014	Common Scoter	4 on Loch Dunvegan at Claigan (A.Mason)
12th Nov 2014	Mediterranean Gull	a single at the head of Loch Sligachan and two at Loch Portree (RMcM)
12th Nov 2014	Whooper Swan	11 on Loch nan Eala, Arisaig (SMacD) and 3 on Loch Fada(RMcM)
12th Nov 2014	Barnacle Goose	c90 on Staffin Island (RMcM)
12th Nov 2014	Greenland White-fronted Goose	only 16 in the Kilmuir, Trotternish flock (RMcM)
12th Nov 2014	Redwing	c60 at Borneskitaig, Trotternish(RMcM)
12th Nov 2014	Slavonian Grebe	7 at Loch nan Ceall, Arisaig (SMacD)
11th Nov 2014	Kestrel	good numbers about, reflecting a good vole year, with 8 between the Fairy Pool & Carbost (A.Mason)
11th Nov 2014	Short-eared Owl	three at Roag at dusk (M.Forsyth)
10th Nov 2014	Wigeon	50 Kirkton Bay (BN)
10th Nov 2014	Mediterranean Gull	still a single first winter bird at Loch Portree (TB)
10th Nov 2014	Common Gull	excellent count of 650 at Loch Portree & still three Lesser Black-backs (TB)
10th Nov 2014	Purple Sandpiper	single in the Sound of Raasay yesterday (T.Hodgetts) and one today on Sgeir Chnapach nr Holoman Bay (RMcM et al) - both from MV Brigadoon.
10th Nov 2014	Humpback Whale	still showing extremely well in the Sound of Raasay (PE et al from MV Brigadoon) (see Cetacean Gallery)
10th Nov 2014	Redwing	30 at Uig (A.Mason) & 25 at Glen Brittle (PS)
10th Nov 2014	Woodcock	single by the roadside near Kyle at dawn (D.Pierce)
10th Nov 2014	Jack Snipe	single at Kirkton Bay, Lochalsh (BN)
9th Nov 2014	Slavonian Grebe	single at Bagh an t-Srathaidh, Lochalsh (BN)
9th Nov 2014	Humpback Whale	still showing in the Sound of Raasay (RMcM), viewed from The Aird as well as from the shoulder of Ben Tianavaig (L&JP) (see Cetacean Gallery) + two Minke Whale
9th Nov 2014	Pomarine Skua	single harassing Kittiwakes in the Sound of Raasay (RMcM)
9th Nov 2014	Lesser Black-backed Gull	still four at Loch Sligachan (RMcM)
9th Nov 2014	Common Scoter	two off Kilmory, Rum (SM)
9th Nov 2014	Pink-footed Goose	5 at Totscore, Kilmuir (A.Mason)
9th Nov 2014	Slavonian Grebe	single at Port nan Eorna (BN)
8th Nov 2014	Brambling	single on feeders at Plockton (J.Storie)
8th Nov 2014	Jack Snipe	single on Glas Eilean, Broadford Bay + a nearby Knot (MB)
7th Nov 2014	Woodcock	three at Portnalong (ST); also three in the Milovaig area (AS)
7th Nov 2014	Iceland Gull	1st winter at Camus Mor, Gedintailor (AS)
6th Nov 2014	Barn Owl	single at Eynort (C.MacDonald)
6th Nov 2014	Snow Bunting	single also reported at Inverarish, Raasay (per SB)
5th Nov 2014	Wigeon	52 Balmacara Bay (BN)
5th Nov 2014	Snow Bunting	single at Staffin Slip (C.Alston)
4th Nov 2014	Pomarine Skua	4 off Waternish Point from the ferry (S.Duffield & 4+heading north in the Narrows of Raasay (D.Pullan)
4th Nov 2014	Iceland Gull	juvenile in Broadford Bay (S.Duffield)
4th Nov 2014	Mediterranean Gull	two in Broadford Bay (MB)
4th Nov 2014	Little Auk	3 heading north in the Narrows of Raasay (D.Pullan)
3rd Nov 2014	Waxwing	1st report of the autumn with 12 over Lower Milovaig (AS)
3rd Nov 2014	Redwing	40 at Home Farm, Portree (TB)
2nd Nov 2014	Mediterranean Gull	as well as single birds still in Broadford Bay and Loch Ainort, three 1st winter birds were found in Loch Sligachan and a further single in Loch Portree (MB,RMcM)(see Gallery)
2nd Nov 2014	Black-headed Gull	probably c1000 in number, combined totals from Lochs Portree, Sligachan & Ainort (MB,RMcM) ( a normal winter count from this area would be 50-100 birds)
2nd Nov 2014	Lesser Black-backed Gull	14 at Loch Sligachan & 12 at Loch Portree (MB,RMcM)
2nd Nov 2014	Common Scoter	5 in Broadford Bay (MB)
2nd Nov 2014	Whooper Swan	8 south through the Narrows of Raasay (P.Dark)
1st Nov 2014	Mediterranean Gull	another single at Waterloo, and a further sub-adult at the head of Loch Ainort (RMcM). Further 1st winter bird found on Rum which will be the first island record (S.Morris). This is a species which has been expanding its wintering range so the large numbers of gulls in the area are well worth picking through.
1st Nov 2014	Glaucous Gull	1st winter bird in Broadford Bay (MB)
1st Nov 2014	Goosander	8 Croe Saltings (BN)

Bird sightings on the Island of Skye and the neighbouring area

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