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 Jul 2017 | Black-throated Diver |
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three non-breeding birds on a Sleat loch (J.Cuthbert) |
31st Jul 2017 | Great Northern Diver |
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summer plumage bird in Staffin Bay (DB) |
31st Jul 2017 | Orca | distant view of bull Orca, possibly John Coe, steaming north passed Flodigarry Island (DB) | |
30th Jul 2017 | Sanderling |
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9 at Broadford Bay (RMcM) and 6 at Traigh (SMacD); two at Staffin Bay (MP) |
30th Jul 2017 | Whimbrel |
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4 at Broadford and 2 Knot (RMcM) |
30th Jul 2017 | Black-tailed Godwit |
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two at Traigh (SMacD) |
29th Jul 2017 | Black-tailed Godwit |
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still 8 on Ardnish, Broadford (RMcM) |
29th Jul 2017 | Little Grebe |
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pair with two young on Loch Fada (DB) |
29th Jul 2017 | Knot | single at Traigh (SMacD) | |
29th Jul 2017 | Swift | two along the cliff face near Kilmaluag (SP) | |
28th Jul 2017 | Knot | 95 at Broadford Bay is an exceptional count (MB, RMcM) | |
28th Jul 2017 | Black-tailed Godwit |
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still 8 at Broadford Bay, (MB,RMcM); 13 at Breakish Obbe in late evening (NH) |
28th Jul 2017 | Sandwich Tern |
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single in Broadford Bay + large flock of c300 Arctic and Common Terns many with young (MB, RMcM) |
28th Jul 2017 | Swift | single at Ellishadder (DB) | |
28th Jul 2017 | Bar-tailed Godwit |
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two in Broadford Bay + 60 Redshank (MB, RMcM) |
27th Jul 2017 | Black-tailed Godwit |
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19 at Broadford Bay in morning + two Knot (RMcM) |
27th Jul 2017 | Arctic Tern |
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18 in Broadford Bay including some recently fledged young (RMcM) |
27th Jul 2017 | Kittiwake | Canna Kittiwake count highest since 2004 & breeding output above average. Contrasting with lowest ever Fulmar count & poor breeding success.(R.Swann) | |
26th Jul 2017 | Grasshopper Warbler | still reeling birds at Kyleakin (NH) and Breabost (SP) | |
25th Jul 2017 | Eider | Moulting flock of 350 at Loch Ainort - also 50 Red-breasted Mergansers (NB) | |
25th Jul 2017 | Greenshank | two at Kildonan, Eigg (JC) | |
25th Jul 2017 | Sanderling |
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single in Broadford Bay (MB) |
24th Jul 2017 | Arctic Tern |
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24 at Loch Eishort Heaste and 4 Common Tern (NB) |
24th Jul 2017 | Greenshank | seven in Broadford Bay + 56 Curlew and 24 Redshank (R.Robb) | |
24th Jul 2017 | Arctic Skua |
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pale phase bird off Neist Point (K.Roy) |
23rd Jul 2017 | Cuckoo | Fledgling being fed by pipit in Ord recently (S.Arnold) | |
23rd Jul 2017 | Turnstone | 5 in Broadford Bay (MB) | |
23rd Jul 2017 | Magpie | north end bird still present at Ellishadder (DB) | |
23rd Jul 2017 | Great Skua |
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single flew inland over Uig Hotel (SG) |
23rd Jul 2017 | Common Crossbill |
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adult male found dead below Turbine No 6, Edinbane (G.Jones) on 17th |
22nd Jul 2017 | Swift | two at Harrapool (NB) | |
21st Jul 2017 | Whimbrel |
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single over Loch Scresort, Rum (SM) |
21st Jul 2017 | Merlin |
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male at Waterloo (EH) |
21st Jul 2017 | Swift | two over Drumfearn, Sleat (PK) | |
20th Jul 2017 | Long-eared Owl |
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single reported on the A87 at Borve (SG) |
20th Jul 2017 | St Kilda | forecast on Saturday 22nd good and availability for St Kilda out of Uig....contact http://www.gotostkilda.co.uk for details | |
19th Jul 2017 | Grasshopper Warbler | reeling bird still at Scullamus, Broadford (RMcM) & one at Conordon, Braes yesterday (NB) | |
19th Jul 2017 | Swift | more reports with two on the Heaste Road, Broadford (NB); singles at Harrapool (PO-W) , Staffin (MP) and Lephin, Glendale (AS); single also recorded on Muck (J.Poyner) | |
19th Jul 2017 | Whimbrel |
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9 reported at Portree (O.Poisson) |
19th Jul 2017 | Common Redpoll | no further details but 5 recorded on Muck (J.Poyner) | |
18th Jul 2017 | Hen Harrier |
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new territory discovered on a west Skye island and probably three young fledged successfully - an interesting strategy perhaps to avoid foxes !! |
18th Jul 2017 | Black-tailed Godwit |
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two in Breakish Obbe and three Greenshank (NH) |
18th Jul 2017 | Swift | on Waternish, two reported at Hallin Park (J.Hawell) then excellent count of c30 at Trumpan (SP) | |
17th Jul 2017 | Siskin | up to 20 birds have died around garden at Kensaleyre in recent weeks (Tom Smit) - has anyone else experienced similar problems? | |
17th Jul 2017 | Eider | count of 330 in moulting flock at Loch Ainort (NB) | |
17th Jul 2017 | Red-breasted Merganser |
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count of 33 in moulting flock at Loch Ainort (NB) |
16th Jul 2017 | Black-tailed Godwit |
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still six in Broadford Bay at Harrapool (NB) (see Gallery) - with only two later |
16th Jul 2017 | Sanderling |
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single with Dunlin in Broadford Bay (MB) |
16th Jul 2017 | Eider | c200 in eclipse flock at Loch Ainort (O.Poisson) | |
15th Jul 2017 | Black-tailed Godwit |
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4 at Waterloo, Broadford Bay early afternoon (RMcM) and six later (NB) |
15th Jul 2017 | Bar-tailed Godwit |
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three at Loch Portree and two at Waterloo, Broadford Bay (RMcM) |
15th Jul 2017 | Redshank | up to 80 in Broadford Bay and 110 Dunlin (MB) | |
15th Jul 2017 | Whimbrel |
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two over Broadford Bay (MB) |
14th Jul 2017 | Dunlin |
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23 in Breakish Obbe in the morning (NH) and 95 at Waterloo in the evening (RMcM) |
14th Jul 2017 | Black-tailed Godwit |
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26 at Breakish Obbe (NH) and 18 at Waterloo (RMcM) in early evening |
14th Jul 2017 | Sanderling |
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two at Waterloo (RMcM) in early evening + two Bar-tailed Godwit |
13th Jul 2017 | Grasshopper Warbler | reeling bird still at Scullamus, Broadford (RMcM) | |
13th Jul 2017 | Pine Marten | see the Gallery (Other Wildlife) for a super image from Roger Cottis of a Pine Marten squeezing out of a garage roof space in Sleat | |
13th Jul 2017 | Sand Martin |
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three pairs in roadside bank at Heribusta, Kilmuir (A.O'Grady) |
11th Jul 2017 | Rose-coloured Starling | very elusive but seen again in a Harrapool garden (per MB) | |
10th Jul 2017 | Wigeon | flock of c50 high over Broadford and flew south towards Sound of Sleat (RMcM) | |
10th Jul 2017 | Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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juvenile visiting feeders at Kyleakin (A&EH) |
10th Jul 2017 | Corncrake |
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bird with a chick noted at a Trotternish site (AB) |
9th Jul 2017 | Redshank | c150 at high tide Loch Portree (RMcM) and 24 at Broadford Bay (MB) are probably early returning Icelandic birds | |
9th Jul 2017 | Dunlin |
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54 in Broadford Bay (MB) - another indicator that waders are on the move |
9th Jul 2017 | Black-throated Diver |
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two in summer plumage Talisker Bay (G.Masters) |
8th Jul 2017 | Common Guillemot |
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Bob Swann reports having caught two guillemots ringed as chicks on Canna in 1978; 9 days and 13 days short of their 39th birthdays - new UK longevity record |
8th Jul 2017 | Bar-tailed Godwit |
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two, including an adult in breeding plumage at Loch Portree (NB) |
8th Jul 2017 | Greenshank | good post-breeding count of 13 at Loch Portree (NB) | |
8th Jul 2017 | Rose-coloured Starling | still present but elusive and often in gardens on its own - seen in garden Harrapool | |
7th Jul 2017 | Spotted Flycatcher |
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report from Glen Conan, Uig (AB) and fledged brood of 4 at Scullamus (RMcM) (see Gallery) |
7th Jul 2017 | Sandwich Tern |
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11 in Broadford Bay (NB) |
7th Jul 2017 | Bar-tailed Godwit |
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two at Broadford Bay (RMcM) |
6th Jul 2017 | Woodcock | reports of up to three roding birds in Kilmarie, Strathaird recently (IR) | |
6th Jul 2017 | Highland Bird Report 2015 | please see the Blog for details of the report now available at £9 | |
6th Jul 2017 | Collared Dove | interesting leucistic bird at Kinloch campsite, Dunvegan (M.Cullen) (see Gallery) | |
6th Jul 2017 | Rose-coloured Starling | present again at Harrapool at 1410 (John Fraser) and again at 1810 (NB) (see Gallery) | |
6th Jul 2017 | Swift | in afternoon two over Broadford (NB) | |
6th Jul 2017 | Sandwich Tern |
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16 in Broadford Bay (MB) |
6th Jul 2017 | Common Scoter | seven in Broadford Bay (NB) | |
6th Jul 2017 | Yellowhammer | juvenile visiting feeders at Plockton (JS) | |
5th Jul 2017 | Cuckoo | young bird being fed by Meadow Pipit in our garden at Scullamus, Broadford (RMcM) (see Gallery) | |
5th Jul 2017 | Eider | moulting flock of 270+ now at Loch Ainort (NB) | |
5th Jul 2017 | Tufted Duck |
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away from Trotternish this is a scarce breeding bird so female with 6 ducklings on Loch Cillchroisd is a good record (RMcM) |
5th Jul 2017 | Great Skua |
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pair holding territory on Isay (SB) and 3-4 pairs on Wiay (NR) |
5th Jul 2017 | Rose-coloured Starling | re-found by Malcolm Smith at Harrapool and roosted with other Starlings in sycamore beside Hebridean Hotel (see Gallery) | |
4th Jul 2017 | Rose-coloured Starling | unfortunately no reports of the bird today - further report yesterday that an adult bird was seen at Swordale, Strath on June 30 which may be the same bird seen in Harrapool | |
4th Jul 2017 | Arctic Skua |
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two off Neist Point (G.Masters) |
3rd Jul 2017 | Rose-coloured Starling | nice adult bird at Harrapool with small group of Common Starlings (NB) (see Gallery) | |
3rd Jul 2017 | Hen Harrier |
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a single Young has already fledged at one site, and still at least 5 active territories in Skye and Lochalsh with another possible territory to be followed up (RMcM) |
3rd Jul 2017 | Cuckoo | recently fledged bird being fed by a Meadow Pipit in my garden at Sculamus (RMcM) | |
3rd Jul 2017 | Quail | one flushed from hedgerow between Hallin and Geary, Waternish (G.Masters) | |
2nd Jul 2017 | Long-tailed Tit |
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flock of 30+ at Harrapool (FO-W) |
2nd Jul 2017 | Common Scoter | flock of 35+ in Broadford Bay, all males (MB) | |
2nd Jul 2017 | Blackcap |
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male carrying food in Portree garden (NB) |
1st Jul 2017 | Heron | caught on camera trap at Ullinish eating a vole (PS) |