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 May 2018 Osprey View Image bird reported fishing the Storr lochs (D.Urquhart)
31st May 2018 Dunlin View Image nest found on Rum which is possibly the first breeding record on the island (SM) (see Gallery)
31st May 2018 Short-eared Owl View Image pair present in the Strath, Broadford, area (IR)
30th May 2018 Rosy Starling single seen flying from Glen Conon over Uig towards Idrigill this morning (AB) - this may be the bird which was at Geary recently
30th May 2018 Ring Ouzel View Image four noted on a walk on the Quirang including a female feeding young (B.Lawrie)
30th May 2018 Woodcock single noted at Drumfearn (Ludwig) - breeding records on Skye are scarce
29th May 2018 Yellowhammer calling bird at Lower Breakish (NH)
29th May 2018 Garden Warbler singing bird at Ord (RMcM)
29th May 2018 Rosy Starling late information that bird was at Geary between 16-22 May (L.Frost) (see Gallery) - might be the same bird seen earlier at Strath
29th May 2018 Osprey View Image single bird in Glen Drynoch today mobbing Golden Eagles then seen later heading inland at Gesto (A.McLean)
28th May 2018 Whooper Swan View Image straggler in Uig Bay (SG)
27th May 2018 Rosy Starling there is a major irruption of this species on the continent at the moment with some already reaching UK - unconfirmed report of a bird on Waternish
27th May 2018 Nuthatch though the exact location is being withheld meantime there is a breeding pair of Nuthatch on the mainland which are presently feeding young
26th May 2018 Gannet one grounded at Allt an Subh, Sallachy (PS)
25th May 2018 Shetland see the Blog for details of a recent Shetland trip
25th May 2018 Long-tailed Skua four reported from Waternish Point (B.Lawrie)
25th May 2018 Little Grebe View Image single on Giants Footprint lochan on Eigg is only the 4th record for the island and the first since 2011 (JC)
25th May 2018 Long-eared Owl View Image pair with two well grown young near Dunvegan (R.Milne)
23rd May 2018 Whimbrel View Image with the high pressure system over us most migrant waders are pushing through & just a lingering Whimbrel in Broadford Bay (RMcM); single at Loch Cleap, Quiraing (MP)
23rd May 2018 Wood Warbler singing bird in Manse Wood, Eigg (JC)
23rd May 2018 Marsh Harrier at 2100 a male flew north at Duisdale towards Kinloch harassed by hoodies (RMcM) (see Gallery) - this is only our 4th record in the contemporary period and the 1st in ten years
22nd May 2018 Crossbill family group of 5/6 seen near Balmeanach, Struan (RMcM) (see Gallery)
22nd May 2018 Magpie potentially good news that the ‘north end’ bird has found a mate as two have been seen - whether it is a relationship which will blossom remains to be seen but we live in hope 💕 (AR)
21st May 2018 Sanderling View Image 17 at Kilmory, Rum, last night & this morning (SM) & 5 at Kildonan Bay, Eigg (JC) - this is a relatively scarce visitor to the small isles
21st May 2018 Red-legged Partridge View Image our wandering bird on the move again & was in a garden near the hospital this morning (KBryan)
21st May 2018 Highland Bird Report 2016 please see the Blog/News for details of the recently published Highland Bird Report
20th May 2018 Hawfinch bird reported at a garden in Drumfearn this morning (per PK)
20th May 2018 Magpie bird reported in Riverbank, Broadford, may be that recently reported in Sleat (S.Ben.)
20th May 2018 Bar-tailed Godwit View Image a flock of 7 at Kilmory Rum beats the cumulative total of records on the island in the previous 20years (SM) - also 7 Turnstone
19th May 2018 Red-legged Partridge View Image clearly doing the rounds - the Kyleakin bird was in Harrapool this morning (MB)
19th May 2018 Gadwall View Image female in Broadford Bay at Harrapool gave MB two garden ticks on the same morning!
17th May 2018 Whimbrel View Image still steady passage with a single at The Aird, Gedintailor (JDJ) and three at Ardnish & another single at Waterloo (P.O.-W)
17th May 2018 White Wagtail View Image six in the Broadford Bay Area (P.O.-W)
17th May 2018 Whooper Swan View Image straggler in Broadford Bay at Waterloo (P.O.-W)
17th May 2018 Greylag Goose View Image 50 adults and ten small goslings on Ardnish, Broadford (A&EH)
16th May 2018 Ring Ouzel View Image three pairs on Ben Tianavaig including a female carrying food (NB); male also reported at Fingal’s Pinnacle, Quiraing (D.Moden)
16th May 2018 Twite View Image several pairs on Ben Tianavaig & also a flock of 14 (NB)
16th May 2018 Dipper pair feeding young on the Allt a’ Cham-aird in Tormore forest (RC)
15th May 2018 Short-eared Owl View Image the only recent reports of bird seem to be from the Ullinish area so seemingly scarce again this year (DMcG); coincidentally bird seen today near Halistra, Waternish (M.Forknall)
15th May 2018 Red-legged Partridge View Image moved to another friendly garden in Kyleakin (A&EH) (see Gallery)
15th May 2018 Whimbrel View Image two at The Aird, Gedintailor (M.Forknall) & a single at Loch Portree (NB)
15th May 2018 Bar-tailed Godwit View Image single at Loch Portree & 5 Greenshank (NB)
14th May 2018 Red-legged Partridge View Image single below feeders at Old Farm Road, Kyleakin (AH) - the origins of this bird are not known
14th May 2018 Spotted Flycatcher View Image two at Viewfield House, Portree (NB)
14th May 2018 Crossbill two at Viewfield House, Portree (NB)
14th May 2018 Grasshopper Warbler two reeling birds at Tote (CH)
13th May 2018 Tree Sparrow now 6 visiting feeders at Millers Cottage, Eigg (JC)
13th May 2018 Arctic Tern View Image 41 at Rubha Phoil, Armadale ( L.Appeltans))
13th May 2018 Magpie single at Achnacloich (TH) - perhaps the bird which at Kilmore recently
12th May 2018 Tree Sparrow four on feeders at Lower Milovaig (AS)
12th May 2018 Barn Owl View Image single at Isleornsay early morning (RC)
12th May 2018 Arctic Skua View Image two north & four Great Skuas at Neist Point (AS)
11th May 2018 Lesser Redpoll View Image lots of birds coming back into the area with many reports from feeders throughout the area
9th May 2018 Crossbill juvenile at Kylerhea yesterday looking rather unhappy with the weather (P.Meany) (see Gallery)
9th May 2018 Rose-coloured Starling report of a bird in garden at Suardal, Strath - this is the same garden a bird was reported in last summer posing the question that the bird may have remained
9th May 2018 Black-tailed Godwit View Image 5 on the river at Invercaimbe, Arisaig, & a single at Traigh (SMacD)
9th May 2018 Whimbrel View Image 11 at Traigh, Morar (SMacD)
8th May 2018 Twite View Image birds returning to breeding areas now - check for birds with colour rings - a bird seen at Elgol recently had been ringed in Montrose on 20/1/17 then retrapped in November 2017. A total of ten birds ringed in winter in the Montrose area have subsequently been sighted back in Skye during the breeding season. (see Gallery)
8th May 2018 Tree Sparrow 4 at feeders at Millers Cottage, Eigg (JC) - these birds invariably turn up in May so well worth checking sparrows at feeders
8th May 2018 Whimbrel View Image 30 at Cuidrach, near Uig (SG)
8th May 2018 Iceland Gull View Image probable 3cy bird at Lochailort fish farm (SMacD)
8th May 2018 Arctic Skua View Image three off Neist Point & 1000 Manx Shearwater (DM)
8th May 2018 Pink-footed Goose View Image single at Lower Breakish with Greylags (NH) - this is probably the resident bird which has been in the area for several years
7th May 2018 Grasshopper Warbler reeling bird during Canna dawn chorus walk this morning (GG)
7th May 2018 Whooper Swan View Image two stragglers at Loch Scresort, Rum (SM) & a single north off Neist Point (LS)
7th May 2018 Magpie a single bird has been at Kilmore, Sleat, for several days (M.Macdonald)
7th May 2018 Dunlin View Image numbers building up with 275+ at Broadford Bay (RMcM)
7th May 2018 Crossbill female feeding single youngster at Portree (NB) (see Gallery)
7th May 2018 Arctic Tern View Image 8 off Mallaig were probably ‘Arctics’ (SM)
7th May 2018 Whimbrel View Image two at Neist Point (LS) & a single at SE bays, Eigg (JC); 14 at Traigh, Morar (SMacD)
7th May 2018 Purple Sandpiper View Image two at Neist Point & a single Sanderling (LS)
7th May 2018 Brent Goose View Image single at SE bays, Eigg (JC)
7th May 2018 Redwing View Image bird in full song at Manse Wood, Eigg (JC)
7th May 2018 Spotted Flycatcher View Image first of the year in Kildonan Glen, Eigg (JC)
7th May 2018 Iceland Gull View Image juvenile near Waternish Point (D.Morgan)
7th May 2018 Black-tailed Godwit View Image singles at Traigh, Morar (SMacD) and Broadford Bay (RMcM)
6th May 2018 Canada Goose View Image three at Breakish Obbe (NH)
6th May 2018 Sanderling View Image five at Broadford Bay + 230 Dunlin & 100 Ringed Plover (MB)
6th May 2018 Black-tailed Godwit View Image five at Broadford Bay + three Bar-tailed Godwit (MB)
6th May 2018 Whimbrel View Image two at Shamhnan Insir, Rum (SM) & three in Broadford Bay (MB)
6th May 2018 Grasshopper Warbler another reeling bird at Portree (JDJ)
6th May 2018 Whooper Swan View Image 4 north over Airor, Knoydart (P.MacDonald)
5th May 2018 Dunlin View Image 150 at Broadford Bay + single Black-tailed Godwit & Whimbrel (MB,NB)
5th May 2018 Yellowhammer female again at Miller’s Cottage, Eigg ( JC)
5th May 2018 Glaucous Gull View Image juvenile still at Uig Bay (SG)
4th May 2018 Puffin c40 in outer Loch Snizort from the ferry (RMcM)
4th May 2018 Glaucous Gull View Image 2cy bird still at Uig Bay (D.Morgan)
3rd May 2018 Yellow Wagtail still present at Waterstein early this morning until flushed by a Peregrine (RMcM) - this is only the 3rd known record on Skye in the last 30 years
3rd May 2018 Canada Goose View Image single at the head of Loch Snizort-beag (GF)
3rd May 2018 Lesser Redpoll View Image many birds now moving back into breeding territories and utilising garden feeders with reports from Waternish, Heaste, Broadford, and Portnalong
3rd May 2018 Glaucous Gull View Image long staying pale juvenile still at Uig Bay (SG)
2nd May 2018 Water Rail confirmed pair at a site in Ullinish (G.L.)
2nd May 2018 Yellow Wagtail a flavissima wagtail reported in a field at Waterstein this morning (L.Schofield) was still present early evening (AS) (see Gallery)
2nd May 2018 Iceland Gull View Image adult bird still on Eigg (JC)
2nd May 2018 Whimbrel View Image three at Waterloo, Broadford (NB)
2nd May 2018 Great Spotted Woodpecker View Image visiting feeders in Broadford garden (JD)
1st May 2018 Arctic Skua View Image single east up Sound of Sleat off Armadale (SG et al)
1st May 2018 Blackcap View Image probably three territories in Armadale Castle gardens + two singing Chiffchaff (Skye Nature Group per RMcM)
1st May 2018 Sandwich Tern View Image single in Broadford Bay (MB)
1st May 2018 Iceland Gull View Image 1st winter bird at Loch Scresort, Rum (SM)
1st May 2018 Whimbrel View Image at least four in Broadford Bay at high tide & a single Black-tailed Godwit (RMcM)

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