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 Jul 2018 Great Skua View Image 6 over Breakish Obbe (NH)
31st Jul 2018 Little Stint View Image adult with Dunlin in Broadford Bay (NB)
31st Jul 2018 Black-tailed Godwit View Image flock of 21 dropped in to Broadford Bay mid afternoon (NB, RMcM) - same group were later in Breakish Obbe (NH,JP)
31st Jul 2018 Greenshank 7 in Breakish Obbe & 6 Whimbrel (NH)
30th Jul 2018 Arctic Skua View Image single dark morph at Ashaig, Broadford (RMcM)
30th Jul 2018 Swift single over Staffin slip (DB)
30th Jul 2018 Little Tern View Image still five on Staffin Island & two Black-tailed Godwit (DB)
30th Jul 2018 Hen Harrier View Image ringtail through Broadford Bay tonight looks like a recently fledged bird (MB)
29th Jul 2018 Whimbrel View Image 10 at Waterloo, Broadford in morning (RMcM); 15 flew south from Broadford Bay early afternoon (MB) & a single at Loch Scresort, Rum (SM); at least 5 still present at high tide Broadford Bay (RMcM)
29th Jul 2018 Little Tern View Image 7 in Staffin Bay (DB)
29th Jul 2018 Black-tailed Godwit View Image five on Staffin Island (DB)
29th Jul 2018 Whinchat View Image seems to have been a good year with at least three fledged broods in Breakish (RMcM) (see Gallery)
29th Jul 2018 Rosy Starling bird still at Geary (A&AS) - see Gallery for superb image - comparing the images it appears that this is a different bird from the one present in the same garden in mid May.
29th Jul 2018 Sanderling View Image four in Broadford Bay early (A&EH) then 12 later ((RMcM)
29th Jul 2018 Dunlin View Image 300+ in Broadford Bay (RMcM)
28th Jul 2018 Rosy Starling bird still at Geary associating with flock of Eurasian Starlings (LF)
28th Jul 2018 Shoveler two at Waterloo, Broadford - one probable juvenile & one adult in eclipse (RMcM) (see Gallery)
28th Jul 2018 Little Tern View Image two at Staffin Island (DB)
28th Jul 2018 Great Northern Diver View Image two on Staffin Bay (DB)
28th Jul 2018 Short-eared Owl View Image single by Ard Dorch at Loch an Cairidh (D&J Franklin)
27th Jul 2018 Rosy Starling bird again reported from garden at Geary, Waternish (L.Frost)
27th Jul 2018 Lapwing now 57 at Balmeanach, Ose, including juveniles (RMcM)
27th Jul 2018 Black-tailed Godwit View Image single at Pool Roag & four Greenshank (RMcM)
27th Jul 2018 Great Spotted Woodpecker View Image successful breeding at Lochlonghead with juvenile visiting feeders (PS); scarce on Eigg one flew into Graveyard Wood today (JC)
27th Jul 2018 Knot three in Broadford Bay (MB) & 160+ Dunlin (NB)
27th Jul 2018 Common Tern View Image 33 in Broadford Bay including 6 juveniles (NB)
27th Jul 2018 Cuckoo late juvenile at Scullamus, Broadford (RMcM)
27th Jul 2018 Sanderling View Image six in Staffin Bay and two Whimbrel (DB)
26th Jul 2018 Knot still four in Broadford Bay this morning (MB) & 7 on Ardnish in evening (NH)
26th Jul 2018 Arctic Tern View Image 110 on Staffin Island + 15 Great Skua (MP)
26th Jul 2018 Sanderling View Image four in Broadford Bay first thing (MB) then 6 Turnstone in evening
26th Jul 2018 Cuckoo late juvenile in Uig Woods (AB)
25th Jul 2018 Black-tailed Godwit View Image 13 in Broadford Bay (MB) in morning; at Breakish Obbe numbers built up in the evening to a terrific 140 (NH)
25th Jul 2018 Sandwich Tern View Image four in Broadford Bay + 15 Common Tern and 45 Arctic Tern (NB)
25th Jul 2018 Knot five in Broadford Bay in morning (P.O.-W) & three Breakish Obbe in evening (NH)
25th Jul 2018 Sanderling View Image single in Broadford Bay (P.O.-W) and 12 at Staffin Bay (DB)
25th Jul 2018 Great Northern Diver View Image two off Flodigarry (DB)
24th Jul 2018 Rosy Starling late report of one on the wires at Hallin, Waternish - probably the same bird seen later at Geary
24th Jul 2018 Black-throated Diver View Image two in Broadford Bay, + single Knot & Turnstone (NB)
24th Jul 2018 Whimbrel View Image two south at Beareraig Bay, Staffin & a single in Staffin Bay (DB)
24th Jul 2018 Sanderling View Image 6 in Staffin Bay (TB)
23rd Jul 2018 Canada Goose View Image 7 at Isleornsay (RC)
23rd Jul 2018 Red-throated Diver View Image probably three pairs feeding young in the Glendale area- though birds nest on freshwater they fish on the sea for food which they take back to the young (AS) (see Gallery)
23rd Jul 2018 Spotted Flycatcher View Image adults with two fledged young at Heaste (NB)
23rd Jul 2018 Whimbrel View Image five at Broadford Bay & a single Black-throated Diver (NB)
23rd Jul 2018 Sanderling View Image three at Neist Point where there were 400+ Kittiwake, adults & juvs. moving south (AS)
22nd Jul 2018 Arctic Skua View Image 6 at Ashaig moved west towards Broadford Bay late morning(RMcM) (see Gallery); two pale morph in Broadford Bay later, then three in evening (MB) - not sure whether these are duplicate counts
22nd Jul 2018 Dunlin View Image numbers still building up with 220 in Broadford Bay (MB)
22nd Jul 2018 Tufted Duck View Image 21 at Loch Mealt (DB)
20th Jul 2018 Dunlin View Image c180 in Broadford Bay (NB,RMcM) - again only a single juvenile; 14 at Kilmory, Rum (SM)
20th Jul 2018 Sanderling View Image five in Broadford Bay (NB) & three at Kilmory, Rum (SM)
20th Jul 2018 Black-throated Diver View Image no recent breeding record in Skye & Lochalsh, but four on one loch & two nearby, probably non-breeding birds (DM)
19th Jul 2018 Common Crossbill View Image two flocks totalling 19 birds near Edinbane (RMcM, AW)
19th Jul 2018 Spotted Flycatcher View Image fledged brood near Upper Edinbane (RMcM, AW); also fledged brood at Portnalong (ST)
19th Jul 2018 Whooper Swan View Image summering single still at Ardmore, Waternish (RMcM, AW)
19th Jul 2018 Lapwing 17 including several juveniles near Balmeanach, Ose (RMcM, AW)
18th Jul 2018 Eider moulting flock of 300 between Ard Dorch and head of Loch Ainort (RMcM)
18th Jul 2018 Red-breasted Merganser View Image moulting flock of 17 at the head of Loch Ainort (RMcM)
17th Jul 2018 Long-tailed Tit View Image 30+ at Plock of Kyle (A&EH)
17th Jul 2018 Redshank 65 in Broadford Bay (MB) - probably Icelandic birds returning south
16th Jul 2018 Iceland Gull View Image 2ndCY bird at Greshornish Fish Farm (RMcM)
16th Jul 2018 Sandwich Tern View Image 8 in Broadford Bay + 85 Dunlin (MB)
15th Jul 2018 Whimbrel View Image moving south through Broadford Bay & 18 through as a flock (am) (MB)
15th Jul 2018 Greenshank 14 at the head of Loch Sligachan including juveniles (RMcM)
15th Jul 2018 Grey Plover View Image single on Ardnish, Broadford (A&EH)
15th Jul 2018 Dunlin View Image 75 in Broadford Bay with only a single juvenile (RMcM)
15th Jul 2018 Red-legged Partridge View Image bird still at Old Farm Road, Kyleakin, roosting on the windowsill (A.Hi)
13th Jul 2018 Golden Plover 14 on Ardnish, Broadford (A&EH)
13th Jul 2018 Red-breasted Merganser View Image female with ten small ducklings in Broadford Bay (MB) (see Gallery)
11th Jul 2018 Red-throated Diver View Image pair on a tiny lochan on island of Wiay, with bird still incubating (RMcM); pair with two small chicks on a small lochan in Duirinish (K. Crunch)
11th Jul 2018 Great Skua View Image no evidence of breeding but up to 6 birds.present on Wiay (RMcM)
11th Jul 2018 Whimbrel View Image two flew s/west from Broadford Bay (NB)
10th Jul 2018 Bar-tailed Godwit View Image three at Waterloo, Broadford (NB) - returning waders slow this summer
10th Jul 2018 Shoveler probable female on small loch beside Raasay House (AH)
10th Jul 2018 Water Rail calling bird at Loch Cillchroisd, Strath (SG)
9th Jul 2018 Risso’s Dolphin group of five at Neist Point (AS) ( see cetacean gallery)
9th Jul 2018 Cuckoo although still the occasional vocal bird, most adults have now left & a fledged bird at Edinbane today & another being fed by a Meadow Pipit above the Fairy Glen, Uig (RMcM, A.Haynes)
9th Jul 2018 Goosander View Image 26 at Loch Portree (NB)
9th Jul 2018 Ring Ouzel View Image single on moorland above Fairy Glen, Uig (AH)
8th Jul 2018 Storm Petrel three off Waternish Point from the morning ferry & a single in the evening (RMcM)
8th Jul 2018 Goosander View Image 14 at the head of Loch Portree (NB)
8th Jul 2018 Arctic Skua View Image single pale morph off Waternish Point from the morning ferry & four in the evening, two pale morph in outer Loch Snizort & two dark morph off the Ascribs (RMcM)
7th Jul 2018 Iceland Gull View Image two x 2nd CY birds at Black Rock, Portree (NB)
7th Jul 2018 Ring Ouzel View Image female at Gleann Choinneachain, Kintail (DM)
5th Jul 2018 Carrion Crow View Image single on Ardnish, Broadford (NH)
3rd Jul 2018 Osprey View Image single at Loch Snizort.beag moved south (GF)
3rd Jul 2018 Iceland Gull View Image 2cy bird again in Portree harbour (NB) (see Gallery)
2nd Jul 2018 Barnacle Goose View Image two at Ardmore are probably the same birds recorded on Rum on June 28 (A.Haynes)
2nd Jul 2018 Pink-footed Goose View Image single at Ardmore, Waternish & summering Whooper Swan still (AH)
2nd Jul 2018 Golden Plover two flocks totalling 30 birds including juveniles at Ramasaig (AS) (see Gallery)
1st Jul 2018 Sandwich Tern View Image 6 in Broadford Bay (MB)
1st Jul 2018 Iceland Gull View Image juvenile still at Portree (A.Haynes)
1st Jul 2018 Swift single at Lealt, Trotternish (A.Haynes)

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