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 2019 Storm Petrel four off Waternish Point from the ferry (NB)
31st Jul 2019 Arctic Skua View Image five between the Ascribs & Waternish Point (NB)
31st Jul 2019 Greenshank 12 at Loch Portree (NB)
30th Jul 2019 Storm Petrel 12 caught in late evening ringing session at Duntulm (JDJ)
30th Jul 2019 Whimbrel View Image 7 in Broadford Bay (NB)
30th Jul 2019 Black-tailed Godwit View Image two in Breakish Obbe (NH)
29th Jul 2019 Sanderling View Image 6 still in Broadford Bay (NB)
28th Jul 2019 Dunlin View Image still c135 in Broadford Bay (PO-W)
28th Jul 2019 Sanderling View Image 10 in Broadford Bay + two Knot & two Whimbrel (RMcM)
28th Jul 2019 Cuckoo another young bird at Ellishadder (DB)
28th Jul 2019 Great Northern Diver View Image adult in Bearreraig Bay (DB)
27th Jul 2019 Storm Petrel 28 caught in overnight ringing session near Duntulm (JDJ) - mainly nocturnal feeders this is an extremely interesting record (see Gallery)
27th Jul 2019 Dunlin View Image 150 at Breakish Obbe (NH) & 120 Broadford Bay (RMcM)
27th Jul 2019 Greenshank 4 at Breakish Obbe & 2 at Broadford Bay (NH,RMcM)
27th Jul 2019 Cuckoo late bird on Heaste Road (NB)
27th Jul 2019 House Martin View Image family groups of 14 together in Harrapool (NB)
27th Jul 2019 Yellow-legged Gull again on rocks at Loch Poolteil at high tide (AS)
26th Jul 2019 Swift single near Fairy Bridge, Waternish (AS)
26th Jul 2019 Sandwich Tern View Image four in Broadford Bay (NB)
26th Jul 2019 Sanderling View Image 7 in Broadford Bay + 260 Dunlin (NB)
26th Jul 2019 Whimbrel View Image single in Broadford Bay + single Knot & two Turnstone (NB)
26th Jul 2019 Yellow-legged Gull adult again at Lower Milovaig after an absence of 10 days (AS)
25th Jul 2019 Waders What a difference a day makes in Broadford Bay- yesterday perhaps 600 birds of 11species at high tide - today 100 birds of 5 species so massive movement south overnight
25th Jul 2019 Whimbrel View Image 7 into Broadford Bay late afternoon (NB) & 38 at Ardnish in evening (NH)
25th Jul 2019 Dunlin View Image a fresh influx of birds to Broadford during the afternoon with c150 by early evening + single Sanderling & Knot (NB&RMcM)
24th Jul 2019 Swift four south over Broadford (NB)
24th Jul 2019 Whimbrel View Image 14 in Broadford Bay, 10 of which flew south later; 19 flew south through Broadford Bay late afternoon (NB)
24th Jul 2019 Black-tailed Godwit View Image three in Broadford Bay & a single on Ardnish (RMcM)
24th Jul 2019 Dunlin View Image 230 with 180+ in Broadford Bay & 50 at Ashaig; + 18 Sanderling Broadford Bay (RMcM)
24th Jul 2019 Arctic Skua View Image dark morph bird chasing Terns off Broadford Pier (NB)
24th Jul 2019 Knot two summer plumage birds throughout day in Broadford Bay
24th Jul 2019 Little Stint View Image adult in Broadford Bay early evening (NB) (see Gallery)
24th Jul 2019 Red-breasted Merganser View Image 38 in moulting flock at Loch Ainort + still 300 Eider (NB)
23rd Jul 2019 Grasshopper Warbler still three reeling birds at Tote + a pair with fledged young (CH)
23rd Jul 2019 Knot major clear out of waders in Broadford Bay with better weather but still 9 Knot & 52 Redshank (RMcM)
23rd Jul 2019 Sanderling View Image 38 in Broadford Bay is a good count (MB,RMcM)
23rd Jul 2019 Cuckoo fledged youngster at Tote (CH)
23rd Jul 2019 Dunlin View Image waders on the move with 30 in off the sea at Loch Pooltiel (AS) (see Gallery)
23rd Jul 2019 Storm Petrel two from ferry off Waternish Point (NB,JDJ)
22nd Jul 2019 Brent Goose View Image single still Broadford Bay with Greylags (RMcM)
22nd Jul 2019 Black-tailed Godwit View Image (am) 19 Breakish Obbe (NH) & 32 Glas Eilean, Broadford (RMcM) - May be some duplication between counts ; 60 Glas Eilean at 1300
22nd Jul 2019 Knot (am) 26 Breakish Obbe (NH) & 10 Glas Eilean, Broadford (RMcM) - May be some duplication between counts; 13 Glas Eilean at 1300 & 25 by 2000 (RMcM)
22nd Jul 2019 Sandwich Tern View Image 4 in Broadford Bay at Mill River + 160 Oystercatcher (NB)
22nd Jul 2019 Redshank 120 at Mill River, Broadford Bay (NB) & 31 at Loch Scresort, Rum (SM)
22nd Jul 2019 Red-breasted Merganser View Image female with 7 small young at Lochlonghead (PS)
21st Jul 2019 Bar-tailed Godwit View Image summer plumage single in Broadford Bay (RMcM) & two at Loch Portree (NB)
21st Jul 2019 Brent Goose View Image adult pale bellied in Breakish Obbe (NH) - which later moved to Broadford Bay - presumably this is an early returning bird but cannot ever recall a July record (see Gallery)
21st Jul 2019 Whimbrel View Image two in Loch Portree & 80 Curlew (NB)
21st Jul 2019 Greenshank good count of 16 at Loch Portree (NB)
20th Jul 2019 Great Skua View Image 12 in Broadford Bay + two Arctic Skua (NB)
20th Jul 2019 Sandwich Tern View Image 4 in Broadford Bay & a single in Canna Harbour (NB, SM); also in Broadford Bay 40 Common Terns + large numbers of Kittiwakes & Auks - clearly lots of feeding available (NB)
20th Jul 2019 Oystercatcher numbers building up with 160+ in Broadford Bay (A&EH, RMcM)
20th Jul 2019 Black-tailed Godwit View Image two on Ardnish, Broadford + three Whimbrel (PO-W)
20th Jul 2019 Whimbrel View Image single in Staffin Bay + 6 Common Sandpipers (DB)
20th Jul 2019 Quail calling bird in the Hallin area, Waternish (JH)
19th Jul 2019 Cuckoo juvenile at Scorrybreac, Portree (NB)
19th Jul 2019 Grasshopper Warbler still reeling in Lower Breakish (NH)
18th Jul 2019 Black-tailed Godwit View Image two in Broadford Bay + a single Bar-tailed (RMcM)
18th Jul 2019 Greenshank 7 in Broadford Bay + 40 Redshank & two Whimbrel (RMcM)
17th Jul 2019 Whimbrel View Image singles at the head of Loch Ainort (RMcM) and at Loch Portree (NB)
17th Jul 2019 Greenshank 9 in Broadford Bay & 5 at Ashaig including juveniles (RMcM); 5 at Loch Portree (NB)
17th Jul 2019 Yellow-legged Gull again at Lower Milovaig today (SG)
17th Jul 2019 Bar-tailed Godwit View Image still two at Loch Portree & 80 Curlew (NB)
17th Jul 2019 Cuckoo late bird reported Lower Breakish (per NH)
16th Jul 2019 Yellow-legged Gull an adult found by Andy Stables at Lower Milovaig on 23.2.2019 has been accepted by SBRC - see the Blog
16th Jul 2019 Yellow-legged Gull by an amazing coincidence, the YLG referred to previously turned up at Lower Milovaig again today and is starting primary moult (AS) (see Gallery) - it is suspected it may have been with the local Herring Gulls during the breeding season
15th Jul 2019 Persecution of birds of prey see the Blog
15th Jul 2019 Razorbill View Image 400+ Razorbills & 150+ Kittiwake feeding in outer Loch Portree + a single Minke Whale (NB)
15th Jul 2019 Black-tailed Godwit View Image 18 on Glas Eilean, Broadford at high tide + 3 Greenshank (RMcM)
15th Jul 2019 Bar-tailed Godwit View Image two in Loch Portree including a summer plumage bird (NB)
15th Jul 2019 Curlew 73 at Loch Portree & a single Whimbrel (NB)
14th Jul 2019 Great Northern Diver View Image single adult at Neist Point (AS) (see Gallery)
14th Jul 2019 Arctic Skua View Image an estimated 10 off Neist Point + 6 Great Skuas (AS) (see Gallery)
14th Jul 2019 Arctic Tern View Image 80 at Staffin Island (NB)
14th Jul 2019 Goosander View Image 25 at the head of Loch Portree (NB)
13th Jul 2019 Whimbrel View Image two in Broadford Bay this morning (MB)
13th Jul 2019 Curlew 70 at high tide Broadford Bay early evening (RMcM)
13th Jul 2019 Arctic Skua View Image two off Ardnish, Broadford (NH) + a brood of fledged Whinchats
12th Jul 2019 Lapwing 45 at the head of Loch Harport including juveniles (RMcM)
12th Jul 2019 Sunday Day Trips Western Isles Day trips from Isle of Skye are available on Sundays between May and 8th September with Steve Duffield of Western Isles Wildlife. It's possible to catch the ferry from Uig as a foot passenger at 09:30 and arrive in Lochmaddy at 11:00. I'll then pick you up from the ferry port and take you on a tour of Uist dropping you back in Lochmaddy in the evening for the 20:40 sailing back to Skye. Contact com
11th Jul 2019 Sandwich Tern View Image 18 in Broadford Bay (MB) is the best count since 2006
10th Jul 2019 Common Scoter 12 off Raasay (per PK)
10th Jul 2019 Sandwich Tern View Image three in Broadford Bay (NB)
10th Jul 2019 Red-throated Diver View Image 8 off Sconser Golf Club (NB)
9th Jul 2019 Redshank birds on the way south with 10 at Breakish Obbe (NH) and 16 at Waterloo (NB) - probably Icelandic in origin
9th Jul 2019 Whimbrel View Image two at Broadford Bay moved south (NB)
9th Jul 2019 Grey Wagtail View Image fledged broods at Harrapool and Waterloo (NB)
8th Jul 2019 Twite View Image post breeding flocks starting to build up with 14 on the Heaste road (NB)
8th Jul 2019 Eider still 330 in moulting flock at Loch Ainort (NB)
8th Jul 2019 White-tailed Eagle View Image Amazing experience at Kylerhea today where adult bird became waterlogged catching a fish and had to swim to shore where it dried out - images in Gallery (H Shrimpton)
7th Jul 2019 Cuckoo fledged juvenile at Lochlonghead (PS)
7th Jul 2019 Common Crossbill View Image two recently fledged at Portree (NB,JDJ)
6th Jul 2019 Black-tailed Godwit View Image single in Broadford Bay (NB)
4th Jul 2019 Grasshopper Warbler still reeling at Broadford (NB)
3rd Jul 2019 Black-tailed Godwit View Image two roosting Glas Eilean, Broadford, at morning high tide & still present in evening (RMcM, NB)
3rd Jul 2019 Eider moulting flock in Loch Ainort now 330 (NB) ; also 21 Red-breasted Mergansers
3rd Jul 2019 Greylag Goose View Image 94 in Loch Ainort including goslings (NB)
3rd Jul 2019 Kittiwake Seabird season on Canna shaping up to be best since 2004. Kittiwake nest count was highest EVER since monitoring began in 1969 (RLS)
3rd Jul 2019 Arctic Skua View Image two off Kilt Rock in a feeding frenzy of seabirds & an amazing 10 Minke Whale including a calf (SP)
2nd Jul 2019 Black-tailed Godwit View Image four in Broadford Bay + 44 Redshank & 23 Curlew - summer wader passage started (MB)
1st Jul 2019 Long-tailed Tit View Image possible family party of 14 at Harrapool (PO-W)
1st Jul 2019 Black-tailed Godwit View Image single in Broadford Bay (NB)
1st Jul 2019 Sandwich Tern View Image three in Broadford Bay (NB)
1st Jul 2019 Iceland Gull View Image 3cy bird still at Loch Poolteil & recovered from injuries shown in previous image (AS) (see Gallery)

© 2019 Skye Birds