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 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
31st Dec 2019 Slavonian Grebe three in Broadford Bay this morning (MB) - there was a Birdtrack report of two Red-necked Grebe in Harrapool Bay yesterday - RNG is extremely rare on west coast so this report remains unconfirmed
31st Dec 2019 Happy New Year thanks to everyone for their support and wishing all a Happy New Year - see the blog
31st Dec 2019 Chiffchaff single reported from garden in Arisaig (SMacD)
30th Dec 2019 Jack Snipe View Image single on Harrapool grazings (MB)
30th Dec 2019 Bar-tailed Godwit View Image 17 in Broadford Bay & a single Knot (MB)
30th Dec 2019 Pink-footed Goose View Image single with Greylags at Scullamus, Broadford (MB,RMcM)
30th Dec 2019 Whooper Swan View Image four on Loch Meodal, Sleat (MA) & 9 at Inverinate & 3 at Loch Shiel (DE)
30th Dec 2019 Tree Sparrow single still visiting feeders Lower Milovaig (AS)
29th Dec 2019 Mandarin drake on flooded field at Glenancross Farm, Morar (SMacD) - with Mallard & Wigeon & recent report of female Mandarins thought to be erroneous
29th Dec 2019 Black-throated Diver View Image two at Achnacloich, Sleat (MA)
27th Dec 2019 Iceland Gull View Image 1st cy bird again at Bayfield, Portree (NB)
27th Dec 2019 Whooper Swan View Image two at Loch nan Eala, Arisaig (NR)
25th Dec 2019 Pink-footed Goose View Image single with Greylags in Breakish Obbe (NH)
25th Dec 2019 Yellow-legged Gull xmas visitor still at Loch Poolteil (AS)
25th Dec 2019 Purple Sandpiper View Image excellent count of 16 at Neist Point + 8 Turnstone (AS)
25th Dec 2019 Little Grebe View Image 16 at Loch Mor, Waterstein, + 7 Goldeneye (AS)
24th Dec 2019 Blackcap View Image male on feeders at Fiscavaig (ST)
23rd Dec 2019 Common Scoter two in Loch Ainort (NB)
23rd Dec 2019 Jack Snipe View Image by torchlight on the Kinloch Croft’s, Rum - three Jack Snipe, 25+ Common Snipe & 10+ Woodcock (SM)
23rd Dec 2019 Whooper Swan View Image three flying east over Ardnish, Broadford (PO-W)
22nd Dec 2019 Carrion Crow View Image another single at Glasphein, Staffin (MP)
22nd Dec 2019 Iceland Gull View Image 1st winter at the head of Loch Portree + single Knot (NB)
21st Dec 2019 Merry Christmas & Happy New Year Many thanks to all the site supporters over the last year with over 180 species featuring over the year. Lots of highlights but the prize for the best bird in the area was the American Cliff Swallow at Loch Poolteil, still to be accepted by BBRC but potentially a Scottish 1st! Hopefully some great birds in 2020.
21st Dec 2019 Carrion Crow View Image still at Uig Pier (MS)
19th Dec 2019 Bullfinch group of 9 at Leitir Fura, Kinloch (DM)
18th Dec 2019 Iceland Gull View Image 1sr winter bird at Bayfield, Portree, and an adult at the head of Loch Portree (NB)
18th Dec 2019 Redwing/Fieldfare 30 Redwing at Annishader, Snizort (MS) and 60 Fieldfare on berries at the Portree/Braes junction (RMcM)
18th Dec 2019 Twite View Image always scarce in winter there were two near Trumpan, Waternish (RMcM)
18th Dec 2019 Whooper Swan View Image 8 at Inverinate & 3 at Loch Shiel (DE) - just a single at Loch Suardal (RMcM)
17th Dec 2019 Iceland Gull View Image 1cy bird in Broadford Bay + 4 Slavonian Grebes (NB)
17th Dec 2019 Great Northern Diver View Image 7 in sound of Sleat opposite Armadale Castle gardens; 6 in Loch na Dal; 12 off Lusa (RMcM)
17th Dec 2019 Black-throated Diver View Image single in Armadale Bay (RMcM)
17th Dec 2019 Barnacle Goose View Image 12 on Staffin Island + 4 Whooper Swans (CH)
16th Dec 2019 Water Rail still visiting garden pond at Elgol (DW) (see Gallery)
16th Dec 2019 Slavonian Grebe 6 at Loch Ainort, a female Common Scoter & 6 Goosander (NB)
15th Dec 2019 Iceland Gull View Image adult and 1cy birds in Gull roost at Ashaig, Broadford, this morning (NH, RMcM)
15th Dec 2019 Reed Bunting View Image up to 9 at feeders at Harrapool (MB)
15th Dec 2019 Yellow-legged Gull showing well at Loch Poolteil again (AS) (see Gallery)
15th Dec 2019 Tree Sparrow still visiting feeders at Lower Milovaig (AS)
14th Dec 2019 Slavonian Grebe 5 in Loch Ainort (NB)
14th Dec 2019 Iceland Gull View Image 1st winter bird still Bayfield, Portree & female Common Scoter still on nearby loch (JDJ)
14th Dec 2019 Snow Bunting View Image c20 near Scriag Mast, Glenmore (per NB)
13th Dec 2019 Ptarmigan View Image two at Bealach na Ba, Applecross (RMcM) (see Gallery) also a Dipper on the pool at 600metres
13th Dec 2019 Snow Bunting View Image single on the north side of Bealach na Ba, Applecross (RMcM)
12th Dec 2019 Blackcap View Image male at feeders at Kyleakin (AH)
12th Dec 2019 Rock Dove Jonathan Jones has started a colour ringing project with Rock Doves in the Portree area - please pass on details of any sightings - see the Gallery for examples of the rings
11th Dec 2019 Blackcap View Image male visiting feeders at Achnahanaid, Braes (GR)
11th Dec 2019 Magpie single seen at Kensaleyre (AR)
10th Dec 2019 Iceland Gull View Image 1st winter again at Bayfield, Portree (NB)
9th Dec 2019 Carrion Crow View Image single still at Uig (M.Williams)
8th Dec 2019 Iceland Gull View Image 1st winter bird at the head of Loch Portree - and a single Knot & two Whooper Swans (NB)
8th Dec 2019 Yellow-legged Gull adult still Loch Poolteil (AS)
5th Dec 2019 Slavonian Grebe three in Loch Ainort (NB)
4th Dec 2019 Tree Sparrow still at Lower Milovaig (day 26) (AS)
2nd Dec 2019 Common Scoter female type still in Loch Portree ((NB)
1st Dec 2019 Whooper Swan View Image single at Loch Dunvegan (MC); 9 south at Kinloch (MB) and 5 at Loch nan Eala, Arisaig (SMacD)
1st Dec 2019 Mandarin drake again at Morar (SMacD)
1st Dec 2019 Water Rail adult visiting garden pond at Annishader, Snizort (MS) (see Gallery)
1st Dec 2019 Common Scoter two females still in Uig Bay (SG)
1st Dec 2019 Carrion Crow View Image single still at Uig (SG)

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