The 'Skye List' hits 250

27th August 2013

A White-throated Sparrow found by Richard Charlesworth in his garden in Harrapool on 20th May 2012, has been accepted by the BBRC. Recorded less than 20 times in Scotland, this rare North American vagrant was feeding in Richard's garden for only about 20 minutes, but he was able to take several images one of which is shown here, which were absolutely critical in identifying the bird, and ensuring that the record was accepted. It has proved once more that unusual birds occur on Skye and our island 'list' is steadily increasing through locals and visitors being on the alert. With the benefits of digital photography, the task can be made much easier. Though 250 is a local milestone, with several other records being scrutinised by committees, it will not last long! Congratulations to Richard for a super record.

THE BOOK

"A glorious little gem"

AMAZON

"A book such as this has to look backwards and the author does so succinctly, looking at the work of several of the pioneering naturalists before picking out the publications of JA Harvie-Brown and the Rev. Hugh Macpherson. I know this book fills a real gap in the information available for the Isle of Skye and it will surely sell well at local bookshops."

Andrew Currie Miscellany West Highland Free Press

"A total of 238 species have been recorded, with 14 of those 'red listed' as of high conservation concern ... another innovation has been the inclusion of Gaelic names for some birds. While this is not uncommon in a few other books, the addition of some regional Gaelic names is very unusual and very welcome."

Ray Collier Country Diary 'Up in the Skye' The Guardian

"Illustrated with beautiful photographs of current birdlife on the island, the publication also features sketches by Jean Thomas of The Little Gallery, Portnalong, stimulating the reader's interest further and allowing them to identify species they encounter on Skye."

The Hebridean