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Recent Sightings Please note that the sightings below do not reflect the variety of species you can see in a normal day out birding or wildlife watching. These reports concentrate on more unusual species or significant counts or movements. For an idea of what you can find on an average day please visit the the appropriate seasonal links on the left side of the home page. To report sightings please contact Steve at: steveduffield@hebrides.net County bird recorder: Brian Rabbitts [rabbitts@hebrides.net]
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31st March: North Uist: A 1st winter Iceland Gull was on the machair at Paible. An adult Glaucous Gull was by Loch Sandary and a 1st yr was at Aird an Runair. 3 Wheatears were at Balranald. Benbecula: Wheatear at Liniclate today. South Uist: 1st winter Glaucous Gull at Smerclate and Ardivachar. 3 Glaucous Gulls near Hebridean Jewellery.
30th March: North Uist: A male Wheatear was at Carinish and Chiffchaff nearby at Claddach Baleshare. 2 Wheatears were on Grimsay and hundreds of Whooper Swans were noted moving up the machairs on North Uist. South Uist: A female Kingfisher was at Loch an Eilein, Askernish this morning. This is the seventh record for the Outer Hebrides; the last one being in Stornoway in 1998. An adult, winter plumage Bonaparte's Gull was on the north side of Ardvule (probably flew off north). Also a 1st yr Glaucous Gull and 2 Iceland Gulls (adult and 1st winter) at Adrvule. 31 White-fronted Geese flew north over Bornish machair and a single Snow Bunting there. Adult Glaucous Gull at Aird Michael. 1st winter Glaucous Gull and 1st winter Iceland Gull at Peninerine. Lots of Whooper Swans on the move today including: 190 on Loch Bornish with two flocks of 100 and 80 flying north over the machair here; 26 at Smerclate; 17 at Askernish; 65 at Garrynamonie and 143 on Loch Dun na Cille at Kilpheder. Other: 10 Palmate Newts ( 2 adults and 8 young from last year) were found on Grimsay today.
24th March North Uist: Swallow at Loch Sandary. South Uist: American Wigeon at Buail Uachdraich, 5 Glaucous Gulls roosting behind Hebridean Jewellery, and one Glacous Gull at Ardivachar. 22nd March North Uist: First Manx Shearwater, a Pomarine Skua and 792 Kittiwakes (54 1st winters) at Aird an Runair. 21st March North Uist: Pair of Pintail at Rubha nan Ron, Carinish. South Uist: Male Wheatear at South Glendale and a Goldcrest. Bumblebees: First Bumblebees spotted, one caught at Askernish, Bombus cryptarum. 20th March North Uist: House Martin at Grenitote. 20 Whooper Swans flying North at 09:47 South Uist: Wheatear at Stoneybridge. 30 Whooper Swans flying North. 19th March South Uist: 2nd winter Glaucous Gull at Ardivachar. Chiffchaff at Askernish. Moths: 2 Belted Beauty and 1 Angle Shades at Ardivachar. 18th March South Uist: 30 Whooper Swans at south Loch Bee, and a 2nd winter Glaucous Gull. A woodcock at South Locheynort. Moths: 9 Hebrew Characters and 5 Clouded Drab caught at Askernish. 17th March North Uist: 29 Whooper Swans heading North just after 11am.Chiffchaff at Carinish. Benbecula: Two groups (60 and 25) of Whooper Swans heading North over Griminish at 11am. South Uist: 4 Whooper Swans heading North at Ardivachar and a 1st winter Glaucous Gull. 16th March North Uist: 3 1st winter Glaucous Gulls and a 1st winter Iceland Gull at Balranald. Flock of 52 Whooper Swans flying north at Carinish at 12:52. A Chiffchaff, 8 Fieldfares and a Goldfinch also at Carinish. Moths: Belted Beauty at Snishival machair. 15th March North Uist: Male Green-winged Teal at Lochna Paisg, Baleshare. Pink footed Goose near Loch Mhic Coan, Baleshare. 1st winter Iceland Gull and 2 1st winter Glaucous Gulls at Loch Paible. 6 Fieldfares at Carinish. Influx of black-headed gulls. 14th March North Uist: 1st winter Iceland Gull and a 1st winter Glaucous Gull at Aird an Runair. Small north movement with 2 Long-tailed Ducks, 46 Fulmars, 158 Gannets and 333 Kittiwakes. First lesser Black-backed Gull this year at Balranald and a Pied Wagtail. 12th March North Uist: 5 Glaucous Gulls and an Iceland Gull at Balranald. First Pied Wagtail at Carinish. 11th March: South Uist: 1st winter Glaucous Gull at Drimsdale. Green winged Teal and American Wigeon at Oban na Buail- Uachdraich again. 12 Glaucous Gulls roosting behind Hebridean Jewellery. Greenshank at South end of Loch Bee. 10th March: South Uist: 3 Glaucous Gulls (adult and 2 x 1st winters) plus 19 Snow Buntings were at Garrynamonie today. The following message was received from Kane Brides today: "The WWT are currently tracking Whooper Swans that have been wintering in the UK, back to their breeding grounds in Iceland. In total 40 swans have been fitted with satellite transmitters - 20 at WWT Martin Mere (Lancashire), 11 at Welney (Cambridgeshire) and 5 at Caerlaverock (Dumfriesshire). Two of the Martin Mere birds have left on migration, they spent Thursday (5th) at Loch Connell in Stranraer and then on the 6th they flew over Coll and Tiree, then at 14:00 on 06/03/2009 one of them was approaching South Uist. They both spent the night of 06/03/2009 on Uist, but at 19:00hrs on 07/03/2009 they both headed out to sea heading for Iceland. Unfortunately it seems as though they met a band of rain and South Westerly winds off South Uist and they decided to turn back round and head straight back to Uist! One of them was 50miles out at sea when it met this bad weather! I think the birds are now on Loch Bail-Fhionnlaidh, Benbecula - I just wondered whether you knew how many Whooper Swans were in this area at the moment? Both birds have transmitters on their backs and yellow darvic rings on their legs - LP7 and 91A". 9th March: South Uist: Male American Wigeon was on Oban na Buail-uachdraich again today. 13 Scaup and a Slavonian Grebe are at the north end of Loch Bee. A 1st winter Iceland Gulls was at Ardvule. Glaucous Gulls reported today were at the following location: 16 between the Gualan and Hebridean Jewellery this afternoon; 2 at Ardivachar; 9 at Peninerine (this morning) and 2 at Aird Michael.
8th March: North Uist: 7 Glaucous Gulls and an Iceland Gull at Aird an Runair this morning plus 470 Kittiwakes heading north in a 2 hour sea-watch. An additional Iceland Gull was at Loch Sandary. Benbecula: 2 male Scaup are on Coot Loch. South Uist: 12 Glaucous Gulls are around the Gualan / Hebridean Jewellery and another 4 are at Ardivachar. There was also a 1st winter Iceland Gull at Ardivachar.
7th March: South Uist: Female Pintail on Loch an-t'Saile. 115 White-fronted Geese Loch Bee. 3rd winter Glaucous Gull at Ardivachar and 9 Glaucous Gulls on the South Ford around the Gualan. A Lesser Black-backed Gull (first of the spring here) was on the Range at Eochar. 9 Whooper Swans were noted this afternoon heading north-west, out to sea off Ardivachar.
6th March: Lewis: Wood Pigeon in Leurbost today. South Uist: 12 Fieldfare at Loch Carnan. 5th March: South Uist: At least 16 Glaucous Gulls along the Gualan peninsula, plus an immature at Ardvule and another at Stoneybridge. 40 Snow Buntings at Ardivachar and 9 at West Gerinish.
4th March: Benbecula: 12 Fieldfare just south of Balivanich. South Uist: 2 x 2nd winter, an adult and a 1st winter Glaucous Gull at Ardivachar. 14 Fieldfare at Loch Carnan. Male American Wigeon on Oban na Buail-uachdraich by Hebridean Jewellery.
3rd March: South Uist: 19 Glaucous Gulls between the Gualan and Hebridean Jewellery. Male American Wigeon on Oban na Buail-uachdraich. 2x 2nd winter Glaucous Gulls at Ardivachar.
2nd March: Benbecula: 41 White-fronted Geese at Nunton. South Uist: Male American Wigeon and male Green-winged Teal on Oban na Buail-uachdraich by Hebridean Jewellery. At least 15 Glaucous Gulls in the general Gualan area. 2nd winter Glaucous Gull at Ardivachar. Fieldfare at Eochar Hall. 1st winter Glaucous Gull at the Pollochar. 1st March: South Uist: 19 Glaucous Gulls on the South Ford around the Gualan. 23 White-fronted Geese and a Pink-footed Goose at Daliburgh.
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