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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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30th June: Lewis: An Iceland Gull was seen in Stornoway today. 17 Crossbills Branahuie. South Uist: A Lesser Whitethroat in song at South Glendale and 3 Crossbills there.
29th June: Lewis: Red-necked Phalaropes still on Loch na Muilne and Loch Stiapabhat. 9 Crossbills were at Carloway. White-fronted Goose and 2 Long-tailed Duck still on Loch Branahuie. North Uist: Female Scaup on Loch na Reivil. 45 Crossbills at Ben Langass and a late report from Saturday of around 210 Crossbills in the Langass area. Over 100 Crossbills in Ben Risary Plantation today. Iceland Gull and Swift at Balranald. South Uist: Spotted Crake calling at Howmore this morning (7 a.m.). 12 Crossbills feeding on the lower slopes of Ben Sciathan, Eriskay today. A Quail was seen at Kildonan in the evening. Insects: A Ringlet was seen in South Glendale this morning and constitutes only the second record of this butterfly for the islands (the first coming from the same site last year). A male Drinker moth was trapped at Ardivachar, South Uist last night and is another first for the islands.
28th June: Lewis: 18 Crossbills over the golf course in the Castle Grounds plus Grasshopper Warbler between the college and the sawmill. North Uist: Red-necked Phalarope at Loch Paible again today. South Uist: At least 6 Crossbills in Loch Druidibeg Plantation, 40 at Loch Eynort, 6 at Milton this evening and 6 at South Glendale. Whitethroats were heard singing at South Glendale, Kilbride and Ludag. 17 Crossbills at Bornish briefly this evening. Insects: 37 species of macro moth were trapped at South Glendale last night including Scarce Silver Y. In Lewis Peach Blossom, Lunar Thorn and Beautiful Carpet were all trapped in the Castle Grounds on the night of 26th. All the latter three species are new for the Outer Hebrides with Beautiful Carpet being particularly significant. Cetaceans: Minke Whale, White-beacked, Common and Bottle-nosed Dolphins off Tiumpan Head, plus Porpoise.
27th June: Lewis: 25 Crossbills over Stornoway in the evening. North Uist: A female Red-necked Phalarope is at Loch Paible. 9 Whooper Swans and a Black-tailed Godwit at Loch Sandary. 14 Black-tailed Godwits and 5 Swifts over Loch nam Feithean. South Uist: At least 21 Crossbills in Druidibeg Plantation today. 3 Crossbills at South Glendale for most of the day were joined by a flock of 15 this evening when all the birds left. Also a Spotted Flycatcher at South Glendale. Pale-bellied Brent Goose at Ardvule. Insects: 187 macro moths of 29 species were trapped at South Glendale last night. A Scarce Silver Y was trapped at Druidibeg. Cetaceans: 3 Common Dolphins feeding just off Lochmaddy Pier this morning. 15 dolphins off Ardvule and 2 Basking Sharks.
26th June: Lewis: 7 Crossbills were in a garden at Branahuie this afternoon. South Uist: A flock of 10 Crossbills flew north at South Glendale this evening and a Siskin in a garden there. Insects: 22 species of macro moth were trapped at Carnan, South Uist last night including the apparently localised Double Lobed. Butterflies seen in and around South Glendale, South Uist today include: a Large White, Red Admiral, 10 Large Heath, 21 Small Heath, 6 Meadow Browns, 2 Painted Ladies and 52 Common Blues.
25th June: Lewis: 23 Crossbills flew south over Arnish this afternoon. 3 Crossbills between Tolsta and Skigersta plus 37 Great Northern Divers in the same area. A Swift was over Cellar Head and Grasshopper Warblers were at Coll and Bragar. A Red-necked Phalarope is at the RSPB reserve at Loch na Muilne, Arnol. A Swift was seen over Leurbost in the evening. North Uist: Garden Warbler singing at Grenitote. South Uist: 6 Swifts over Snishival. Insects: 25 species of macro moth were trapped at South Glendale, South Uist last night and a Wood Tiger was seen on the south side of Loch Fada near Lochmaddy, North Uist today. Cetaceans: 3 Minke Whales were off Cellar Head.
24th June: South Uist: A Spotted Crake was calling from Howmore (just north of the hostel) last night from 11:00 pm. Cetaceans: Around 10 Minke Whales, 100+ White-beaked Dolphins, 43 Common Dolphins adn 12 Porpoise off Tiumpan Head this evening.
23rd June: Lewis: Quail calling near the Morvern Gallery, Barvas. South Uist: A Spotted Crake was calling at Howmore again last night. Siskin at South Glendale. Insects: Good numbers of butterflies around today with Meadow Browns emerging in many places and the first Six-spot Burnet moths seen on Benbecula and South Uist.
22nd June: Lewis: A Red-necked Phalarope was on Loch Stiapavat today. North Uist: A Hobby was hawking along the Committee Road for a couple of hours this afternoon. A House Martin was near Griminish and at least 2 Wood Pigeons were in Ben Risary Plantation. Insects: Large Heath along the Committee Road today.
21st June: Lewis: 2nd calendar year Iceland Gull on the beach at Branahuie. South Uist: Pale-bellied Brent Goose and 8 Whimbrel at Ardvule. Cetaceans: This evening between 2 and 4 miles south of Skigersta there were 27 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, at least 6 Risso's Dolphins, 5 Common Dolphins and 2 Porpoise.
20th June: Lewis: Glaucous Gull at Gress today. North Uist: Whooper Swan on Little Loch Brusda. Benbecula: 18 Black-tailed Godwits flew south Loch Mor / Loch Fada. Insects: 3 Six-spot Burnets and a Meadow Brown on Eriskay today. Large White at Nunton, Benbecula. Large Heath at Claddach Baleshare. Cetaceans: 6 Risso's Dolphins feeding at Skigersta this evening plus a Minke Whale and 2 Porpoise off Port of Ness.
19th June: St. Kilda: A Laughing Gull, Green-winged Teal and 2 Canada Geese on Hirta today. North Uist: At least 41 Common Scoters (flock of 6 then 35) passed Griminish Point today. South Uist: 3 Whooper Swans on Loch Tornish. Other: A Basking Shark was in the south bay at Ardvule, South Uist. 2 Minke Whales (including one close inshore) and Harbour Porpoise off Tiumpan Head.
18th June: Lewis: A Sand Martin was at Loch Tiumpan in the afternoon with another at Loch Branahuie in the evening. North Uist: 1st summer Glaucous Gull at Traigh Iar, Balranald. South Uist: 2nd summer Pomarine Skua close in-shore at Ardivachar at 10:00 am.
17th June: North Uist: At least 7 Siskins over Langass Lodge today. A Green-winged Teal at Loch Paible today. South Uist: A Sand Martin was at Kilpheder this morning and the pale-bellied Brent Goose is still at Ardvule. 16th June: South Uist: Wood Pigeon at Peninerine. 2 Whimbrel at Stoneybridge. 6 Whimbrel at Ardvule and a female Common Scoter heading south off the point in the afternoon.
15th June: Lewis: 2 or 3 Grey Wagtails on the river at Laxdale. South Uist: Whitethroat singing at Daliburgh plus a House Martin in the area. 4 Whimbrel at Ardvule.
14th June: South Uist: Spotted Crake calling at Howmore last night (after dark). Wood Pigeon at North Loch Eynort this morning. Chiffchaff at Kinloch, Grogarry. Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 1st summer Grey Plover, Knot and Whimbrel at Ardvule. Whimbrel, 2 Knot and 70 Sanderling at Stoneybridge. Insects: Yellow Shell, 3 Magpie Moths and a Large Heath near South Glendale today. Other: Basking Shark feeding off Stoneybridge this afternoon. 3 Risso's Dolphins off Tiumpan Head today.
13th June: St. Kilda: A Snowy Owl was reported on Hirta today. South Uist: Spotted Crake heard again last night at Howmore. Started calling at 11:00 pm. 19 Knot and at least 55 Sanderling are still on the foreshore at Stoneybridge. Insects: A worn Bordered Straw was trapped at Ardivachar, South Uist last night. This is the first record of this southern immigrant in the islands. A Rush Veneer (another immigrant moth) was also trapped at the same sight. Cetaceans: A small group of Bottle-nosed Dolphins was seen off Port of Ness.
12th June: Lewis: 47 Sanderling at Steinish today. South Uist: Spotted Crake heard calling at Howmore again last night. Insects: Green-veined White of the form flavescens was seen at Loch Portain and Langass, North Uist today. This yellow variant is present in populations of Green-veined White in Ireland and parts of Scotland. The first Large Heath butterfly for the year was at Newton House, North Uist today.
11th June: North Uist: An Iberian Chiffchaff was seen and heard singing at Cheese Bay today. South Uist: Spotted Crake calling again last night at Howmore (heard from the hostel). 2nd yr Iceland Gull at Ardivachar. Pale-bellied Brent Goose at Ardvule. Insects: Colletes floralis seen at Tipperton, South Uist yesterday.
10th June: Lewis: Green-winged Teal on Loch Stiapavat. North Uist: 15 Crossbills at Langass today. Male Goldeneye on Loch Hosta. Male Ruff at Aird an Runair. Benbecula: Black-tailed Godwit at Loch Mor. South Uist: House Martin at Drimsdale this morning and Chiffchaff singing at Loch Eynort. 4 Sand Martins on the machair at Kilpheder. Insects: Lots of Painted Lady butterflies feeding on White Clover at Clachan Farm, North Uist today. A good number of Small Heath butterflies and a couple of Common Blues near South Glendale, South Uist.
9th June: Benbecula: Grey Plover and Whimbrel on the shore at Liniclate. 2 broods of Gadwall on Coot Loch. South Uist: Immature Iceland Gull at Ardivachar. Insects: At least 25 Painted Lady buterflies on Borve Machair, Benbecula. 8th June: Lewis: Grasshopper Warbler and Chiffchaff still singing in the Castle Grounds, Stornoway. Male Green-winged Teal Loch Stiapavat. South Uist: 2 Siskins at South Glendale this morning. Insects: 2 Common Blue butterflies and 36 Small Heath around South Glendale. 7th June: South Uist: Immature Glaucous Gull and immature Iceland Gull just south of Ardivachar. Chiffchaff at North Loch Eynort. Pale-bellied Brent Goose and Whimbrel at Ardvule. 6th June: South Uist: 1st yr Little Gull at North Bay this morning.
5th June: North Uist: A Quail was heard calling yesterday by the community hall just before entering Borve Machair South Uist: A Little Gull was seen at Hebridean Jewellery this evening.
4th June: Lewis: A male Black Redstart was in the Butt of Lewis lighthouse compound today. North Uist: A male Snowy Owl was present on Baleshare all day today. South Uist: Male Whinchat in song at North Loch Eynort. 1st yr Glaucous Gull at Rubha Thornais. Barra: A Grasshopper Warbler was heard singing at Bogach in the early hours of the morning. Insects: Around 20 Small Heath butterlfies were seen at North Loch Eynort today.
3rd June: Lewis: A Grasshopper Warbler singing between Lew's College and the Sawmill centre in Stornoway today. 2nd June: Lewis: A pair of Grey Wagtails and a pair of Goldfinch are breeding in the Castle Grounds, Stornoway. Insects: 14 species of moths were trapped in South Glendale last night including Light Knot Grass and Marbled Coronet; whilst 12 species were caught at Ardivachar including Mottled Rustic and a Shark. Besides the large numbers of Painted Lady butterflies there are good numbers of Red Admirals and Silver-Y moths with widespread reports.
1st June: Lewis: A Turtle Dove was seen in Branahuie. North Uist: An Osprey drifted north over Carinish at 11:50 this morning. South Uist: A Hobby was seen by the main road just north of the water treatment place at Stoneybridge. 3 Siskins at North Loch Eynort. Iceland Gull at Ardivahcar. Insects: Large numbers of Painted Lady butterflies reported again today with widespread sightings all over the islands including 60 at Ardivachar and 42 in an hour at Askernish. There are also good numbers of Red Admirals and Silver-Y moths around. 32 Small Heath butterflies in South Glendale.
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