Recent Sightings

To report sightings please contact Steve at: steveduffield@hebrides.net

County bird recorder: Brian Rabbitts [rabbitts@hebrides.net]

 

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Sightings 2007

29th June:

St. Kilda: male Snowy Owl on Hirta plus 2 Crossbills.

 

27th June:

Insects: Plenty of butterflies around today with Common Blue, Green-veined White and Meadow Brown being the commonest. Six-spot Burnet moths were seen near Loch Mor, Benbecula and at Eochar, South Uist.

Puss Moth caterpillar (Jac Volbeda)

 

26th June:

Benbecula: 22 Black-tailed Godwits on Coot Loch.

South Uist: 6 Storm Petrels off Ardvule in 1.5 hours sea-watch this morning.

 

25th June:

South Uist: 7 Black-tailed Godwits at Ardivachar (including a colour-ringed bird) and 4 Black-tailed Godwits at Loch an t-Saile.

 

24th June:

Lewis: Waxwing briefly in a plantation near Grimshader this evening. A pair of Canada Geese on Loch na h-Airde near Borrowston, Carloway.

North Uist: Snowy Owl at Balranald again today.

South Uist: 6 Crossbills at North Loch Eynort. Brood of Whitethroats in South Glendale.

juvenile Short-eared Owl (John Kemp)

 

23rd June:

North Uist: 1st summer Iceland Gull on Loch Sandary.

Benbecula: 10 Black-tailed Godwits on Loch Mor.

Insects: Lots of Common Blue and Meadow Brown butterflies out today in the Uists. Painted Lady, 6 Dark Green Fritillaries and 100's of Six-spot Burnet moths on Eriskay this morning. A very active Colletes floralis colony just south of the bridge over the river at Howmore, South Uist.

Colletes floralis and female Common Blue butterfly (Steve Duffield)

 

22nd June:

South Uist: Black-tailed Godwit on Loch an t-Saile.

 

21st June:

North Uist: 2 Crossbills in heather around Burrival / Eaval.

Insects: Common Hawker Burrival / Eaval, also several Common Blues and Meadow Brown. In South Glendale: 10 Common Blues, 4 Meadow Brown, 4 Small Heath and a Dark Green Fritillary, plus 3 Yellow Shell. Common Blues on Berneray. Colletes Floralis on Berneray

Other: Porpoise in the Sound of Harris to the north of Berneray.

Yellow Shell (John Kemp)

20th June:

Lewis: Glaucous Gull at Loch Barvas. Quail calling from Stornoway Airport.

North Uist: female Snowy Owl still on Aird an Runair, Balranald.

South Uist: Osprey at Loch Druidibeg before flying north.

Insects: Common Blue butterflies at Balranald and Tong, Lewis. Freshly emerged Common Hawker dragonfly at Druidibeg today.

Other: Lesser Butterfly Orchids now out in bloom in South Uist; reported from Garrynamonie and Daliburgh (outside Hydro Electric shop) today.

                                                                 Osprey (John Kemp); Snowy Owl and Corncrakes (Steve Duffield)

19th June:

Lewis: 8 Crossbills at Garynahine.

North Uist: female Snowy Owl on Aird an Runair, Balranald today.

Benbecula: 2 Black-tailed Godwits Loch Fada.

Insects: 2 Dark Green Fritillaries and Common Blue butterfly on Eriskay. 2 Common Blues at Torlum, Benbecula, plus Meadow Brown. Large Heath at Druidibeg, South Uist.

17th June:

Lewis: Common Crane around Melbost this morning.

North Uist: Snowy Owl at Grenitote again today.

South Uist: male Scaup on Loch Bee with possible Lesser Scaup (showing white patch in scapulars).

White-beaked Dolphin found on the beach at Baleshare, North Uist.

White-beaked Dolphin (Jac Volbeda)

16th June:

South Uist: An Osprey flew north at Drimsdale this morning.

Corncrake, plus chick in photo 4 (Steve Duffield)

15th June:

North Uist: Snowy Owl reported from Grenitote today (Bird Guides).

Insects: 15 Species of macro moth trapped at Drimsdale last night: 40 White Ermine, 11 Silver Ground Carpet, 3 Campion, 9 Heart and Dart, 1 Knotgrass, 6 Bright-line Brown-eye, 3 Shark, 3 Dusky Brocade, 3 Ingrailed Clay, 10 Small Square Spot, 2 Clouded-bordered Brindle, 1 Silver Y, 3 Large Yellow Underwing, 1 Flame Shoulder and 1 Mottled Rustic.

Large Heath butterflies are widespread on moorland from Lewis  - South Uist and first Meadow Brown today on North Uist.

Ingrailed Clay (Steve Duffield)

14th June:

Lewis: Crane Still in the Stornoway area today. 3 Waxwings at Gress.

South Uist: 5 Common Crossbills today at Loch Carnan.

Waxwings (Alice Starmore) and Crane (Steve Duffield)

12th June:

Lewis: Common Crane still in fields to south-west of Stornoway airport this morning. 2 Long-tailed Duck on Loch Branahuie. Storm Petrel off Bragar.

Harris: Leach's Petrel and 2 Storm Petrels seen from Uig - Tarbet ferry:

 

11th June:

Lewis: Crane in fields to south-west of Stornoway Airport.

 

9th June:

North Uist: Rose-coloured Starling at Cheese Bay, Loch Portain.

 

8th June:

  Lewis: Black-tailed Godwit on Loch Barvas.

  South Uist: Osprey over West Loch Ollay, heading south-eastwards.

7th June:

Lewis: Quail calling from Barvas, somewhere close to the Morven Gallery.

South Uist: 1st yr male Red-breasted Flycatcher and Grasshopper Warbler at South Glendale, plus Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher and Whitethroat there.

Insects: Peacock moth trapped in the Castle Grounds last night (1st for Outer Hebrides).

                                                                                             Peacock and Brimstone moths (Steve Duffield); Grasshopper Warbler and 1st summer male Red-breasted Flycatcher (John Kemp)

6th June:

Lewis: Common Crane in Stornoway area.

Moths: Barred Red and Iron Prominent trapped at North Loch Eynort, South Uist last night plus 4 Brimstone, 2 Poplar Hawkmoth, 2 Ling Pug, 10 Common White Wave, 3 Buff Ermine, 1 True Lovers Knot, 1 Silver Ground Carpet and 1 Dusky Brocade.

At Drimsdale, South Uist last night: Ruby Tiger, Small Angle Shades, Silver Y, Dark Sword Grass, Campion, Spectacle, Garden Carpet, Flame Carpet, Broom, Pebble Prominent, Shears, 58 White Ermine, 14 Silver Ground Carpet, 10 Map-winged Swift, 4 Flame Shoulder, 4 Poplar Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, 3 Shark, 6 Bright-line Brown-eye, 3 Clouded-bordered Brindle, 10 Dusky Brocade, 4 Heart and Dart, 6 Mottled Rustic, 2 Buff Ermine, 3 Small Square Spot and a possible Common Pug.

                                                                         Barred Red, Iron Prominent, Small Angle Shades, Ruby Tiger and Dark Sword Grass (Steve Duffield)

5th June:

Benbecula: Quail calling to south of Loch Fada.

South Uist: Turtle Dove at Loch Carnan and Grasshopper Warbler singing South Glendale. Osprey seen at Loch Druidibeg.

Insects: Red Admiral at knockintorran, North Uist.

Moths trapped at Carnan, South Uist last night: Map winged Swift 1, Silver-ground carpet 17, Common Carpet 1, Lime speck pug 1, Common Pug 2, Grey pug 2, Elephant Hawkmoth 7, Pebble Prominent 1, White Ermine 19, Buff Ermine 3, Flame Shoulder 4, Small Square-spot 2, Broom Moth 1, Bright-Line Brown Eye 5, Campion 1, Clouded Drab 1, Shark 1, Knot Grass 1, Angle Shades 1, Clouded-bordered Brindle 1.

                                                                         Grasshopper Warbler (John Kemp); Hoverlfy Eupeodes corollae on Benbecula and Northern Eggar larva (Steve Duffield); Turtle Dove (Terry Fountain)

4th June:

North Uist: Curlew Sandpiper south end of Loch Paible.

South Uist: possible male Lesser Scaup on small loch opposite Balgarva turning; flew onto Loch Bee.

possible Lesser Scaup (Terry Fountain)

3rd June:

Lewis: Common Crane in the Stornoway Airport / Steinish area today.

South Uist: Pectoral Sandpiper at Balgarva.

Insects: Iron Prominent trapped at North Loch Eynort last night is a first for the Outer Hebrides. Buff Ermine 1, White Ermine 2, Spectacle 1, Knot Grass 1, Mottled Rustic 1, and a pug trapped at Askernish last night.

                                                                                               Common Crane (Martin Scott); Pectoral Sandpiper (John Kemp) and Iron Prominent (Steve Duffield)

2nd June:

South Uist: female Red-breasted Flycatcher at South Glendale plus a flava wagtail flew north; also Spotted Flycatcher and Whitethroat there. 2 Whitethroats singing in around Ludaig.

12 - 15 Risso's Dolphins off Balranald today around 11:00 am. 6 Bottle-nosed Dolphins off Smerclate, South Uist this morning.

Insects: 17 species of macro moth were trapped at Drimsdale last night with White Ermine being the commonest species.

  Red-breasted Flycatcher (John Kemp)

1st June:

South Uist: Spotted Flycatcher singing at North Loch Eynort and Wood Pigeon there. Redwing at Askernish.

Insects: At Carnan, South Uist last night: Flame Carpet 6, Red Carpet 1, Silver-ground Carpet 17, Common Carpet 1, White Ermine 4, Flame Shoulder 16, True Lover's Knot 1, Small square-spot 1, Bright-line Brown Eye 8, Campion 2, Lychnis 1, Knot Grass 1, Small Angle Shades 1, Clouded-bordered Brindle 3, Spectacle 3.

5 Flame Shoulder; 6 Spectacle; 1 White Ermine; 5 Clouded-bordered Brindle; 1 Map-winged Swift; 1 Dusky Brocade; 1 Bright-line Brown-eye; 2 Garden Carpet (which includes photo below which I think is this sp.); 1 Broom Moth; 1 Shears; 1 Broom; 1 Small Square-spot and 1 Bright-line Brown-eye at Carinish, North Uist last night.

4 Brimstone Moths, 10 Buff Ermine, 3 Knotgrass, 4 Poplar Hawkmoth, Poplar Lutestring, Flame Carpet, Silver-ground Carpet, 2 Treu Lover's Knot, 6 Common White Wave, Scalloped Hazel, 2 Shears, Magpie Moth, Brown Silver Line, Ling Pug and White Ermine trapped at North Loch Eynort, South Uist last night. Mottled Rustic trapped again last night at Drimsdale.

Large Heath butterflies seen at Claddach Baleshare and South Glendale today. Red Admiral at North Loch Eynort today and one yesterday in Liurbost, Lewis.

                                                                            Four Spotted Chaser and Common Heath (John Kemp); Brimstone Moth, Common White Wave and Poplar Lutestring (Steve Duffield)