2016
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.
31st January:
Harris: A Jackdaw was seen near Cuddy Point, Scaplay today.
Benbecula: The female Pochard was on Coot Loch.
South Uist: The Gyrfalcon was hunting around Ardvule / Bornish this morning before heading south. Also a Greenland White-fronted Goose and 30 Goldfinch on Bornish machair. 7 Common Scoter (6 females and an immature male) were off Stoneybridge. The Magpie was at West Gerinish; also a Guillemot in a garden there. A male and female Scaup were on Loch Bee.
Gyrflacon and Magpie (Steve Duffield)
30th January:
South Uist: The Magpie was seen at West Gerinish this morning. The Whimbrel was in North Bay. 2 juvenile Glaucous Gulls and an adult Iceland Gull were at Ardivachar. A 2nd year Glaucous Gull was at Stoneybridge.
28th January:
South Uist: 10 Fieldfare were at Loch Carnan. A Greenland White-fronted Goose was at Bornish.
27th January:
North Uist: 9 Snow Buntings were on Baleshare by the picnic site.
South Uist: 10 Fieldfare are at Loch Carnan. The Gyrfalcon was seen hunting wildfowl in the Bornish area early afternoon before heading north towards Ormiclate.
26th January:
South Uist: A juvenile and 2nd winter Iceland Gull were at Ardvule this morning. A Magpie was seen at West Gerinish today.
Iceland Gull (John Kemp)
25th January:
North Uist: The drake Green-winged Teal and Coot are still on Loch Sandary. A Little Egret was seen at Gearraiaidh Dubh, Grimsay today.
South Uist: Southerly passage at Ardvule (08:45-11:50) included 12 Red-throated Divers, 6 Great Northern Divers, 24 Gannets, 14 Fulmars, 19 Eiders, 14 Long-tailed Ducks, 2 Puffins, 2 Little Auks, 1 Razorbill and 1 Black Guillemot. A second winter Iceland Gull was also present.
Otter (Steve Duffield); Little Auk and Iceland Gull (John Kemp)
24th January:
North Uist: 2 drake American Wigeon were on the loch just south of the main road, near the Loch Portain turning.
South Uist: A single Little Auk and a Puffin flew south at Ardvule this morning whilst an adult Iceland Gull was there late morning.
American Wigeons (Steve Duffield)
23rd January:
South Uist: 2 immature male Common Scoters were off North Bay. A single Little Auk flew south at Ardvule this morning.
22nd January:
Benbecula: A female Pochard was on Coot Loch.
21st January:
North Uist: 9 Fieldfare were in Carinish. The Little Egret was seen at Bayhead.
20th January:
North Uist: A juvenile Iceland Gull was on the machair near Balemore. 40 Goldfinch were on the machair at Cnoc an Torrain. A drake Green-winged Teal and a Coot are on Loch Sandary. The Little Egret was at Bayhead.
South Uist: A male Crossbill was at North Loch Eynort.
Iceland Gull and Corn Bunting (Steve Duffield)
19th January:
North Uist: 120 Snow Buntings were at Borve, Berneray. The drake American Wigeon was near the Loch Portain turning. 12 Fieldfare were in Carinish.
South Uist: The Gyrfalcon was reported from Loch Bornish yesterday.
Barra: A juvenile Iceland Gull was at Brevig this afternoon.
Shag (Steve Duffield)
18th January:
North Uist: A Little Egret was at Bayhead this evening.
South Uist: 2 Slavonian Grebes were at the north end of Loch Bee. A Mistle Thrush and 11 Fieldfare were in Bornish today.
17th January:
North Uist: 81 Brent Geese, 2 drake Pintails and 14 Fieldfare were around Baleshare. A Short-eared Owl was at Claddach Baleshare. A Little Stint was on Loch Paible today.
South Uist: The drake Green-winged Teal was still at the north end of Loch Bee.
Golden Plover (Steve Duffield)
16th January:
South Uist: A drake Green-winged Teal was at the north end of Loch Bee. A juvenile Iceland Gull was in North Bay; also a Pied Wagtail on the shore there.
Green-winged Teal and White-tailed Eagle (Steve Duffield)
15th January:
North Uist: A female King Eider was seen in the Sound of Harris from the Leverburgh - Berneray ferry this morning. 80+ Snow Buntings were at Borve, Berneray.
South Uist: The Gyrfalcon was seen hunting wildfowl at the north end of Loch Bee early afternoon.
King Eider (Steve Duffield)
14th January:
Lewis: A 3rd winter Lesser Black-backed Gull and a juvenile Iceland Gull flew north-west over Arnish moor this morning. A Little Auk was off the Braighe this afternoon.
South Uist: A juvenile Glaucous Gull flew north along the north side of Ardvule this morning.
Marine Sightings: 2 White-beaked Dolphins were off Tiumpan Head this afternoon.
Glaucous Gull (John Kemp)
13th January:
Lewis: A Slavonian Grebe is still on Loch Orasaigh, Arnish moor.
Benbecula: A juvenile Iceland Gull was on Loch Fada this morning.
South Uist: A 1st winter Puffin was off Ardvule this morning and a Greenland White-fronted Goose was on the egde of Loch Ardvule.
Marine Sightings: 2 Harbour Porpoise swam south at Ardvule.
Otters (John Kemp)
12th January:
Lewis: A juvenile Iceland Gull flew north-west over Arnish Moor this morning. A juvenile Iceland Gull was in Stornoway harbour.
South Uist: Passage at Ardvule (08:45 - 11:00) included 8 Great Northern Divers, 12 Red-throated Divers, 109 Gannets, 86 Kittiwakes, an adult Iceland Gull and 16 Long-tailed Ducks heading north.
11th January:
Lewis: 2 Great Tits were at Marbank in the Castle Grounds, Stornoway.
South Uist: 86 Gannets flew north and 2 Little Auks flew south at Ardvule this morning.
10th January:
North Uist: A drake Pintail and 17 Brent Geese were on Baleshare this afternoon.
South Uist: A female Common Scoter flew north at Ardvule this morning. 6 Fieldfare were in Bornish.
9th January:
North Uist: A Richardson's Canada Goose was with 1210 Barnacle Geese by Loch Brusda, Berneray today.
South Uist: 2 Little Auks and 5 Common Scoters were south of Verran Island.
8th January:
North Uist: A Great Skua was along Traigh Iar, Grenitote this morning and a juvenile Glaucous Gull was at Aird a' Mhorain. 25 Brent Geese, a drake Pintail and a couple of Fieldfare were around Baleshare; also the Gyrfalcon was at Loch Mor late afternoon.
South Uist: 2 Jack Snipe were at Loch Eynort.
7th January:
Barra: A Little Auk was in the bay at Brevig.
5th January:
North Uist: A 1st winter Glaucous Gull was on Berneray.
South Uist: A Chiffchaff was seen in Askernish.
Barra: A Little Auk was seen at Traigh Mhor.
4th January:
North Uist: The Gyrfalcon was seen on Baleshare this morning and again in the afternoon. A drake Pintail was Loch na Paisg, Baleshare. 9 Shoveler were on Loch nam Feithean and 24 Snow Buntings were at Balranald. A Little Stint was seen at Loch Paible.
2nd January:
North Uist: The Gyrfalcon was seen on Baleshare at 4 pm today.
South Uist: The Grey Phalarope was still at Peninerine. A Glossy Ibis was at Ormiclate Castle (apparently present since 31st December) this afternoon before flying off to the north. A male and female Scaup are on Loch Bee. The Whimbrel was in North Bay again today.
Glossy Ibis and Grey Phalarope (Steve Duffield); Gyrfalcon (Jac Volbeda)
1st January:
North Uist: An adult Iceland Gull was in Hougharry; also 10 Goldfinch there. Ar leats 1 female Pintail was on Loch nam Feithean. The Gyrfalcon was seen briefly early afternoon over Loch nam Feithean.
Benbecula: A 1st winter Iceland Gull was at Borve.
South Uist: The Grey Phalarope is still at Peninerine; also a Pied Wagtail there. A pale-bellied Brent Goose was on the South Ford.
Iceland Gull (Steve Duffield); Grey Phalarope (John Kemp)