Latest Outer Hebrides Bird and Wildlife Sightings 2022
Archive January February March April May June
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31st July:
Lewis: A Pomarine Skua was seen from the Stornoway - Ullapool ferry this morning.
Insects: 2 Bordered Grey were trapped in South Glendale last night.
Marine Sightings: 2 Humpback Whales, 4 Fin Whales snd 51 Minke Whales, 400+ Common Dolphins, , 12 Bottle-nosed Dolphins and 20+ Harbour Porpoise were seen from the Stornoway - Ullapooll crossing this morning. 3+ Risso's Dolphins, 5 Bottle-nosed Dolphins and numerous Common Dolphins as well as Harbour Porpoise were seen from the Uig - Lochmaddy ferry this morning. 2 Humpback Whales were off Aird, Point this afternoon - although distant.
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and Bordered Grey (John Kemp)
30th July:
St. Kilda: A Great Shearwater was seen 13.75 miles east of the islands.
South Uist: A Sooty Shearwater and a Storm Petrel were seen off Ardvule this morning.
Barra: A juvenile Mediterrean Gull was seen at Allasdale.
29th July:
Lewis: An Osprey was seen heading east from Tiumpan Head.
Arctic Skua, Bottle-nosed Dolphins (with single Risso's fin visible), Common Dolphin and Risso's Dolphins (Andy Williams)
28th July:
Lewis: 3 Sooty Shearwaters flew past the Butt this morning. A Sooty Shearwater flew north past Tiumpan Head this morning.
North Uist: A few Swifts were seen heading south over Uist today imcluding a flock of 7 over Maireabhal.
Marine Sightings: 2 Fin Whales were seen to the ENE of Tiumpan Head again this afternoon; A Humpback Whale was also seen 6 km to the south of the lighthouse. 15 Risso's Dolphins were seen to the south of the Braighe, Stornoway this morning.
Fin Whales (Andy Williams)
27th July:
Insects: A Swallow-tailed Moth, 2 Clouded Border, a Brown China-mark, 1 Rusty-dot Pearl, 1 Rush Veneer and a Lempke's Gold Spot were trapped in South Glendale amongst others last night.
Marine Sightings: 2 Fin Whales were between Aird and Tiumpan Head today; also a Minke Whale, 60 Common Dolphins, 2 Risso's Dolphins and 3 White-beaked Dolphins. A small shoal of Blue-finned Tuna were also seen off Tiumpan Head in the evening.
Fin Whale (Andy Williams); Swallow-tailed Moth and Rusty-dot Pearl (John Kemp)
26th July:
South Uist: 2 Whimbrel were at Balgarva.
24th July:
South Uist: 6 Whimbrel flew south at Howmore this morning. 4 Black-tailed Godwits were on the Range.
Black-tailed Godwit (Alan Kennedy)
23rd July:
Lewis: A Swift was over Aird, Point in the afternoon.
North Uist: A Quail was heard calling at Balranald this morning.
22nd July:
Marine Sightings: At least 8 Risso's Dolphins and 3 Minke Whales were seen from the Lochboisdale - Mallaig ferry today; also numerous Common Dolphins and Harbour Porpoise.
Common Dolphin and Manx Shearwater (Steve Duffield)
21st July:
At Sea: An adult Pectoral Sandpiper was seen 28 miles north-north-west of St. Kilda on 19th July.
South Uist: A Little Stint was at Ardivachar this afternoon.
Barra: 2 Sandwich Terns were on Vatersay and another was at Traigh Mhor.
Little Stint (Alan Kennedy)
20th July:
Marine Sightings: 40+ Risso's Dolphins were seen of Tiumpan Head this morning.
19th July:
Benbecula: A Swift was over Loch Fada late this afternoon.
18th July:
Harris: A Hobby was seen at Rodel this afternoon.
South Uist: An adult Sabine's Gull was on Loch an't-Saile this morning.
Marine Sightings: Small numbers of Risso's, Bottle-nosed and White-beaked Dolphins were seen off Tiumpan Head this morning; plus 3 Minke Whales.
17th July:
Lewis: A male Velvet Scoter was seen off Reef.
North Uist: A Quail was heard at Balranald this morning.
South Uist: A Rose-coloured Starling was at Kilbride this evening before flying towards Ludag.
Marine Sightings: Several small groups of White-beaked Dolphins were off Tiumpan Head this morning; also 2 Minke Whales and 3 Harbour Porpoise.
16th July:
Insects: A Double Square-spot, 2 Gothic, a Ghost Moth, Pinion-streaked Snout, 2 Eush Veneer and 4 Evergestis pallidata were trapped in South Glendale last night.
15th July:
South Uist: The Wood Sandpiper was still in the south-west corner of Loch Bee today.
Insects: A Rush Veneer was trapped in Carinish last night.
Marine Sightings: A Humpback Whale was seen out to sea, close to Stornoway today.
Rush Veneer (Steve Duffield)
14th July:
South Uist: The Wood Sandpiper is still in the south-west corner of Loch Bee.
Wood Sandpiper (Steve Duffield)
13th July:
South Uist: A Wood Sandpiper was in the south-west corner of Loch Bee this morning. The 1st summer Little Gull was at Loch an't-Saile.
12th July:
Insects: A Hummingbird Hawkmoth was seen at Carnan, South Uist this afternoon. Another Hummingbird Hawkmoth was seen at Claddach Kirkibost, North Uist this evening.
11th July:
Insects: 146 moths / 39 species were trapped in South Glendale last night including 1 Rustic, 1 Small Fan-footed Wave, 11 Straw Dot, 15 Small Rivulet, 1 Lime-speck Pug, 1 Aethes smeathmanniana, 1 Lathronympha strigana, 1 Pleurota bicostella, 6 Notocelia uddmanniana.
Aethes smeathmanniana and Rustic (John Kemp)
10th July:
North Uist: A Whimbrel flew south over Carinish this morning.
South Uist: 3 Avocets were at the south-west end of Loch Bee and the Little Gull was on Loch an't-Saile today.
9th July:
North Uist: A Little Stint was at Balranald this morning.
South Uist: An Avocet was in the south-west corner of Loch Bee. The 1st summer Little Gull was on Loch an't-Saile and the Viking Gull was at Ardivachar.
Marine Sightings: Small pods of White-beaked Dolphins and Bottle-nosed Dolphins were seen off Tiumpan head this morning; also 4 Risso's Dolphins, a Minke Whale and 3 Harbour Porpoise.
Insects: 209 moths /45 species were trapped in South Glendale last night including 32 Small Rivulet, 1 Pinion-streaked Snout, Scarce Silver Y, Northern Eggar, 2 Cochylimorpha straminea, Argyresthia conjugella, 5 Notocelia uddmanniana, 1 Pleurota bicostella, 1 Zelotherses paleana.
Argyresthia conjugella, Notocelia uddmanniana and Pleurota bicostella (John Kemp)
7th July:
South Uist: The 1st summer Little Gull was on Loch an't-Saile again this evening and the Vivking Gull was at Ardivachar.
Barra: A Sooty Shearwater was seen off Vatersay.
6th July:
North Uist: A 2 hour sea-watch from Griminish Point (15:00 - 17:00) today produced a Sooty Shearwater, 1,310 Manx Shearwaters, 25 Fulmars, 30 Puffins, an Arctic Skua, a Bonxie, 2 Common Terns and 15 Arctic Terns heading west.
5th July:
Lewis: A female Long-tailed Duck was on Loch Branahuie.
4th July:
South Uist: A 1st summer Little Gull was at Loch an't-Saile this morning.
Marine Sightings: 8 Bottle-nosed Dolphins were in Aird Bay, Point, Lewis this evening.
2nd July:
North Uist: The female Snowy Owl was seen on the beach at Balranald, near Port Scolpaig this afternoon before it flew off to the south.
Marine Sightings: Around 500 Common Dolphins and 10 Minke Whales were seen from the Lcohmaddy - Uig; Uig - Tarbet today. 100 Common Dolphins and a Minke Whale were seen from the Ullapool - Stornoway crossing. 10 Mink Whales were seen to the north-east of Traigh Mhor, North Tolsta late evening.
1st July:
North Uist: A 2nd cal yr Glaucous Gull was on the shore at Paible. 12 Black-tailed Godwits dropped in at Loch Paible in the afternoon. 2 Black-tailed Godwits were at Loch Mor, Baleshare. A Swift flew over Carinish this evening.
Glaucous Gull, Little Terns and Sanderling (Steve Duffield)