Latest Outer Hebrides Bird and Wildlife Sightings 2021
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31st March:
North Uist: 4, 2nd cal yr Iceland Gulls and 2, 2nd cal yr Glaucous Gulls were at Rubh' Arnal; also 8 White-fronted Geese flew north there this afternoon. 17 White-fronted Geese were at Loch nam Feithean.
South Uist: 35 White-fronted Geese were seen heading north over kilbride this afternoon. The drake Green-winged Teal was seen on Loch Hallan this afternoon. An immature Iceland Gull was at Loch nam Faoileann, Daliburgh. A sea-watch off Ardvule this morning produced 2 Barnacle Geese, 2 Greenland Whitefronts, 3 Red-throated Divers and 4 Long-tailed Duck heading north whilst 4 Fulmars, 2 Kittiwakes and 7 Gannets flew south. 35 Redwings were in South Glendale. An immature Glaucous Gull was at Orosay.
Barra: A Little Tern and Sandwich Tern were at Eoligarry. 100 Whooper Swans and 290 White-fronted Geese also flew north there mid afternoon.
30th March:
North Uist: The drake Scaup is still on Loch Mor, Baleshare.
South Uist: An immature Iceland Gull was at West Kilbride. 540 Whooper Swans were at Kildonan / Bornish this evening.
Barra: An Iceland Gull flew past Ardmhor.
Short-eared Owl (Steve Duffield)
29th March:
Lewis: A couple of Bonxies were seen from the Stornoway - Ullapool ferry today.
Benbecula: The Little Egret was seen heading towards Oban Liniclate.
South Uist: A Sandwich Tern and 11 Black-tailed Godwits were at Ardvule this morning. A Chiffchaff was in Bornish. 400 Whooper Swans, a Ruff and 4 Black-tailed Godwits were at the south-west end of Loch Bee.
Insects: 47 Belted Beauties (41 females and 6 males) were seen to the south of Ardvule.
Sandwich Tern (John Kemp)
28th March:
Lewis: A 2nd cal yr Iceland Gull was off Aird, Point this morning. A 2nd winter Iceland Gull was in Stornoway harbour.
North Uist: 6 White-fronted Geese were at Kyles Paible.
South Uist: 7 White-fronted Geese were in Askernish. 580 Whooper Swans were between Loch Hallan and Bornish today. 43 Redwings were at Loch Hallan.
Barra: 2 Green-winged Teal were still at Ardmhor.
Marine Sightings: 6 Risso's Dolphins headed south close in to Tiumpan Head this morning.
27th March:
Lewis: 2 Iceland Gulls (2nd cal yr) were at the Butt and 2 Glaucous Gulls (2nd cal yr) were at Loch Stiapabhat. An Iceland Gull (2nd cal yr) was seen just south of Tiumpan Head this afternoon. A single Glaucous Gull and an Iceland Gull were reported at Gress.
North Uist: The pair of Cackling Geese were at Knockintorran.
South Uist: A Lapland Bunting and 2 Snow Buntings were at Ardivachar. 4 Pink-footed Geese were at Balgarva. An Avocet was seen at the north end of Loch Bee this afternoon.
Marine Sightings: 7 or 8 Bottle-nosed Dolphins moved north past Tiumpan Head this morning; also 4 Risso's Dolphins were off there this morning.
Barmacle Geese and Skylark (Steve Duffield)
26th March:
Lewis: 9 Whooper Swans were on Gress saltings this morning.
South Uist: The drake Green-winged Teal, around 330 Whooper Swans and a White-fronted Goose were at Loch Hallan. 347 Whooper Swans and 2 Scaup were in the south-west corner of Loch Bee. 20 Whooper Swans flew south-west over Howmore early afternoon. 7 Black-tailed Godwits were on the edge of Loch Ardvule this morning.
25th March:
North Uist: 17 Whooper Swans flew west over Claddach Baleshare late morning. 45 Whooper Swans dropped in briefly at Bayhead this evening.
Benbecula: The Little Egret, a pair of Pintail and 8 Black-tailed Godwits were at Loch Fada today.
South Uist: 328 Whooper Swans were on Loch Hallan this evening. 200 Whooper Swans were at Loch Bee; 50 were at Bornish and 92 were at Ormiclate.
24th March:
South Uist: 4 Pink-footed Geese were at Balgarva. 6 Black-tailed Godwits were at Loch an-t'Saile. 2 immature Glaucous Gulls at Orosay this evening.
Barra: A male Blackcap and Grey Wagtail were seen on the island today whilst 50 Whooper Swans flew north; also the first Manx Shearwater of the year off Brevig.
Merlin (Steve Duffield)
23rd March:
Lewis: A Little Auk was in the bay between Aird and Tiumpan Head.
St. Kilda: The female Snowy Owl was seen in Hirta this morning.
North Uist: A juvenile Iceland Gull was on Baleshare; also the drake Scaup still there on Loch Mor.
South Uist: A single Pink-footed Goose arrived with 8 Whooper Swans at Loch Smerclate at lunchtime.
22nd March:
North Uist: The pair of Cackling Geese were at Balranald this afternoon.
South Uist: 200 Whooper Swans flew north over West Kilbride this afternoon.
Cackling Geese (Steve Duffield)
21st March:
Lewis: 3 Iceland Gulls were at the Butt this morning.
North Uist: 34 Whooper Swans flew north over Carinish at 12:25.
Benbecula: 2 immature Glaucous Gulls and a pair of Pintail were on Loch na Meallaird this afternoon.
South Uist: 68 Whooper Swans were seen heading north off-shore at Howmore this afternoon. An immature Iceland Gull was at Drimsdale.
Marine Sightings: 7 Risso's Dolphins were seen heading south off Tiumpan Head this morning; also a Harbour Porpoise was seen. A dead Fin Whale has been washed up in Uig, Lewis.
Insects: 2 Belted Beauties were seen at Aird, Benbecula.
Colt's-foot (Steve Duffield)
20th March:
Lewis: A Glaucous Gull flew west at Port of Ness.
South Uist: 3 Scaup and 62 Whooper Swans were in the south-west corner of Loch Bee. 52 Whooper Swans were on the flood pool south of Aird Mhicheil. Around 70 Whooper Swans were on Loch Bornish. A female Common Scoter flew south at Peninerine this morning.
Insects: 2 male Belted Beauties were seen on Bornish machair this afternoon. 3 Agonopterix yeatiana were caught in South Glendale last might.
Agonopterix yeatiana (John Kemp); Pied Wagtail (Steve Duffield)
19th March:
Benbecula: A juvenile American Golden Plover was with 260 Golden Plover on Liniclate machair. A 2nd yr Glaucous Gull was in Stinky Bay and a juvenile Glaucous Gull was at Loch na Meallaird. A Little Egret was seen at Loch Mor.
South Uist: A Glaucous Gull was at Orosay.
Marine Sightings: 6 White-beaked Dolphins and a couple of Harbour Porpoise were seen off Tiumpan Head in the late afternoon.
18th March:
Lewis: 4 Green-winged Teals were seen at Sandwick Bay; reported as flying north-eastwards.
North Uist: The drake Scaup is still on Loch Mor and 26 Whooper Swans were on Loch Mhic Coan, Baleshare.
South Uist: A drake Green-winged Teal is on Loch Hallan.
Marine Sightings: 2 White-beaked Dolphins, 3 Harbour Porpoise and a small group of dolphins (probably Common) were off Tiumpan Head (11:15 - 12:30).
16th March:
Lewis: A juvenile Iceland Gull was seen in Stornoway. An immature Glaucous Gull was seen off Tiumpan Head.
North Uist: 2 immature Glaucous Gulls and 2 juvenile Iceland Gulls were at Rubh' Arnal; also another juvenile Iceland Gull at Kyles Paible.
South Uist: 2 Glaucous Gulls were at Garrynamonie although 1 appears not be a pure individual with an unusual tail band. A Mistle Thrush was seen at Snishival.
Insects: 2 Belted Beauties were seen at Smerclate.
Glaucous Gull with unusual tail band and Belted Beauties (John Kemp); Iceland Gull (Steve Duffield)
15th March:
North Uist: The pair of Cackling Geese were at Paiblesgarry this morning before relocating to Balranald in the afternoon. 60 Snow Buntings were at Balranald.
South Uist: 5 Scaup were at the south-west end of Loch Bee.
Barra: 3 drake Green-winged Teal were at Ardmhor again today.
Cackling Geese and Snow Buntings (Steve Duffield)
14th March:
South Uist: 10 Black-tailed Godwits were on Bornish machair.
13th March:
Benbecula: 2 Glaucous Gull were on Loch na Meallaird this evening.
South Uist: 6 Black-tailed Godwits were on Loch an t-Saile. 3 Pink-footed Geese were near Hebridean Jewelery.
12th March:
North Uist: The drake Green-winged Teal and a juvenile Glaucous Gull were at Loch Sandary this morning.
South Uist: An adult Iceland Gull was on Askernish golf course.
11th March:
Lewis: The first signs of Whooper Swans moving with 2 on Loch Gruinavat, Leurbost today.
Benbecula: A juvenile Glaucous Gull was on Loch na Meallaird this afternoon.
South Uist: 2 immature Glaucous Gulls were between Smerclate and Garrynamonie.
Barra: A Green-winged Teal was at Ardmhor again today.
10th March:
North Uist: 4 Iceland Gulls (an adult, 2nd winter and 2 juveniles) and 2 juvenile Glaucous Gulls were at Rubh' Arnal this morning. The Green-winged Teal is still on Loch Sandary.
South Uist: An immature Glaucous Gull was seen by the Pollachar this afternoon.
9th March:
Lewis: 2 Iceland Gulls (a juvenile and a 2nd winter) were Stornoway harbour.
8th March:
North Uist: An immature Iceland Gull and a Pink-footed Goose were on Loch Sandary. The Snow Goose was nearby at Knockintorran.
Benbecula: An immature Glaucous Gull was in Culla Bay.
South Uist: An immature Glaucous Gull was at Orosay.
6th March:
Lewis: An Iceland Gull was seen at Eoropie.
Benbecula: An immature Glaucous Gull was in Culla Bay this afternoon. The Little Egret was on Coot Loch.
South Uist: 6 Scaup were at the south-west end of Loch Bee. 4 Black-tailed Godwits were on the Range.
5th March:
North Uist: A Snow Bunting was on the machair at Sollas; also a Pink-footed Goose there.
Marine Sightings: 70 Common Dolphins were off Tiumpan Head this morning. A very small, young Humpback Whale was found dead on the beach at Tolsta on 3rd March.
4th March:
Lewis: A Brambling was in Barvas this morning.
South Uist: 2 Glaucous Gulls were at Boisdale and presumably the same 2 were seen at Garrynamonie later. 6 Scaup were in the south-west corner of Loch Bee.
Barra: 3 drake Green-winged Teal were seen at Ardmhor this morning.
Marine Sightings: 3 Humpback Whales were seen to the east of Tiumpan Head this afternoon.
Snipe (John Love); Glaucous Gull and Drinker moth caterpillar (John Kemp)
3rd March:
Marine Sightings: Around 80 Common Dolphins and 12 White-beaked Dolphins were seen to the east of Tiumpan Head in the afternoon.
2nd March:
Benbecula: A juvenile Glaucous Gull was on Loch na Meallaird this afternoon; also a pair of Pintail were present. 2 Black-tailed Godwits were seen by Coot Loch.
Marine Sightings: Around 70 Common Dolphins and 3 Harbour Porpoise were seen off Tiumpan Head today.
Insects: A pair of Belted Beauties were seen between Smerclate and Orosay.
Belted Beauties and Skylark (John Kemp)
1st March:
North Uist: The pair of Cackling Geese were seen at Balranald again today. The Snow Goose, 3 Glaucous Gulls and 2 Iceland Gulls were at Kyles Paible.
South Uist: The Water Rail is still visiting a garden in Carnan.
Marine Sightings: 5 Harbour Porpoise were seen off Tiumpan Head this morning.
Insects: Several male Belted Beauties were seen in Benbecula today.