Latest Outer Hebrides Bird and Wildlife Sightings 2020
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31st July:
North Uist: An adult Bonaparte's Gull was reported from Rushgarry, Berneray this afternoon. A Common Crossbill was at Langass Lodge.
South Uist: 27 Black-tailed Godwits were on the Howmore River this afternoon and 2 were in the south bay at Ardvule. The Spoonbill was in the south-west corner of Loch Bee.
30th July:
South Uist: The Spoonbill is still in the south-west corner of Loch Bee.
Insects: 574 moths and 55 species were caught in South Glendale today including Red Carpet, Bordered Grey, Scotch Annulet, Scarce Silver Y and micro moths 2 Eana osseana, Eana penziana, 2 Aethes rubigana, Aphelia viburnana, Pyrausta despicata and Gillmeria pallidactyla.
Bordered Grey (John Kemp)
29th July:
South Uist: The Spoonbill was at the south-west end of Loch Bee again today; also a Pink-footed Goose there. 2 juvenile Cuckoos were at Druidibeg this evening.
Insects: 98 moths and 16 species were recorded at Carnan last night including 3 Double Lobed, 3 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and an Evergestis pallidata amongst others.
Marine Sightings: 2 pods of Risso's Dolphins, Bottle-nosed Dolphin, Harbour Porpoise and Minke Whale were seen off Brevig today.
Irish Lady's Tresses (Steve Duffield)
28th July:
North Uist: A seawatch from Griminish Point this morning (07:15 - 10:00) produced a single Sooty Shearwater, 620 Manx Shearwaters, 44 Fulmar, 185 Gannets and an Arctic Skua heading west. 8 Black-tailed Godwits were on the shore at Balranald.
South Uist: The Spoonbill and 14 Black-tailed Godwits were in the south-west corner of Loch Bee this morning. The Ruff and 3 Black-tailed Godwits were on the shore at Howmore.
Black-tailed Godwit (Steve Duffield); Ruff (Alan Kennedy); Bar-tailed Godwits, Little Terns and Wheatear (Bob McMillan)
27th July:
North Uist: 15 Black-tailed Godwits were in fields by Loch Grogarry.
South Uist: A Ruff was on te beach at Howmore.
Dunlin (Steve Duffield)
26th July:
Benbecula: 6 Black-tailed Godwits were at Aird.
South Uist: Birds flying south at Ardvule this morning included 1 Great Northern Diver, 260 Gannets, 25 Fulmars, 444 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 1 Great Skua, 1 Arctic Skua, 16 Kittiwakes, 14 Common Terns, 12 Arctic Terns, 8 Razorbills, 15 Guillemots, 11 Auk sp., and 1 Black Guillemot. Also in area an adult Glaucous Gull and 8 Black-tailed Godwits. The Spoonbill was at the south-west end of Loch Bee this afternoon where it was joined by 31 Black-tailed Godwits this evening.
Common Terns and Glaucous Gull (John Kemp); Knot (Steve Duffield)
25th July:
North Uist: A Rose-coloured Starling is in a garden at Claddach Vallay and been present for the last week. 5 Black-tailed Godwits were at Loch Sandary. 33 Knot dropped in briefly at Loch Paible around midday before continuing south.
South Uist: A Sandwich Tern flew south at Howmore and a Long-tailed Duck was off-shore there. The Spoonbill and 14 Black-tailed Godwits were seen on the west side of Loch Bee.
Black-tailed Godwit (Steve Duffield)
24th July:
South Uist: The Spoonbill was seen on the west side of Loch Bee this afternoon along with a Green Sandpiper. The Osprey was over east Loch Bee.
Barra: A Sooty Shearwater flew south past Brevig this afternoon.
Insects: 418 moths and 39 species were caught at Carnan last night including The Flame (2nd record for Outer Hebs); as well as 6 Double Lobeds, 3 Grass Rivulet, 3 Light Arches, 3 light Emerald, a Mottled Beauty, 2 Northern Spinach, 15 Snout, Eana penziana and 5 Evergestis pallidata amonst others.
298 moths and 27 species were trapped at Claddach Baleshare including 61 Garden Tigers, 80 True Lover's Knot, a Haworth's Minor, Yellow Shell and 2 Brown China Mark.
At Daliburgh machair 570 moths / 31 species which included 22 Pretty Pinion, 2 Barred Rivulet, 15 Lime-speck Pugs, 49 Archer's dart, 191 Common Rustic agg., 54 White-line Dart, 61 Crambus perlella, 2 Celypha cespitana and 2 Phycitodes saxicola.
in South Glendale 688 moths of 53 species included 419 True Lover's Knot, 3 Treble-bar, 2 Dark Spinach, 6 Rustic, 2 Barred Rivulet, 3 Aethes Rubigana, 5 Eudonia pallida, Evergestis pallidata and Matilella fusca.
The Flame (Paul Boyer); Brown China Mark and Small Tortoiseshell (Steve Duffield)
23rd July:
South Uist: 26 Black-tailed Godwits were in the south-west corner of Loch Bee.
Insects: 527 moths / 54 species were trapped at Carinish last night including 204 Dark Arches, a Light Arches, 4 Purple Clay, a Small Wainscot, a Pretty Pinion, Oblique Carpet, Lempke's Gold Spot and a Shark amongst many others.
21st July:
Insects: 170 moths and 26 species were caught at Carnan last night including 3 Double Lobed, a Light Arches, Mottled Beauty, 4 Narrow-winged Pugs, an Oblique Carpet, 2 Straw Dot and Evergestis pallidata amongst others.
119 moths / 26 species were trapped at North Loch Eynort last night. This included 24 Light Emerald, 2 Coxcomb Prominent, 1 Northern Spinach, 6 Barred Red, 5 Dotted Clay, 1 Riband Wave, 7 Small Fan-footed Wave, 1 Pinion-streaked Snout and 1 Eudonia mercurella, 1 Zeiraphera ratzeburgiana and 2 Epinotia tenerana.
At South Glendale 239 moths of 30 species were trapped. These included 166 True Lover's Knot, 9 Dotted Clay, 1 Six-striped Rustic, 3 Rustic, 2 Wormwood Pugs, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and single Aethes Rubigana, Eana penziana and Eudonia mercurella.
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Aethes rubigana, Dotted Clay and Riband Wave (John Kemp)
20th July:
Insects: 235 moths and 36 species were trapped in Carinish last night including an Archer's Dart, a Ghost Moth and 52 Garden Tigers amongst many others.
Endothenia quadrimaculana and Ghost Moth (Steve Duffield)
19th July:
South Uist: 5 Whimbrel were on the machair at Howmore. Birds flying south at Ardvule this morning included 1 Red-throated Diver, I Black-throated Diver, 7 Fulmar, 267 Manx Shearwater, 104 Gannets, 3 Great Skuas, 17 Kittiwakes, 1 Black Guillemot and 23 Razorbills. Also 2 Little Terns, 1 Common Tern and 56 Arctic Terns present.
Barra: A Pomarine Skua flew south past Brevig early afternoon.
Black-throated Diver and Golden Plover (John Kemp)
18th July:
Lewis: The Rose-coloured Starling is still in Cross.
North Uist: A Sooty Shearwater flew west past Griminish Point this afternoon; also 1,000's of Manx Shearwaters feeding off-shore. A 3rd cal yr Glaucous Gull was at Loch Sandary.
South Uist: A Balearic Shearwater flew south at Ardvule at 06:20 am. Also off Ardvule this morning: 267 Gannets, 3 Storm Petrels, 22 Fulmars, 435 Manx Shearwaters, 28 Auk sp., 1 Guillemot, 44 Razorbills, 3 Great Skuas, 6 Kittiwakes and 28 Black-tailed Godwits.
Barra: A Cory's Shearwater flew past Cleat at 12:55. A Sooty Shearwater was seen off Vatersay this morning.
Little Tern (John Kemp); Wheatear, Sooty Shearwater and Manx Shearwaters (Steve Duffield)
17th July:
Lewis: The Rose-coloured Starling is still in Cross.
North Uist: A 3rd cal yr Glaucous Gull was at Loch Sandary this morning.
South Uist: The Spoonbill was at the south-west end of Loch Bee this morning.
16th July:
South Uist: A Balearic Shearwater and a Sooty Shearwater were seen heading south off Ardvule this morning.
Barra: 25 Puffins, 343 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Storm Petrels, 10 Great Skuas, 1 Arctic Skua, 6 Whimbrels and 2 Sooty Shearwaters were seen off Vatersay today.
Common Tern and Sooty Shearwater (John Kemp)
15th July:
Lewis: The Rose-coloured Starling is still in Cross.
South Uist: The Spoonbill is still at the south-west corner of Loch Bee. An adult Glaucous Gull was at Kildonan.
14th July:
Lewis: The Rose-coloured Starling is still in Cross. A Long-tailed Skua was reported over Swordale, Point this morning.
South Uist: The Spooonbill was in the south-west corner of Loch Bee again this morning. A Whimbrel was on the machair at Howmore and 2 were at Ardvule.
Short-eared Owl (Steve Duffield)
13th July:
Lewis: A Rose-coloured Starling is still at Cross.
South Uist: The Spoonbill and an Avocet were in the south-west corner of Loch Bee. A southerly movement at Ardvule this morning included 1 Great Skua (+ 1 north), 4 Kittiwakes, 149 Gannets, 2 Great Northern Divers, 77 Razorbills, 12 Puffins, 11 Auk sp., 222 Manx Shearwaters, 12 Fulmars and 21 Storm Petrels.
Avocet and Spoonbill (Steve Duffield); Great Northern Diver and Puss Moth caterpillar (John Kemp)
12th July:
North Uist: A 1st yr Glaucous Gull was seen near Loch Paible.
Insects: 124 moths/35 species were trapped in South Glendale last night which included 1 Antler Moth, 1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Snout, 1 Oblique Carpet, 2 Pretty Pinion, 3 Small Rivulet, 10 Straw Dot, 2 Diamond-back Moth, 1 Agapeta hamana, 1 Eudonia mercurella, 2 Pleurota bicostella, 5 Notocelia uddmanniana, 10 Eucosma campoliliana, 2 Eucosma cana and 65 True Lover’s Knot.
Merlin and Eucosma cana (John Kemp)
11th July:
Lewis. The Rose-coloured Starling is still in Cross.
South Uist: 2 Avocets were on the Howmore River today.
Insects: 228 moths of 50 species were trapped in Carinish last night including a Dark Spinach, 2 Angle Shades, 2 Lempke's Gold Spots and a Light Arches amongst many more.
Dark Spinach (Steve Duffield); Short-eared Owl (Michael Cook)
10th July:
Lewis: A Rose-coloured Starling is still in Cross.
Bar-tailed Godwits (Steve Duffield)
9th July:
Lewis: A Rose-coloured Starling is in Cross.
North Uist: 4 Black-tailed Godwits were by Loch Mor, Baleshare.
South Uist: The adult Little Gull is still at Ardvule; whilst birds flying north included 42 Gannets, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Puffin and 4 Manx Shearwaters while a Great Northern Diver, 2 Kittiwakes and 12 Gannets flew south.
Insects: 280 moths of 42 species were caught in Carinish last night including 3 Pretty Pinion, a Lempke's Gold Spot, 3 Light Emerald and a Purple Clay amongst many more.
Arctic Terns and Puffin (John Kemp)
8th July:
Lewis: A Rose-coloured Starling is still at Cross. A Rose-coloured Starling was at Marbhig, Lochs.
Benbecula: 2 Sandwich Terns were at Stinky Bay this morning before heading north.
South Uist: The Rose-coloured Starling was at Ardvule again this morning; also an adult Little Gull there. 6 Crossbills were in Druidibeg plantation.
Barra: 3 Crossbills were seen on the island today.
Marine Sightings: 5 Minke Whales, 11 Risso's Dolphins, an Orca, 7 Common Dolphins, 5 Harbour Pospoise and a Basking Shark were seen off Leanish, Barra today.
Insects: A Small Magpie moth was seen last night in South Glendale. Moths trapped there include 93 True Lover's Knot, Heart & Dart and 3 Scarce Silver Y
In Carnan 31 moths / 15 species were trapped including a Beautiful Golden Y, 4 Bright-line Brown Eye, a Burnished Brass, Buff Ermine, Common White Wave, Dark Arches, 6 Drinkers, a Dusky Brocade, 3 Garden Tigers, an Ingrailed Clay, Pebble Prominent, Poplar Hawkmoth1, 4 Small Square Spots, a Smoky Wainscot and 4 True Lover's Knot.
Small Magpie (John Kemp); Crossbills (Joe Newman); Sedge Warbler (Steve Duffield)
7th July:
Lewis: 4 Rose-coloured Starlings are in Ness with 3 at Cross and 1 at Skigersta.
St. Kilda: 2 Long-tailed Skuas (an adult and 2nd summer) and a 1st summer Sabine's Gull were 10 miles north of the islands.
North Uist: The Rose-coloured Starling was in Carinish. An immature Glaucous Gull was on Loch Sandary. A Rose-coloured Starling was in Balemore (for its 2nd day). An adult Curlew Sandpiper was at Balranald.
South Uist: A Rose-coloured Starling was seen at Ardvule this morning. A Sandwich Tern was at Ardvule this morning along with 30 x 1st summer Arctic Terns.
Barra: The Rose-coloured Starling is still on Vatersay.
Curlew Sandpiper (Steve Duffield); Rose-coloured Starling (John Kemp)
6th July:
Lewis: 3 Rose-coloured Starlings were at Cross and 1 was at Skigersta.
St. Kilda: A Wilson's Petrel was reported off-shore early evening.
North Uist: The Rose-coloured Starling is still in Carinish.
South Uist: 15 Black-tailed Godwits flew south over Carnan at 19:20; also 12 were on the west side of Loch Bee.
Robin fledgling, Rosy Starling and Large White (Steve Duffield); Whooper Swans (John Love)
5th July:
Lewis: A Rose-coloured Starling is in Breanais and has been for several days. 3 Rose-coloured Starlings are at Cross, 2 are at Skigersta and 1 is in Port of Ness.
North Uist: The Rose-coloured Starling was in Carinish again this morning. At least 7 Crossbills are in Langass Wood.
Barra: The Rose-coloured Starling is still on Vatersay. A Pomarine Skua flew south past Brevig this afternoon.
4th July:
Lewis: 5 Rose-coloured Starlings were in Ness with 2 at Skigersta and 3 at Cross.
North Uist: A Rose-coloured Starling was in Carinish.
South Uist: An adult Glaucous Gull was at Kildonan. The Spoonbill was in the south-west corner of Loch Bee this afternoon. The Osprey was also seen at Loch Druidibeg this afternoon.
Barra: A Rose-coloured Starling was seen on Vatersay today.
Insects: 32 moths and 13 species were caught at Carnan last night including a Ghost Moth, 2 Straw Dots, a Spectacle and a Diamond-back Moth amongst others.
Rose-coloured Starling (Steve Duffield); Glaucous Gull (Joe Newman)
3rd July:
Lewis: 5 Rose-coloured Starlings were in Ness with 2 at Skigersta and 3 at Cross.
Benbecula: The Glaucous Gull was at Stinky Bay today.
South Uist: An Avocet was seen at the north end of Loch Bee this morning.
Barra: A Rose-coloured Starling was seen on Vatersay today.
2nd July:
Lewis: 4 Rose-coloured Starlings are in Ness with 2 at Skigersta, 1 at Cross and 1 in South Dell.
South Uist: The Osprey was at Druidibeg this afternoon. The Spoonbill was at the south end of Loch Bee this evening.
Barra: 6 Crossbills were at Ardmhor today.
Ghost Moth (John Love)
1st July:
Lewis: 3 Rose-coloured Starlings are in Ness with 1 coming to a feeder at Cross and 2 in Skigersta. A Rose-coloured Starling was at Mangersta and has been present for several days.
North Uist: The Rose-coloured Starling was still in Carinish.
Insects: Moth trapping at North Loch Eynort last night produced a Scarce Silver Y, 4 Barred Red, 5 Light Emerald, 1 Northern Spinach, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Coxcomb Prominent, 13 Poplar Hawk-moths, 2 Pandemis cerasana and new for the Outer Hebrides Tinea semifulvella.
Short-eared Owl (Steve Duffield)
Tinea semifulvella, Scarce Silver-Y, Northern Spinach and Light Emerald (John Kemp)