• When here in the Outer Hebrides and looking at a bird, have you ever wondered how rare it is? The status of all species can vary enormously from island to island. How rare is Shoveler on Barra, has Stock Dove been seen on Harris, does Dotterel occur on Benbecula in the autumn, and how common is Blue Tit on North Uist? Well, fret no longer! The Status and Distribution of birds here on the Outer Hebrides has been completely updated and summarised for every species and each of the main islands and outliers. Available as an online resource at https://status.outerhebrides-birdreports.org/ or via our shop

    New - now available as an ebook

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
Western Isles / Outer Hebrides bird sightings for today, 15th November 2020. Updated throughout the day

Loch Sandary, North Uist
A *Green-winged Teal* was present this morning

Knockintorran, North Uist
3 Pink-footed Geese were there today

Baleshare, North Uist
A Lapland Bunting and 4+ Snow Buntings were seen on the island today

Loch Bee, South Uist
60+ Greenland White-fronted Geese were on the west bank of the loch

Rubha Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 08:35-11:40
Weather: Wind S f3, 8/8 cloud, slow moving showers developing, murky at sea for a spell before brightening. Temp 9-10c.

A three hour seawatch this morning produced 1 Wigeon (S), 8 Eider (S), 6 Common Scoter (1S 5N), 7 Long-tailed Ducks (S), 10 Red-throated Divers (S), 5 Great Northern Divers (S), 23 Gannets (S), 19 Shag (6S 13N), 27 Kittiwakes (S), 1 Black-headed Gull (S), 23 Common Gulls (S), 17 Great Black-backed Gulls (S), 51 Herring Gulls (S), 1 Black Guillemot (S) and 1 auk sp (S).
Also present in the area were Greylag Goose 12, Tufted Duck 27, Red-throated Diver 3, Great Northern Diver 2, Cormorant 26, Purple Sandpiper 4 and Rock Pipit 2
 

Bruce

Senior Member
A few late migrants on Barra today. A flock of 21 Whoopers Swans flew south over Castlebay this afternoon and a further 22 were on Loch Tangasdale. Around 200 Redwings, 1 Fieldfare, 4 Bramblings and a Woodcock were around the island and 2 Siberian Chiffchaffs, a Common Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcaps and a Treecreeper were by the football pitch.
 

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
News from Tristan:-

Yesterday (14th), a group of 5 Whitefronts flew south over the Braigh, near Stornoway.

Today, a male Gadwall paired with a female Wigeon was on Loch Ordais. Presumably this is the same bird as seen in previous winters. Also a Grey Plover (not a common bird on Lewis) on the beach there.

Nearby there were 5 Whooper Swans on Loch Arnol and 9 Purple Sandpipers in the bay there.

Still getting daily visits to my garden in Stornoway from 1 or 2 Hawfinches, which have been present for 3 weeks now.
 

YvonneB

OH Bird Recorder
WeBS counts today, a grey, drizzly start to the day but much improved later :)

35 species at Loch Bee, highlights and high counts:-

c380 Mute Swans, c600 Wigeon, 100+ Lapwings, 500+ Golden Plover, 63 Greenland White-fronts, 8 Whooper Swans, 1 White-tailed Eagle, 1 Merlin, c140 Skylarks, 14 Linnet, 12 Twite, 13 Meadow Pipits

26 species at the South Ford, highlights and high counts:-

42 Redshank, 165 Grey Plover, 14 Great Black-backed Gulls, c300 Dunlin, 28 Knot, c40 ringed Plover

Elsewhere:-

Balgarva: 5 Pied Wagtail, 5 Rock Pipit, 12 Meadow Pipits and many Sanderling, Dunlin and Ringed Plover

Stinky Bay: 60 Redshank, 60 Purple Sandpiper, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 40 Turnstone, 50 Sanderling, 1 Great Northern Diver, 6 Long-tailed Duck, 5 Rock Pipit

Loch Mor: 14 Whooper Swan, 32+ Lapwing, 1 Snipe plus Teal, Mallard, Tufted duck and Wigeon

Loch Fada: 43 Lapwing, Mallard, wigeon and Tufted Duck. Field nearby 12 Redwings and 4 Fieldfare

Coot Loch: 34 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, Wigeon, Mallard, Tufted duck, Teal, 5 Coot, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Greenland white-front flying south over the loch

5E66F0B2-4207-4243-80BF-7511242BEBEB.jpeg
South Ford, late afternoon sunshine.
 
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