National Rarity 1st January 2022

[Hawkeye]

Western Isles / Outer Hebrides bird sightings for today, 1st January 2022. Updated throughout the day

Loch Stiapabhat, Isle of Lewis
The drake ***Lesser Scaup*** was seen there again today in the company of 13 Tufted Duck

Coot Loch, Benbecula
2 drake Pintails were seen on the loch. 10 Gannets were feeding offshore at Balivanich

Carnan, South Uist
2 Brambling were visiting a garden there

Ardivachar South Uist
2 Black-tailed Godwits were on the machair there

Eoligarry, Isle of Barra
14 Greenland White-fronts were there again today

Bruernish, Isle of Barra
The *Glossy Ibis* was there again this morning

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 09:00-10:10
Weather: Wind S f9 - 10, 8/8 cloud, murky out to sea. Little rain. Temp 11c.
A 1 hour seawatch this morning produced 1 Long-tailed Duck (S), 1 Red-throated Diver (S), 3 Shag (N), and 4 Cormorants (S).
Also present in the area were Ringed Plover 19, Turnstone 21, Dunlin 3, Purple Sandpiper 2, Redshank 3, Common Gull 19, Great Black-backed Gull 3, Herring Gull 63, Twite 27, and Snow Bunting 1

 

[Bruce]

Barra
Glossy Ibis still at Bruernish, 2 drake Green-winged Teals still Ardmhor, Surf Scoter off Allasdale among the Long-tailed Ducks, at least 1 Siberian Chiffchaff and a Common Chiffchaff by the football pitch at Castlebay (both ground-feeding in gale force winds). 15 Greenland White-fronts remained at Eoligarry (a tight flock of 14 plus a single juvenile among the Greylags). c80 Pale-bellied Brents were at Traigh Mhor.

Greenland White-fronted Geese

 

[YvonneB]

Very challenging conditions for our traditional New Years birding and i'm amazed that we managed 41 species with winds gusting up to 70+mph

@MisterT and I began with a trawl around the patch and found 40+ Golden Plover out on the machair, also enjoying the relative shelter of the machair were c85 Ringed Plover along with a Dunlin and several Turnstones. A single Guillemot was just offshore as were three Long-tailed Duck and a couple of Great Northern Divers. Further along the machair towards Loch Hallan there were small flocks of Skylark and several Twite, on the Loch itself were 27 Whooper Swans and 8 Mute Swans, all the ducks were sheltering apart from the Tufties who were right out in the roughest water! In the garden the usual Blackbirds, House Sparrows, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Starling and Dunnock were seen, mostly tittling around in a sheltered corner of the garden. After a brief "comfort break" we headed down to Kilpheder, Orasay and Smerclete. One of the best sights of the day was 62 Snipe hunkered down on a small lochan. 43 Barwits at Kilpheder and a large (350+) flock of Starlings. Several Kittiwakes were found among the mass of other gulls hunkered down on the beach at Smerclate. Last bird of the day added to the list in the failing daylight was a Little Grebe at Strome. Bonus sight of the day was an Otter

Hunkered down Snipe

Took some video on my phone at Orasay but it really doesn't do the weather justice!

 

[Robyn PF]

It was rough wasn’t it! Happy new year all!

We managed a slightly less impressive 25 species purely on foot immediately around Stinky Bay. Huge crowds of starlings have as usual been round here all week, but if anything even more today with the poor conditions elsewhere. Also today has seen masses of Redshanks gathered in the bay - I reckon at least 50 at one point. We also had a little group of Long Tailed Ducks, a Great Northern Diver and a female Red Breasted Merganser visible in the bay at various times through the day.

Hoping for some gentler weather tomorrow when we plan to roam a little further afield!

 

[YvonneB]

It was rough wasn’t it! Happy new year all!

We managed a slightly less impressive 25 species purely on foot immediately around Stinky Bay. Huge crowds of starlings have as usual been round here all week, but if anything even more today with the poor conditions elsewhere. Also today has seen masses of Redshanks gathered in the bay - I reckon at least 50 at one point. We also had a little group of Long Tailed Ducks, a Great Northern Diver and a female Red Breasted Merganser visible in the bay at various times through the day.

Hoping for some gentler weather tomorrow when we plan to roam a little further afield!

Happy New Year to you both! Kudos for being on foot. I think you must have had all the Redshank as we didn’t see a single one all day! Enjoy your stay