Local Rarity 20th November 2023

[Hawkeye]

Western Isles / Outer Hebrides bird sightings for today, 20th November 2023. Updated throughout the day

Loch Stiapabhat, Isle of Lewis
The drake *Green-winged Teal* was again on pools near the hide. The *American Golden Plover* was on the nearby machair

Loch Tiumpan, Isle of Lewis
The *Ring-necked Duck* drake remains present today

Stornoway, Isle of Lewis
8 Waxwings were at Goathill Crescent this morning. Another Waxwing and a female Blackcap were at Kennedy Terrace

Loch Ardvule, South Uist
7 Black-tailed Godwits were there today

South Glendale, South Uist
A Waxwing and 2 Blackcaps were visiting a garden there

 

[MisterT]

Sadly no Waxwings today there at Askernish but at least the female Blackcap can now feed on the apples without interuption

 

[Bruce]

Barra
2 Waxwings were at Northbay and 2 were at Castlebay this morning. A flock of 12 Long-tailed Tits flew south over Brevig before settling at Creachan. If it's the same flock that we saw there on Friday they've gained 2 Long-tailed Tits. The Pale-bellied Brent Goose flock at Traigh Mhor is still increasing; 136 were there this afternoon. More unusually a lone juvenile Brent was among the roosting Great Black-backs at Ardveenish.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese

 

[YvonneB]

Monthly WeBS count today, the day started off rather dreich but improved as the day went on.

Loch Bee: Things seemed fairly quiet, c270 Mute Swans, 14 Whooper Swans, 340 Wigeon, 100+ Mallard, c35 Teal and 102 Tufted Duck. Apart from c175 Lapwings and around 60 Golden Plover waders were pretty thin on the ground, just 3 Redshank, 5 Curlew and 5 Dunlin. Plenty of Greylag Geese with c175 in the area, 14 Barnacle Geese and 8 Greenland White-fronts. Raptor-wise there was a sole White-tailed Eagle in the area plus a Kestrel and a Merlin.

South Ford: The tide was rising rapidly and all the waders were gathering up into large groups, c800 Dunlin, c370 Bar-tailed Godwits, c300 Grey Plover and c60 Ringed Plover, c30 Curlew and smaller numbers (less than 20 birds) of Lapwing, Redshank and Oystercatcher.


Merlin