• 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

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Mega!!! 20th October 2018

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
Outer Hebrides / Western Isles bird sightings for today, 20th October 2018. Updated throughout the day

Northbay House, Barra
The ****Baltimore Oriole**** was there again today

Skigersta, Isle of Lewis
A Yellow-browed Warbler was seen there this morning

Daliburgh, South Uist
A **Cattle Egret** was on a croft at Loch Hallan today

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 07:50 - 10:35
Weather: Wind SSW f 5-6, 8/8 cloud, very dull and murky out to sea. Temp 12.3C.

A near 3 hour seawatch this morning produced 4 Eider (3S 1N), 3 Long-tailed Duck (S), 2 Red-throated Divers (S), 1 Black-throated Diver (S), 4 Great Northern Divers (S), 96 Gannets (S), 6 Shag (N), 5 Kittiwakes (S), 11 Guillemots (S), 13 Razorbills (S) and 6 auk sp (S)
Also present in the area were Barnacle Goose 36, Greylag Goose 34, Teal 6, Tufted Duck 3, Cormorant 12, Curlew 24, Snipe 5 and Twite 2

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Cattle Egret (C) and courtesy of Jeff Matrin
 
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Bruce

Senior Member
The Baltimore Oriole was still at Northbay House today, but elusive in poor weather conditions. The small Canada Goose was still with Barnies on Borve Point. A Yellow-browed Warbler and a Willow Warbler were at Creachan. Our first Treecreeper for a couple of years was around the churchyard at Eoligarry, foraging both on the trees and the wall that surrounds the churchyard. 2 Bramblings were still at Castlebay and a further 8 were at Northbay.

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Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
New from Tony Marr in Ness, Isle of Lewis

The weather continues to be wet and windy (SW 6-7), and the migrants continue to arrive at the Butt from the N/NE but in diminishing numbers.

Butt of Lewis

At (1045) a flock of 130+ birds dropped down at great speed into the lighthouse compound. They were 70 Starlings, 60 Redwings, a Brambling and a Meadow Pipit. The Redwings appeared to be of race iliacus, which would tie in with the Brambling and Starling fellow travellers. After resting for only ten minutes, they were all up and away to the south at (10.55).

Snow Bunting – still three around the lighthouse; two on clifftop a quarter of a mile to SW.

Loch Stiapabhat LNR

Whooper Swan – two juvs on their own

Port of Ness (pm)

Blackcap – one male
Goldfinch – one
 
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