• 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, 22nd August 2020. Updated throughout the day

Balranald, North Uist
11 Black-tailed Godwits and a Curlew Sandpiper were there this morning

Carinish, North Uist
A Swift was there this morning. Six Black-tailed Godwits were there later in the day

Stinky Bay, Benbecula
A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and a Ruff were on the beach late morning. 5 Black-tailed Godwits and a Pink-footed Goose were nearby at Coot Loch.

Rubha Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 07:10-10:30
Weather: Wind W f3 veering WNW. 8/8 cloud, initially very dull, a period of drizzle. Temp 9C.

A 3+ hour seawatch this morning produced 6 Teal (S), 21 Storm Petrels (S), 65 Fulmars (45S 20N), 8 Sooty Shearwaters (S), 368 Manx Shearwaters (367S 1N), 128 Gannets (112S 16N), 10 Shag (S), 2 Cormorants (S), 10 Kittiwakes (S) and 3 auk sp (S).
Also present in the area were Wigeon 1, Tufted Duck 6, Red-throated Diver 1, Great Northern Diver 1, Cormorant 7, Black-tailed Godwit 2, Knot 29, Ruff 2, Sanderling 9, Dunlin 35, Redshank 32, Common Gull 85, Herring Gull 90, Razorbill 5, Merlin 1, Peregrine 1, Wheatear 2, Pied Wagtail 1, Meadow Pipit 6 and Linnet 12

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Curlew Sandpiper (C) and courtesy of Brian Rabbitts
 

YvonneB

OH Bird Recorder
The first WeBS count we've been able to do since February - I always really enjoy this monthly survey so it was great to be back at it :)

Loch Bee

161 Lapwing - Noticably good numbers around
112 Meadow Pipit - Plenty on the move today
364 Greylags throughout the site
63 Tufted Duck
74 Mallard
254 Wigeon - a good number for August
519 Mute Swan
20 Red-breasted Merganser
14 Teal
64 Redshank
38 Golden Plover
1 Black-tailed Godwit
5 Shoveler
134 Black-headed Gulls at the north end of the loch
1 White-tailed Eagle (see photo)
1 Linnet
4 Stonechat

Plus the usual gulls, Raven, Buzzard, small numbers of other waders and 42 House sparrows at Ardnamonie.

An otter was also seen.

South Ford

A very high tide today!
70 Redshank
117 Dunlin
76 Grey Plover - some looking very smart still in breeding plumage
4 Knot
45 Curlew
106 Oystercatcher
3 Ruff
32 Bar-tailed Godwit
4 Shelduck
1 Teal
7 Pied Wagtail
58 Meadow Pipits - a constant stream, number probably was under-estimated!
204 Greylag Geese

Plus the usual gulls, Starlings, a Grey Heron, and an Otter was also seen on the South Ford.

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White-tailed Eagle, Loch Bee

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WeBS counting at Loch Bee

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Although not quite on the South Ford WeBS area we had to scan the beach at Balgarva out of interest as a lot of the waders that would normally be on the South Ford were on the beach there.
 
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