• 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

Local Rarity 22nd October 2017

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
Steinish, Lewis
A *Little Egret*, 2 Bramblings and a Wheatear were seen this morning.

Borve, Berneray
The *Common Crane* is still to be found on the machair there and the Snow Goose was near the community hall.

Oban Trumisgarry, North Uist
The drake *American Wigeon* was again present today

South Glendale, South Uist
14 Bramblings, a Ring Ouzel and the Tree Sparrow seen there today

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
A 2.5 hour seawatch this morning produced 3 Pale-bellied Brent Geese (S), 7 Barnacle Geese (S), 3 Long-tailed Duck (1S 2N), 1 Red-breasted Merganser (S), 5 Red-throated Divers (4S 1N), 8 Great Northern Divers (S), 115 Gannets (104S 11N), 6 Shag (4S 2N), 261 Kittiwakes (258S 3N), 2 Guillemots (S), 2 Razorbills (S), 10 auk sp (S), 9 Skylark (N - out to sea), and a Short-eared Owl (S - coasting 0.25 miles out to sea). A White-tailed Eagle and a single Redwing were also present in the area.

Ardmhor,Barra
A Yellow-browed Warbler and 20 Bramblings seen today

Gleann, Barra
A Yellow-browed Warbler present. Also 2 Woodcock and a Spotted Flycatcher are at Creachan. 10 Blackcaps and several thousand Redwings are also present on the island.

News from Andrew Stevenson
Loads of redwings about today – seemed to be small nos. scattered all over with some larger flocks in places.
Trip up to Berneray this afternoon produced the crane and the snow goose nr the community centre at Borve. Around 1200 Barnacle geese on the island and 200 redwings at Bhusda.
Drake american wigeon at Trumisgarry where c300 redwing. 4-500 redwing nr the Lochportain turnoff.
250 redwing & 10 fieldfare at Griminish Benbecula.
200 redwing at Stilligarry & 150 redwing roosting in my garden this eve.


Ness Area
News from Tony Marr
Friday 20 October
Ring Ouzel – one around the Butt lighthouse all morning
Fieldfare – one at the lighthouse (am)
Redwing – 10 at the lighthouse (am); 15 in South Dell (am)
Brambling – one in South Dell; one in Port of Ness
Coal Tit – one in Port of Ness (pm)
Goldcrest – one in Port of Ness and one in South Dell
Blackcap – 2 females in Port of Ness (pm)
Reed Bunting – 2 in Port of Ness
Snow Bunting – one at the Butt (am)

Saturday 21 October
Golden Plover – 250 by Loch Stiapavat
Redwing – 18 on the Butt
Brambling – 2 in Port of Ness

Sunday 22 October
Barnacle Geese – 5 at Loch Stiapavat
Redwing – in the one hour (1230-1330) six flocks totalling 525 birds dropped out of the sky over Port of Ness, stayed a few minutes in the trees and bushes, and moved on southwards; only 4 at the Butt this (am).
Brambling – one in Port of Ness all day

snow goose.jpg
Snow Goose courtesy of Andrew Stevenson
 

BrianR

Senior Member
At Carinish, North Uist this morning 13 Barnacle Geese flew N, at least 40 Redwings were present along with a couple of Fieldfares and at least one Brambling.

Later at Baleshare in a field near the turnoff to the beach there was a juvenile American Golden Plover. After studying it for 10 minutes or so through the 'scope I went for my camera and when I looked back the bird had flown. I could not relocate it - all the Golden Plover were pretty jumpy - perhaps due to recent shooting pressure.
 

Bruce

Senior Member
On Barra today, yellow-browed warblers at Ardmhor and Glen still plus a new bird by the football pitch at Castlebay. The spotted flycatcher was still at Creachan. Brambling numbers have increased to c40 around the island and several thousand redwings were present along with a single fieldfare.
 
Top