Very unHebridean weather today (warm and sunny!) for the regular monthly outing to do WeBS counts on Loch Bee and the South Ford.
Water levels at Loch Bee are probably the lowest i've seen them. Fairly quiet bird-wise but counts of 413 Mute Swans, 337 Greylag Geese, 206 Black-headed Gulls, 168 Lapwings topped the list. Shelduck seemed to be mostly absent with a count of only 7. Ducks with young - Wigeon (a female and 4 young), Tufted Duck (female and 4 young) and Mallard (a female with 7 young). Also saw 1 Short-eared Owl and heard a Sedge Warbler.
At the South Ford the tide was rapidly falling and it was good to see a group of 147 Bar-tailed Godwits, quite a few of which were still in breeding plumage. Highest count of the day was Oystercatchers 97. A single Greenshank was recorded.
Also happy to say I joined the "two white-wingers on one day in July" club - the Glaucous Gull was at North Bay, Iochar and the Iceland Gull was still at Kildonan - both were loafing on the beach.
Wigeon