• 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, 3rd December 2019. Updated throughout the day

Balranald, North Uist
The Snow Goose and 3 Pintail were at Loch nam Feitham today

Loch Mor, Baleshare
A hybrid drake American Wigeon x Eurasion Wigeon was there this afternoon

Carinish, North Uist
A Jack Snipe was seen there today

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 08:30 - 10:45
Weather: Wind SSW f6 gust f7. 8/8 cloud, a few spots of rain. Temp 9.5C.

A 2+ hour seawatch this morning produced 1 Wigeon (S), 4 Eider (S), 10 Long-tailed Ducks (5S 5N), 6 Red-throated Divers (S), 8 Gannets (S), 18 Shag (2S 16N), 1 Kittiwake (S) and 1 Black-headed Gull (S).
Also present in the area were Greylag Goose 55, Wigeon 1, Teal 2, Tufted Duck 8, Goldeneye [male] 1, Red-breasted Merganser 3, Great Northern Diver 3, White-tailed Eagle 1, Curlew 23, Snipe 1, Common Gull 55, Peregrine 1, Hooded Crow 5, Raven 2 and Snow Bunting 1
 

MisterT

Always Birding
A few days ago, @Bill Neill noticed a newly arrived House Sparrow here at Askernish by the fact that it was ringed on the left leg, and therefore not one of mine. Since then, Bill has been diligently trying to read the number using binoculars and camera. Between us, we have found that it was ringed by Mark Oksien at Creachan, Barra in October, and had therefore travelled between the islands and a distance of 26km.
This is the second House Sparrow to have made the same journey in the past three years with another bird ringed here making the reverse journey and yet another seen in Vatersay township earlier this year

Spuggy Brevig - Askernish.JPG O54 Barra Bruce Taylor.jpg
O54 ringed in Askernish enjoying Brevig, Barra back in Nov 2017 (C) and courtesy of Bruce Taylor
 
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