• 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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Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
Outer Hebrides / Western Isles bird sightings for today, 5th October 2018. Updated throughout the day

Eoligarry, Isle of Barra
The ***Isabelline Shrike*** was again in the garden of Donscurravel House today

Askernish, South Uist
The ***Lesser Yellowlegs*** was still in the fields by the clubhouse this morning. A Pectoral Sandpiper was also seen in the same field

Creachan, Barra
A **Blyth's Reed Warbler** was trapped and relaeased there late this afternoon. A Yellow-browed Warbler, Wood Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat were also on the island

Bragar, Isle of Lewis
An immature Pomarine Skua and a Sooty Shearwater flew past Geodha nan Cuileachean late morning

Loch Sandray, North Uist
The Pied Flycatcher is still in a garden near Loch Sandary. A Willow Warbler and Redwing were also in the area

Loch Paible, North Uist
160+ Barnacle Geese were on the loch

Balivanich, Benbecula
A Greenland Redpoll, Greenland Wheatear and 7 Swallows were seen there today

DoxC4EYWwAAP1K6.jpg
Blyth's Reed Warbler (C) & courtesy of Ian Ricketts
 
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Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
News from Tony Marr at Ness

Butt of Lewis: Seawatch (0830 – 0930) WNW F. 7-8
Sooty Shearwater – one E-W
Manx Shearwater – one E-W
GN Diver – 2 E-W
Rt Diver – 2 -W
Bonxie – one E-W
Auk sp. - 15 E-W and 3 NW-SE
Red-breasted Merganser – 3 NW-SE
Kestrel – one offshore lost to view
Merlin – one mobbing the Kestrel
Barnacle Goose – one came in from sea from E & continued SW
Kittiwake – 12 E-W
Arctic Tern – 3 E-W
Gannet – est. 1,200 E-W

On the Butt (0930 – 1120)
Common Snipe – flocks of 8+7+5 and a single along cliffs W of lighthouse
Redwing – four inside lighthouse compound (0950) flew off S
Snow Bunting – 10 along clifftops W of lighthouse (1030)
 

BrianR

Senior Member
Four Great Northern Divers flew SW in a brief seawatch at Aird an Runair, North Uist in the late morning. Apart from a small number of Guillemots/Razorbills there was not much else passing and 54 Black-tailed Godwits were on the stubble. Also there were a few flocks of Linnets (exceptional numbers have been present recently including a flock of some 300 a few days previously).

A Willow Warbler was in a Carinish garden, North Uist.

It was fairly quiet during a brief late afternoon visit to Langass, North Uist but a calling Buzzard drew my attention to a Golden Eagle as it flew over.

_DSC6338.jpg
 

MisterT

Always Birding
The Lesser Yellowlegs was again on the same field here at Askernish but was joined today by a Pectoral Sandpiper. A Chiffchaff was in the garden and circa 14 Swallows were picking flies off the wall of a local house. Snipe were very much in evidence with some 60 on the fields and some 80+ birds seen flying south in 5 or 6 wisps during the morning. Curlew had greatly increased with some 80+ birds around Loch Hallan and the machair held 50+ Skylark which were not there yesterday. 42 Barnacle Geese flew south along the beach mid morning

pec.jpg swallow.jpg
 

Chris Johnson

Senior Member
30 barnacle geese passed Ardivachar headland in the early morning but none since. 18 golden plovers and small groups of snipe all day dropped in.
 
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