• 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
Outer Hebrides / Western Isles bird sightings for today, 11th October 2018. Updated throughout the day

Loch Sandray, North Uist
A ***Lesser Yellowlegs*** was there this morning. Circa 70 Black-tailed Godwits were also in the area

Hirta, St Kilda
The female ***Snowy Owl*** was once agin in the village this evening. A Jack Snipe and the first Brambling and Blackbird of the autumn were also there

Askernish, South Uist
The *American Golden Plover* was again in the fields opposite the clubhouse

Manish, Isle of Harris
A Little Egret has been at Ob Leasaid for the past two days

Langass Lodge. North Uist
2 Bramblings are seen there today

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 08:35 - 11:45
Weather: Wind SE F6 gust F8, dull with occasional showers at first. Temp 15.5C falling.

A 3+ hour seawatch produced 235 Barnacle Geese (S), 13 Wigeon (S), 5 Eider (S), 1 Red-breasted merganser (S), 4 Red-throated Divers (S), 25 great Norther Divers (S), 112 Gannets (S), 2 Shag (N), 1 Cormorant (S), 1 Snipe (S - in off the sea), 4 Guillemots (S), 1 Razorbill (S), 1 Black Guillemot (S), 26 auk sp (S), 1 Merlin (S) and 1 Alba Wagtail sp (S). The Merlin was seen to arrive in off the sea chasing an "alba" wagtail which it caught once on land
Also present in the area were Greylag Goose 33, Red-throated Diver 3, Purple Sandpiper 5, Snipe 4*, Black-headed Gull 1, Hooded Crow 3, Raven 2, Meadow Pipit 3, Rock Pipit 2 and Twite 14.
21 Black-tailed Godwits were nearby at Loch Bornish.

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Snowy Owl (C) and courtesy of Cairan Hatsell
 

MisterT

Always Birding
Here at Askernish, the American Golden Plover was again by the clubhouse and 15+ Barnacle Geese flew south mid morning. 2 Swallows were around the township early afternoon

AGP2.jpg barnacles.jpg
 

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
News from Tony Marr at Ness

There was a small but significant overnight fall and arrival of birds throughout today. Species such as Fieldfares, Bramblings and Pied Flycatcher suggest an eastern origin.

The Butt (am)
Great Northern Diver – one passed the Butt NW-SE
Common Eider – 19 (13 drakes) off the Butt
Golden Plover – 8 by the lighthouse
Sanderling – one near the lighthouse
Fieldfare – one on clifftops just W of the lighthouse
Redwing – 2 came in from the sea and flew S
Robin – one inside lighthouse compound
Blackcap – a male there
House Sparrow – a flock of 14 the re

Eoropie
Golden Plover - 400+ on the machair between Eoropie and Lionel
White-tailed Eagle – an imm
Redwing – 60
Fieldfare – 8
Northern Wheatear – 5
Brambling - 3

Port of Ness (pm)
Arctic Tern – a juv. off Port of Ness
Barn Swallow – one
Goldcrest – one in gardens
Willow Warbler – one
Blackcap – one male and one female
Yellow-browed Warbler – one
Pied Flycatcher – one
 
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