• 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
News from Tony Marr at Ness

Lapland Buntings at The Butt

After yesterday’s flock of 4 in the morning near the lighthouse, this morning saw a further arrival. At (08.45) a flock of 45 came in over our heads along the cliffs, about a quarter of a mile SW of the lighthouse, appearing to arrive from the sea, and flew on SE down the island. At (09.30) a further flock of 10 passed over near the lighthouse.
 

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
Outer Hebrides / Western Isles bird sightings for today, 18th September 2018. Updated throughout the day

Loch Stiapabhat, Isle of Lewis
A 1CY *Mediterranean Gull* and a juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper were both seen from the hide this evening [see post below]

Ardroil, Isle of Lewis
A *Common Rosefinch* was seen there early afternoon

Scarista, Isle of Harris
A Little Egret was seen there this morning

Balgarva, South Uist
A **White-rumped Sandpiper** was seen briefly on the pools this morning

Stoneybridge South Uist
A Lapland Bunting was there today

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 07:00 - 09:45
Weather: Wind N veering NNE F2, 8/8 cloud, dull. Temp 11C

A near 3 hour seawatch this morning produced 2 Red-throated Divers (N), 11 Great Northern Divers (10S 1N), 131 Gannets (124S 7N), 2 Shag (S), 6 Cormorants (4S 2N), 3 Kittiwakes (2S 1N), 2 Razorbills (S) and 4 auk sp (S).
Also present in the area were Red-throated Diver 1, Common Buzzard 1, Peregrine 1, Meadow Pipit 2 and Rock Pipit 2

IMG_9161.jpg IMG_9183 (1).jpg
Mediterranean Gull with Common Gul & Pectoral Sandpiper, (C) and courtesy of Tony Marr
 
Last edited:

BrianR

Senior Member
At Aird an Runair, North Uist this morning there were 164 Black-tailed Godwits on the stubble on the headland. Possibly more than this were present in the area as several sightings of smaller flocks in flight later. One was found dead - a bird-of-prey kill. The main flock were very flighty and accompanying them was a smaller wader that proved difficult to pin down. After a while it separated from the godwits and came closer before disappearing to the S. Views and distinctive krrrt calls revealed the bird to have been a Pectoral Sandpiper.

The previous day I made a brief visit to Loch Sandary, North Uist in the rain when a small wader flew over to the causeway. Although views through the 'scope at long range and amongst the vegetation the bird looked very much like a Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Weather conditions precluded a thorough search. A visit today in the late morning revealed two Ruff and a Black-tailed Godwit and then loosly connected to a Golden Plover flock in a field on the S side of the loch the Buff-breast. I was hoping to get some photos but with shooting/goose scaring activities in the area the plovers were very flighty and soon vacated the area.

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Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
News from Tony Marr at Ness

After this morning’s arrival of 55 Lapland Buntings over the Butt, the day continued in a most satisfactory way. The highlights were as follows:
Golden Plover – 200 on the Lionel-Eoropie machair
Short-eared Owl – one by road down to Swainbost Beach
Twite – 125 on overhead wires by Lionel School
Tree Sparrow3 in Port of Ness
Whinchat - one there
Carrion Crow – one at Swainbost Beach
Pectoral Sandpiper one with Common Snipe and 3 Ruff by Loch Stiapabhat, in front of the hide
Mediterranean Gull – a 1st-winter with Common & Black-headed Gulls in front of the hide (only my second here)
 
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