National Rarity 4th November 2019

[Hawkeye]

Western Isles / Outer Hebrides bird sightings for today, 4th November 2019. Updated throughout the day

Miavaig, Isle of Harris
2 Snow Buntings were seen there today

Hosta, North Uist
A juvenile *American Golden Plover* was there around midday (See post below)

South Glendale, South Uist
3 Blackcaps (a male and 2 female) were in a garden there

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 08:05 - 10:40
Weather: Wind NE f6-7, mix of sunny spells and cloud. Temp 10C.
A 2+ hour seawatch this morning produced 3 Eider (2S 1N), 1 Long-tailed Duck (S), 1 Goldeneye (S), 10 Red-throated Divers (7S 3N), 1 Great Northern Diver (S), 26 Gannets (S), 19 Shag (S), 4 Kittiwakes, 1 Black-headed Gull (S) and 6 auk sp (5S 1N)
Also present in the area were Wigeon 3, Teal 4, Tufted Duck 43, Goldeneye 2, Red-breasted Merganser 2, Great Northern Diver 2, Shag 7, Cormorant 6, Lapwing 34, Golden Plover 2, Grey Plover 1, Ringed Plover 66, Black-tailed Godwit 28, Sanderling 87, Dunlin 26, Snipe 1, Peregrine 1, Hooded Crow 13, Redwing 1, Pied Wagtail 1, and Twite 14

 

[Roger Auger]

A juvenile american Golden Plover was in the fields to the E of the road between the Hosta turn and the Clettraval turn. It was with a flock of Golden Plover and Lapwing.

 

[Bruce]

After yesterdays frustratingly brief views of a shrike species at Eoligarry, I was back out looking for it at dawn but without success. After a morning at work followed by a dentists appointment I was heading back to continue searching, but stopped to check the area around Morghan on the way. The first bird I saw was yesterdays shrike perched in a low tree for a few moments, 3 miles from yesterdays location. While the bird seems to have a relatively light bill and doesn't show an obvious buff wash to the underparts (both pro Red-backed features), it does have a strong gingery-brown colouration to the upper parts, a short primary projection and solidly dark centres to the terials, all pro Brown Shrike features. The consensus is that this is a Brown Shrike. After todays initial sighting, the bird was seen feeding for several minutes and was last seen flying low south, perhaps to the nearby area of gorse, though windy conditions hampered efforts to relocate it. A Waxwing and a Siskin were also present briefly.