• 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, 12th December 2020. Updated throughout the day

Melbost, Isle of Lewis
Four Velvet Scoters seen this afternoon (see post below)

Balemore, North Uist
30+ Snow Buntings were seen there and an immature Iceland Gull and 70 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were nearby at Rubh' Arnal

The Range, South Uist
1CY Glaucous Gull on the pools by Lauch Area 2

Rubha Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 08:40-10:10
Weather: Wind WSW veering W f3, bright and sunny. Temp 7c.

A 1.5 hour seawatch this morning produced 5 Eider (4S 1N), 1 Long-tailed Duck (S), 2 Red-throated Divers (S), 1 Gannet (S), 23 Shag (5S 18N) and 2 Razorbills (S).
Also present in the area were Greylag Goose 145, Pink-footed Goose 1, Wigeon 23, Teal 5, Tufted Duck 12, Long-tailed Duck 2, Red-throated Diver 6, Great Northern Diver 1, Cormorant 8, Hen Harrier 1, Glaucous Gull [juvenile] 1, Peregrine [adult]1, Hooded Crow 6, Meadow Pipit 1 and Rock Pipit 1
 

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
News from Tristan

There were 4 Velvet Scoters among Common Scoters off Melbost (nr Stornoway airport) this afternoon.

I am still getting more or less daily visits to the garden from a Hawfinch, nearly 7 weeks after my first sighting.
 

YvonneB

OH Bird Recorder
WeBS count today at Loch Bee was made a little more difficult than usual by the presence of 4 White-tailed Eagles and a helecopter buzzing around for most of the morning. Highlights were 700+ Wigeon, 76 Teal, 76 Tufted Duck, 360+ Mute Swans a Pintail and a Goldeneye. There were 138 Greenland White-fronted Geese on the west bank which was our highest count for this time of year.

On South Ford there were 74 Shelduck, 300+ Dunlin, 22 Knot, 400+ Bar-tailed Godwits and 140 Grey Plover late afternoon.
 
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