Local Rarity 15th April 2018

[Hawkeye]

Outer Hebrides / Western Isles bird sightings for today, 15th April 2018. Updated throughout the day

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
Weather: Wind E-ESE F4-5 gust F6, 8/8 high cloud at first with sunny periods later. Temp 8.7 - 11.6C. Time: 0650 - 1110
An early morning seawatch today produced 181 Pink-footed Geese, (N), 5 Greylag Geese (N), 304 Barnacle Geese (N), 7 Eider (3S 4N), 2 Long-tailed Ducks (S), 5 Red-throated Divers (S), 1 Great Northern Diver (S), 5 Fulmars (N), 4 Manx Shearwaters (N), 111 Gannets (45S 66N), 45 Shag (6S 39N), 6 Cormorants (4S 2N), 3 Golden Plover (N - high out at sea), 3 Curlew (N), 17 Turnstone (N), 4 Purple Sandpipers (N), 44 Kittwakes (42S 2N), 10 Razorbills (1S 9N), 6 Puffin (N), 11 auk sp (9S 2N) and 23 Meadow Pipits (N -arrived off the sea).
Also present in the area were Shelduck 8, Wigeon 21, Tufted Duck 6, Eider 49, Red-breasted Merganser 2, Great Northern Diver 4, Shag 17, Cormorant 22, Common Buzzard 1, Wheatear 2 and Twite 22.

South Glendale, South Uist
3 Siskins were in a garden there

 

[Bruce]

More migrants arriving on Barra today. Linnet numbers increased and several lesser redpolls were new in, while 2 siskins were still at Creachan and another was on feeders at Brevig. A minimum of 10 blackcaps were present on the island. 2 pink-footed geese and a single brent were at Eoligarry. There weren't many gulls at Ardveenish; just a single juv Iceland gull present along with c20 herrings. Ian saw a black-tailed godwit at Traigh Mhor.
The only other new arrival of note was another of Ian and Yvonne's ringed house sparrows (027) in my garden this morning.

 

[YvonneB]

More migrants arriving on Barra today. Linnet numbers increased and several lesser redpolls were new in, while 2 siskins were still at Creachan and another was on feeders at Brevig. A minimum of 10 blackcaps were present on the island. 2 pink-footed geese and a single brent were at Eoligarry. There weren't many gulls at Ardveenish; just a single juv Iceland gull present along with c20 herrings. Ian saw a black-tailed godwit at Traigh Mhor.
The only other new arrival of note was another of Ian and Yvonne's ringed house sparrows (027) in my garden this morning.

View attachment 1576View attachment 1577View attachment 1578

Hi Bruce, O27 was first ringed in Askernish on the 26th August 2017, seen again the next day then no sightings since until turning up with you in Barra

 

[Hawkeye]

News from Tony Marr in Ness, Isle of Lewis

With perfect anticyclonic weather, including rising temperatures, clear visibility to the mainland, wall to wall sunshine and scarcely any wind, today witnessed a dramatic exodus of geese from Scotland through The Minch en route to Iceland. In the six hours from (0730 – 1330) the following passed the Butt from SE-NW:

Pinkfooted Geese: 3,800
Distant unidentified geese: 3,850
Greylag Geese (one flock): 40

Total number of geese passing: 7,690

Total number of skeins: 34
Largest skein: 1,000

Also passing the Butt:-
Whooper Swan – one flock of 30 at (1200)

At Loch Stiapavat:-
Barnacle Geese: 15
Otters: two this morning
Golden Plover: 500

Off Skigersta this evening:-
*White-billed Diver*: one (none off Port of Ness).