• 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
Western Isles / Outer Hebrides bird sightings for today 17th April 2019. Updated throughout the day.

Rubha Ardvule, South Uist

Seawatch between 07:25 - 07:45
Weather: Wind SE f 4-5, mix of 8/8 high cloud and sunny periods. Temp 8-9 C.

Eider 1S, Common Scoter 2N, Long-tailed Duck 1S 1N, Red-breasted Merganser 1S 2N, Red-throated Diver 2S, Fulmar 1S, Manx Shearwater 2S 4N, Gannet 24S 46N, Shag 1S 5N, Cormorant 4S 6N, Kittiwake 17S 55N, Great Skua 2N, Razorbill 6S 1N, Razorbill/Guillemot 2S 8N, Puffin 13S 77N.

Also present in the area: Greylag Goose 9, Shoveler 4, Wigeon 12, Teal 6, Tufted Duck 20, Red-breasted Merganser 1, Great Northern Diver 6, Cormorant 16, Common Buzzard 1, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Hooded Crow 4, Raven 2, alba wagtail sp. 2, Meadow Pipit 4

Nearby on Bornish machair there were 45 Black-tailed Godwits and a pair of Pintail. 10 Sand Martins and a Swallow were also seen along the dunes there.

Stoneybridge, South Uist
30 Black-tailed Godwits were present.

North Locheynort, South Uist
7 Common Redpoll were reported
 

Bruce

Senior Member
Fewer migrants on Barra today presumably on account of the clearer weather. 2 Whimbrel roosting on the rocks at Earsary were my first for the year. Although Goldfinches are usually pretty common here, this looks like an exceptionally good year for them. We're seeing them everywhere at present and they're currently the third most common passerine on the island after Meadow Pipit and perhaps House Sparrow.

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BrianR

Senior Member
At Aird an Runair, North Uist this morning observations included two pale-bellied Brent Geese accompanied by a dark-bellied, as for Bruce my first Whimbrel (4) of the year, a Great Skua flew N and another came over the headland, Sand Martins were at their colony on the E side of the headland, at least one of the Wheatears was a Greenland (Icelandic at least) and eight White Wagtails were on the beach.

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BrianR

Senior Member
Rob Fuller observed a skein of 100 Pink-footed Geese flying NW over Claddach-carinish, North Uist around 20.15 hours.
 
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