• 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
Outer Hebrides / Western Isles bird sightings for today, 19th October 2018. Updated throughout the day

Northbay House, Barra
The ****Baltimore Oriole**** was seen there again early this morning

The Butt of Lewis
3 Snow Buntings ere in the lighthouse compound this afternoon

Chrulabig, Isle of Lewis
A Yellow-browed Warbler was seen there today

Druidibeg Plantation,South Uist
2 Chiffchaffs were there today

Howmore, South Uist
2 Chiffchaffs were seen there

North Locheynort, South Uist
A Yellow-browed Warbler, 4 Blackcaps, a Brambling and 2 Lesser Redpolls were there today

Bornish, South Uist
3 Brambling were there and 2 Snow Buntings flew over. 24 Black-tailed Godwits were on the machair.

Gleann, Isle of Barra
A Yellow-browed Warbler was there this afternoon

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 07:50 - 11:20
Weather: Wind W F4, initially dull, sunny later. Temp 11.2C.

A 3+ hour seawatch this morning produced 75 Barnacle Geese (S), 5 Shelduck (S), 4 Eider (S), 1 Long-tailed Duck (S), 10 Red-breasted Mergansers (S), 9 Red-throated Divers (S), 1 Black-throated Diver (S), 39 Great Northern Divers (S), 193 Gannets (192S 1N), 8 Shag (2S 6N), 1 Grey Phalarope (S), 75 Kittiwakes (S), 1 Guillemot (S) and 28 auk sp (S).
Also present in the area were Greylag Goose 34, Wigeon 25, Teal 5, Tufted Duck 3, Red-throated Diver 2, Cormorant 13, White-tailed Eagle 1, Curlew 7, Sanderling 12, Snipe 6, Raven 2, Skylark 2, Rock Pipit 1 and Twite 4

ybw.jpg
Yellow-browed Warbler (C) and courtesy of Ian Ricketts
 
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BrianR

Senior Member
Just before leaving Grimsay with Roger to catch the 10.15 ferry to Barra a skein of ca.350 Barnacle Geese flew S followed shortly after by nine Whooper Swans.

Arriving at the garden of Northbay House we were told the Baltimore Oriole was still present and had been seen on two occasions earlier. The finder Stuart Rivers then arrived and under his guidance for the best places to look we were rewarded with some excellent views. This is the second record for the Outer Hebrides, the first being exactly 30 years ago (stayed for over a week at Gramsdale, Benbecula).

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Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
News from Tony Marr at Ness

Fewer birds than yesterday, but similar species around the Butt.

The Butt of Lewis (am)
Barnacle Goose – 5 by the pool west of the lighthouse flew off SW
Golden Plover – 4 dropped in by the lighthouse, later flying off SW
Common Snipe – one
Jack Snipe – one flushed from the pool by the gate W of the lighthouse
Redwing – still 100+ in fields between Eoropie and the lighthouse; 20 around the lighthouse; 29 along cliffs
Snow Bunting – 14 around the lighthouse (14.00) and later three around my car and inside the lighthouse compound

Loch Stiapabhat LNR
Barnacle Geese – 11 (pm)
Whooper Swan - (am) 11 (one juv) and a family party of two ads with 4 juvs. (pm) 2 juvs arrived (15.00)
Hen Harrier – a male over the marsh (15.00)

Port of Ness
Dunnock – still 3
Blackcap – female
Chiffchaff – one
Chaffinch – one
 
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