• 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
Outer Hebrides / Western Isles bird sightings for today, 20th September 2018

New Tolsta, Isle of Lewis
Late news of a 1W *Mediterreanean Gull* seen yesterday evening on pools to the west of Triagh Ghearadha

Mangersta, Isle of Lewis
5 Sooty Shearwaters, 13 Scaup and 20 Black-throated Divers flew south past the point between 10.15 - 12.30

Sound of Taransay, Isle of Harris
The drake Surf Scoter was seen again in the sound this morning

Loch Sandray, North Uist
A Pectoral Sandpiper and circa 70 Black-tailed Godwits were there this morning

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 06:45 - 10:40
Weather: Wind WSW F8 gust F9, 8/8 cloud, rain at first, odd showers later. Temp 10.5C.

A near 4 hour seawatch this morning in blustery conditions produced 10 Wigeon (S), 4 Teal (S), 26 Tufted Duck (S), 2 Scaup [males] (S), 1 Red-breasted Merganser (S), 8 Red-throated Divers (S), 4 Great Northern Divers (S), 1 Leach's Petrel (S), 4 Fulmars (S), 23 Manx Shearwaters (S), 507 Gannets (503S 4N), 1 Cormorant (S), 3 Golden Plovers (S - in off stormy seas), 9 Kittwakes (S), 2 Great Skuas (S), 2 Arctic Skuas (S), 4 Guillemots (S), 2 Razorbills (S), 1 Black Guillemot (S) and 3 auk sp.
Only a single Red-throated Diver was seen in the immediate area

IMG_5189.jpg
Med Gull (C) and courtesy of Neil Osborne
 
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BrianR

Senior Member
Very little was moving SW past Aird an Runair, North Uist this morning but I only watched for an hour (08.15-09.15). A bit more was moving N but no count and difficult from watching position among the rocks. Total cloud cover with pulses of rain, some blue sky later and a WSW wind F7-8. Species included a Brent Goose, a flock of 11 Pintail, 36 Gannets (one juvenile), two Great Northen Divers, and three Golden Plover. On the stubble on the headland were 72 Black-tailed Godwits and at least 70 Turnstone.
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Another 19 Black-tailed Godwits were at Loch Sandary, North Uist later in the morning.
 

Bruce

Senior Member
91 pale-bellied Brents were new in at Traigh Mhor, Barra today included 7 colour ringed birds. Nearby the 2nd winter Med Gull was still at Eoligarry along with a Black-tailed Godwit.
 

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
News from Tony Marr at Ness

Pinkfooted Geese - A steady arrival NW-SE during the afternoon totalled 1,230 over Ness and a further 250 over Stornoway.
Sooty Shearwater – 3 E-W off the Butt (am)
Eurasian Teal – 100+ on Loch Stiapabhat
Eurasian Wigeon – 9
Whimbrel – 1 at the Butt
Black-tailed Godwit – one on Loch Stiapabhat
 
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