• 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, 12th October 2019. Updated throughout the day

Langass, North Uist
A Yellow-browed Warbler was there again today

Carinish, North Uist
Circa 300 Barnacle Geese flew south-east this afternoon.

The Range, South Uist
2 **White-rumped sandpipers** were seen on the seaweed pools opposite The Range safety boat house/sentry box late afternoon and another on the pools by Launch area 2 late afternoon [see post below]

Lochboisedale, South Uist
The Rose-coloured Starling is still visiting a garden there

Ardmhor, Barra
50 Barnacle Geese flew south-east this morning.

Loch na Doirlinn, Barra
The juvenile *Ring-necked Duck* was again on the loch

Castlebay, Barra
A Bonxie, 4 Pomarine Skuas (one pale adult and 3 juvs) and 6 Storm Petrels were seen from the Castlebay - Oban ferry

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 08:00 - 10:45
Weather: Wind WSW f4-5 backing SW. Mix of cloud and sunny periods. Occasional light shower. Temp 10C.

A near 3 hour seawatch this morning produced 114 Barnacle Geese (S), 3 Gadwall (S), 28 Wigeon (S), 1 Teal (S), 18 Tufted Duck (S), 14 Scaup (S), 7 Eider (N), 3 Long-tailed Ducks (S), 3 Red-breasted Mergansers (S), 6 Red-throated Divers (4S 2N), 3 Great Northern Divers (S), 20 Gannets (19S 1N), 30 Shag (6S 24N), 10 Kittiwakes (S), 1 Arctic Tern (S), 4 Razorbills (S) and 3 auk sp (S).
Also present in the area were Red-throated Diver 1, Great Northern Diver 1, White-tailed Eagle 1, Rock Dove 7, Merlin 1, Peregrine 1, Hooded Crow 2, Raven 21, Rock Pipit 2 and Snow Bunting 1

wrs bird 2_1.jpg wrs bird 1_1.jpg
White-rumped Sandpipers (C) and courtesy of Andrew Stevenson
 
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Chris Johnson

Senior Member
A poor WeBS count with vast amounts of seaweed. Only turnstones exceeded 100 and difficult to see so probably a lot more.
Launch area two had a tight roosting flock of 460 golden plovers (about half of yesterday's count).
 

BrianR

Senior Member
Not much time was spent seawatching at Aird an Runair, North Uist this morning. Apart from a couple of small flocks of Barnacle Geese and a flock of seven Tufted Ducks/Scaup (passed at some distance) little else was seen. Visibility was better than the previous day with St Kilda discernible. A White-tailed Eagle came over again and a ♂ Pintail and Snow Bunting were still present.
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Also a Long-tailed Duck was still present on nearby Loch na Reivil, Hougharry,

As I was leaving the NR a flock of some Barnacle Geese flew towards Loch Paible. I decided to carry out a WeBS count here and on looking from the car at the road end could see at least 1,000 present on the exposed bed. On using my 'scope I soon came across the individual with a white head and neck that has been returning for a number of years. At the other end of the flock were two Canada Goose types; I later approached closer but was unable to obtain any worthwhile photos to aid identification. It is possible that these two were also returning (first recorded in early November 2018) and subsequently identified I believe as one of the North American races of Canada and a Cackling Goose.
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Apart from the skein of Barnacle Geese SE over Carinish, a herd of 33 Whooper Swans passed in the same direction 10 minutes or so earlier.
 
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Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
News from Andrew:-

2 white-rumped sandpipers together late afternoon at Ardivachar Point on the seaweed pools just opposite the Range safety boat house/sentry box plus 1 white-rumped sandpiper still at LA 2 earlier in the afternoon. Latter was associating with the GP flock so i suspect it’s 3 birds in total.

c140 barnacle geese S over Bornish at lunchtime.

Single chiffchaffs at Druidibeg and Snishival plantations, obvious arrival of redwings.

Same ducks as yesterday, drake pintail, 36 gadwall and 26 shoveler on Coot Loch.
 

Slawrence

Active Member
St Kilda 12th Oct:
Female Snowy Owl still present above village, Redwing - estimated ~700, 40 Snow Bunting, 3 Golden Plover, 1 Merlin, 1 Raven, 34 Barnacle Geese.
 
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