• 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
Western Isles / Outer Hebrides bird sightings for today, 16th December 2019. Updated throughout the day

Balranald, North Uist
600+ Snow Buntings [with one report of 890 being present] and a Lapland Bunting were in a large mixed flock with Twite on the machair. A ***Todd's Canda Goose*** was with circa 600 Barnacle Geese at Aird an Runair and the drake Pintail was on still on Loch a' Roe

Knockintorran, North Uist
The 2 ***Cackling Geese*** and a Pink-footed Geese were there today

South Glendale, South Uist
The female Blackcap is still in a garden there
 

YvonneB

OH Bird Recorder
WeBS count today at Loch Bee and South Ford. Weather - dreich and dreary with a cold breeze!

Both sites were quieter compared to last month. Highlights at Loch Bee were 74 Greenland White-fronts, other geese present were 50 Barnacle Geese and the usual Greylags. c600 Wigeon and c450 Mute Swans were the highest counts of the day. Raptor-wise it was pretty good with Peregrine, Hen Harrier, Merlin (with prey, see photo below), Buzzard and 2 White-tailed Eagles all in the vicinity. A couple of large flocks of Twite and at least 100 Skylarks were present on the machair area. 3 Long-tailed Duck were also on Loch Bee.

Highlights at South Ford were over 100 Grey Plover and a high count of 120+ Shelduck. A large flock of Dunlin were out on the estuary.

A quick check of Stinky Bay on the way back from Balivanich where there were 30+ Redshank, 20+ Turnstones c25 Oystercatchers, a single Bar-tailed godwit and a small flock of around 16 Long-tailed Duck.

20191216_87I7449_Merlin.jpg
Merlin with prey item

20191216_Merlin02_87I7447.jpg

20191216_IMG_4149.JPG
Dreich and dreary with a cold wind!
 
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