• 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, 18th July 2022. Updated throughout the day

Rodel, Isle of Harris
A *Hobby* was reported as being present today

Ardivachar, South Uist
The Glaucous/Viking Gull was again on the beach by the cemetery

Loch an t-Saile, South Uist
One *Sabine’s Gull* was on the loch this morning and seen there again in the evening

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YvonneB

OH Bird Recorder
A good WeBS count with 42 species being recorded on the Loch bee count area. Of course the biggest surprise was the Sabine's Gull (a 2cy bird looking at the photos?) on Loch an t-Saile which showed really well.

c600 Mute Swans out on the loch, around 500 Greylag Geese of which many were goslings. Good numbers of Oystercatchers with c200, a good number of which were two roosting flocks at the north end of the loch - perhaps pushed off the South Ford where the tide was was high. 2 Black-tailed Godwits were on Loch an t-Saile, other waders were Dunlin (19), a Snipe, Redshank (24) and c100 Lapwings. 3 Whoopers and really good numbers of Shoveler (46) and Mallard (69). Raptor species were Merlin, Short-eared Owl (2) and a Buzzard. Meadow Pipits seem to be gathering up with a count of c50 in the area. Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting were species not often recorded on this area during WeBS. A small flock of 30+ Golden Plover were in the area.

The South Ford was fairly quiet as the tide was very high and only 21 species recorded. c200 Black-headed Gulls were roosting up, 8 Little Terns and 3 Arctic Terns were busy fishing, and 31 Greylag Geese. 10 Eider were the only duck species recorded.

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