National Rarity 19th September 2023

[Hawkeye]

Western Isles / Outer Hebrides bird sightings for today, 19th September 2023. Updated throughout the day.

Hirta, St Kilda
The 2 juvenile *Buff-breasted Sandpipers* were again seen on Ruiaval

Fivepenny, Ness, Isle of Lewis
The adult *American Golden Plover* was again opposite the Ness football ground early afternoon. 2 Ruff and a Black-tailed Godwit were also in the area

Garrabost, Isle of Lewis
A Long-eared Owl was seen there late afternoon

Teanamchar, Baleshare, North Uist
The juvenile *American Golden Plover* was seen there again this morning. 3 Ruff and 4 Black-tailed Godwits were also there

Stinky Bay, Benbecula
The ***Semipalmated Sandpiper*** was there this morning. A Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper were seen there late afternoon

Balgarva, South Uist
A Curlew Sandpiper was there today and the Great Crested Grebe was just offshore

The Range, South Uist
A 2cy Glaucous Gull was at LA2 this morning

Stoneybridge, South Uist
A Curlew Sandpiper was on the beach and another was seen at Peninerine. A Grey Phalarope was also in the area

Rubha Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 07:30-11:20
Weather: Wind WSW f6-7, 8/8 cloud, spells of rain. Temp 12c.
A near 4 hour seawatch this morning produced 4 Kittiwakes (S), 4 Arctic Terns (S), 6 Guillemots (S), 5 Razorbills (S), 6 auk sp (S), 5 Red-throated Divers (S), 2 Great Northern Divers (S), 1 Storm Petrel (S), 3 Sooty Shearwaters (S), 9 Manx Shearwaters (S), 669 Gannets (663S 6N), and 1 Shag (S).
Also present in the area were Greylag Goose 55, Oystercatcher 85, Ringed Plover 65, Bar-tailed Godwit 2, Turnstone 34, Sanderling 45, Grey Heron 1, Common Buzzard 1, Raven 6, Skylark 6, Pied Wagtail 5, Meadow Pipit 16, and Rock Pipit 3

 

[Bruce]

Barra
The Baird's Sandpiper was still on the beach at Allasdale this morning. A Long-tailed Duck was off Craigston and a Sooty Shearwater flew south past Borve.

 

[YvonneB]

Monthly WeBS count today, weather was quite dull and breezy but at least the rain kept off until we were done.

Loch Bee: The highest species count was Greylag Geese with c880. c280 Mute Swans, c275 Wigeon, 140 Tufted Duck, 98 Mallard and 56 Teal. 33 Red-breasted Mergansers with small groups on each side of the causeway. Raptors consisted 2 White-tailed Eagles, 3 Hen Harriers, 3 Buzzards and 1 Kestrel. 50 Linnets on the machair areas plus a handful of Twite and a dozen Goldfinch. Not too many wader species present, the most numerous being Lapwing with c65 spread around the site then 55 Golden Plover, 7 Snipe, 2 Redshank, 2 Dunlin. A single Wheatear was seen. More infrequent sightings for this site were 1 Little Grebe and 1 Reed Bunting. A constant stream of Meadow Pipits were on the move. Great views of an Otter.

South Ford: The tide was very high today but as it dropped waders started coming back onto the estuary with a good count of c180 Grey Plover and 47 Knot, other wader counts were c140 Curlew (most roosting on a rocky outcrop), 30 Dunlin, and c50 Bar-tailed Godwits. Swallows and Meadow Pipits were on the move.

A quick side-trip between the Loch Bee and South Ford counts to Balgarva produced the Great Crested Grebe which at high tide was very close in to shore.