• 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, 20th December 2021. Updated throughout the day

Loch Stiapabhat, Isle of Lewis
A Carrion Crow was seen there today

Stornoway, Isle of Lewis
20 Redwing and 15 Siskins were seen in the Castle Grounds

Balallan, Isle of Lewis
3 drake Goosanders were seen near there today

Balranald, North Uist
A ***Cackling Goose*** was there this morning as were 32 Snow Buntings in amongst a large flock of Twite. A drake *Green-winged Teal* was nearby on Loch nam Feithean

Carinish, North Uist
A Chiffchaff was there today

Ardmore, South Uist
The ***Lesser Scaup*** was again seen on Loch an Daill early afternoon

Loch Bee, South Uist
3 Scaup were seen from the causeway

Bornish, South Uist
3 Fieldfares were there today

Bruernish, Barra
The *Glossy Ibis* was still in the area
 

YvonneB

OH Bird Recorder
WeBS counts today, arrived at Loch Bee at 08:45am and it was very dark, grey and dreich - sunrise time this morning approx 09:09am!

Loch Bee: 700+ Wigeon in several flocks around the loch, two Little Egrets, 54 Whooper Swans, 270 Tufted Duck, 23 Goldeneye, 6 Scaup, c400 Starlings, 88 Greenland Whitefronts, 4 White-tailed Eagles, one of which was carrying off a dead rabbit and being mobbed by four Ravens. Three Otters were a good spot :)

South Ford: 54 Bar-tailed Godwits, c350 Dunlin, c170 Grey Plover, 24 Knot, 98 Shelduck and 2 White-tailed Eagles

The weather remained grey all day, also called at Stinky Bay on the way back from Balivanich and there was a Great Northern Diver, good numbers of Turnstone, a few Sanderling and Oystercatchers. Good selection of duck at Coot Loch with Wigeon, Teal, Tufted Duck, Gadwall and Shoveler. A large flock of Lapwing were periodically in the air and there were c20 Curlew there too. The ***Lesser Scaup*** was still on the wee loch near the Heb Jew turn.
 
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