• 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
News from Tony Marr, Ness, Isle of Lewis
Saturday 21 April
Goosander – one on Loch Stiapavat
Gadwall – pair there
Moorhen – now 3 present and mating seen
Woodpigeon – one in Port of Ness
Collared Dove – one in Skigersta
Chiffchaff – one in Port of Ness

Sunday 22 April
Goosander – still onLoch Stiapavat
Pink-footed Geese – flocks of 22 and 55 on machair nearby (evening)
Shoveler – pair at Fivepenny
Black-tailed Godwit – 11 there
Whimbrel – 7 at the Butt
Arctic Tern – one off Port of Ness – first of the year
Chiffchaff – one at the Butt lighthouse and one in Port of Ness
Blue Titone in my garden in Port of Ness (only my second here in 9 years)

Monday 23 April
White Wagtail – 52 along cliff tops west of the Butt lighthouse (am) (with 55 Meadow Pipits)
Whimbrel – 8 at the Butt
Pink-footed Geese – 33 over the Butt (12.15) went off out to sea to NW
Goosander – still on Loch Stiapavat
Golden Plover – 1,050 on Eoropie machair
Blackcap – female in Port of Ness

bluti.jpg
Blue Tit courtesy of Tony Marr
 

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
A Response has already been received from Tony Fox regarding the colour ringed Greenland White-fronted Goose seen at Loch Mor, Benbecula yesterday.
Tony's response was as follows:-
"J5N was an adult female when caught at Kinnabus on Islay on 11th November 2016, part of the ongoing WWT work as part of Ed Burrell’s PhD project at Exeter University. It remained there all last winter with 7 adults and 1 first winter bird with which it was caught, being seen at nearby Upper Killeyan on the Oa of Islay, but not seen in the interim. As you will see, so far this winter it has been largely unadventurous and like 80-85% of adults, has remained site loyal between successive winters. It is a little intriguing to know why it has interrupted its spring passage with you and why so late".

Many thanks to Paul Boyer for the information

J5N caught Islay, winter 2016/17
J5N 25.10.2017 Kinnabus, ISLAY
J5N 30.10.2017 Kinnabus, ISLAY
J5N 01.12.2017 Kinnabus, ISLAY
J5N 22.01.2018 Kinnabus, ISLAY
J5N 20.03.2018 Kinnabus, ISLAY
J5N 23.04.2018 Loch More, Benbecula, WESTERN ISLES
 

Bruce

Senior Member
115 pale-bellied brents plus a single dark-bellied brent goose were new in at Traigh Mhor, Barra today. The flock also contained 6 colour-ringed birds. 3 sandwich terns were also in the area.

DSCN7034.JPG
 

Chris Johnson

Senior Member
Ardivachar headland.
120 black-tailed godwits did a circuit of the headland this morning and settled back in the Cottage Garden Bay area.
A good movement of whimbrel moving north: 8 seen but must be over 20 heard.
 

BrianR

Senior Member
At Aird an Runair, North Uist this morning a flock (presumably same of previous day) of pale-bellied Brent Geese flew over the headland (later in the bay opposite RSPB visitor centre but before I could get an accurate count flew back to Aird an Runair), the 28 Black-tailed Godwits were still present (now with a Ruff) and one seen to be colour-ringed, there were 19 Whimbrel in the area and single Common and Little Terns were seen together with at least two Arctic Terns.
_DSC4015.JPGThe Ruff is the lowest bird. _DSC4021.JPG

Yesterdays flock of Black-tailed Godwits were still near the E side of Loch Grogary.
 

Ciaran Hatsell

New Member
An unplanned trip to Benbecula!

Singing Chiffchaff at the hospital and in the bay opposite Maclennans: Great Northern Diver, RB Merganser 5, Whimbrel 5, Dunlin 18, Sanderling 4, Wheatear 3, White Wagtail 6.


Stinky Bay

Long tailed Duck 6. Good numbers of waders around including 134 Sanderling, 60 Dunlin, 4 Whimbrel. White Wagtail 22 feeding on the seaweed and beach.

Aird

waders on the move over the road near Aird included Redshank 113N in 3 flocks, Sanderling 15N, Golden Plover 105N, Black-tailed Godwit 124. Also a male Hen Harrier hunting there and two Common Tern over the pools.

St Kilda has held a few migrants in the past few days, the highlight being a juvenile Glaucous Gull present daily since 20th, small numbers of Chiffs and willows and a single Blackcap.
 
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