So, I thought i'd have a bit of fun today and participate in
Global Big Day. Last year there were more than 30,000 participants around the world and more than 7,000 species were seen globally.
Starting at home
@MisterT and myself worked our way up the west side of South Uist and onto Benbecula. A trip to Loch Eynort on the way back brought a few new species. Nipped home for coffee then a trawl around the patch. Daliburgh Co-op for the Sedge Warbler that was still singing there. A late evening walk gave me my last species of the day - 2 Song thrushes in Bill's garden.
We ended the day on 76 species
Greylag Goose
Pink-footed Goose - a single bird remains in Askernish with Greylags
Whooper Swan
Mute Swan
Shelduck
Shoveler
Gadwall
Wigeon
Mallard
Teal
Tufted Duck
Eider
Red-breasted Merganser
Little Grebe
Rock Dove
Collared Dove
Cuckoo
Moorhen
Coot at Coot Loch, where else?
Oystercatcher
Grey Plover - a single bird in summer plumage on the South Ford
Golden Plover
Lapwing
Ringed Plover
Whimbrel - a high count of 45 birds on the machair between Frobost and Loch Hallan, the largest group was 26 birds
Curlew
Bar-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit - just one bird seen near Howmore
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Dunlin
Snipe
Greenshank
Redshank
Great Skua
Black Guillemot
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Arctic Tern
Black-throated Diver
Great Northern Diver
Northern Gannet
Great Cormorant
European Shag
Grey Heron
Golden Eagle
Hen Harrier
White-tailed Eagle
Buzzard
Hooded Crow
Raven
Skylark
Sand Martin
Swallow
Wren
Willow Warbler - at least 18 birds singing a Locheynort
Sedge Warbler
Blackcap - 2 singing males at Locheynort
Robin
Stonechat - a single male near Howmore
Wheatear - I was surprised at the number of Wheatears around today throughout the islands, including a group of 5 birds on the range which were good candidates for Greenland Wheatear
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Starling
both Pied Wagtail and White Wagtail
Meadow Pipit
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Linnet
Common Redpoll
Lesser Redpoll
Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Ringed Plover
One of the many Whimbrel seen today