• 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, 5th January 2021. Updated throughout the day

Broad Bay, Stonoway, Isle of Lewis
At least 850 Eiders, 59 Common Scoters, 10 Velvet Scoters and hundreds of displaying Long-tailed Ducks were counted mainly on the south side of the Bràigh. (see post below)

Loch Hosta, North Uist
A Scaup, 113 Tufted Duck and 18 Whooper swans were seen on the loch today

Kyles Paible, North Uist
A juvenile Glaucous Gull was seen there today

Borve, Berneray
A Ruff and 1,475 Barnacle Geese were there today. 215 Twite were also on the machair

Carnan, South Uist
The Water Rail was again visiting a garden there this afternoon

Rubha Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 09:05-10:15
Weather: Wind NE f0 - 1. Clear and sunny, cold. Temp -1 - 0c

A 1+ hour seawatch this morning produced 1 Eider (S), 1 Red-throated Diver (S), 2 Gannets (S) and 9 Shag (N).
Also present in the area were Teal 19, Great Northern Diver 3, Cormorant 8, White-tailed Eagle 3, Dunlin 21, Purple Sandpiper 86, Merlin 1, Peregrine 1, Skylark 98, Pied Wagtail 1, Rock Pipit 2 and Twite 65
 

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
News from Tristan

A rare calm sea with no swell today allowed me to have a go at counting birds in the Eider flock off the north side of the Braigh: minimum 850 but very densely packed so probably rather more. With them were 10 Velvet Scoters and 59 Common Scoters.

Also a juvenile Iceland Gull there, and another nearby on Loch Branahuie. Latter might have been a Kumlien's but too far away to get a good look at the primaries.

A Hawfinch reappeared in my garden this morning following a week's absence.
 
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