• 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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Local Rarity 7th April 2019

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
Western Isles / Outer Hebrides bird sightings for today 7th April 2019. Updated throughout the day

Rubha Ardvule, South Uist
A 2 hour seawatch this morning
Eider 5N, Gannet 6S 1N, Shag 6N, Bar-tailed Godwit 3N, Meadow Pipit 6N (they had arrived off the sea from the West).

Also present in the area: Greylag Goose 4, Shoveler 3, Wigeon 27, Teal 10, Tufted Duck 13, Long-tailed Duck 23, Red-breasted Merganser 5, Great Northern Diver 5, Shag 3, Cormorant 18, Raven 1, Wheatear 1, Twite 2

Nearby on Bornish Machair there were 12 Black-tailed Godwits and 4 Pintail present.

Butt of Lewis, Ness, Isle of Lewis
A pair of Wheatears were present this morning.
 

Chris Johnson

Senior Member
On the range this morning were 770 golden plovers in 3 groups. At firing rang 2 by the flooded area were 35 black-tailed godwits in good plumage.

At Balgarva were 82 shelducks; quite a surprice as I usually see this type of gathering in February and March. Also 50 ringed plovers and 200 turnstones.

North Bay had c100 bar-tailed godwits, 350 sanderlings, 62 ringed plovers, 67 turnstones. Good numbers of oystercatchers at all sites.

This evening: 19.00hrs, 800 barnacle geese passed the headland low over the water, seeming to head inland. Four skeins, but only minutes between them.

EDIT: MIS-TYPTED MY RANGE GODWITS, THEY WERE BLACK-TAILS
 
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BrianR

Senior Member
Some observations on a visit to Langass and Langass Woods this morning: both Hen Harrier and Sparrowhawk were seen 'sky-dancing', a Peregrine came over, a pair of Stonechats were near the Standing Stones and when we returned to the car parked near the gorse bushes a ♂ Brambling came and perched on the nearby electricity line.

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A Slavonian Grebe in summer plumage was near Rubha nan Ron, North Uist (Carinish shore) in the early evening and a Wheatear was nearby. One or two grebes are often present here at this time of year.

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A few observations from my first posting on this group. A pair of greenshank displaying on the east side of the main road near Gerinish this morning.

4 black tailed godwit at Loch Toronais, and 3 pintail there as well. A single barnacle goose at L. Boronais.

200+ golden plover near Loch Hallan. 8 whooper swans also present.

Single sand martin Nth along beach at Tobha Mor, and 17 long tailed ducks offshore, with groups of mergansers and eider. 4 GN Diver there also.

Quite a few goldfinches in severahl places on the machair, and a pair of greenfinch at Kilpheder. 2 Wheatear , and more golden plover, circa 100 but fairly flighty.



Best wishes,

Stuart Housden
 

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
From Andrew:-

Drake *ring-necked duck* on Coot Loch still with 22 gadwall there.

Drake pintail and 10 shoveler on Loch Fada
 

BrianR

Senior Member
Peter Murray photographed a male Hawfinch in his Paiblesgarry garden, North Uist this morning. Possibly the same bird that was reported at nearby Balemore a couple of days ago.

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