• 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
Outer Hebrides / Western Isles bird sightings for today, 8th December 2018. Updated throughout the day.

Sound of Taransay, Isle of Harris
4 Surf Scoters - 3 drakes and 1 female reported there this morning.

Benbecula
The drake *Ring-necked Duck* was on seen the island. Also present were 12 Gadwall and 3 Pintail

Rubha Ardvule, South Uist
Weather: Wind WNW backing W F4-5, easing to f3. 8/8 cloud and dull with some light showers, sunny spells later. Temp 8.6C
A three and a quarter hour seawatch there this morning produced:-
4 Eider (S), 2 Long-tailed Duck (S), 2 Red-throated Divers (S), 1 Black-throated Divers (S), 3 Great Northern Divers (S), 1 Gannet (S), 25 Shags (2S 23N), 4 Cormorants (1S 3N), 342 Herring Gulls (S)
Also present in the area: Greylag Goose 32, Wigeon 74, Teal 36, Tufted Duck 10, Red-throated Diver 1, Great Northern Diver 3, Cormorant 10, White-tailed Eagle 2 (noted by the observer as sparring), Common Buzzard 1, Lapwing 38, Snipe 3, Hooded Crow 17, Raven 2, Starling 166, Pied Wagtail 1, Rock Pipit 1, Twite 140, Snow Bunting 1. 71 Whooper Swans were nearby on Loch Bornish
 
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MisterT

Always Birding
Like John at Ardvule the morning, the southerly passage of Herring Gull was very noticable this morning. I counting 178 in an hour walking along the beach from Askernish to Kildonan. Long-tailed Duck have now begun gathering in the bay at Frobost with 70+ there this morning


HerringGull.jpg
Herring Gull, not one of those heading south
 

Bruce

Senior Member
Not much change on Barra. The White-billed Diver was still visible distantly from Eoligarry jetty along with 2 Slavonian Grebes. The small Canada Goose was still at Borve with Barnacle Geese and the 2 Pink-foots. Around 40 Great Northern Divers were visible on the sea off Leanish this afternoon, plus a raft of 15 Black-throated Divers way off to the south and 2 Slavonian Grebes flew north. The Corn Bunting was still near the cemetery on Vatersay and a Woodcock was seen flying over the sea towards Sandray.
 

BrianR

Senior Member
At least 30 Fulmars were on the island of Causamul after the storm of the previous day. Otherwise at Aird an Runair, North Uist this morning I had long-range views of a possible Glaucous Gull that flew out in the direction of the Monach Islands. Shortly after this I noticed a white headed gull with dark tertials on the beach. I was some way away but managed to get some poor photos before it flew towards Port Scolpaig. Did not manage to get any worthwhile shots of it in flight but it may have been a Yellow-legged Gull. This is quite a rarity here with only three records up to 2016 (in three consecutive years 2011-2013).
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