8th February 2020

[Hawkeye]

Western Isles / Outer Hebrides bird sightings for today, 8th February 2020. Updated throughout the day

Tiumpan Head, Isle of Lewis
A juvenile Iceland Gull was seen there today

Stornoway, Isle of Lewis
A juvenile Iceland Gull was by the fish factory in Marybank

Clacahan, South Uist
The Little Egret was seen at the north end of Loch Bee this morning in the channel to the north of the road

 

[MisterT]

Rather breezy weather for WeBS count but believe it or not, today’s weather looked better than tomorrow. South Ford was quiet, the highlights being 81 Grey Plover and 16 Knot in amongst the Dunlin.

Most of the birds on Loch Bee where in sheltered bays or sitting tight around the shore which made counting difficult. 21 Whoopers were amongst the 396 Mute Swans and despite their best efforts to remain hidden 1,530 Wigeon, 220 Mallard and 190 Teal were counted. Very little on the open water but it was the first time that Scaup (7) outnumbered Tufted Duck (5). 76 Barnacle Geese (my highest ever count) were on Kilaulay machair as were a mixed flock of 40 Skylark, 50 Twite and at least 3 Snow Buntings. This year, the Greenland White-fronts are far more likely to be found in small groups amongst the Greylags away from their more favoured areas, and so it was today with 53 in amongst the 430 Greylags. One proposed explanation I have heard is that there are more eagles in the area and this was perhaps made more plausable with no less than 6 White-tailed Eagles, 4 immatures plus 2 adults all sitting on two small adjacent islands within 30 yards of each other. The Little Egret was at Clachan