8th July 2018

[Hawkeye]

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

Aird an Runair, North Uist
The 2nd summer Glaucous Gull was seen there again today

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 06:35 - 09:00
Weather: Wind SW F3 veering NW F2 by end of watch, poor visibility, some light fine drizzle. Temp 14.4C
A 2+ hour seawatch this morning produced 14 Storm Petrels (S), 55 Manx Shearwaters (17S 38N), 24 Gannets (16S 6N), 2 Kittiwakes (S), 2 Guillemots (S), 4 Razorbills (S), 7 Puffins (S) and 8 auk sp (S).
Also present in the area were Great Northern Diver 7, Curlew 4, Bar-tailed Godwit 6, Snipe 3, Black-headed Gull 19, Arctic Tern 39, Raven 8, Sand Martin 2 and Pied Wagtail 3

 

[Bruce]

The Rose-coloured Starling was still at Borve, Barra today, on the machair near the cemetery. The first returning Bar-tailed Godwits were at Traigh Mhor. Also 7 Golden Plovers at Borve; hard to know if these are early migrants or perhaps more likely local breeders coming down from the hills. Wheatears appear to have had a very good breeding season with numerous juveniles around the island.

 

[Bruce]

A late evening surprise when a Long-tailed Skua appeared offshore at Brevig. It lingered for a couple of minutes, perhaps attracted in to feed on the debris stirred up by a dredger earlier in the evening, before disappearing around the corner of the headland at Leanish. 2 Sandwich Terns came into the bay shortly after before heading back out and off to the south.