• 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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National Rarity 9th May 2018

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
Outer Hebrides / Western Isles bird sightings for today, 9th May 2018

Coalas, Vatersay
A ***Lesser Yellowlegs**** seen there this afternoon (See Bruce's post below)

Aird an Runair, North Uist
A Glaucous Gull was on the beach early afternoon

Smercleit, South Uist
5 Whooper Swans were on the loch there this morning

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
Counting period: 06:55 - 11:10
Weather: Wind S F6-7, 8/8 cloud, dull with rain throughout. Temp 8.9C.

A 4+ hour seawatch this morning produced 2 Eider (S), 1 Long-tailed Duck (N), 1 Red-throated Diver (S), 47 Fulmars (30S 17N), 8 Manx Shearwaters (7S 1N), 133 Gannets (111S 22N), 6 Shag (3S 3N), 3 Cormorants (1S 2N), 5 Kittiwakes (2S 3N), 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (N), 2 Great Skuas (N), 4 Arctic Skuas (N), 1 Guillemot (S), 1 Black Guillemot (S) and 7auk sp (6S1N).
Also present in the area were Tufted Duck 12, Red-breasted Merganser 2, Great Northern Diver 3, Common Sandpiper 1, Kumlien's Gull 1 (3CY), Arctic Tern 12, Swallow 1, Wheatear 3, White Wagtail 1 and Twite 12.
The Kumlien's Gull was again seen on Bornish machair later in the afternoon

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Kumlien's Gull courtesy of John McInnes
 

Bruce

Senior Member
A seawatch off the west side of Vatersay this afternoon produced a steady stream of manx shearwaters going south but little else of note. Returning to my car at Caolas, I gave the little bay a scan over and noticed a lesser yellowlegs feeding among the seaweed. It showed well over the next hour and was still present when we left. An Iceland gull was in the same area.
On Barra a single pale-bellied brent goose was on Traigh Mhor and a blackcap was a Castlebay. At least 3 sand martins were flying around last years nest side.

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MisterT

Always Birding
Far fewer waders on the beach today here at Askernish and only 5 Whimbrel on the machair. There were 5 Whooper Swans on Loch Hallan, possibly the same which were seen at Smercleit earlier in the day

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Sanderling, Askernish beach
 

BrianR

Senior Member
Photo of the Aird an Runair Glaucous Gull.
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Seawatch from 14.55-18.55 hours (not for all of the 4 hours) mostly from the end of the headland. Watching conditions not good with sun glare and a SSW wind F6-7. Most of the skuas passing N were well out: 25 Pomarine (14 at 16.20 hours, 6 at 17.15 and 5 at 17.25); 8 Arctic; 55 Long-tailed (14 at 17.25 after passing with 5 Pomarine went up high; 28 at 17.40 and 13 at 17.50); also 16 skuas unidentified including 6 right at end of watch that perhaps indicated I would have got a larger total if I stayed longer.
 
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