Latest Outer Hebrides Bird and Wildlife Sightings 2025

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22nd October:

Barra: A Pomarine Skua flew south past Brevig mid-afternoon. The juvenile Surf Scoter was still off the west beach, Vatersay.

 

21st October:

Lewis: The drake Lesser Scaup and a juvenile Iceland Gull were at Loch Barvas. 2 Cattle Egrets were at Lionel. 2 Taiga Bean Geese were south-east of Loch Stiapabhat. A Bramnling was in South Dell. A Woodcock was at the Butt; also 7 Fieldfare around Ness.

North Uist: A Pallas's Warbler, Brambling and 2 Fieldfare were seen at Scolpaig. A seawatch from Griminish Point (11:10 - 13:40) produced 5 Sooty Shearwaters, a Manx Shearwater, an Arctic Skua, 548 Kittiwakes, a Sandwich Tern and 14 Puffins. 14 Fieldfare were at Claddach Kirkibost this morning. 25 Whooper Swans flew south over Carinish at first light. The juvenile / female Ring-necked Duck was on Loch an Fhaing, Grimsay.

Brambling (Steve Duffield)

 

20th October:

Lewis: An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Loch Branahuie this morning. 2 Cattle Egrets were at Lionel. The drake Lesser Scaup was on Loch Barvas

North Uist: A juvenile / female Ring-necked Duck was on Loch an Fhaing, Grimsay.

Benbecula: The 2nd winter Little Gull was in Stinky Bay.

South Uist: A 1st winter Mediterranean Gull was at Ardivachar.

Barra: The juvenile Surf Scoter was off the west beach of Vatersay.

 

19th October:

Lewis: 2 Taiga Bean Geese were south-east of Loch Stiapabhat. The drake Lesser Scaup plus a female / juvenile Ring-necked Duck were on Loch Barvas. The drake Ring-necked Duck was at Loch Tiumpan. A Glaucous Gull was at Loch Ordais; also 6 Jackdaws were feeding along the shore there. An adult Pomarine Skua and 12 Sooty Shearwaters flew past the Butt this evening.

Barra: A Curlew Sandpiper was at Cleat. A Pomarine Skua flew south past Brevig this afternoon.

 

18th October:

Lewis: 2 Glossy Ibis flew south-east over Port of Ness this morning. 2 Cattle Egrets were at Lionel. The drake Ring-necked Duck was on Loch Tiumpann.

North Uist: A juvenile Long-tailed Skua was seen from the Lochmaddy - Uig ferry this afternoon.

Benbecula: The Little Gull was in Stinky Bay.

South Uist: An adult American Golden Plover was on The Range at LA2. A Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint were at Peninerine. A juvenile Baird's Sandpiper (flew north) and adult White-rumped Sandpiper were in the south bay at Ardvule. A juvenile Wood Sandpiper was on the flood west of Loch Bornish and a White-rumped Sandpiper was seen in flight. A juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper and Ring Ouzel were seen in North Bay.

Barra: The Surf Scoter was off the west side of Vatersay. A Pomarine Skua and 14 Sooty Shearwaters flew south past Brevig this afternoon.

Wood Sandpiper (John Kemp)

 

17th October:

Lewis: 300 Sooty Shearwaters were seen off Tiumpan Head this morning; also a Snow Bunting there. The drake Ring-necked Duck and an adult Iceland Gull were at Loch Tiumpan. A Barred Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and 3 Cattle Egrets were in South Dell. A Glossy Ibis was at Loch Stiapabhat.

Benbecula: 5 Long-tailed Tits were at Torlum.

South Uist: A Curlew Sandpiper was at Peninerine. 2 White-rumped Sandpipers (an adult and juvenile) were in the south bay at Ardvule. The Lesser Yellowlegs, juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper and 7 Pintail were on the pools on Bornish machair, west of Loch Bornish and south of the track. A Little Egret was near Hebridean Jewellery.

Barra: A Surf Scoter was off the west beach of Vatersay. A Yellow-browed Warbler was at Castlebay. The Red-backed Shrike was still at Nask.

Merlin (Steve Duffield); White-rumped Sandpipers (Andrew Stevenson)

 

16th October:

Lewis: 2 Cattle Egrets were at Lionel and 3 near South Dell. A Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and 5 Blackcaps were in South Galson. A Pomarine Skua, juvenile Sabine's Gull and 11 Sooty Shearwaters were seen off Labost (08:30 - 10:00); also 6 Snow Bunting were on the headland. 6 Pomarine Skuas and 250 Sooty Shearwaters were seen off the Butt in 3 hours this morning. A Glossy Ibis was seen at Loch Stiapabhat. A Yellow-browed Warbler was in South Dell.

St. Kilda: The Cattle Egret was still present today.

North Uist: 8 Crossbills were in Lochmaddy.

Benbecula: An American Golden Plover was with 400 Golden Plover in a field opposite Liniclate School today. 9 Pink-footed Geese were at Aird.

South Uist: A Little Egret was on the Howmore River this afternoon. A Scaup was on Loch Ceann a Bhaigh. A Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint were at Peninerine.

Barra: A Blackpoll Warbler was seen briefly in Bruernish today. 3 Red-breasted Flycatchers (Nask, Castlebay and Gleann) and a Red-backed Shrike (Nask) were also on the island. A Garden Warbler and Treecreeper were in Castlebay. A Crossbill flew over Nask. A Pied Flycatcher was in Northbay by Heathbank Hotel.

Insects: 2 Green Carpets, a Dark Sword-grass, 2 Eudonia angustea and 2 Acleris hyemana were trapped in South Glendale last night.

Acleris hyemana (John Kemp); Red-backed Shrike and Red-breasted Flycatcher (Steve Duffield)

 

15th October:

Lewis: 3 Cattle Egrets were seen in South Dell this afternoon. 2 Cattle Egrets were at Lionel this morning. 3 Pomarine Skuas and 75 Sooty Shearwaters past the Butt (08:20 - 10:00); also 43 Snow Buntings and 2 Lapland Buntings there. A further 2 Lapland Buntings came in off the sea at the Butt. A Dotterel was reported from near Loch Stiapabhat this afternoon.

St. Kilda: An Eastern Yellow Wagtail and Cattle Egret were seen today.

North Uist: A House Martin was over Balranald this afternoon. A Sandwich Tern was at Kyles Paible.

South Uist: A Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint were at Peninerine.

Barra: A Red-backed Shrike was at Nask. Red-breasted Flycatchers were at Castlebay and Glenn.

Marine Sightings: 3 Minke Whales, 1 Risso's Dolphin, 5 - 600 Common Dolphins and 68 Harbour Porpoise were seen from the Lochboisdale - Mallaig ferry (return).

 

14th October:

Lewis: 10 Pomarine Skuas and 100 Sooty Shearwaters past the Butt this morning (08:00 - 10:00). 200 Sooty Shearwaters were seen fom the ferry between Stornoway and Ullapool. 2 Cattle Egrets were by the school at Lionel. 2 Pomarine Skuas and 250 Sooty Shearwaters were seen passing Port of Ness (12:30 - 13:00). A drake Lesser Scaup and Curlew Sandpiper were at Loch Barvas. A Pied Flycatcher was at Outend, Coll.

St. Kilda: A Curlew Sandpiper was seen today.

North Uist: A Glossy Ibis was seen at Rushgarry.

South Uist: A Grey Phalarope and Little Stint were at Peninerine. 11 Fieldfare were at North Loch Eynort.

Barra: The Red-breasted Flycatcher was at Catlebay this morning and another at Glenn around midday. A Lesser Whitethroat was also on the island.

Grey Phalarope (Alan Kennedy)

 

13th October:

Lewis: 9 Pomarine Skuas, a juvenile Sabine's Gull, an adult Iceland Gull and 250 Sooty Shearwaters were seen off the Butt today. 2 Cattle Egrets were by the school at Lionel. A Pied Flycatcher was in South Dell. 50 Sooty Shearwaters were seen off North Dell.

North Uist: The juvenile Baird's Sandpiper and a Curlew Sandpiper were on Loch Paible. A Cackling Goose was at Balranald before flying south over Loch Paible. A Curlew Sandpiper, 12 Black-tailed Godwits and an Arctic Tern were also seen at Balranald. A Pied Flycatcher was at Knockintorran.

Benbecula: An American Golden Plover was seen at Liniclate. A White-rumped Sandpiper and Little Gull were reported from Stinky Bay.

South Uist: 2 Little Stints were at Peninerine. 2 Curlew Sandpipers and 60+ Black-tailed Godwits were at Ardvule and 7 Pintail were on Bornish machair.

Barra: A Red-breasted Flycatcher was in Castlebay.

Insects: An Autumn Green Carpet, Dark Sword-grass, Silver Y, Red-line Quaker, 2 Angle Shades and 74 Small Wainscots were caught in South Glendale last night. At North Loch Eynort singles of Udea ferrugalis, Dark Sword-grass, Barred Red and  Red-green Carpet and 2 each of Grey Pine Carpet, Autumn Green Carpet, and Red-line Quaker.

 

12th October:

Lewis: 2 Cattle Egrets were by the school at Lionel. A Little Egret was at Steinish; also 2 Carrion Crows there. 2 Taiga Bean Geese were by Loch Stiapabhat. A juvenile Sabine's Gull and 62 Pomarine Skuas past the Butt today; also a Lapland Bunting amongst 24 Snow Buntings there. A Red-eyed Vireo was caught on a trail cam in Port of Ness.

North Uist: The juvenile Baird's Sandpiper and a Curlew Sandpiper were on Loch Paible. A Barred Warbler was in a garden just north of Kilmuir Church. A Curlew Sandpiper and around 40 Black-tailed Godwits were at Balranald. A Russian White-fronted Goose was at Loch Sandary.

South Uist: 2 Glossy Ibis were on the west side of Loch Bee. An American Golden Plover was on Bornish machair. A Scaup was at Loch a' Mhuillin, Stoneybridge. A Little Stint was at Howmore. A juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper, Little Stint and 2 Curlew Sandpipers were on the South Ford. A juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper was in North Bay; also a Lapland Bunting over there. A White-rumped Sandpiper was also seen at Ardivachar.

Marine Sightings: A Basking Shark and 10 White-beaked Dolphins were seen off the Butt.

Barred Warbler (Steve Duffield)

 

11th October:

Lewis: A Glossy Ibis flew south over the Butt and relocated to Loch Stiapabhat. 500 Sooty Shearwaters flew past the Butt this morning (08:00 0 12:00) and 10 Snow Buntings were present. Another 500 Sooty Shearwaters and a Balearic Shearwater were seen from the Butt this evening. A Cattle Egret was at Lionel.

St. Kilda: An Iceland Gull was seen today.

North Uist: The Baird's Sandpiper, Little Stint and 2 Curlew Sandpipers and a Cackling Goose were seen at Loch Paible.

Benbecula: A 1st winter Mediterranean Gull was in Culla Bay.

South Uist: A juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper and adult American Golden Plover were at Ardivachar. The Pectoral Sandpiper was at LA2. A 1st winter Mediterranean Gull was at Aird Mhicheil. A Little Stint and 1st winter Mediterranean Gull were at Howmore.

Mediterranean Gull (Alan Kennedy)

 

10th October:

Lewis: 124 Sooty Shearwaters past the Butt (08:15 - 09:00); also 11 Snow Buntings were present. 120 Barnacle Geese were in Port of Ness. 2 Taiga Bean Geese were in fields south-east of Loch Stiapabhat. The White-rumped Sandpiper and Little Stint were at Loch Ordais. A Great Shearwater, 496 Sooty Shearwaters and 2 Manx Shearwaters past the Butt this eveing (16:00 - 18:15); also 20 Snow Buntings were present. A Cattle Egret was at Habost. Another Great Shearwater was seen off the Butt in the afternoon.

North Uist: The Baird's Sandpiper, Little Stint and 3 Curlew Sandpipers were at Loch Paible.

South Uist: 4 Curlew Sandpipers were at Ardvule. The Pectoral Sandpiper was at LA2.

Curlew Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper (Alan Kennedy)

 

9th October:

Lewis: 2 Cattle Egrets were at Lionel. A White-rumped Sandpiper and Little Stint were at Loch Ordais. 43 Sooty Shearwaters flew past the Butt this morning (08:00 - 09:30) and 4 Snow Buntings were present.

St. Kilda: A Pectoral Sandpiper was on Hirta.

North Uist: A Cackling Goose was amongst 1,800 Barnacle Geese on Baleshare today.

Benbecula: A Little Egret was on Coot Loch.

South Uist: A Baird's Sandpiper and 4 Curlew Sandpipers were at Ardvule. A Snow Bunting was at Bornish. A Pectoral Sandpiper was at LA2. An immature Glaucous Gull was at Kildonan. A juvenile American Golden Plover was seen in North Bay, Killaulay this evening. A female Scauo was on Loch a Mhuilinn, Stoneybridge.

Glaucous Gull (Alan Kennedy)

 

8th October:

Lewis: 2 Cattle Egrets were just off the main road between Habost and Lionel.

North Uist: 2 Lapland Buntings flew west over Grenitote. The Cackling Goose was again with Barnacle Geese at Loch Paible and the juvenile Baird's Sandpiper was still present.

Benbecula: An adult American Golden Plover was at Liniclate. A White-rumped Sandpiper was in Stinky Bay.

South Uist: A 1st winter Mediterranean Gull was at Peninerine. A Waxwing was brought in by a cat at West Gerinish.

American Golden Plover and Mediterranean Gull (Alan Kennedy); White-rumped Sandpiper (Tim Wallis); Waxwing

 

7th October:

Lewis: A White-billed Diver, Sooty Shearwater and Grey Phalarope were seen from the Butt this morning; also 15 Snow Buntings were there. 2 Long-tailed Skuas were seen between Port of Ness and the Butt (around 11:00). A Leach's Petrel, 2 Storm Petrels and a Sooty Shearwater were seen off the Butt this evening.

North Uist: A juvenile Baird's Sandpiper, Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper were at Loch Paible; also a Cackling Goose amongst hundreds of Barnacle Geese this morning. A Glossy Ibis was at Kyles Paible. The juvenile Turtle Dove was at Balranald and a juvenile Iceland Gull was on the beach there.

Benbecula: An adult American Golden Plover was on Borve machair. A White-rumped Sandpiper, Little Stint, Grey Phalarope and Little Gull were in Stinky Bay.

South Uist: 130 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Little Gulls were at Ardivachar. The Lesser Yellowlegs was on Bornish machair; also 2 Pintails and 16 Whooper Swans there. 2 Curlew Sandpipers were at Ardvule. 421 Barnacle Geese (in 9 skeins) flew south over Howmore (07:30 - 09:30).

Marine Sightings: 2 Humpback Whales were seen between Port of Ness and the Butt this morning.

Baird's Sandpiper and Cackling Goose (Steve Duffield); Curlew Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs (Alan Kennedy)

 

6th October:

Lewis: A Cory's Shearwater flew west past the Butt this morning.

Benbecula: A Grey Phalarope and 2nd winter Little Gull were just south of Stinky Bay and a Little Auk was in the bay for a short while before flying inland.

South Uist: 2 juvenile White-rumped Sandpipers were at Ardivachar.

Little Auk and White-rumped Sandpiper (Steve Duffield)

 

5th October:

Lewis: A Leach's Petrel, 2 Sooty Shearwaters and a Glaucous Gull were seen off Swainbost this morning; also 2 Taiga Bean Geese flew over. A seawatch from the Butt (15:20 - 16:50) produced 70 Sooty Shearwaters, a juvenile Sabine's Gull and a Pomarine Skua. A drake Ring-necked Duck was on Loch Tiumpan.

North Uist: 100's of Barnacle Geese were on teh beach and flying south over Sollas / Grenitote this morning.

Benbecula: 2 juvenile White-rumped Sandpipers were at Stinky Bay this evening.

South Uist: 2 juvenile White-rumped Sandpipers were on North Bay / Mol Mor. A White-rumped Sandpiper , 2 Common Scoters and 4 Black-tailed Godwits were at Ardivachar. A Pectoral Sandpiper was at LA3. A Glossy Ibis was at Snishival. A Baird's Sandpiper, Little Stint, Pectoral Sandpiper and 2 Curlew Sandpipers were in the south bay at Ardvula. The Lesser Yellowlegs was on a flood on Bornish machair.

White-rumped Sandpiper - centre bird (Steve Duffield); Lesser Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpiper (Alan Kennedy)

 

4th October:

North Uist: A Pomarine Skua was off Hougharry this morning. A seawatch from Griminish Point (09:15 - 11:45) produced a juvenile Sabine's Gull, 85 Sooty Shearwaters and 8 Leach's Petrels as well as 2 Storm Petrels, 3 Bonxies, a Purple Sandpiper and 6 Whooper Swans.

Benbecula: 60 Barnacle Geese were seen heading south-west over Creagorry this afternoon.

South Uist: A White-rumped Sandpiper and a Pectoral Sandpiper were in the south bay at Ardvule. 16 Barnacle Geese flew south along the shore at Howmore this afternoon and 30 flew west over Eochar. 2 Pintail were at LA2. A juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs was at Ardvule in the afternoon; also 58 Barnacle Geese south (in 2 flocks) there. 36 Black-tailed Godwits and a Brent Goose were on Bornish machair.

Barra: A Leach's Petrel and an adult Pomarine Skua flew west past Cleat this morning.

Leach's Petrel and Pintail (Steve Duffield)

 

3rd October:

Lewis: A Yellow-browed Warbler was at Adabrock, Port of Ness.

North Uist: 64 Black-tailed Godwits were at Hosta. A Pintail was seen at Griminish. 2 Curlew Sandpipers were at Loch Paible.

Benbecula: A White-rumped Sandpiper and Little Stint were in Stinky Bay this morning.

South Uist: A Baird's Sandpiper was at Kilaulay / North Bay. A Little Egret was at Loch Toronais.

Barra: The juvenile Black Tern is still off Eoligarry pier.

White-rumped Sandpiper (Alan Kennedy)

 

2nd October:

North Uist: A Little Stint and 3 Curlew Sandpipers were at Loch Paible.

Benbecula: The Little Stint was in Stinky Bay. The adult American Golden Plover was at Liniclate.

Barra: The Yellow-browed Warbler is still in Castlebay. A Common Rosefinch was briefly at Bolnabodach this morning. The Black Tern was off Eoligarry pier.

 

1st October:

Lewis: An adult Mediterranean Gull was on the beach at South Galson.

S. Kilda: A 1st yr Brown Shrike was on HIrta today.

North Uist: 3 Curlew Sandpipers were at Loch Paible. The juvenile Turtle Dove is still at Balranald by the visitor centre.

Benbecula: The adult American Golden Plover was at Liniclate.

Barra: The Yellow-browed Warbler was in Castlebay and the Black Tern still at Eoligarry.