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ARCHIVE

​2018
January
February 28th

Sutherland: A Glossy Ibis is at Sheigra for it's second day, in a field at Balchrick near Skipaflotta cottage, just after the turn off for Droman Pier. Grid ref NC192599 (J Weston, G Maddocks). Single first-winter Little Gull at Embo today and a juvenile Glaucous Gull flew north (D MacAskill).

Easter Ross:
Single Jack Snipe flushed from rocks along Shore Street, Cromarty today (Kevin Davis).

February 27th

Sutherland: White-tailed Eagle on the beach at Dornoch this morning (Dean MacAskill).
White-tailed Eagle at Dornoch (D MacAskill)
White-tailed Eagle at Dornoch (D MacAskill).
Crested Tit in Nethy Bridge (Nich Truby)
Yellowhammer in Nethy Bridge (Nick Truby)
Yellowhammer in Nethy Bridge (Nick Truby).
February 26th

Badenoch and Strathspey: 3CY Iceland Gull at Avielochan at 1215pm. 250 Pinkfeet on the Insh Marshes, near Ruthven Barracks, at about 10.30am (Roger Tozer).

Inverness-shire: A Jack Snipe, mid-afternoon, by the small pond off Leachkin Road, Inverness - NH637442 (Al McNee).

Easter Ross: Single Little Auk west past Chanonry Point day, at approx 14.00 (Kevin Davis).

Late news of a Glossy Ibis at Kilmaluag on Skye on Friday 23rd, which if accepted would be the third record for Skye, thanks to Bob McMillan for information.
Ptarmigan on Cairngorm (Nick Truby)
Ptarmigan on Cairngorm (Nick Truby).
Ptarmigan on Cairngorm (Nick Truby)..
Snow Bunting on Cairngorm (Nick Truby)
Snow Bunting on Cairngorm (Nick Truby).
Snow Bunting on Cairngorm (Nick Truby)..
Snow Bunting on Cairngorm (Nick Truby)...
February 25th

Sutherland: White morph Gyrfalcon at Tongue, above Loch Craisg near the mast and flew over Brae Tongue at midday (Rob Hughes). Drake Ring-necked Duck still on Little Loch Shin (Nick Truby).

Skye and Lochalsh: Adult and two juvenile Iceland Gulls at Greshornish Fish Farm and three juvenile Iceland Gulls at the fishfarm at Leinish Bay, Loch Dunvegan. Juveile Iceland Gull in Portree and a Jack Snipe at Neist Point (All per Bob McMillan).

Badenoch and Strathspey: Adult Iceland Gull in field between Pityoulish and Coylumbridge late afternoon (Steve Broyd).

Wester Ross: Juvenile Iceland Gull at Ullapool river mouth at 4pm (Tessa Rhodes).
Ring-necked Duck on Little Loch Shin (Nick Truby)
Ring-necked Duck on Little Loch Shin (Nick Truby).
Ring-necked Duck on Little Loch Shin (Nick Truby)..
Ring-necked Duck on Little Loch Shin (Nick Truby)...
February 24th

Inverness-shire: Drake Green-winged Teal today at 1630pm again at Loch Flemington (P Moore).

February 23rd

Easter Ross: European White-fronted Goose with 400 Greylags at North Cadboll here (Bob Swann). 6 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Rosemarkie (David Edge).

A Knot seen on the 29th January 2018 at a high tide roost on Whiteness Head was originally ringed in May 2014 in northwest Iceland. 1084 Knot have been flagged in this scheme, all with yellow flags, so if you see a flock of Knot it is well worth scrutinising their legs!. Thanks to Jon Clarke for the information.
Pink-footed Geese at Udale Bay (David Edge)
Pink-footed Geese at Udale Bay (David Edge).
Pink-footed Geese at Udale Bay (David Edge)..
February 22nd

Easter Ross: 3CY Iceland gull on the fish factory in Dingwall Business Park again at 14:00 today, best viewed from Blairnaparc Rd (NH535594) (Simon Cohen).

February 21st

Sutherland: 2CY Glaucous Gull at Brora this morning and the drake Ring-necked Duck still on Little Loch Shin today (Ian Ford). Mute Swan on Loch Croispol this morning (Michael Fitch).

Easter Ross: Little Auk off Avoch harbour (Mary Galloway).
American Wigeon at Muirtown Basin (David Edge)
Little Grebe on the Caledonian Canal (David Edge)
Little Grebe on the Caledonian Canal (David Edge).
Tufted Duck on the Caledonian Canal (David Edge)
Tufted Duck on the Caledonian Canal (David Edge).
February 20th

Sutherland: 2 Little Gulls at Brora (Dave Tanner). Drake Ring-necked Duck still on Little Loch Shin today (David Edge).

Ring-necked Duck on Little Loch Shin - if you look closely at the stunning photos David Edge has taken of the bird today, you can see the maroon ring on it's neck that gives the species it's name, usually impossible to see in the field!.
Purple Sandpiper at Embo (David Edge)
Purple Sandpiper at Embo (David Edge).
Purple Sandpiper at Embo (David Edge)..
Ring-necked Duck at Little Loch Shin (David Edge)
Ring-necked Duck at Little Loch Shin (David Edge).
Ring-necked Duck at Little Loch Shin (David Edge)..
Ring-necked Duck at Little Loch Shin (David Edge)...
Redshank at Embo (David Edge)
Glaucous Gull at Mallaig (Sean Morris)
Iceland Gull at Mallaig (Sean Morris)
February 19th

Sutherland: Drake Green-winged Teal in the bay southwest of Skibo Castle at NH730883. (Dean MacAskill).

Inverness-shire: Drake American Wigeon again at Muirtown Pools, and a Kingfisher (Alan MacAskill).

Badenoch and Strathspey: Adult Iceland Gull at Granish landfill, Aviemore at 3pm (Pete Gordon).

Lochaber: Drake Mandarin Duck and Kingfisher on the Morar river, also in Morar a female Blackcap feeding on fat balls and apple in a garden. In Mallaig at 5pm at least 6 Iceland Gulls including 1 adult, also at least 1 juvenile Glaucous Gull and the Viking Gull (S MacDonald).

Skye and Lochalsh: Juvenile Glaucous Gull at Uig (Bob McMillan).

Glaucous Gull at Uig (Bob McMillan)
Redshank and Turnstones at Uig (Bob McMillan)
February 18th

Skye and Lochalsh: Drake Green-winged Teal at the head of Loch Carron this morning (Bob McMillan). Adult Iceland Gull in Portree harbour (Neil Bennett).

Inverness-shire: Drake Green-winged Teal still at Loch Flemington today (Kate Clarke). Spotted Redshank still on the flood at Easter Dalziel (Dave Pullan). Single Waxwing in Smithton (James Gordon).

Easter Ross: 27 Purple Sandpiper this afternoon at Portmahomack/Balnabruach, at south end of village. Also single Black-throated Diver just offshore, though no sign of drake American Wigeon which was present a few days ago (Dave Tanner).

Sutherland: Drake Green-winged Teal in the bay southwest of Skibo Castle at NH730883. (Dean MacAskill). Drake Ring-necked Duck still at Little Loch Shin today (David Edge).
Iceland Gull in Portree harbour (Neil Bennett)
Iceland Gull in Portree harbour (Neil Bennett).
Iceland Gull in Portree harbour (Neil Bennett)..
Iceland Gull in Portree harbour (Neil Bennett)...
Iceland Gull in Portree harbour (Neil Bennett)....
Iceland Gull in Portree harbour (Neil Bennett).....
Iceland Gull in Portree harbour (Neil Bennett).....
Siskin at Muir of Ord (David Edge)
Goldfinch at Muir of Ord (David Edge)
Greenshank at Meikle Ferry (David Edge)
Long-tailed Tit at Muir of Ord (David Edge)
Siskin at Muir of Ord (David Edge).
Ring-necked Duck at Little Loch Shin (David Edge)
February 17th

Inverness-shire: Adult Todd's Canada Goose with Pink-footed Geese near Kirkhill at NH546448 (Sue Pettitt).

Sutherland: 2 Shore Larks still at Loch Fleet this morning, also drake Ring-necked Duck still present on Little Loch Shin (Colin Leslie).

Wester Ross: Two juvenile Iceland Gull in Ullapool, one at harbour and  one at Ullapool river mouth (Tessa Rhodes/Clair Bale).

Skye and Lochalsh: Two juvenile Iceland Gulls at Bayfield, Portree, this morning and three following a creel boat, Broadford Bay, this afternoon (JDJ & NB). Remains of a Glaucous Gull (decapitated) found at the Point of Sleat and single following creel boat Broadford this afternoon. 

Lochaber: Adult Glaucous Gull reported at Laig Bay, Eigg, today (ABenn).
Shore Larks at Loch Fleet (Colin Leslie)
Ring-necked Duck at Little Loch Shin (Colin Leslie)
Todd's Canada Goose at Kirkhill (Sue Pettitt)
Todd's Canada Goose at Kirkhill (Sue Pettitt).
Todd's Canada Goose at Kirkhill (Sue Pettitt)..
Todd's Canada Goose at Kirkhill (Sue Pettitt)...
Iceland Gull at Ullapool (Tessa Rhodes)
Iceland Gull at Ullapool (Tessa Rhodes).
Iceland Gull at Ullapool (Tessa Rhodes)..
February 16th

Badenoch and Strathspey: 4 Waxwings in a tree at the north end of Aviemore this morning (Roger Tozer). 4 Waxwings in Carrbridge at 1530pm, near the public toilets, then flew north (Scott O'Hara).

Inverness-shire: Spotted Redshank again on the flood at Easter Dalziel (Jon Clarke/Alan MacAskill). 7 Black-tailed Godwits in the bay to the east of Phopachy Point (NH604462) late afternoon and 9 Slavonian Grebes (Al McNee). Kingfisher in Whin Park, Inverness today from the west end of the boating lake (Dave Tanner).

A Reed Warbler seen on the 24th and 25th August 2011 on Handa, Sutherland has been re-identified from photographs as a Blyth's Reed Warbler and accepted by BBRC. This would have been the second record for Highland at the time.

February 15th

Badenoch and Strathspey: 2CY Iceland Gull and a second individual Iceland Gull, also Lesser Black-backed Gull at Granish tip, Aviemore today (Dave Pullan and Andy Tonge).

Sutherland: Nordic Jackdaw type at Embo today (Dean MacAskill).

February 14th

Inverness-shire:
Drake American Wigeon again at Muirtown pools/Clachnaharry sea lock today (P, Insole).

February 13th

Sutherland: 3 individual Little Auks passed at first light this morning, plus a Velvet Scoter and 3 Black-throated Divers, but just 2 Little Gulls. 67 Sanderlings and 32 Purple Sandpipers were onshore (Tom Wells).

Badenoch and Strathspey: 40 Bramblings along Spey Way close to Nethy bridge this morning still (John Poyner). 2 Waxwings on Corbett Place, Aviemore today.

February 12th

Easter Ross: Drake American Wigeon again at Tain links today (Bob Swann).

Sutherland: Two Shore Larks still at Loch Fleet today, same location (Jon Picton)

February 11th

Skye and Lochalsh:
Drake Green-winged Teal at 1630 today at the head of Loch Carron in Wester Ross. Viewed from a lay-by on A890 by the road depot (Sean Jaques).

Easter Ross:
2CY Glaucous Gull at Tarbat Ness heading southwest into the Dornoch Firth (Dave Tanner).


Sutherland: Six Little Gulls feeding off the river mouth at  noon today , 3 adults and 3  1st -winters , also Nordic-type Jackdaw at Dornoch (Dean MacAskill).

Inverness-shire: This morning at the Muirtown Basin a 1st winter Glaucous Gull [Mary Galloway] briefly about 10am, with the drake American Wigeon showing well there amongst the moorings.  Also Kingfishers, one showing on the railway bridge at the west Muirtown Pool and one on the boating pond at Whin Park, Inverness, also in the morning (Al McNee).

February 10th

Badenoch and Strathspey: This afternoon, there was a single Waxwing on a roof at the very north end of Aviemore, at about 14.45pm (Roger Tozer).

Skye and Lochalsh: Iceland Gull at Uig today (Seth Gibson).

Sutherland; Two Shore Larks still at Loch Fleet today (Dave Pullan).

February 9th

Easter Ross:
23 Waxwings today at around 16:00 in Beauly in the trees around Tomich farm and Marello Car sales (Tim Meredith).
Grey Heron at Rosemarkie (David Edge)
Grey Heron at Rosemarkie (David Edge).
February 8th

Inverness-shire: 3CY Iceland Gull was at the sewage works, Alturlie at sunset this afternoon, 63 Scaup offshore (Tom Wells). Spotted Redshank is still there at the Dalziel pond behind the Caberboard factory, between 12pm and 1pm with 70+ Curlews (Tim Meredith).

Sutherland; Two Shore Larks still in usual spot. 68 Barnacle Geese with pinks by the A9 at Evelix, 87 Whoopers on Loch Evelix also Gadwall still there (Dean MacAskill).

Lochaber: First-winter Iceland Gull at the mouth of the River Lochy in Fort William (Stuart Crutchfield).


February 7th

Easter Ross: Juvenile Glaucous Gull flew over Tarbat Ness heading southwest into the Dornoch Firth. Drake American Wigeon still at Tain Links at the Water treatment Outfall on the rising tide this afternoon (All Dave Tanner). Immature Iceland Gull in Dingwall seen briefly on the roof of the fish factory in Dingwall Business Park (NH535593 at 1315pm (Simon Cohen). Single Barnacle Goose this afternoon with 1000+ Pink-feet at Glenurquhart Farm (between Cromarty & Rosemarkie), also 26 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Rosemarkie burnmouth (Kevin Davis). A single Pintail at Dalmore Distillery (Jimmy Fraser).

Lochaber: 2nd winter Glaucous Gull on Canna, on the shoreline below the sheepfold at near Canna Campsite at Cùil a' Bhainne (NG2643305194) (Gillian Gibson).

Badenoch and Strathspey:
50+ Snow Buntings by the Cairngorm Car Park today (Jim Simpson).
Pintail at Dalmore Distillery (Jimmy Fraser)
February 6th

Inverness-shire:
A single Hawfinch coming to a garden bird feeders in Dundreggan, Glen Moriston (J. Gilbert), also another single bird seen briefly at Inchmore Fish Hatchery, Glen Moriston (Stuart Crutchfield). A single Waxwing seen at Culloden Moor in holly tree at NH761457, also a brief flock of birds nearby may have been Waxwings too (K Clarke). Drake American Wigeon still at Clachnaharry Sea Lock/Muirtown Pools again today. Glaucous Gull at Milton of Culloden today (James Gordon).

Badenoch and Strathspey: 2 Waxwing on Tulloch Moor today (H Insley).

February 5th

Lochaber: 4 Iceland Gulls at Mallaig including an adult and a Glaucous Gull.  First winter Iceland Gull at Glenuig, also. Drake Ring-necked Duck still on Loch Shiel, viewed from Acharacle at 1330pm . Drake Mandarin still on the River Morar displaying to a female Mallard (All Bob McMillan).
Iceland Gull at Mallaig (Bob McMillan)
Glaucous Gull at Mallaig (Bob McMillan)
Mandarin Duck at Morar (Bob McMillan)
Ring-necked Duck at Loch Shiel (Bob McMillan)
Iceland Gull at Glenuig. (Bob McMillan)
Iceland Gull at Mallaig.. (Bob McMillan)
Goldeneye at Muirtown Basin (David Edge)
Red Kite at Muir of Ord (David Edge)
Red Kite at Muir of Ord (David Edge)
February 4th

Inverness-shire: 2 Kingfisher and 2 Dipper on the River Ness by Holm (Alan MacAskill).

Sutherland: At Embo today, at least 70 Red-throated Divers , 1 Black-throated and 2 Great Northerns and 1 Slavonian Grebe also a drake Eider with sails (Dean MacAskill).

Wester Ross
: At Gruinard bay there was a White-tailed Eagle on the island, divers and  3 Slavonian Grebes in the bay and the usual flock of 130 Barnacle Geese in the fields at the east end of the bay (David and Judith Edge).

Skye and Lochalsh: Juvenile Iceland Gull at Bayfield, Portree again today.
Great Northern Diver at Aultbea (David Edge)
Great Northern Diver at Aultbea (David Edge).
Grey Heron at Aultbea (David Edge)
Grey Heron at Aultbea (David Edge).
Purple Sandpiper at Duntuilm (Martin Benson)
Purple Sandpiper at Duntuilm (Martin Benson).
Purple Sandpiper at Duntuilm (Martin Benson)...
Spot the Magpie at Ellishadder (Martin Benson)
February 3rd

Lochaber: 1 adult and a 2nd-winter Iceland gulls and a juvenile Glaucous Gull in Mallaig, all near whale carcass by westbay car park (Stephen MacDonald).

Inverness-shire:
The drake Green-winged Teal is still at Loch Flemington today (Kevin Davis). Drake American Wigeon at Clachnaharry sea lock again today. Spotted Redshank still at Easter Dalziel on floods today.

Easter Ross: Off Jemimaville this morning, 115 Slavonian Grebes (Kevin Davis). First-winter Glaucous Gull feeding on dead seal off the 8th tee at Fortrose and Rosemarkie golf course 1pm today (David Galloway).

Sutherland: Two Carrion Crows at Keoldale today with Hooded Crows (Michael Fitch).
Glaucous Gull at Chanonry Point (Sandy Sutherland)
February 2nd

Skye and Lochalsh:
Adult Glauocus Gull and juvenile Iceland Gull at Bayfield, Portree (Jonathan Jones). Drake Pintail at the head of Loch Carron (Bob McMillan).

Wester Ross: Ptarmigan on the Bealach na Ba to Applecross.  16 Black-throated Divers between Applecross and Sand (All Bob McMillan).

Sutherland: Two Shore Larks still present today showing well at the same location i.e the tidal inlet just east of the electricity power lines at Coul Links (Kevin Davis/Dean MacAskill). No sign today of the male Ring-necked Duck at Little Loch Shin, Lairg

Easter Ross: The male American Wigeon present today at Tain Links on the afternoon high tide just upstream of the footbridge (Kevin Davis). The drake American Wigeon still at Udale Bay today again (Lynda Graham). 113 Scaup on Loch Eye (Bob Swann).

Inverness-shire: Three Kingfishers at Whin Park today, 1 at boating pond, 2nd on the Ness riverbank in tangled undergrowth, and the 3rd perched on concrete wall under new bridge at Braes! (Alan MacAskill).
Dipper at Whin Park, Inverness (David Edge)
Dipper at Whin Park, Inverness (David Edge).
Dipper at Whin Park, Inverness (David Edge)..
Buzzard at Broadford Bay (Neil Bennett)
Redshank at Broadford Bay (Neil Bennett)
Little Grebe at Broadford Bay (Neil Bennett)
Iceland Gull at Broadford Bay (Neil Bennett)
Iceland Gull at Broadford Bay (Neil Bennett).
Iceland Gull at Broadford Bay (Neil Bennett)..
February 1st

Inverness-shire: Spotted Redshank still at Easter Dalziel on the flood today (Alan MacAskill). First-winter Iceland Gull near the shops in Kinmylies (Birdguides).

Skye and Lochalsh: 2 first-winter Iceland Gulls at Bayfield, Portree on the high tide (Jonathan Jones). Glaucous Gull and 2 Iceland Gulls following a trawler yesterday in Broadford Bay (Birdguides).
wing-barred Common Crossbill in Sutherland (Peter Stronach)
Twite in Broadford (Neil Bennett)
Bullfinch in Broadford (Neil Bennett)
Iceland Gull at Broadford (Neil Bennett)

Picture



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