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ARCHIVE

​2018
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
​September
31st October

Easter Ross: Intermediate morph Snow Goose and 2 Little Egrets from the hide at Munlochy Bay at 1215pm (John Poyner). 6 Waxwings briefly at Hilton of Cadboll at 1020am (Simon Levene).

Skye and Lochalsh: Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs still in Broadford Bay opposite the Hebridean Hotel (Bob McMillan).

​Inverness-shire: Single Waxwing in Croy on the village green then trees by farm near the church (Jon Clarke).
Grey Wagtail at North Kessock (David Edge)
30th October

Sutherland: Richard's Pipit at Balnakeil Farm this afternoon (Scott Wotherspoon). Little Egret at Loch Fleet (Dean MacAskill).

Skye and Lochalsh: Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs still in Broadford Bay opposite the Hebridean Hotel (Bob McMillan).

​Badenoch and Strathspey: 11 Waxwings on Dava Moor near the "Jesus Stone" and 2 at Anagach Woods (John Poyner).

Richard's Pipit at Balnakeil (Scott Wotherspoon)
Barnacle and Greylag Geese at Gruinard Bay (David Edge)
Chiffchaff at Ardmair (Andy Williams)
Chiffchaff at Scourie (Andy Williams)
29th October

Sutherland: Grey Phalarope off Embo then flew towards Tarbat Ness and a single Little Auk (Dean MacAskill).

Skye and Lochalsh: Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs still in Broadford Bay opposite the Hebridean Hotel (Bob McMillan).
Goldeneye at Loch Kinellan (David Edge).
28th October

Skye and Lochalsh: Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs still in Broadford Bay opposite the Hebridean Hotel (Bob McMillan).
27th October

Skye and Lochalsh: Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs still in Broadford Bay opposite the Hebridean Hotel (Bob McMillan).

Sutherland: Little Egret still at Loch Fleet (Scott Wotherspoon). Between 2-4pm; 3 Little Auk, 3 Pomarine Skua, 2 Bonxies, 1 Arctic Skua and a first-winter Little Gull north past Embo (D MacAskill).

Easter Ross: 2 Pomarine Skuas past Chanonry Point into Moray Firth (S Pawsey).
26th October

Badenoch and Strathspey: Single Waxwing present on crab apples in a garden in Cromdale for the last few days, also Garden Warbler (K Cuthbert).

Skye and Lochalsh: Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs still in Broadford Bay opposite the Hebridean Hotel at 3pm also 11 Pomarine Skuas (Bob McMillan).

Easter Ross: 8 Pomarine Skua past Tarbat Ness southwest into Dornoch Firth this morning also Corncrake flushed from rough area above pool (Dave Tanner). 18 Pomarine Skuas south past Chananory Point in 3 hours, also 5-8000 Kittiwake and 3-400 Gannets mostly juveniles (Bob Wilson).

Sutherland: 2 Little Gulls, arctic Tern and Great Crested Grebe at Brora river mouth. Little Egret back at Loch Fleet and a Little Auk at Embo pier (Dean MacAskill).
​
25th October

Skye and Lochalsh: Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs still in Broadford Bay opposite the Hebridean Hotel at 0725am (J Jones).
Lesser Yellowlegs at Broadford (Andy Williams)
Lesser Yellowlegs at Broadford (Andy Williams).
24th October

Skye and Lochalsh: Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs in Broadford Bay opposite the Hebridean Hotel (David Darrell Lambert).

Easter Ross: Little Egret still in Munlochy Bay (Jon Clarke).

The Lesser Yellowlegs is the first for Skye and Lochalsh! and the third record for Highland.
Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs in Broadford Bay (Bob McMillan)
Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs in Broadford Bay (Bob McMillan).
Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs in Broadford Bay (Bob McMillan)..
23rd October

Inverness-shire: 10,000 Redwing through Inverness today, passing at 200 a minute (Al McNee). Kingfisher at Muirton Pools early morning (Alan MacAskill).

Easter Ross: Snow Bunting at Tarbat Ness this morning (Dave Tanner).

22nd October

No reports...
Redwing at Harrapool (Neil Bennett)
Brambling at Harrapool (Neil Bennett)
Buzzard at Harrapool (Neil Bennett)
21st October

No reports..
​
20th October

Easter Ross: Intermediate morph Snow Goose located at Auchterflow farm on the Black Isle in stubble field immediately east of farm, with Pink-footed Geese at NH656570 at 1630pm. Today at 1525pm a Little Egret at Munlochy bay from the viewpoint (all Mary Galloway).

Inverness-shire: Single male and two female Golden Pheasants in Strathdearn today at NH783256 (M Dawson).

Wester Ross: Bar-headed Goose still in the Achiltibuie area (Barbara Ross).

Golden Pheasant at Strathdearn (Mark Dawson)
Golden Pheasant at Strathdearn (Mark Dawson).
Golden Pheasant at Strathdearn (Mark Dawson)..
Treecreeper at Muir of Ord (David Edge)
Redwing at Muir of Ord (David Edge)
Fieldfare at Muir of Ord (David Edge)
Bar-headed Goose in Achiltibuie (Barbara Ross)
Redwing at Muir of Old (David Edge).
19th October

Wester Ross: Little Egret on the River Broom estuary near Clachan, Lochbroom this afternoon. Flew up River Broom at 5.30pm (Tessa Rhodes).

Sutherland: Great-crested Grebe  still at Brora river mouth and between Lothbeg and Portgower today 2500-3000 Redwing with several Brambling (Dean MacAskill).
Little Egret at Loch Broom (Tessa Rhodes)
Little Egret at Loch Broom (Tessa Rhodes).
18th October

Wester Ross: Nuthatch in garden at Craigdarroch Drive, Contin (Keith and Rosie Barnes).

Sutherland: Great Crested Grebe and two first-winter Little Gulls and two Arctic Tern at Brora river mouth.

Skye and Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler still at Broadford (per B McMillan).

Lochaber: Jack Snipe on Eigg (per B McMillan).

Passage of Barnacle Geese and Pale-bellied Brent Geese today and hundreds of Whoopers through Skye, Rùm and Eigg (per B McMillan).
Nuthatch at Contin (Keith Barnes)
Red Grouse on Heaste road (Neil Bennett)
17th October

Easter Ross: Intermediate morph Snow Goose and Todd's Canada Goose at Udale Bay today (Mike Hoit and Keith Langdon). Yellow-browed Warbler in the trees around Clunes House, the bowls club, allotments area of Cromarty, seen well at 0850am in large sycamore and small elder bushes looking in to Clunes House from the allotments.
​

Sutherland: Little Egret still at Loch Fleet, late morning, viewed from the minor road along the south shore, bird feeding in the southwest corner (Dave Tanner).

​Skye and Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warblers still at Broadford and Uig Woods today. First-winter Mediterranean Gull at Broadford River and small groups of Pale-bellied Brents moving through Broadford Bay (per B McMillan).


Inverness-shire: A late Osprey flew south over Milton of Leys, Inverness  at 11:50am (D Bain).
Snow Goose and Todd's Canada Goose at dual Bay (Mike Hoit)
16th October

Easter Ross: American Wigeon still at Loch Eye today (Mike Hoit and Keith Langdon). Intermediate morph Snow Goose present amongst large flock of Pink-feet at Udale Bay again this afternoon at 3.00 and also 3 Bramblings at Poyntzfield nursery car park (K and R Barnes).

Sutherland: Little Egret still at Loch Fleet, in high tide roost at Skelbo, 3 Scaup there still and a "Nordic" Jackdaw. Also three imm Arctic Terns at Embo (Dean MacAskill).

Skye and Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler at Broadford refound this morning (Heatherlea birding group). New Yellow-browed at Big Wood this afternoon (Seth Gibson). Adult Mediterranean Gull still at Loch Portree (per B McMillan).
American Wigeon at Loch Eye (Mike Hoit).
15th October

Easter Ross: Blue morph Snow Goose at Udale Bay at 1645pm (H Fearn, V Halhead). A Hawfinch flew west over Munlochy (Bob Wilson).

Skye and Lochalsh: Firecrest at Uig at the bottom of the road to Glenconon opposite Post Office in sycamores and gorse after first corner up hill (A Benn).

Late news of another juvenile Gannet flying alongside the A9 2 miles south of Aviemore on Saturday 13th October (Ian Ford).

14th October
 
Skye and Lochalsh:Yellow-browed Warbler on the coastal path below Broadford Hospital, very vocal (Phil Knott). Yellow-browed Warbler behind Tigh na Drochaid along the river footpath in Portree, nearby Adult Mediterranean Gull at the head of Loch Portree from the Aros Centre (Both Neil Bennett). Yellow-browed Warbler still calling at the Broadford side of the Youth Hostel. 
 
Sutherland: Yellow-browed Warbler at Sheigra and one at Scourie (Andy Williams). Little Egret still at Loch Fleet (Dean MacAskill).
 
Easter Ross: Both Nuthatches still present at a garden in Muir of Ord (D Manson). Early afternoon at Tarbat Ness; 2 Yellow-browed Warblers still in the pools area. Also, 1 Common Redstart and 3 Brambling in plantation, 1 Blackcap and 1 Merlin in gorse adjacent to plantation (Simon Levene/Al McNee). 

Badenoch and Strathspey: Juvenile Gannet flew downstream along the Spey at Grantown, then left the river and flew in the direction of Tomintoul (Pete Moore).

Wester Ross: Little Egret today at Achnahaird in the burn near the junction (Stuart Edwards).
 
Large influx of Redwing into southeast Sutherland (Dean MacAskill).
Yellow-browed Warbler at Broadford (Martin Benson)
Chiffchaff at Broadford (Martin Benson)
Yellow-browed Warbler at Sheigra (Andy Williams)
Goldcrest in Sutherland (Andy Williams)
Brambling at Keoldale (Bob McMillan)
Yellow-browed Warbler at Durness (Bob McMillan)
Mediterranean Gull at Portree (Neil Bennett)
Mediterranean Gull at Portree (Neil Bennett).
Mediterranean Gull at Portree (Neil Bennett)..
13th October
 
Wester Ross:Yellow-browed Warbler along riverside path in Ullapool this morning (Andy Williams).
 
Sutherland: Yellow-browed Warbler in Durness and another single at Balnakeil Craft Village and 100 Brambling at Ach na h-Anaite, Keoldale (Andy Williams).
 
Easter Ross: American Wigeon at Loch Eye this morning, also 613 Whooper Swans flew out of the loch to feed in fields by Wester Arboll and Petley (Bob Swann). Two Yellow-browed Warbler at Tarbat Ness still  in bushes at the pool area (Peter Norgate). 
Brambling at Harrapol (Neil Bennett)
Yellow-browed Warbler at Balnakiel (Andy Williams)
Yellow-browed Warbler at Balnakiel (Andy Williams).
12th October
 
Easter Ross: Black Tern at Chanonry point at 1532pm (Simon Pawsey), no sing later at 1741pm (Jon Clarke). Two Yellow-browed Warblers at Tarbat Ness in willows by pool at Tarbat Ness.
 
Lochaber:Two Little Egrets confirmed, singles at Back of Keppoch, Arisaig still and one at the head of Loch Ailhort (Stephen MacDonald).
 
Wester Ross: Yellow-browed Warbler  in Ullapool this evening near the duckpond (Andy Williams).
​
11th October

Easter Ross: Two Yellow-browed Warblers at Tarbat Ness in the pools area and a single Redstart in the plantation (R Swann and P Stronach).

Wester Ross: Single Yellow-browed Warbler at Gruinard Bay at NG961929 (J Poyner). 12 Brambling in Lochbroom today at 4pm (T Rhodes).

Sutherland: Little Egret still at Loch Fleet this morning (D MacAskill). Adult Pomarine Skua flew north past Lothbeg Point at 1130am and Sooty Shearwater and first-winter Little Gull (RBA).

​Large overnight arrival of thrushes and finches from Scandinavia brought in on a strong southeasterly off the back of a low pressure.
Leucistic Jackdaw at Rogart (Peter Stronach)
10th October

Lochaber: Little Egret at the head of Loch Ailort (S MacDonald).

Inverness-shire: Brambling at Ardersier this morning (M Conway).

Skye and Lochalsh: Adult Mediterranean Gull still at Bayfield, Portree at 1630pm (B McMillan).

Sutherland: A Jay in a garden in Melvich, a very unusual record this far north!!! (G Crittenden).
Little Egret at Loch Fleet (David Edge)
Little Egret at Loch Fleet (David Edge).
Little Egret at Loch Fleet (David Edge)..
9th October

Easter Ross:
Drake American Wigeon back on Tain links this morning, also Spotted Redshank roosting with Redshank by suspension bridge (R Swann). Two Nuthatches at a garden in Muir of Ord (D Manson).

The Bar-tailed Godwit photographed below was caught and ringed as a juvenile at Rogaland, Norway on the 11th September 2016 was recorded wintering on the Moray coast in 2016/7 and 2017/8 winters. This year it flew back and was recorded on the 21st August 2018 at Balcomie Bay in Fife before returning back North to Burghead on the 3rd October 2018, an unusual route back!. Thanks  to R Swann, B Bates and the Norwegian Bar-tailed Godwit project for details.
8th October

Inverness-shire: Juvenile Slavonian Grebe next to the Longman Road in Inverness at about 12:45pm this afternoon, sheltering in scrub next to the Harry Fairbairn BMW garage (K Windle).

Skye and Lochalsh: Adult Mediterranean Gull at Bayfield, Portree at 4pm (N Bennett) and the 2CY Viking Gull still present.

Easter Ross: Redhead Smew still in Northeast corner of Loch Eye this morning, 18 Shoveler and 29 Black-tailed Godwit (R Swann). 8 Fieldfare on wires west of Davidston at NH7500863961, also ca. 230 Scaup close in at lay-by east of Jemimaville and 3 Slavonian Grebes amongst. Single Ruff still at Udale hide, all sighted between 11:00-11:40 today (S Seright).

Lochaber: Lapland Bunting at Kilmory on Rùm (S Morris).
Close-up of Viking Gull in Portree (Jonathan Jones - taken 2nd Oct)
Viking Gull in Portree (Neil Bennett - taken 2nd Oct)
Juvenile Slavonian Grebe in the Longman (K Windle)
Grounded Whooper Swans in Broadford Bay (Martin Benson)
Mediterranean Gull in Portree at Bayfield (N Bennett)
7th October

Lochaber: Drake Black Duck still at Strontian today (per RBA).

6th October

Skye and Lochalsh: Little Egret feeding with a Grey Heron on the shore next to Strome Castle at midday until 1pm (D Geddes).

Easter Ross: Honey Buzzard flew southwest over Aigas Field Centre in the morning (per RBA).
Little Egret at Strome Castle (D Geddes)
5th October

Easter Ross: Nuthatch at feeders in garden at Muir of Old (D Manson), has been present since the 28th August.

Sutherland: Little Egret still at Loch Fleet on the shore (D MacAskill).
Pair of immature Golden Eagles near Portree (Neil Bennett)
4th October

Sutherland: Little Egret still at Loch Fleet on the shore (D MacAskill).

Skye and Lochalsh: Uig-Lochmaddy ferry - Leach’s petrel, one feeding well into Loch Snizort southeast of Ascribs and a single Grey Phalarope feeding on sea at mouth of Loch Snizort off Waternish Point (A Stevenson).​

3rd October

Sutherland: Yellow-browed Warbler reported from Melvich (per B'guides).
Grey Partridge at Tarbat Ness (Peter Stronach)
2nd October

Sutherland: Little Egret still on the shore of Loch Fleet on the south shore today (Dean MacAskill). Pomarine Skua flew west past Port Vasgo at 0950am (Birdguides).
​
1st October

Easter Ross: Spotted Redshank still at Tain in channel of Tain River this morning plus 19 Black-tailed Godwits. No sign of the possible Garganey reported on Saturday (R Swann).

Sutherland: Adult Long-tailed Skua, Pomarine Skua, 5 Sooty Shearwaters between 12-15pm (Birdguides).

Picture



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