Sightings
This page acts as a news site of more notable reports and may contain errors and omissions. The official record is published as the annual Highland Bird Report (HBR) which details records which have been formally submitted and accepted. All records submitted via Birdtrack or directly to the Local Recorder, do go into compilation of the HBR. Photographs are copyright of the named photographer and may not be used without explicit permission of the named photographer. Photographs of schedule 1 species will not be displayed on this page during the breeding season, unless accompanied by a valid SNH licence. Similarly any photographs showing obviously tape-lured or distressed birds will not be displayed, please refer to the Bird photography - a new code of practice article from Scottish Birds. To send in your photos for the website please email highlandsocwebmaster@gmail.com.
Highland Records Committee (HRC) species are in green, Scottish Birds Rarities Committee (SBRC) species are in blue and British Bird Rarities Committee (BBRC) species are in red.
This page acts as a news site of more notable reports and may contain errors and omissions. The official record is published as the annual Highland Bird Report (HBR) which details records which have been formally submitted and accepted. All records submitted via Birdtrack or directly to the Local Recorder, do go into compilation of the HBR. Photographs are copyright of the named photographer and may not be used without explicit permission of the named photographer. Photographs of schedule 1 species will not be displayed on this page during the breeding season, unless accompanied by a valid SNH licence. Similarly any photographs showing obviously tape-lured or distressed birds will not be displayed, please refer to the Bird photography - a new code of practice article from Scottish Birds. To send in your photos for the website please email highlandsocwebmaster@gmail.com.
Highland Records Committee (HRC) species are in green, Scottish Birds Rarities Committee (SBRC) species are in blue and British Bird Rarities Committee (BBRC) species are in red.
22nd March
Wester Ross: Blue-winged Teal at still at Mellon Charles, Wester Ross (various records).
Badenoch and Strathspey: 23 Waxwings feeding on juniper, Strathdearn (John Poyner).
Wester Ross: Blue-winged Teal at still at Mellon Charles, Wester Ross (various records).
Badenoch and Strathspey: 23 Waxwings feeding on juniper, Strathdearn (John Poyner).
21st March
Wester Ross: Blue-winged Teal at still at Mellon Charles, Wester Ross (various records). Leucistic Great Northern Diver still at Mellon Charles (David Edge).
Sutherland: 3 little gulls and 1 sandwich tern at Brora river mouth (Dean MacAskill). Single Great Skua in Culkein Drumbeg harbour area (David Haines).
Easter Ross: Green-winged Teal still at Udale Bay (K Davis). Hybrid drake American Wigeon at Loch Ussie (Susan Seright).
Wester Ross: Blue-winged Teal at still at Mellon Charles, Wester Ross (various records). Leucistic Great Northern Diver still at Mellon Charles (David Edge).
Sutherland: 3 little gulls and 1 sandwich tern at Brora river mouth (Dean MacAskill). Single Great Skua in Culkein Drumbeg harbour area (David Haines).
Easter Ross: Green-winged Teal still at Udale Bay (K Davis). Hybrid drake American Wigeon at Loch Ussie (Susan Seright).
20th March
Wester Ross: Blue-winged Teal still at Mellon Charles, Wester Ross (Bob McMillan).
Easter Ross: Green-winged Teal still at Udale Bay (Susan Seright).
Wester Ross: Blue-winged Teal still at Mellon Charles, Wester Ross (Bob McMillan).
Easter Ross: Green-winged Teal still at Udale Bay (Susan Seright).
18th March
Wester Ross: Blue-winged Teal at Mellon Charles, Wester Ross (Bob McMillan).
Easter Ross: Green-winged Teal still at Udale Bay (Rare Bird Alert).
Wester Ross: Blue-winged Teal at Mellon Charles, Wester Ross (Bob McMillan).
Easter Ross: Green-winged Teal still at Udale Bay (Rare Bird Alert).
17th March
Skye and Lochalsh: After not being seen for several days the Yellow Legged Gull was back at Loch Pooltiel in the early afternoon (Andy Stables). Jack Snipe flushed from Broadford (Martin Benson).
Lochaber: Little Egret still at Arisaig/Back of Keppoch though injured.
Skye and Lochalsh: After not being seen for several days the Yellow Legged Gull was back at Loch Pooltiel in the early afternoon (Andy Stables). Jack Snipe flushed from Broadford (Martin Benson).
Lochaber: Little Egret still at Arisaig/Back of Keppoch though injured.
16th March
Sutherland: 53 Velvet Scoters past Dornoch at 0919am (Dean MacAskill).
Sutherland: 53 Velvet Scoters past Dornoch at 0919am (Dean MacAskill).
15th March
No reports.
No reports.
14th March
Sutherland: Nordic type Jackdaw still at Embo (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: Drake American Wigeon downstream of the footbridge at Tain links at 1215pm, also the Green-winged Teal at Udale Bay at 1539pm (Jonathan Jones).
Wester Ross: Leucistic Great Northern Diver seen at Mellon Charles on the 8th March, see below (Sandy Wotton).
A leucistic Great Northern Diver was seen at Camas nan Gobhar (NG841917), Mellon Charles, Wester Ross on the 8th March by Sandy Wotton. It was first seen by Eddie Ephraums a few days earlier. Remarkably this looks to be the individual that was seen in Arisaig and was photographed by Stephen MacDonald here, it was before that in Galway in Eirinn, link here. Many thanks to Sandy Wotton for the info and the photo!.
Sutherland: Nordic type Jackdaw still at Embo (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: Drake American Wigeon downstream of the footbridge at Tain links at 1215pm, also the Green-winged Teal at Udale Bay at 1539pm (Jonathan Jones).
Wester Ross: Leucistic Great Northern Diver seen at Mellon Charles on the 8th March, see below (Sandy Wotton).
A leucistic Great Northern Diver was seen at Camas nan Gobhar (NG841917), Mellon Charles, Wester Ross on the 8th March by Sandy Wotton. It was first seen by Eddie Ephraums a few days earlier. Remarkably this looks to be the individual that was seen in Arisaig and was photographed by Stephen MacDonald here, it was before that in Galway in Eirinn, link here. Many thanks to Sandy Wotton for the info and the photo!.
13th March
Sutherland: 10 first-winter and 2 adult Little Gulls past Brora river mouth by 5pm (Dean MacAskill).
Inverness-shire: Possible Grey-bellied brent still with Pink-footed Geese at Castle Stuart golf course entrance (Steve Broyd).
Sutherland: 10 first-winter and 2 adult Little Gulls past Brora river mouth by 5pm (Dean MacAskill).
Inverness-shire: Possible Grey-bellied brent still with Pink-footed Geese at Castle Stuart golf course entrance (Steve Broyd).
12th March
Skye and Lochalsh: Adult Yellow-legged Gull still at Lower Milovaig at 1pm (A Stables).
Sutherland: 6 Little Gulls past Brora river mouth at 4pm (Dean MacAskill).
Skye and Lochalsh: Adult Yellow-legged Gull still at Lower Milovaig at 1pm (A Stables).
Sutherland: 6 Little Gulls past Brora river mouth at 4pm (Dean MacAskill).
11th March
Easter Ross: Male American Wigeon Tain (per Birdguides). Male Green-winged Teal at high tide Udale Bay at 3pm, seen to the left of the hide where the two creeks meet (Kevin Davis).
Inverness-shire: Possible Grey-bellied Brent still at golf course entrance fields at Castle Stuart (Peter Stronach).
Badenoch and Strathspey: 9 Waxwings Strathspey Drive, Grantown-on-Spey (per Andy Amphlett)
Skye and Lochalsh: Yellow-legged Gull Lower Milovaig, then Loch Mor, Waterstein (Martin Benson, Bob MacMillan, A Stables). Female Yellowhammer at feeders, Plockton (JS).
Easter Ross: Male American Wigeon Tain (per Birdguides). Male Green-winged Teal at high tide Udale Bay at 3pm, seen to the left of the hide where the two creeks meet (Kevin Davis).
Inverness-shire: Possible Grey-bellied Brent still at golf course entrance fields at Castle Stuart (Peter Stronach).
Badenoch and Strathspey: 9 Waxwings Strathspey Drive, Grantown-on-Spey (per Andy Amphlett)
Skye and Lochalsh: Yellow-legged Gull Lower Milovaig, then Loch Mor, Waterstein (Martin Benson, Bob MacMillan, A Stables). Female Yellowhammer at feeders, Plockton (JS).
10th March
No notable reports
No notable reports
9th March
Easter Ross: 2 Greenland White-fronted Geese and 2 Barnacle Geese Gordon's Mill, Udale Bay (Mark Finn)
Inverness-shire: 21 Waxwings still Caulfield Road. In a bush just before first turn off from traffic lights, well before the shops (Al McNee).
Badenoch and Strathspey: 2 Kittiwakes Loch Morlich (Pete Gordon)
Easter Ross: 2 Greenland White-fronted Geese and 2 Barnacle Geese Gordon's Mill, Udale Bay (Mark Finn)
Inverness-shire: 21 Waxwings still Caulfield Road. In a bush just before first turn off from traffic lights, well before the shops (Al McNee).
Badenoch and Strathspey: 2 Kittiwakes Loch Morlich (Pete Gordon)
8th March
Inverness-shire: 21 Waxwings still on Caulfield Road, Inverness (Phil Clark).
Easter Ross: American Wigeon still Tain links (Gary and Rosemary Aitken). 2 Ruddy Shelduck and a Green-winged Teal Udale Bay (Mary Galloway).
Badenoch and Strathspey: Red-throated diver on Loch Morlich (Peter Gordon).
Inverness-shire: 21 Waxwings still on Caulfield Road, Inverness (Phil Clark).
Easter Ross: American Wigeon still Tain links (Gary and Rosemary Aitken). 2 Ruddy Shelduck and a Green-winged Teal Udale Bay (Mary Galloway).
Badenoch and Strathspey: Red-throated diver on Loch Morlich (Peter Gordon).
This Lesser Redpoll photographed by David Edge is a 3CY male, which was ringed 631km away at Swaffham Norfolk on the 18th December 2017 and was photographed on the 6th March at Ord Muir . The bird was close enough that the digits on the metal ring could be stitched together and read from photographs and the ring number sent off through the Euring website, link here. Thanks to David for the info on this bird.
7th March
Inverness-shire: 15 Waxwings still near the shops on Caulfield Road, Inverness (Phil Clark).
Easter Ross: American Wigeon still upstream of the bridge at Tain links (per Rare Bird Alert).
Sutherland: 4 Little Gulls feeding off Brora river mouth. Single Greenland white-fronted goose still with Pink-footed Geese in roadside field just south of Golspie (Dean MacAskill).
Badenoch and Strathspey: 2 Drake Common Scoter, Loch Garten (John Poyner).
Inverness-shire: 15 Waxwings still near the shops on Caulfield Road, Inverness (Phil Clark).
Easter Ross: American Wigeon still upstream of the bridge at Tain links (per Rare Bird Alert).
Sutherland: 4 Little Gulls feeding off Brora river mouth. Single Greenland white-fronted goose still with Pink-footed Geese in roadside field just south of Golspie (Dean MacAskill).
Badenoch and Strathspey: 2 Drake Common Scoter, Loch Garten (John Poyner).
6th March
Skye and Lochalsh: Yellow-legged Gull still at Loch Pooltiel also Iceland Gull at 1030am (Andy Stables/ Bob McMillan).
Easter Ross: Greenland White-fronted Goose, Gordon’s Mill. Udale Bay (Kevin Davis and John Poyner).
Inverness-shire: Possible Grey-bellied Brent or dark Pale-bellied Brent still at Castle Stuart this morning, then relocated to fields adjacent to Norbord factory (Jon Clarke/John Poyner)
The Yellow-legged Gull on Skye would be the third record for Highland (if accepted by SBRC) and the first record for Skye and Lochalsh. The first record for Highland was a second summer in Ullapool on the 18th June 2002, following that an adult was recorded in Bettyhill, Sutherland on the 22nd June 2008.
Skye and Lochalsh: Yellow-legged Gull still at Loch Pooltiel also Iceland Gull at 1030am (Andy Stables/ Bob McMillan).
Easter Ross: Greenland White-fronted Goose, Gordon’s Mill. Udale Bay (Kevin Davis and John Poyner).
Inverness-shire: Possible Grey-bellied Brent or dark Pale-bellied Brent still at Castle Stuart this morning, then relocated to fields adjacent to Norbord factory (Jon Clarke/John Poyner)
The Yellow-legged Gull on Skye would be the third record for Highland (if accepted by SBRC) and the first record for Skye and Lochalsh. The first record for Highland was a second summer in Ullapool on the 18th June 2002, following that an adult was recorded in Bettyhill, Sutherland on the 22nd June 2008.
5th March
Skye and Lochalsh: Yellow-legged Gull and Iceland Gull Lower Milovaig (Bob McMillan).
Inverness-shire: Possible Grey-bellied Brent or dark Pale-bellied Brent at Castle Stuart this afternoon (Peter Stronach). Great Crested Grebe at Alturlie Point (Colin Leslie). 8 Waxwings near the shops on Caulfield Road, Inverness (Phil Clark).
Skye and Lochalsh: Yellow-legged Gull and Iceland Gull Lower Milovaig (Bob McMillan).
Inverness-shire: Possible Grey-bellied Brent or dark Pale-bellied Brent at Castle Stuart this afternoon (Peter Stronach). Great Crested Grebe at Alturlie Point (Colin Leslie). 8 Waxwings near the shops on Caulfield Road, Inverness (Phil Clark).
4th March
Skye and Lochalsh: Yellow-legged Gull still at Lower Milovaig, Skye (Andy Stables).
Skye and Lochalsh: Yellow-legged Gull still at Lower Milovaig, Skye (Andy Stables).
3rd March
Skye and Lochalsh: Yellow-legged Gull back at Lower Milovaig, Skye (Andy Stables).
Skye and Lochalsh: Yellow-legged Gull back at Lower Milovaig, Skye (Andy Stables).
..2nd March
Badenoch and Strathspey: Hawfinch near River Dulnain, by the old bridge, Station road, Carrbridge (Gemma Wright).
5 Waxwings flycatching from telegraph wires at Mackenzie Crescent, Nethtbridge (John Poyner).
Badenoch and Strathspey: Hawfinch near River Dulnain, by the old bridge, Station road, Carrbridge (Gemma Wright).
5 Waxwings flycatching from telegraph wires at Mackenzie Crescent, Nethtbridge (John Poyner).
1st March
Badenoch and Strathspey: 3 Crossbill at Nethy Bridge Golf Club beside the 6th green (Peter Norgate).
Inverness-shire: Chiffchaff singing in broom just to the south of Achnagairn (Nigel Kenworthy).
Badenoch and Strathspey: 3 Crossbill at Nethy Bridge Golf Club beside the 6th green (Peter Norgate).
Inverness-shire: Chiffchaff singing in broom just to the south of Achnagairn (Nigel Kenworthy).
