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31st August
Sutherland: At Strathy Point today a juvenile Sabine's Gull (Dean MacAskill) flew west also 3 Sooty Shearwaters and 250 Manx Shearwater. Single Whimbrel at Clachtoll. Inverness-shire: Curlew Sandpiper at Whiteness Bay on falling tide at 1430pm. Wester Ross: Second summer Long-tailed Skua (Peter Stronach), 50 Manx Shearwater and immature Pomarine Skua on Ullapool-Stornaway ferry. Easter Ross: 5 Pomarine Skua flew southwest past Tarbat Ness this morning. Skye and Lochalsh: Single Whimbrel and 2 Black-tailed Godwit at Claigan, Dunvegan. White Wagtail and 2 Black-tailed Godwit at Broadford Bay. 3 Black-tailed Godwit at Loch Harport. Lochaber: Ruff still at Traigh, Morar and four Black-tailed Godwit. Single Storm Petrel grounded in Mallaig, will be returned to the sea tomorrow!. 30th August
Skye and Lochalsh: Adult or 2nd summer Sabine's Gulls (Dave Bickerton) north past Neist Point. 25 Black-tailed Godwit flew south from Broadford Bay early morning and another 23 south late afternoon and a few Knot. Still 4 Whooper Swan on Loch Mealt. Inverness-shire: No sign of Sabine's Gull early morning at Chanonry Point, still plenty of terns and gulls between the point and Kessock Bridge, also three Arctic Skuas. Lochaber: Black Duck (Birdguides) at Strontian again at River Strontian mouth at high tide at 1730pm. Wester Ross: 10 Sooty Shearwaters south past Rubha Reidh in three hours 0900am-midday. 29th August:
Inverness-shire: Adult Sabine's Gull (Mary Galloway) at Chanonry point at 1805pm, also large movement of terns and gulls upwind towards Kessock Bridge, and 4 Arctic Skuas. Lochaber: Black Duck (Dave Pullan) again at Strontian at the burn mouth this afternoon. This individual was first recorded on the 16th June 2007 and found by D and J Wozencroft, hasn't been photographed this well since it arrived though!. Also a Kingfisher in Fort William. Ruff and 3 Black-tailed Godwit still at Traigh, Morar. Skye and Lochalsh: Single White Wagtail at Staffin Bay and four at The Aird, Gedintailor. 32 Knot arrived this evening in Broadford Bay and 9 Black-tailed Godwit. Easter Ross: 500+ Kittiwakes and 250 Manx Shearwater past Tarbat Ness. 28th August
Inverness-shire: Two Curlew Sandpipers at Whiteness Bay. Pale-bellied Brent Goose at Fort George. Sutherland: Juvenile Marsh Harrier still at Balnakeil. Lochaber: Black Duck (Birdguides) reported again at Strontian, at the burn mouth at 1510pm. Juvenile Ruff and Black-tailed Godwit in the field next to the golf course at Traigh this afternoon. Wester Ross: Glaucous Gull still at the ferry terminal at 0700am this morning. 27th August
Lochaber: Black Duck (Birdguides) drake still feeding by the burn mouth at Strontian at 1115am this morning. Single Curlew Sandpiper still at Traigh, Morar with Ruff and 3 Black-tailed Godwit. Skye and Lochalsh: Juvenile Sabine's Gull 11km northeast of Staffin Bay at 1714pm, then an adult Sabine's Gull from the Burma Bank at 1855pm. Single Knot in Broadford Bay. Sutherland: 7 Black-tailed Godwit at Balnakeil, Durness. Easter Ross: 90 Black Guillemot off Tarbat Ness and 102 Manx Shearwater past, also 1 Whimbrel. Inverness-shire: Single Curlew Sandpiper at Whiteness and 3 Whimbrel. 26th August
Skye and Lochalsh: First summer Sabine's Gull and a Leach's Petrel at sea c7km north of Staffin Bay from Hebridean whale Cruises this morning. 2 Black-tailed Godwits in Broadford Bay. Lochaber: Single Curlew Sandpiper at Traigh. Sutherland: Juvenile Marsh Harrier at Durness today. Easter Ross: Single Whimbrel at Dornoch point. 25th August
Skye and Lochalsh: First summer Sabine's Gull at sea c.6km east of Staffin Bay from Hebridean Whale Cruises. Easter Ross: Sooty Shearwater, 42 Manx Shearwater, 2 Puffin, 110 Kittiwake and distant juvenile Skua sp. past Tarbat Ness this evening between 1930-2030pm. Wester Ross: Nuthatch (Will Soos/Sue Pomeroy) at Dundonnell Gardens. First summer Glaucous Gull still at Ullapool harbour at 0952am. Single Whooper Swan on Loch Gowan, west of Achnasheen. Inverness-shire: Whimbrel at South Kessock, Black-tailed Godwit at Muirtown Pools. 24th August
Easter Ross: 50 Black Guillemots and 375 Kittiwake past Tarbat Ness. 2 Whooper Swan on Loch Eye. Skye and Lochalsh: Cuckoo at Breakish. 23rd August
Badenoch and Strathspey: Juvenile Hobby (Mike Coleman) hunting House Martins and then a Chaffinch at Nethybridge, at 8am this morning. Kingfisher on the River Spey at Kingussie at Ruthven Bridge. Sutherland: Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and juvenile Ruff at Bay of Culkein. 6 Ruff still at Balnakeil Farm. Wester Ross: Three Leach's Petrel, 95 Storm Petrel, 9 Sooty Shearwater from the Ullapool-Stornoway ferry. Other wildlife: Orca (prob Aquarius) in the North Minch this evening from Hebridean Whale Cruises (Nick Davies). 10 Minke Whale seen from the Ullapool-Stornoway ferry. 22nd August
Inverness-shire: At least one Curlew Sandpiper at Whiteness Head at the spit at high tide this afternoon. Sutherland: 27 Black-tailed Godwits in the fields between Balnakeil Craft Village and Durness, and 6 Ruff at Balnakeil Farm. Easter Ross: No sign of the Icterine Warbler at Tarbat Ness at the plantation, but two Pied Flycatchers. 750 Kittiwake off the point at Tarbat Ness. 21st August
Easter Ross: Curlew Sandpiper on beach at Chanonry Point this morning at 0730am, before being flushed by dog walker. Icterine Warbler still at Tarbat Ness in the plantation, Pied Flycatcher, 27 Black-tailed Godwit and a Purple Sandpiper. At Udale Bay - a Kingfisher in the creek to the left of the layby, also present a juvenile female Peregrine, 1 Greenshank, 54 Bar-tailed Godwit, 98 Lapwing, 82 Knot, 325 Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 12 Sandwich Tern, 34 Wigeon, 12 Teal. Lochaber: Press and Journal article on Martin Carty's Mallaig-based effort to rescue fledgling Manx Shearwaters here (Thanks to Sean Morris). Sutherland: 15 Black-tailed Godwits in the fields adjacent to Balnakeil Craft Village in Durness. Other wildlife: Ocean Sunfish spotted in Inner Moray Firth today, off Kilmuir, see tweet here. 20th August
Easter Ross: Icterine Warbler (Bob Swann) in the plantation (location here) at Tarbat Ness this morning with mixed warbler/tit flock. Badenoch and Strathspey: Marsh Harrier at Insh Marshes RSPB. 19th August
Inverness-shire: Curlew Sandpiper at midday at Whiteness Head on east side at NH806586. Skye and Lochalsh: Further to previous Gyrfalcon report, a ringed juvenile white morph Gyrfalcon was rescued after getting entangled in a hen coup at Kildonan, near Edinbane yesterday. (Thanks to Bob McMillan/Graham Ross for info). 18th August
Easter Ross: Two adult Pomarine Skuas south past Tarbat Ness this morning into Inner Moray Firth. Skye and Lochalsh: Single Pink-footed Goose on Ardnish, Broadford. Lochaber: Mandarin Duck still at Arisaig at seaward end of canal. Sooty Shearwater from the MV Sheerwater between Rum and Soay. 17th August
Skye and Lochalsh: White morph Gyrfalcon (Andy McLean) reported today being mobbed by Golden Eagles in Talisker bay. Two Black-tailed Godwit in Broadford Bay. Easter Ross: Little Stint at Dornoch Point, and 80 Sandwich Tern. Whooper Swan on Loch Eye. Inverness-shire: 5 Whimbrel and 3 Black-tailed Godwit at Whiteness on beach east of firing range. 16th August
Skye and Lochalsh: Adult Sabine's Gull (Nick Davies) 5km east of Staffin Bay at 1315pm. Badenoch and Strathspey: Adult Hobby (Mark Warren) at Cromdale late afternoon. Easter Ross: Honey Buzzard (Tom Wells) flew over Marybank today. 15th August
Wester Ross: First summer Glaucous Gull still in the harbour at Ullapool at 1025am. Three Sooty Shearwater reported on the Ullapool-Stornaway ferry in the minch. Easter Ross: 89 Black Guillemot past Tarbat Ness. 14th August
Badenoch and Strathspey: Hobby (Pete Moore) flying over Insh late afternoon. Easter Ross: Honey Buzzard (Birdguides) flew south over Strathpeffer this afternoon. 50 Black Guillemot past Tarbat Ness. Lochaber: 400 Manx Shearwater past Ardnamurchan Point. Inverness-shire: Pale-bellied Brent still between Fort George and Whiteness. Skye and Lochalsh: 2 Juvenile Bar-tailed Godwit at Portree. 13th August
Inverness-shire: Pale-bellied Brent at Carse of Ardersier on sea between Fort George and Whiteness Bay. Skye and Lochalsh: 6 Whimbrel on Ardnish, Broadford. Easter Ross: Sooty Shearwater northwest past Tarbat Ness, and 3 adults Pomarine Skua and 3 Whimbrel southwest past. 100 Canada Geese at Udale Bay. Lochaber: 1002 Manx Shearwater on ferry between Mallaig and Eigg. 12th August
Lochaber: Mandarin still at Loch nan Eala, Arisaig. Badenoch and Strathspey: Further information on the flock of Barnacle Geese at Cromdale yesterday, these have originated from the feral population at the Highland Wildlife Park and have spread from there. A pair bred near Cromdale this year. This population has been monitored by Carl Mitchell of WWT and has been colour ringed along with the Cromdale birds which have been monitored by Brian Bates. Tagged birds have been recorded on the Solway, Spitsbergen and in Arctic Norway! (Many thanks to Bob Swann/Keith Duncan for info on these). 11th August
Badenoch and Strathspey: 33 Canada Geese, 22 Greylag and 21 Barnacle Geese in fields to the north of Cromdale at `NJ079294. Easter Ross: Still a movement of Tysties, with 25 past Tarbat Ness this morning. Whooper Swan and 120 Mute Swan on Loch Eye. 10th August
Badenoch and Strathspey: Kingfisher on the Spey near Kingussie yesterday morning and again this morning at NH766005. 9th August
Swifts preparing to go soon... Inverness-shire: Gathering of 100 Swifts over Croy, one pair still attending a nest. Lochaber: Drake Black Duck (Birdguides) still at the mouth of the burn at Loch Sunart in Strontian at 2pm. Wester Ross: 4 Sooty Shearwaters over the Burma Bank, North Minch about 20miles northwest of Gairloch. Easter Ross: Movement of Black Guillemots past Tarbat Ness, 35 moving southwest into Dornoch Firth this morning. Also 3 Whimbrel at Tarbat Ness. Sutherland: Whimbrel at Keoldale, Kyle of Durness. 8th August
Sutherland: Late news, even by Highland standards!, of an apparent Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll at Strathy Point on the 12th January 2014. Photographs here and here. Inverness-shire: Whimbrel, 120 Bar-tailed Godwit, 87 Curlew, 56 Dunlin and 450 Knot in Whiteness Bay. Skye and Lochalsh: 15 Whimbrel in Broadford Bay. 7th August
Easter Ross: 2.5hr seawatch this morning at Chanonry Point produced 1 Manx Shearwater, Gannet 1, Fulmar 1, Kittiwake 4, Sandwich Tern 23, Common Tern 25+, Red throated Diver 3, Knot 9, Turnstone 1 and Ringed Plover 4. Skye and Lochalsh: Flock of 8 Whimbrel at Ashaig then 21 later in the day at Broadford Bay, with 10 Sanderling there too. 11 Bar-tailed Godwit at Loch Portree. 3 hour seawatch at Neist Point from 0800-1200 produced 1216 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Storm Petrel, 2 Arctic Skua, 3 Bonxie, 180 Kittiwakes, 60 Fulmar, Red-throated Diver, 6 Puffin and 8 Guillemots. 6th August
Badenoch and Strathspey: Hobby at RSPB Insh Marshes. Easter Ross: 420 Canada Geese and 48 Bar-tailed Godwit in Udale Bay. 175 Sanderling on Dornoch Beach. 5th August
Badenoch and Strathspey: Green Woodpecker at Feshiebridge. Easter Ross: 145 Sanderling on Dornoch Beach. 4th August
Easter Ross: Juvenile Little Stint on Dornoch Beach and 37 Pied Wagtails at the airfield. Inverness-shire: Stock Dove at Castle Stuart 3rd August
Inverness-shire: Pochard still at Whiteness head, at the pool behind the dunes, location here. At high tide at the spit in the bay at Whiteness; 540 Knot, 106 Common Tern, ca.200 Bar-tailed Godwit, 7 Sandwich Tern and 145 Oystercatchers. Easter Ross: Long-tailed Duck off Balintore. Common Scoter at Tarbat Ness. 2nd August
Lochaber: Black Duck (Birdguides) reported again at Strontian at 1529pm this afternoon. Inverness-shire: 2 Black-tailed Godwits at Muirtown Pools and a Common Sandpiper. 1st August
Easter Ross: 150+ Manx Shearwaters past Tarbat Ness. Quail singing near Tain. |
Highland Birds
