Monday 31st August
Wester Ross: 3 Bonxies Ullapool (Blair Whyte).
Inverness: 4 Black-tailed Godwits Fort George and a male Gadwall Loch Flemington (Jonathan Clarke).
Skye & Lochalsh: juv Sabine's Gull, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 3-4 Leach's Petrels, 8 Storm Petrels early morning crossing Uig - Lochmaddy and 1 Leach's Petrel, 2 Storm Petrels, 1 Arctic Skua on return crossing (Rab Shand). 2 Sooty Shearwaters Sound of Raasay, off Black Rock (per BirdGuides).
Lochaber: Black Duck by 2nd bridge upstream Strontian River (Blair Whyte).
Sunday 30th August
Sutherland: 4 Black-throated Divers Coul Links (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 6 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Bonxies Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner), Honey Buzzard over Black Isle (per BirdGuides), Little Egret Udale Bay (Bob Wilson, Rowan Butterfield), 10 Black-tailed Godwits and a Kingfisher there (O Puls). 4 Swifts Cromarty .
Wester Ross: Leach's Petrel, 11 Storm Petrels and a Sooty Shearwater Ullapool-Stornoway crossing (per BirdGuides).
Badenoch & Strathspey: Little Gull Loch Morlich (per RBA), 2 Swifts feeding high E of Kingussie and family party of 4+ Whinchats Kinloch Laggan (Dave Pierce), Kingfisher Allt Ban, Glenmore (Duncan MacDonald).
Saturday 29th August
Badenoch & Strathspey: a notable count of 212 Barnacle Geese on Insh marshes, Marsh Harrier in the area also (Dave Pierce)
Easter Ross: amongst a significant seabird movement were two Sooty Shearwater, four Manx Shearwater plus two Arctic Skua past Tarbat Ness along with probable 2cy Little Gull, single Whimbrel present also (Dave Tanner). Immature Long-tailed Skua SW Chanonry Point (per BirdGuides).On Loch Eye, a record count of 85 Little Grebe and one Slavonian Grebe (Bob Swann)
Inverness: two Bar-tailed Godwit, 54 Canada Geese and 57 Greylag Geese with flock of Goldfinch (c75) also (Blair Whyte), 2 Artic Skuas and a Pomarine Skua (Colin Leslie). 700 Sandwich Terns Whiteness (Pete Gordon).
Skye & Lochalsh: three Sanderling at Broadford Bay (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: six Sooty Shearwater and a single Arctic Skua past Strathy (Rob Hughes). Two Little Gull juveniles plus c200 Common Scoters off Embo pier (Dean MacAskill).
Wester Ross: Sabine's Gull at Ullapool river mouth mid-afternoon, with c150 Kittiwakes and single Little Tern on/over Loch Broom (Andy Williams), Sooty Shearwater and Humpback Whale Ullapool-Stornoway crossing (per BirdTrack).
Lochaber: Black Duck by second bridge upstream at Strontian (Rab Shand).
Friday 28th August
Easter Ross: single Red-throated Diver and small group of Common Scoter off Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Five Pomarine Skua, two Long-tailed Skua, two Arctic Skua and seven Great Skua past Chanonry Point 0610-0810hrs (Peter Stronach)
Inverness: two Black-tailed Godwit, three Sanderling and single Wheatear at Fort George (Blair Whyte), with a Great Crested Grebe off there later in the day along with an Arctic Skua (Colin Leslie)
Sutherland: single Ruff and two Black-tailed Godwits on Dornoch saltings (Dean MacAskill)
Thursday 27th August
Easter Ross: two Common Cranes seen at Nigg c1030hrs (Bob Swann/Ian Bremner), and picked up over Fortrose heading south across the firth towards Alturlie at 1045hrs (Alister Clunas). Six Sooty Shearwaters off Tarbat Ness - no sign of the Greenish Warbler (Bob Swann). In Nigg Bay, 445 Red-breasted Mergansers (Simon Levene)
Inverness: seven Black-tailed Godwits, single Greenshank, c120 Lapwing, c60 Goldfinches and an Osprey at Alturlie (Alan MacAskill). Single Whimbrel and 27 Black-tailed Godwits at Milton of Culloden (Blair Whyte)
Skye & Lochalsh: three Knot and two Sanderling in Broadford Bay, with one Knot and ten Sanderling at Ashaig with c120 Twite present also (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: five Ruff on the saltmarsh at Dornoch (Dave Pierce)
Wester Ross: Sabine's Gull at Ullapool mid-afternoon (Andy Williams)
Wednesday 26th August
Easter Ross: Glaucous Gull past Tarbat Ness into Dornoch Firth (Dave Tanner), plus two Sooty Shearwaters past also (Peter Stronach). A two-hour seawatch from Chanonry Point from 0550hrs yielded 520+ Sandwich Tern, 35 Common Tern, seven Arctic Tern, five Great Skua, four Arctic Skua (two each of light and dark morphs) and nine Common Scoter (Kevin Davis). Greenish Warbler at Wilkhaven Farm, Tarbat Ness - PLEASE PARK AT THE POINT AND BE SENSITIVE TO RESIDENTS/WORKERS - with Wood Warbler also present in the willows by the pool nearby (Peter Stronach/Bob Swann et al). Steady flow of Manx and Sooty Shearwaters into Dornoch Firth (Alan MacAskill)
Inverness: five Black-tailed Godwits at Alturlie pools (Blair Whyte)
Sutherland: three Ruff, three Black-tailed Godwit and single Grey Plover at Dornoch Point (Dave Pierce)
Tuesday 25th August
Easter Ross: Great Shearwater north past Tarbat Ness at midday, plus two Sooty and three Manx Shearwaters (Peter Stronach). Single Sooty Shearwater and four Manx Shearwaters off Balintore (Simon Leven). Sabine's Gull at Hilton of Cadboll (per Birdguides).
Lochaber: single Snow Bunting seen on Ben Nevis (Ed Jones)
Skye & Lochalsh: four Swifts off Neist Point (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: twenty Sooty Shearwaters and c60 Manx Shearwaters past Brora, while a single Cory's Shearwater flew north c1145hrs. Also three Arctic Skua and one adult/one juvenile Little Gull (Dean MacAskill)
Monday 24th August
Easter Ross: two Arctic Skua, single Sanderling and Whimbrel at Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis). 'Blue' Fulmar off Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Two Pintail off Tain (Dave Pierce). Little Egret in Udale Bay (Blair Whyte)
Inverness: three Black-tailed Godwits, Water Rail and female Shoveler at Alturlie pools (Al & Jenny McNee). Arctic Skua (light morph) off Whiteness (Blair Whyte)
Sutherland: two juvenile Ruff at Dornoch (Dean MacAskill)
Wester Ross: Sabine's Gull at Ullapool - seen a.m. (John Carruthers)
Sunday 23rd August
Easter Ross: large seabird movement off Tarbat Ness, amongst which were four Arctic Skuas plus two moulting Black-throated Divers, with single Sanderling (juv) and Purple Sandpiper also recorded (Dave Tanner). Little Egret at Udale Bay, plus 320 Canada Geese (Colin Leslie). A record count of 370 Canada Geese on Loch Eye, with two Shovelers and single Whooper Swan and Scaup also present (Bob Swann)
Inverness: two Little Terns plus c30 Golden Plover and 17 Sanderling at Whiteness, while on the pools at Alturlie were Water Rail (adult plus juvenile) and two Black-tailed Godwits (Bob Wilson)
Skye & Lochalsh: two Knot at Loch Portree (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: seawatch at Strathy Point included 200+ Manx Shearwater, 110 Sooty Shearwater, 23 Great Skua, 11 Arctic Skua, single Pomarine Skua, two Great Northern Diver and a juvenile Little Gull (Dean MacAskill). Single Ruff and Greenshank at Dornoch Point (Dave Pierce)
Wester Ross: Sabine's Gull at Ullapool by river mouth (Susan Seright). An Ullapool-Stornoway ferry crossing yielded six Storm Petrels, five Arctic Skuas and c60 Manx Shearwaters (Andy Williams/BobMcMillan)
Saturday 22nd August
Sutherland: Grey Plover Dornoch (Dave Pierce).
Wester Ross: 1st summer Sabine's Gull and Green Sandpiper Ullapool (Andy Williams, Al McNee).
Easter Ross: adult Pomarine Skua Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner), Greenshank and Ruff Udale Bay (Dave Pierce), a latish Swift Fortrose (Mary Galloway), ringtail Hen Harrier Rosemarkie (Tim Stenton), Pomarine Skua, 2 Arctic Skuas, large movement of Sandwich Terns with a few Commics 17.45-19.00 (Mary Galloway), 3 Ospreys Inver Bay (Blair Whyte).
Inverness: juv Pomarine Skua, 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Little Terns Fort George -Whiteness (Colin Leslie).
Lochaber: Black Duck still at river mouth opposite Strontian Hotel, Strontian (per BirdGuides).
Friday 21st August
Sutherland: female King Eider and juvenile Black Tern Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 5 Sooty Shearwaters Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner), juvenile Pomarine Skua, 2 Bonxies 1 Arctic Skua 06.00-08.30 Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis), Ruff, Little Egret, Greenshank Udale Bay (Blair Whyte).
Wester Ross: first-summer Sabine's Gull on N side of Ullapool (Andy Williams).
Skye & Lochalsh: Arctic Skua and 6 Bonxies Bornasketaig, Kilmuir and Arctic Skua and 11 Bonxies Broadford Bay (Bob McMillan, Neil Bennett).
Inverness: Whimbrel, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits (Blair Whyte).
Thursday 20th August
Sutherland: 6 Sooty Shearwaters N in 1 hour (Dean MacAskill).
Wester Ross: adult Viking Gull (Glaucous x Herring) Ullapool (Rob Hughes).
Easter Ross: Sooty Shearwater, 8 Manx Shearwaters, Great Skua, 1500 Kittiwakes, 150 Arctic Terns, Little Tern Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner), Little Egret, Ruff, Greenshank Udale Bay (Bob Wilson).
Inverness: 3 Black-tailed Godwits, female Shoveler, 3 Greenshanks Alturlie Pools (Blair Whyte).
Wednesday 19th August
Easter Ross: In 4 hours this afternoon, Cory's Shearwater N, Great Skua, 13 Manx Shearwaters, Merlin Tarbat Ness (Al McNee), earlier a probable Balearic Shearwater there (Dave Tanner) and Arctic Skua, Great Skua and 58 Manx Shearwaters (Al McNee). Little Egret, Ruff & Greenshank Udale Bay (Blair Whyte), 7 Black-tailed Godwits, Greenshank, 3 Ospreys Munlochy Bay (Bob Wilson), Arctic Skua 18.50-19.50 Chanonry Point (Alister Clunas).
Inverness: 3 Red-throated Divers, Bar-tailed Godwit Fort George (Blair Whyte).
Tuesday 18th August
Easter Ross: Little Egret, Ruff Udale Bay (Blair Whyte), 100+ Scaups Jemimaville (per BirdGuides), Great Skua 1N, Manx Shearwater 41N 9S 09.30-11.30 Tarbat Ness (Pete Gordon).
Lochaber: Black Duck by Kilcomb Hotel, Strontian (per BirdGuides).
Monday 17th August
Sutherland: 2 Sooty Shearwaters and 118 Manx N 16.00-17.00 Embo (Dean MacAskill), 165 Ringed Plovers, 89 Sanderlings (mostly juvs), 56 Dunlins, 5 Turnstones, 1 Whimbrel Dornoch (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 3 Sooty Shearwaters and an adult Pomarine Skua Tarbat Ness (Peter Stronach), Long-tailed Skua Tarbat Ness (Bob Swann).
Skye & Lochalsh: Arctic Skua 5, Great Skua 4 Neist Point (AS).
Inverness: Whimbrel Fort George and Greenshank Whiteness (Blair Whyte).
Lochaber: adult Black Duck by river mouth opposite Strontian Hotel (per BirdGuides).
Sunday 16th August
Easter Ross: Sooty Shearwater south Tarbat Ness (Simon Eaves), Little Stint Chanonry Point (per BirdGuides), 6 Scaup Udale Bay (Blair Whyte), Pink-footed Goose Loch Eye (Bob Swann).
Inverness: adult Sabine's Gull Whiteness Bay (Colin Leslie).
Skye & Lochalsh: 7 Arctic Skuas and 4 Bonxies south in 3 hours Neist Point, 120 Twites Loch Mor, Waterstein (AS). A Whooper Swan apparently summered R Snizort, Skeabost (per SG).
Saturday 15th August
Easter Ross: Ruff flew east past Tarbat Ness, also present were five Knot, three Manx Shearwater, 61 Black Guillemot plus singles of Black-throated Diver and Arctic Skua (light morph) (Dave Tanner)
Wester Ross: adult Viking Gull (Glaucous x Herring hybrid) back on Harbour Office Roof, Ullapool (per BirdGuides).
Inverness: Little Stint at Whiteness, plus eleven Whimbrel and single Water Rail (Colin Leslie)
Friday 14th August
Easter Ross: Ruff plus seven Slavonian Grebe, 14 Scaup and 205 Red-breasted Mergansers at Jemimaville (Kevin Davis). Little Egret, Ruff, Greenshank and 19 Golden Plover at Udale Bay (Simon Levene). Birdguides reported a Cory's Shearwater off Tarbat Ness at 1500hrs (see yesterday's sightings)
Inverness: single Whooper Swan on Loch Flemington, 77 Goosander off Alturlie while a Shoveler was on the pools (Bob Wilson)
Thursday 13th August
Badenoch & Strathspey: nocturnal migration over Dulnain Bridge included three Arctic Terns in the early hours (Peter Stronach)
Easter Ross: Ruff and Little Egret at Udale Bay (Mary Galloway/Al McNee). A probable Cory's Shearwater past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Three Pomarine Skuas past Chanonry Point (Bob Wilson). Three Black-tailed Godwit at Nigg Bay (Simon Levene). Two Black-tailed Godwits and two Knot at Munlochy Bay (Al & Jenny McNee)
Inverness: single Black Guliiemot, Fulmar and Arctic Skua past Fort George (Colin Leslie). Female Shoveler on Alturlie pools (Blair Whyte). Five Whooper Swans in Glen Strathfarrar, plus day-hunting Barn Owl (John Smith/Alan MacAskill)
Skye & Lochalsh: two juvenile Knot on Broadford Bay (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: three Arctic Skua, 120 Manx Shearwater and ten Teal past Brora. Female King Eider amongst 22 eclipse drake Eiders at Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill)
Wednesday 12th August
Easter Ross: Ruff, Little Egret and 25 Golden Plover at Udale Bay (Blair Whyte). Juvenile Pomarine Skua off Rosemarkie (Tim Meredith)
Inverness: Black-tailed Godwit in Ardersier (Marcus Conway)
Sutherland: ten Black-throated Divers off Coul Links, plus singles of Little Gull and Whimbrel (Dean MacAskill)
Tuesday 11th August
Easter Ross: off Jemimaville were c175 post-breeding Red-breasted Mergansers along with four Slavonian Grebes still in breeding plumage (Kevin Davis)
Inverness: single Whimbrel and female Wheatear at Whiteness (Blair Whyte)
Skye & Lochalsh: two flocks of Twite totalling 100 birds at Ashaig, Broadford (Bob McMillan)
Sutherland: 258 Manx Shearwaters past Embo early evening, three Great Skuas also (Dean MacAskill)
A colour-ringed Sandwich Tern ('Yellow UAS') recorded by Simon Levene off Balintore, Easter Ross on 9 August was ringed as a chick on Inner Farne off the Northumberland coast in June 2015
Monday 10th August
Badenoch & Strathspey: Whinchat pair plus two juveniles near Ruthven barracks (Blair Whyte)
Inverness: four Pomarine Skuas east of the Kessock Bridge (Al McNee)
Easter Ross: Arctic Skua (dark morph) off Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner)
Sunday 9th August
Easter Ross: 22 Common Scoter, 31 Sandwich Tern, 27 Black Guillemot and single Puffin at Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Little Egret still present at Udale Bay (Alister Clunas). Single Puffin off Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis)
Skye & Lochalsh: Arctic Skua (dark morph) off Lusa Mouth, Broadford (Bob McMillan), five Whimbrel on Broadford Bay and single Black-tailed Godwit at Loch Portree (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: c70 Manx Shearwaters north past Brora, with another c20 passing into the Dornoch Firth, plus two Purple Sandpipes, 40+ Sanderling and 50+ Sandwich Tern (Alan MacAskill)
Saturday 8th August
Easter Ross: Little Egret Udale Bay (Mark Finn) plus hybrid Canada x Greylag Goose amongst c600 Canada Geese (Blair Whyte), pale Arctic Skua Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner).
Lochaber: male Black Duck with two hybrids upstream of 2nd bridge Strontian (per BirdGuides).
Friday 7th August
Sutherland: 2CY Little Gull Brora river mouth with 70 Manx Shearwaters N (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: Little Egret and 2 Ospreys Udale Bay (Lynda Graham),
Inverness: 2 Ospreys, Peregrine, 16 Whimbrels, pale Arctic Skua, 3 Wheatears Whiteness (Blair Whyte),
Skye & Lochalsh: Common Redpoll at Feeders Uig (ML), Osprey fishing Loch nan Ceall, Arisaig (RD), 7 Black-tailed Godwits, Whimbrel, 3 Sanderlings Ashaig (Bob McMillan), 10 Great Skuas and 2 Sandwich Terns off Lusa, Broadford (Bob McMillan).
Thursday 6th August
Wester Ross: 2 Whooper Swans Upper Loch Torridon (Blair Whyte).
Easter Ross: male Hen Harrier hunting fields near Tarbat Ness (Kev Cuthbert).
Inverness: Wood Sandpiper, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, Mediterranean Gull Alturlie Pools (Alan MacAskill, Jon Clarke).
Skye & Lochalsh: 1 Storm Petrel Mallaig-Rum, 6 Storm Petrels S & W of Arisaig (RD), 19 Storm Petrels Lochboisdale-Mallaig (BG).3 Great Northern Divers, probably sub-ads, Back of Keppoch (RD).
Wednesday 5th August
Inverness: Wood Sandpiper, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, Water Rail Alturlie Pools (Blair Whyte, Dave Tanner, Craig).
Skye & Lochalsh: 7 Knots, 310 Dunlins, 24 Sanderlings Broadford Bay (Martin Benson).
Badenoch & Strathspey: Pink-footed Goose with 20 Barnacle Geese Dell of Killiehuntley, Insh Marshes (per BirdTrack).
Lochaber: 44 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits & 7 Greenshanks Kentra Bay, Ardnamurchan (Sandy McNeil).
Tuesday 4th August
Sutherland: 3 Grey Plovers, 2 Whimbrels Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill).
Inverness: Wood Sandpiper Alturlie Pools, also 2 Black-tailed Godwits flew over and Little Stint flew out (Jon Clarke, Blair Whyte)), pale Arctic skua, 2 Whimbrels, 2 Golden Plovers, 2 Wheatears & a Black Guillemot Whiteness Bay (Blair Whyte).
Lochaber: Kingfisher Camasdarroch, Morar (per SMcD), 3 Storm Petrels Rum-Mallaig (SM)
Monday 3rd August
Sutherland: 3 Whimbrels, 1 Golden Plover Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 2 Peregrines, 1 Greenshank Inver (Blair Whyte).
Inverness: 93 Sandwich Terns Fort George (Bob Wilson).
Skye & Lochalsh: Magpie still on Canna (per Ranger Service), , 10 Storm Petrels Uig-Tarbert ferry (SMacD)
Sunday 2nd August
Sutherland: 2 Grey Plovers, 50 Sandwich Terns, 5 Common Terns, 3 Arctic Skuas Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill), 4 Greenshanks Loch Fleet (Dean MacAskill), 2 Black-throated Divers, 2 Great Northern Divers Coul Links (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 41 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Greenshanks Munlochy Bay (Bob Wilson), Manx Shearwater and Arctic Skua Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner).
Inverness: 26 Tree Sparrows Leys Estate (Alan MacAskill).
Badenoch & Strathspey: Short-eared Owl near Kingussie (Dave Pierce) - very scarce in Highland this year but apparently common in Eastern Cairngorms where a good vole year.
Skye & Lochalsh: Whimbrel over Lochailort Fish Farm (SC), 3 Greenshanks head of Loch Ailort (Bob McMillan), 12 Greenshanks head of Loch Sligachan (Bob McMillan, Common Redpoll at feeders Uig (per Birdguides).
Saturday 1st August
Easter Ross: nine Manx Shearwater off Tarbat Ness, plus two Puffin and juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull (Dave Tanner). At Cromarty, six Common Sandpipers (unusual at this site) and a single Whimbrel (Kevin Davis)
Inverness: six Whimbrel and single Common Sandpiper at Whiteness (Colin Leslie), male Scaup Alturlie (Pete Gordon).
Skye & Lochalsh: Little Egret at Arisaig (R Dyer via Bob McMillan). Greenshank near Meanish pier (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: 165 Manx Shearwaters past Embo between 1430-1500hrs plus two Sooty Shearwater and single Pomarine Skua (Tom Wells)
Wester Ross: 3 Bonxies Ullapool (Blair Whyte).
Inverness: 4 Black-tailed Godwits Fort George and a male Gadwall Loch Flemington (Jonathan Clarke).
Skye & Lochalsh: juv Sabine's Gull, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 3-4 Leach's Petrels, 8 Storm Petrels early morning crossing Uig - Lochmaddy and 1 Leach's Petrel, 2 Storm Petrels, 1 Arctic Skua on return crossing (Rab Shand). 2 Sooty Shearwaters Sound of Raasay, off Black Rock (per BirdGuides).
Lochaber: Black Duck by 2nd bridge upstream Strontian River (Blair Whyte).
Sunday 30th August
Sutherland: 4 Black-throated Divers Coul Links (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 6 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Bonxies Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner), Honey Buzzard over Black Isle (per BirdGuides), Little Egret Udale Bay (Bob Wilson, Rowan Butterfield), 10 Black-tailed Godwits and a Kingfisher there (O Puls). 4 Swifts Cromarty .
Wester Ross: Leach's Petrel, 11 Storm Petrels and a Sooty Shearwater Ullapool-Stornoway crossing (per BirdGuides).
Badenoch & Strathspey: Little Gull Loch Morlich (per RBA), 2 Swifts feeding high E of Kingussie and family party of 4+ Whinchats Kinloch Laggan (Dave Pierce), Kingfisher Allt Ban, Glenmore (Duncan MacDonald).
Saturday 29th August
Badenoch & Strathspey: a notable count of 212 Barnacle Geese on Insh marshes, Marsh Harrier in the area also (Dave Pierce)
Easter Ross: amongst a significant seabird movement were two Sooty Shearwater, four Manx Shearwater plus two Arctic Skua past Tarbat Ness along with probable 2cy Little Gull, single Whimbrel present also (Dave Tanner). Immature Long-tailed Skua SW Chanonry Point (per BirdGuides).On Loch Eye, a record count of 85 Little Grebe and one Slavonian Grebe (Bob Swann)
Inverness: two Bar-tailed Godwit, 54 Canada Geese and 57 Greylag Geese with flock of Goldfinch (c75) also (Blair Whyte), 2 Artic Skuas and a Pomarine Skua (Colin Leslie). 700 Sandwich Terns Whiteness (Pete Gordon).
Skye & Lochalsh: three Sanderling at Broadford Bay (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: six Sooty Shearwater and a single Arctic Skua past Strathy (Rob Hughes). Two Little Gull juveniles plus c200 Common Scoters off Embo pier (Dean MacAskill).
Wester Ross: Sabine's Gull at Ullapool river mouth mid-afternoon, with c150 Kittiwakes and single Little Tern on/over Loch Broom (Andy Williams), Sooty Shearwater and Humpback Whale Ullapool-Stornoway crossing (per BirdTrack).
Lochaber: Black Duck by second bridge upstream at Strontian (Rab Shand).
Friday 28th August
Easter Ross: single Red-throated Diver and small group of Common Scoter off Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Five Pomarine Skua, two Long-tailed Skua, two Arctic Skua and seven Great Skua past Chanonry Point 0610-0810hrs (Peter Stronach)
Inverness: two Black-tailed Godwit, three Sanderling and single Wheatear at Fort George (Blair Whyte), with a Great Crested Grebe off there later in the day along with an Arctic Skua (Colin Leslie)
Sutherland: single Ruff and two Black-tailed Godwits on Dornoch saltings (Dean MacAskill)
Thursday 27th August
Easter Ross: two Common Cranes seen at Nigg c1030hrs (Bob Swann/Ian Bremner), and picked up over Fortrose heading south across the firth towards Alturlie at 1045hrs (Alister Clunas). Six Sooty Shearwaters off Tarbat Ness - no sign of the Greenish Warbler (Bob Swann). In Nigg Bay, 445 Red-breasted Mergansers (Simon Levene)
Inverness: seven Black-tailed Godwits, single Greenshank, c120 Lapwing, c60 Goldfinches and an Osprey at Alturlie (Alan MacAskill). Single Whimbrel and 27 Black-tailed Godwits at Milton of Culloden (Blair Whyte)
Skye & Lochalsh: three Knot and two Sanderling in Broadford Bay, with one Knot and ten Sanderling at Ashaig with c120 Twite present also (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: five Ruff on the saltmarsh at Dornoch (Dave Pierce)
Wester Ross: Sabine's Gull at Ullapool mid-afternoon (Andy Williams)
Wednesday 26th August
Easter Ross: Glaucous Gull past Tarbat Ness into Dornoch Firth (Dave Tanner), plus two Sooty Shearwaters past also (Peter Stronach). A two-hour seawatch from Chanonry Point from 0550hrs yielded 520+ Sandwich Tern, 35 Common Tern, seven Arctic Tern, five Great Skua, four Arctic Skua (two each of light and dark morphs) and nine Common Scoter (Kevin Davis). Greenish Warbler at Wilkhaven Farm, Tarbat Ness - PLEASE PARK AT THE POINT AND BE SENSITIVE TO RESIDENTS/WORKERS - with Wood Warbler also present in the willows by the pool nearby (Peter Stronach/Bob Swann et al). Steady flow of Manx and Sooty Shearwaters into Dornoch Firth (Alan MacAskill)
Inverness: five Black-tailed Godwits at Alturlie pools (Blair Whyte)
Sutherland: three Ruff, three Black-tailed Godwit and single Grey Plover at Dornoch Point (Dave Pierce)
Tuesday 25th August
Easter Ross: Great Shearwater north past Tarbat Ness at midday, plus two Sooty and three Manx Shearwaters (Peter Stronach). Single Sooty Shearwater and four Manx Shearwaters off Balintore (Simon Leven). Sabine's Gull at Hilton of Cadboll (per Birdguides).
Lochaber: single Snow Bunting seen on Ben Nevis (Ed Jones)
Skye & Lochalsh: four Swifts off Neist Point (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: twenty Sooty Shearwaters and c60 Manx Shearwaters past Brora, while a single Cory's Shearwater flew north c1145hrs. Also three Arctic Skua and one adult/one juvenile Little Gull (Dean MacAskill)
Monday 24th August
Easter Ross: two Arctic Skua, single Sanderling and Whimbrel at Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis). 'Blue' Fulmar off Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Two Pintail off Tain (Dave Pierce). Little Egret in Udale Bay (Blair Whyte)
Inverness: three Black-tailed Godwits, Water Rail and female Shoveler at Alturlie pools (Al & Jenny McNee). Arctic Skua (light morph) off Whiteness (Blair Whyte)
Sutherland: two juvenile Ruff at Dornoch (Dean MacAskill)
Wester Ross: Sabine's Gull at Ullapool - seen a.m. (John Carruthers)
Sunday 23rd August
Easter Ross: large seabird movement off Tarbat Ness, amongst which were four Arctic Skuas plus two moulting Black-throated Divers, with single Sanderling (juv) and Purple Sandpiper also recorded (Dave Tanner). Little Egret at Udale Bay, plus 320 Canada Geese (Colin Leslie). A record count of 370 Canada Geese on Loch Eye, with two Shovelers and single Whooper Swan and Scaup also present (Bob Swann)
Inverness: two Little Terns plus c30 Golden Plover and 17 Sanderling at Whiteness, while on the pools at Alturlie were Water Rail (adult plus juvenile) and two Black-tailed Godwits (Bob Wilson)
Skye & Lochalsh: two Knot at Loch Portree (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: seawatch at Strathy Point included 200+ Manx Shearwater, 110 Sooty Shearwater, 23 Great Skua, 11 Arctic Skua, single Pomarine Skua, two Great Northern Diver and a juvenile Little Gull (Dean MacAskill). Single Ruff and Greenshank at Dornoch Point (Dave Pierce)
Wester Ross: Sabine's Gull at Ullapool by river mouth (Susan Seright). An Ullapool-Stornoway ferry crossing yielded six Storm Petrels, five Arctic Skuas and c60 Manx Shearwaters (Andy Williams/BobMcMillan)
Saturday 22nd August
Sutherland: Grey Plover Dornoch (Dave Pierce).
Wester Ross: 1st summer Sabine's Gull and Green Sandpiper Ullapool (Andy Williams, Al McNee).
Easter Ross: adult Pomarine Skua Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner), Greenshank and Ruff Udale Bay (Dave Pierce), a latish Swift Fortrose (Mary Galloway), ringtail Hen Harrier Rosemarkie (Tim Stenton), Pomarine Skua, 2 Arctic Skuas, large movement of Sandwich Terns with a few Commics 17.45-19.00 (Mary Galloway), 3 Ospreys Inver Bay (Blair Whyte).
Inverness: juv Pomarine Skua, 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Little Terns Fort George -Whiteness (Colin Leslie).
Lochaber: Black Duck still at river mouth opposite Strontian Hotel, Strontian (per BirdGuides).
Friday 21st August
Sutherland: female King Eider and juvenile Black Tern Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 5 Sooty Shearwaters Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner), juvenile Pomarine Skua, 2 Bonxies 1 Arctic Skua 06.00-08.30 Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis), Ruff, Little Egret, Greenshank Udale Bay (Blair Whyte).
Wester Ross: first-summer Sabine's Gull on N side of Ullapool (Andy Williams).
Skye & Lochalsh: Arctic Skua and 6 Bonxies Bornasketaig, Kilmuir and Arctic Skua and 11 Bonxies Broadford Bay (Bob McMillan, Neil Bennett).
Inverness: Whimbrel, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits (Blair Whyte).
Thursday 20th August
Sutherland: 6 Sooty Shearwaters N in 1 hour (Dean MacAskill).
Wester Ross: adult Viking Gull (Glaucous x Herring) Ullapool (Rob Hughes).
Easter Ross: Sooty Shearwater, 8 Manx Shearwaters, Great Skua, 1500 Kittiwakes, 150 Arctic Terns, Little Tern Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner), Little Egret, Ruff, Greenshank Udale Bay (Bob Wilson).
Inverness: 3 Black-tailed Godwits, female Shoveler, 3 Greenshanks Alturlie Pools (Blair Whyte).
Wednesday 19th August
Easter Ross: In 4 hours this afternoon, Cory's Shearwater N, Great Skua, 13 Manx Shearwaters, Merlin Tarbat Ness (Al McNee), earlier a probable Balearic Shearwater there (Dave Tanner) and Arctic Skua, Great Skua and 58 Manx Shearwaters (Al McNee). Little Egret, Ruff & Greenshank Udale Bay (Blair Whyte), 7 Black-tailed Godwits, Greenshank, 3 Ospreys Munlochy Bay (Bob Wilson), Arctic Skua 18.50-19.50 Chanonry Point (Alister Clunas).
Inverness: 3 Red-throated Divers, Bar-tailed Godwit Fort George (Blair Whyte).
Tuesday 18th August
Easter Ross: Little Egret, Ruff Udale Bay (Blair Whyte), 100+ Scaups Jemimaville (per BirdGuides), Great Skua 1N, Manx Shearwater 41N 9S 09.30-11.30 Tarbat Ness (Pete Gordon).
Lochaber: Black Duck by Kilcomb Hotel, Strontian (per BirdGuides).
Monday 17th August
Sutherland: 2 Sooty Shearwaters and 118 Manx N 16.00-17.00 Embo (Dean MacAskill), 165 Ringed Plovers, 89 Sanderlings (mostly juvs), 56 Dunlins, 5 Turnstones, 1 Whimbrel Dornoch (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 3 Sooty Shearwaters and an adult Pomarine Skua Tarbat Ness (Peter Stronach), Long-tailed Skua Tarbat Ness (Bob Swann).
Skye & Lochalsh: Arctic Skua 5, Great Skua 4 Neist Point (AS).
Inverness: Whimbrel Fort George and Greenshank Whiteness (Blair Whyte).
Lochaber: adult Black Duck by river mouth opposite Strontian Hotel (per BirdGuides).
Sunday 16th August
Easter Ross: Sooty Shearwater south Tarbat Ness (Simon Eaves), Little Stint Chanonry Point (per BirdGuides), 6 Scaup Udale Bay (Blair Whyte), Pink-footed Goose Loch Eye (Bob Swann).
Inverness: adult Sabine's Gull Whiteness Bay (Colin Leslie).
Skye & Lochalsh: 7 Arctic Skuas and 4 Bonxies south in 3 hours Neist Point, 120 Twites Loch Mor, Waterstein (AS). A Whooper Swan apparently summered R Snizort, Skeabost (per SG).
Saturday 15th August
Easter Ross: Ruff flew east past Tarbat Ness, also present were five Knot, three Manx Shearwater, 61 Black Guillemot plus singles of Black-throated Diver and Arctic Skua (light morph) (Dave Tanner)
Wester Ross: adult Viking Gull (Glaucous x Herring hybrid) back on Harbour Office Roof, Ullapool (per BirdGuides).
Inverness: Little Stint at Whiteness, plus eleven Whimbrel and single Water Rail (Colin Leslie)
Friday 14th August
Easter Ross: Ruff plus seven Slavonian Grebe, 14 Scaup and 205 Red-breasted Mergansers at Jemimaville (Kevin Davis). Little Egret, Ruff, Greenshank and 19 Golden Plover at Udale Bay (Simon Levene). Birdguides reported a Cory's Shearwater off Tarbat Ness at 1500hrs (see yesterday's sightings)
Inverness: single Whooper Swan on Loch Flemington, 77 Goosander off Alturlie while a Shoveler was on the pools (Bob Wilson)
Thursday 13th August
Badenoch & Strathspey: nocturnal migration over Dulnain Bridge included three Arctic Terns in the early hours (Peter Stronach)
Easter Ross: Ruff and Little Egret at Udale Bay (Mary Galloway/Al McNee). A probable Cory's Shearwater past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Three Pomarine Skuas past Chanonry Point (Bob Wilson). Three Black-tailed Godwit at Nigg Bay (Simon Levene). Two Black-tailed Godwits and two Knot at Munlochy Bay (Al & Jenny McNee)
Inverness: single Black Guliiemot, Fulmar and Arctic Skua past Fort George (Colin Leslie). Female Shoveler on Alturlie pools (Blair Whyte). Five Whooper Swans in Glen Strathfarrar, plus day-hunting Barn Owl (John Smith/Alan MacAskill)
Skye & Lochalsh: two juvenile Knot on Broadford Bay (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: three Arctic Skua, 120 Manx Shearwater and ten Teal past Brora. Female King Eider amongst 22 eclipse drake Eiders at Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill)
Wednesday 12th August
Easter Ross: Ruff, Little Egret and 25 Golden Plover at Udale Bay (Blair Whyte). Juvenile Pomarine Skua off Rosemarkie (Tim Meredith)
Inverness: Black-tailed Godwit in Ardersier (Marcus Conway)
Sutherland: ten Black-throated Divers off Coul Links, plus singles of Little Gull and Whimbrel (Dean MacAskill)
Tuesday 11th August
Easter Ross: off Jemimaville were c175 post-breeding Red-breasted Mergansers along with four Slavonian Grebes still in breeding plumage (Kevin Davis)
Inverness: single Whimbrel and female Wheatear at Whiteness (Blair Whyte)
Skye & Lochalsh: two flocks of Twite totalling 100 birds at Ashaig, Broadford (Bob McMillan)
Sutherland: 258 Manx Shearwaters past Embo early evening, three Great Skuas also (Dean MacAskill)
A colour-ringed Sandwich Tern ('Yellow UAS') recorded by Simon Levene off Balintore, Easter Ross on 9 August was ringed as a chick on Inner Farne off the Northumberland coast in June 2015
Monday 10th August
Badenoch & Strathspey: Whinchat pair plus two juveniles near Ruthven barracks (Blair Whyte)
Inverness: four Pomarine Skuas east of the Kessock Bridge (Al McNee)
Easter Ross: Arctic Skua (dark morph) off Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner)
Sunday 9th August
Easter Ross: 22 Common Scoter, 31 Sandwich Tern, 27 Black Guillemot and single Puffin at Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Little Egret still present at Udale Bay (Alister Clunas). Single Puffin off Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis)
Skye & Lochalsh: Arctic Skua (dark morph) off Lusa Mouth, Broadford (Bob McMillan), five Whimbrel on Broadford Bay and single Black-tailed Godwit at Loch Portree (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: c70 Manx Shearwaters north past Brora, with another c20 passing into the Dornoch Firth, plus two Purple Sandpipes, 40+ Sanderling and 50+ Sandwich Tern (Alan MacAskill)
Saturday 8th August
Easter Ross: Little Egret Udale Bay (Mark Finn) plus hybrid Canada x Greylag Goose amongst c600 Canada Geese (Blair Whyte), pale Arctic Skua Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner).
Lochaber: male Black Duck with two hybrids upstream of 2nd bridge Strontian (per BirdGuides).
Friday 7th August
Sutherland: 2CY Little Gull Brora river mouth with 70 Manx Shearwaters N (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: Little Egret and 2 Ospreys Udale Bay (Lynda Graham),
Inverness: 2 Ospreys, Peregrine, 16 Whimbrels, pale Arctic Skua, 3 Wheatears Whiteness (Blair Whyte),
Skye & Lochalsh: Common Redpoll at Feeders Uig (ML), Osprey fishing Loch nan Ceall, Arisaig (RD), 7 Black-tailed Godwits, Whimbrel, 3 Sanderlings Ashaig (Bob McMillan), 10 Great Skuas and 2 Sandwich Terns off Lusa, Broadford (Bob McMillan).
Thursday 6th August
Wester Ross: 2 Whooper Swans Upper Loch Torridon (Blair Whyte).
Easter Ross: male Hen Harrier hunting fields near Tarbat Ness (Kev Cuthbert).
Inverness: Wood Sandpiper, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, Mediterranean Gull Alturlie Pools (Alan MacAskill, Jon Clarke).
Skye & Lochalsh: 1 Storm Petrel Mallaig-Rum, 6 Storm Petrels S & W of Arisaig (RD), 19 Storm Petrels Lochboisdale-Mallaig (BG).3 Great Northern Divers, probably sub-ads, Back of Keppoch (RD).
Wednesday 5th August
Inverness: Wood Sandpiper, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, Water Rail Alturlie Pools (Blair Whyte, Dave Tanner, Craig).
Skye & Lochalsh: 7 Knots, 310 Dunlins, 24 Sanderlings Broadford Bay (Martin Benson).
Badenoch & Strathspey: Pink-footed Goose with 20 Barnacle Geese Dell of Killiehuntley, Insh Marshes (per BirdTrack).
Lochaber: 44 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits & 7 Greenshanks Kentra Bay, Ardnamurchan (Sandy McNeil).
Tuesday 4th August
Sutherland: 3 Grey Plovers, 2 Whimbrels Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill).
Inverness: Wood Sandpiper Alturlie Pools, also 2 Black-tailed Godwits flew over and Little Stint flew out (Jon Clarke, Blair Whyte)), pale Arctic skua, 2 Whimbrels, 2 Golden Plovers, 2 Wheatears & a Black Guillemot Whiteness Bay (Blair Whyte).
Lochaber: Kingfisher Camasdarroch, Morar (per SMcD), 3 Storm Petrels Rum-Mallaig (SM)
Monday 3rd August
Sutherland: 3 Whimbrels, 1 Golden Plover Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 2 Peregrines, 1 Greenshank Inver (Blair Whyte).
Inverness: 93 Sandwich Terns Fort George (Bob Wilson).
Skye & Lochalsh: Magpie still on Canna (per Ranger Service), , 10 Storm Petrels Uig-Tarbert ferry (SMacD)
Sunday 2nd August
Sutherland: 2 Grey Plovers, 50 Sandwich Terns, 5 Common Terns, 3 Arctic Skuas Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill), 4 Greenshanks Loch Fleet (Dean MacAskill), 2 Black-throated Divers, 2 Great Northern Divers Coul Links (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 41 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Greenshanks Munlochy Bay (Bob Wilson), Manx Shearwater and Arctic Skua Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner).
Inverness: 26 Tree Sparrows Leys Estate (Alan MacAskill).
Badenoch & Strathspey: Short-eared Owl near Kingussie (Dave Pierce) - very scarce in Highland this year but apparently common in Eastern Cairngorms where a good vole year.
Skye & Lochalsh: Whimbrel over Lochailort Fish Farm (SC), 3 Greenshanks head of Loch Ailort (Bob McMillan), 12 Greenshanks head of Loch Sligachan (Bob McMillan, Common Redpoll at feeders Uig (per Birdguides).
Saturday 1st August
Easter Ross: nine Manx Shearwater off Tarbat Ness, plus two Puffin and juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull (Dave Tanner). At Cromarty, six Common Sandpipers (unusual at this site) and a single Whimbrel (Kevin Davis)
Inverness: six Whimbrel and single Common Sandpiper at Whiteness (Colin Leslie), male Scaup Alturlie (Pete Gordon).
Skye & Lochalsh: Little Egret at Arisaig (R Dyer via Bob McMillan). Greenshank near Meanish pier (per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: 165 Manx Shearwaters past Embo between 1430-1500hrs plus two Sooty Shearwater and single Pomarine Skua (Tom Wells)
