Saturday 31st October
Badenoch & Strathspey: single Brambling, Drumguish (Dave Pierce)
Easter Ross: 50 Pintail, 483 Golden Plover and c90 Fieldfare, Nigg Bay (Blair Whyte).
Skye & Lochalsh: male Brambling, Millers Cottage, Eigg (John Chester via skye-birds.com).
Friday 30th October
Easter Ross: one Black-throated Diver past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). 17 Barnacle Geese at Udale Bay (Blair Whyte). Single Brambling in Tain (Gary and Rosemary Aitken).
Skye & Lochalsh: Eastern Yellow Wagtail on Eigg confirmed by sound recording as a first record for Highland! Note due to COVID restrictions there is no access to the island by visitors from outwith Scottish Tier 1 areas so exact location is not being shared (John Chester via Bob McMillan, Dave Pullan and Ronnie Dyer).
Sutherland: drake Surf Scoter still off Dornoch beach with single Wheatear and 36 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Dornoch Point also two Little Gulls, Brora (Dean MacAskill).
Thursday 29th October
Easter Ross: 2 Swallows at Petley Pig Farm and 300 Whooper Swans including 37 juveniles at Bindal Farm, Portmahomack (Dave Tanner).
Lochaber: single Storm Petrel between Arisaig and Muick (R Dyer via skye-birds.com). Black Duck drake still at river mouth opposite Strontian Hotel, Strontian (per BirdGuides).
Skye & Lochalsh: Brambling still at Kinloch, Rum (Sean Morris via skye-birds.com).
Wednesday 28th October
Easter Ross: Magpie and 20 Whooper Swans at Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis). Two drake Velvet Scoter plus Great Northern Diver at Tarbat Ness, also 25 Whooper Swans at Petley Pig Farm, another 75 at Tarrel Farm, 35 at Wilkhaven Farm and 200+ at Bindal Farm, Portmahomack (Dave Tanner). Snow Goose intermediate phase still in stubble field by A9 near Kildary (per BirdGuides)
Inverness: two Swallows over Longman dump (Thomas Plant). 38 Twite and a female Shoveler at Alturlie also 20+ Fieldfare at Leys estate (Alan MacAskill). Three Swallows and 11 Snipe at Merkinch LNR (Alastair McNee)
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow Wagtail sp. still on Eigg (John Chester via Bob McMillan). Brambling pair in Kilmory Glen and two in garden at Kinloch, Rum also 1st winter Iceland Gull and two Barnacle Geese at Kilmory, Rum (Sean Morris via skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: drake Surf Scoter still off Dornoch, along with single Wheatear at Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill). 20 Sanderling at Loch Fleet (Jonathan Willet)
Tuesday 27th October
Easter Ross: three drake Velvet Scoter plus Great Northern Diver past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Snow Goose intermediate phase amongst Pink-footed Goose flock near the A9/Nigg roundabout (Dean MacAskill). Purple Sandpiper and 20 Whooper Swans at Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis)
Inverness: two Northern ssp. Bullfinch at Merkinch reserve with a flock of Redwing (Alan MacAskill)
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow Wagtail sp. flushed from stubble field on Eigg (John Chester via Bob McMillan)
Wester Ross: Swallow at Mellon Udrigle (C Rose)
Monday 26th October
Easter Ross: single Puffin, plus 14 Twite briefly at Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner)
Inverness: c60 Redwing on Muirtown Street in the city (Thomas Plant)
Skye & Lochalsh: singles of Snow Bunting, Merlin, Blackcap, Brambling and Jack Snipe in Kilmory Glen, Rum (Sean Morris via skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: drake Surf Scoter still off Dornoch, along with single Great Crested Grebe and a number of Slavonian Grebes plus a single Wheatear on the point and six Grey Plover. A further ten Grey Plover were at Dornoch links, while at Coul Links seven Twite were seen. A flock of c300 winter thrushes was at Strath Brora, while Brora itself yielded 83 Ringed Plover and c150 Sanderling (Dean MacAskill/Dave Barnett)
Sunday 25th October
Easter Ross: Glaucous Gull (1st summer/2nd winter) past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Yellow-browed Warbler in Craigdarroch by Contin (Keith & Rosie Barnes). Seawatch off Chanonry Point (0650-0850hrs) included two Black-throated Diver, seven Red-throated Diver, single Black Guillemot and 55 Long-tailed Duck (Kevin Davis). 38 Whooper Swan (including six juveniles) on the Brahan estate, while seen at Munlochy Bay were three Black-tailed Godwit, single Greenshank and c20 Fieldfare (Blair Whyte)
Inverness: eleven Grey Plover at Whiteness (Colin Leslie). 20 Redwing on Muirtown Street/Davies Square in the city (Thomas Plant), with mixed flock of c60 Redwing and Fieldfare in Firthview Drive also (Sam Borthwick)
Sutherland: drake Surf Scoter still off Dornoch but distant (Steve Broyd)
Saturday 24th October
Easter Ross: single Black-headed Gull (unusual for location) and Red-throated Diver at Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Very late sighting of an Osprey (with a fish) near Conon Bridge (via John Poyner)
Inverness: two Water Rail at Merkinch reserve, with 18 Whooper Swan and seven Redwing over (Blair Whyte)
Skye & Lochalsh: four Sooty Shearwater in Loch Slapin ('RW'), Brambling ringed in a Portree garden (JD Jones) with another bird visiting a garden in Kyleakin ('ST') - all via skye-birds.com
Sutherland: drake Surf Scoter, seven Velvet Scoter off Dornoch beach, four Jack Snipe on the saltmarsh and Hoopoe still present on the nearby Struie golf course (Dean MacAskill)
Friday 23rd October
Easter Ross: Little Auk past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Chanonry Point seawatch (0750-0950hrs) included seven Red-throated Diver, single Black-throated Diver, 224 Long-tailed Duck, three Goldeneye, 196 Shag and (unusually for here) a single Mallard (Kevin Davis)
Inverness: single Whooper Swan and ring-tailed Hen Harrier over Drumashie moor (Blair Whyte). Seven Brambling, eight Common Crossbill and c100 Fieldfare at Coulmore (Bob Wilson). Kingfisher and small group of Redwings at Muirtown Pools (Al & Jenny McNee). Gadwall pair, single Whooper Swan, Lesser Black-backed Gull and c70 Fieldfare at Loch Flemington (Blair Whyte)
Skye & Lochalsh: Brambling visiting a Portree garden (JD Jones). Two Long-tailed Duck and two Common Scoter on Loch Slapin ('ST') - per skye-birds.com
Sutherland: 41 Grey Plovers at Dornoch (Simon Levene)
Thursday 22nd October
Badenoch & Strathspey: single Barnacle Goose amongst Pink-footed Geese at Broomhill, Nethybridge (Steve Reddick)
Easter Ross: three Velvet Scoter (1m/2f), two Great Skua and singles of Purple Sandpiper and Great Northern Diver past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Udale Bay birds included 6,500 Pink-footed Geese, 17 Barnacle Geese, two Greenland White-fronted Geese, single Pale-bellied Brent Goose, twelve Whooper Swan (including eight juveniles), three Black-tailed Godwit plus single Kingfisher, while highlights out on the Cromarty Firther were 34 Slavonian Grebe and 87 Scaup (Mark Finn)
Lochaber: Storm Petrel off Arisaig (R Dyer via skye-birds.com). Single Slavonian Grebe at Traigh (Sandy McNeil)
Skye & Lochalsh: pale morph Arctic Skua off Lusa, Broadford (Bob McMillan). Good movement of Whooper Swans around the region - see skye-birds.com for details
Sutherland: Siberian Chiffchaff in Keoldale, while at Balnakeil were 340 Barnacle Geese, 22 Whooper Swans, eight Crossbill sp. (all giving 'Parrot' bill features) plus winter thrushes (Dean MacAskill). Marsh Harrier over Dornoch dunes, while a Little Auk was off Embo (Sue Sykes)
Wednesday 21st October
Badenoch & Strathspey: Yellow-browed Warbler in community woodland near the cafe in Laggan (Duncan Macdonald). Single Swallow near Nethybridge (Pete Gordon)
Easter Ross: seawatch off Chanonry Point 0800-0945hrs included 179 Long-tailed Duck, 120+ Kittiwake plus single Swallow (Tim Stowe). Single Todd's Canada Goose plus Grey-bellied Brant at Munlochy Bay (via Peter Stronach). Two Brambling (a pair) at Heights of Dochcarty - first sighting in a week (Simon Cohen). Single Swallow over the Nigg fabrication yard, with 22 Whooper Swans and six Redwing near the birdhide (Blair Whyte)
Inverness: seven Whooper Swans, 40+ Lesser Redpoll and good numbers of winter thrushes in Glen Strathfarrar (Alan MacAskill/Dave Barnett)
Sutherland: single drake Surf Scoter amongst c500 Commom Scoter off Dornoch (Dean MacAskill)
Tuesday 20th October
Easter Ross: Little Gull Shandwick Bay (Simon Levene), 3 Little Auks and Black-throated Diver Balintore (Simon Levene, Blair Whyte), Snow Goose intermediate phase A( 1 mile N of Kildary (Ken's Garage) (Dave Tanner), 43 Scaups, 16 Shovelers, 3 Pochards, 3 Slavonian Grebes and a Long-tailed Duck Loch Eye (Dean MacAskill), 2 Pomarine Skuas Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis).
Inverness: Great Crested and 8 Slavonian Grebes Alturlie (Lynda Graham), male Pintail Loch Flemington, 12 Black-tailed Godwits and 4 Shovelers Alturlie Pools (Alan MacAskill), Swallow there (Pete Gordon)
Lochaber: 106 Redshank, 89 Wigeon, 36 Bar-tailed Godwit, ten Greenshank, 38 Curlew, two Knot, 30 Oystercatcher, plus single Grey Wagtail and three Rock Pipit in Kentra Bay (Sandy McNeil)
Monday 19th October
Sutherland: Red-necked Grebe Lochinver (Duncan Orr-Ewing), Little Auk lingered off Car Park then headed north, Brora, also 6 Pomarine Skuas S and 2 first-winter Little Gulls off river mouth (Dean MacAskill). 800 Common Scoters, 150 Long-tailed Ducks, 11 Slavonian Grebes, 17 Grey Plovers Dornoch (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 2 Sand Martins Portmahomack Golf Course (Dave Tanner), Swallow Chanonry Point (Alister Clunas) - October Swallows (and House Martins) are expected but Sand Martins and Swifts then are exceptional. Velvet Scoter, 184 Long-tailed Ducks, Whooper Swan, Black-throated Diver, 3 Red-throated Divers Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis). Intermediate-morph Snow Goose with Pinkfeet Kildary (per BirdGuides), Todd's Canada Goose Munlochy Bay, then flew south (Peter Stronach).
Sunday 18th October
Sutherland: Red-necked Grebe Lochinver (Duncan Orr-Ewing), Hoopoe Dornoch Golf Course (Iain Forbes), Gadwall Loch Ospisdale (Dean MacAskill), escaped Reeve's Pheasant Strath Carnaig (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshanks and 8 Barnacle Geese Munlochy Bay (Kevin Davis). Little Auk flew N, came ashore then swam back out Chanonry Point, also 104 Long-tailed Ducks, 5 Red-throated Divers there (Tim Stowe). 918 Whooper Swans Loch Eye (R Wood).
Inverness: 6 Grey Plovers Whiteness (Bob Wilson).
Badenoch & Strathspey; Brambling in Aviemore Garden (Audrey Turner), Swallow Loch Pityoulish (Blair Whyte). Male Pochard with 3 Goldeneyes Loch Mallachie (Mike Dilger). Scaup with Tufted Ducks Lochindorb (Dave Pullan),
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warblers at Kilmory Glen, Rum (SM) and Sligachan Hotel (PK). Arctic Skuas off Muck (Ronnie Dyer) and Neist Point (AS), Bonxie Neist Point (AS).
Lochaber: Kingfisher at mouth of R Lochy (Tony Laidler).
Saturday 17th October
Sutherland: Jay Inverpolly (Stuart Edwards) - rare there.
Easter Ross: Kingfisher and Brambling on Peffery, Dingwall and 5 Black-tailed Godwits at river mouth (Simeon Ewing), 2 Velvet Scoter males SW Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner), Little Auk Chanonry Point (Jo King), 40 Shovelers, 153 Coots & 12 Little Grebes Loch Eye (Bob Swann), leucistic Barnacle Goose Udale Bay (Pat Douglas).
Inverness: Water Rail Alturlie on first pool (Alan MacAskill).
Badenoch & Strathspey: Kingfisher Glenmore, by footbridge behind campsite (Duncan Macdonald), Long-tailed Duck and Slavonian Grebe Loch Insh (Steve Reddick).
Skye & Lochalsh: female/imm Scaup with Tufted Ducks Loch Mealt (JDJ.
Lochaber: 10 Greenland White-fronted Geese Back of Keppoch (SMacD)
Friday 16th October.
Sutherland: Tundra Bean Goose and Barnacle Goose with 500 Pinkfeet and 350 Greylags The Mound, 5 Greenshanks Skelbo, 15 Grey Plovers Dornoch Point and Snow Bunting Dornoch Beach (all Dean MacAskill). Hoopoe by practice greens, Dornoch Golf Course (per Dean MacAskill)
Easter Ross: 8 Blue Tits in off sea at Chanonry Point, then flew west (there has been an unusual influx into Shetland recently) also Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails and 5 Swallows there (John Poyner), Little Auk with 4 Guillemots there (per BirdGuides), 4-6 Swallows Redcastle (Leslie Bowman),
Inverness: Shoveler pair Alturlie Pools, 32 Scaups, Slavonian Grebe, 112 Golden Plovers and Brambling with tree sparrow and finch flock Alturlie Bay (Blair Whyte).
Badenoch & Strathspey: 30 Grey Partridges Badenedin - a recent release to top up the few birds remaining from a 2017 release (Pete Gordon), Slavonian Grebe and Long-tailed Duck Loch Insh (Dave Pierce)
Skye & Lochalsh: Common Redpoll Scullamus, Broadford, Common Scoter off Lusa, Broadford (both Bob McMillan)
Thursday 15th October
Sutherland: Yellow-browed Warbler, 2 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, Treecreeper, 12 Goldcrests and Great Spotted Woodpecker Durness area (Alan & Dean MacAskill, Dave Barnett).
Easter Ross: Little Egret, five Greenshank and drake Shoveler at Munlochy Bay (Bob Wilson)
Inverness: two Todd's Canada Geese amongst Pink-footed Geese in a ploughed field east of Dalcross airport, off minor road south of B9092/north of A96 (via Peter Stronach), Grey-bellied Brant Goose Castle Stuart (per BirdGuides).
Badenoch & Strathspey: 20 Fieldfares over Burma Road, Lynwilg (Clair Beale).
Skye & Lochalsh: 2 Water Rails Loch Suardale, Dunvegan (Bob McMillan), 7 Great Northern Divers Loch Slapin at Ob Gauscavaig (GP).
Lochaber: 23 Great Northern Diver, two Black-throated Diver and five Red-throated Diver at Arisaig (Pete Gordon)
Wednesday 14th October
Easter Ross: single Swallow near Portmahomack, while birds at/off Tarbat Ness included five Teal (a high count for the locus) with three Common Scoter (Dave Tanner). At Tarbat Ness' Brucefield plantation, four Blackcap, three Chiffchaff and a single Willow Warbler (Bob Swann). Little Egret, Grey Plover and drake Shoveler at Munlochy Bay (Keith & Rosie Barnes) with a female Pintail noted later in the day (Tim Meredith). Off/around Chanonry Point (0730-0915hrs) included single Red-throated Diver, 18 Eider, 31 Long-tailed Duck, single Goldeneye and three Black Guillemots (Tim Stowe) plus a juvenile Arctic Tern (John Poyner). Four Slavonian Grebe, single Pochard, three Scaup, 20 Shoveler and c100 Coot on Loch Eye (Blair Whyte).
Inverness: c60 Fieldfare and c30 Redwing on the Leys estate (Alan MacAskill). 30 Long-tailed Duck, 16 Scaup, c12 Twite, six Fieldfare and 30+ Redwing plus single Magpie at Alturlie (Tim Meredith). C300 Fieldfare and c200 Redwing at Clava (Lynda Graham)
Skye & Lochalsh: single Lapland Bunting at Rubha Shamhnan Insir, Rum (Sean Morris). Single Brambling on both Eigg and Rum's Kilmory Glen ('JC'/Sean Morris). Three Slavonian Grebe and single Black-throated Diver off Lusa, Broadford (Bob McMillan). Redwing movement (in the hundreds) over Drumfearn (Phil Knott). Also news was received that a satellite-tagged Red Kite from the Beauly, Inverness-shire area flew west to roost overnight (13/14th) in forestry near Sleat (all from www.skye-birds.com)
Tuesday 13th October
Badenoch & Strathspey: Yellow-browed Warbler still present in Nethybridge private garden (Keith Duncan), with another bird in Grantown-on-Spey, downstream of Old Spey bridge and past second fishing hut (Simon Pawsey)
Easter Ross: Snow Goose (blue/intermediate phase) between Nigg and Pitcalnie amongst Pink-footed Geese (Peter Stronach). Single Manx Shearwater and three Great Skua past Tarbat Ness, with significan Gannet, Kittiwake and Razorbill movement also (Dave Tanner). 180 Whooper Swan and single Common Redstart at Wester Arboll by Portmahomack (Bob Swann). Merlin hunting over A9, south or Tore roundabout at Allangrange (Blair Whyte)
Inverness: 17 Long-tailed Duck off Fort George (Mike Crutch).
Lochaber: Yellow-browed Warbler by the pier in Arisaig (Pete Gordon)
Skye & Lochalsh: 50 Redwing over Kildonan, Eigg ('JC'). Yellow-browed Warbler at Kilmore, Sleat ('NH') and two at Rum's Kilmory Glen (Sean Morris). Sean also recorded two Brambling there, with a further single calling bird at Blackpark, Broadford (Neil Bennett) - all via skye-birds.com
Monday 12th October
Sutherland: adult winter Little Gull Brora, 3 Greenshanks Loch Fleet (Alan MacAskill).
Easter Ross: Snow Goose (Blue or intermediate phase) Nigg (Ian Bremner), Little Egret Munlochy Bay (Hugh Addlesee), 30 Redwings Hill of Fearn (D Thorogood) - still scarce. Brambling 2 Heights of Dochcarty (Simon Cohen).
Inverness: Grey-bellied Brant Goose Castle Stuart (Tim Stowe).
Badenoch & Strathspey: Yellow-browed Warbler and Chiffchaff in Nethybridge Garden (Keith Duncan).
Skye & Lochalsh: 2 Bramblings Portree (Neil Bennett).
Sunday 11th October
Sutherland: Western Orphean Warbler Lothbeg Point (Colin Leslie et al), Jack Snipe, 4 Swallows and Wheatear Coul Links (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 37 Shovelers Loch Eye and 98 pale-bellied Brent Geese Tain Links (Bob Swann), 5 Swallows SW Alness Point, 3 Black-tailed Godwits Dingwall Bay and Brambling Heights of Dochcarty (Simon Cohen), leucistic Barnacle Goose Udale Bay (Sue Seright), White-fronted Goose Udale Bay (Tim Meredith)..
Inverness: adult Grey-bellied Brant Goose Castle Stuart (Pete Stronach).
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler Tormore, Aird of Sleat (per Bob McMillan), Yellow-browed Warbler (Kinloch, Rum (Sean Morris), Yellow-browed Warbler Broadford Hospital (Martin Benson).
Saturday 10th October
Easter Ross: Black-throated Diver and two Whooper Swan past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Three Grey Plover, two Black-tailed Godwits plus 87 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Tain Links (Bob Swann/Dave Tanner). Seawatch off Chanonry Point (0715-0915hrs) saw a single Great Skua, 14 Whooper Swan, 186 Long-tailed Duck, four Scaup, eleven Red-throated Diver and single Merlin (Kevin Davis). Little Egret, three Greenshank and four Black-tailed Godwit at Munlochy Bay, with Little Egret also at Udale Bay (Blair Whyte)
Inverness: three plus Chiffchaff and single Brambling at Merkinch (Tim Stowe). Steady stream of Fieldfare and Redwing over Milton of Leys through the morning (David Bain)
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler singletons in Kinloch, Rum (Sean Morris) and Broadford (Martin Benson), ten Swallows at Isleornsay ('RC'), at least two Long-tailed Duck, 13 Common Scoter plus Great Skua in Broadford Bay (Bob McMillan) plus dark morph Arctic Skua there later in the day (Neil Bennett) - all per skye-birds.com
Sutherland: Yellow-browed Warbler and probable Siberian Chiffchaff at Helmsdale, just north of the lodge holiday home (Dean MacAskill). Western Orphean Warbler in elders at Lothbeg point (located by Dean MacAskill, confirmed by Peter Stronach) - Dean also sighted a Hobby there this afternoon.
Lochaber: 17 Greenland White-fronted Geese Kentra Moss (Andrew Dacre).
Friday 9th October
Badenoch & Strathspey: Siberian Chiffchaff at the entrance to Glenmore camp site (Duncan Macdonald)
Easter Ross: adult Merlin at Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Two Tundra Bean Geese still showing at Munlochy Bay amongst the Pink-feet, with 16 Barnacle Geese and two Brent Geese present also (Tim Meredith/Tim Stowe/Kevin Davis), with Little Egret seen there also (Blair Whyte). Gadwall plus an unusually high count of 36 Shoveler at Loch Eye (Bob Swann). Grey Plover at Chanonry Point, while at Udale on the afternoon high tide was singles of Little Egret and Greenland White-fronted Goose plus two Black-tailed Godwit (Kevin Davis)
Inverness: Yellow-browed Warbler heard in scrub at Merkinch at South Kessock end of the reserve, plus eleven Black-tailed Godwits still present (Al & Jenny McNee); single Kingfisher seen also (Simon Cohen)
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler still calling at Drumfearn (P Knott) plus two birds in the Broadford industrial estate Neil Bennett). Various Whooper Swan and Barnacle Goose movement around the region, with highest counts at Loch Eynort (114 geese) and Arisaig (23 swans in two groups). Eight Long-tailed Duck plus 24 mixed Scaup/Tufted Duck raft at Broadford Bay, while to the west at Camas na Sgianadin were four Slavonian Grebe (Neil Bennett). A Kingfisher was reported on Scalpay's jetty (Nick Broughton) - all reports via Bob McMillan's excellent www.skye-birds.com
Thursday 8th October
Easter Ross: Barred Warbler and three Yellow-browed Warbler at Wilkhaven farm, Tarbat Ness along with three Willow Warbler, four Chiffchaff and male Blackcap. Over Loch Eye were 18 Swallow and four House Martin (Alan MacAskill/Dave Barnett). Six Blackcap (6m/1f) later noted at Tarbat Ness (Sue Sykes). Little Gull in Shandwick bay (Simon Levene). Off Chanonry Point (0715-0915hrs) were five Red-throated Diver, single Black-throated Diver, 51 Long-tailed Duck, seven Scaup, plus single Pintail and Purple Sandpiper (Kevin Davis)
Skye & Lochalsh: five Greenshank and 30 Lapwing at Loch Harport (via skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: Siberian Chiffchaff at Balnakeil Farm (Peter Stronach), with another bird plus a Yellow-browed Warbler at Culkein (Jon Clarke)
Wednesday 7th October
Easter Ross: Barred Warbler along the track between car park and lighthouse at Tarbat Ness (Peter Stronach) - no sightings late afternoon but it can be elusive; a seawatch at the point 1410-1540hrs yielded four Manx Shearwaters, one Red-throated Diver, ten Common Scoters and 200 Gannets (Al McNee). 20 Whooper Swan, four Pochard, six Scaup, five Slavonian Grebe, c130 Coot and a single Swallow at Loch Eye (Blair Whyte). At Munlochy Bay, amongst eight thousand Pink-footed Geese, were two Tundra Bean Geese, single Greenland White-fronted Goose and seven Barnacle Geese (Al McNee)
Inverness: Yellow-browed Warbler heard in scrub at Merkinch, 84 Black-tailed Godwits also present (Alan MacAskill)
Skye & Lochalsh: two Yellow-browed Warblers at Drumfearn (P Knott) and one in a private garden in Broadford (Martin Benson) with Mr Knott finding another two in the village later in the day, two birds were close to the Edinbane Inn also (Bob McMillan/skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: Yellow-browed Warbler in scrub by the football pitch in Embo, while later in the day two Blackcaps plus late single Swallow and two House Martins were noted (Dean MacAskill)
Tuesday 6th October
Easter Ross: eight Velvet Scoter and eleven Long-tailed Duck past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Grey-bellied Brant and Pale-bellied Brent Goose amongst Pink-footed Geese at Munlochy Bay (Peter Stronach). Magpie at Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis)
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warblers at Kilmory Glen on Rum (5+/Sean Morris), Portree (1/Neil Bennett), Glen Varragill (2 - 3rd and 4th caught and ringed at this site by J D Jones), Broadford (2/Neil Bennett & Martin Benson) and another at Drumfearn - Bob McMillan/skye-birds.com states that (at least) six on one day on Skye is a record. Lapland Bunting still at Kilmory Glen, Rum (Sean Morris)
Sutherland: Hoopoe at Dornoch water works (David Patterson). Yellow-browed Warbler at Drumbeg, Assynt (Kate & Jon Clarke)
Wester Ross: Great Northern Diver, Slavonian Grebe, 29 Black-throated Diver, four Red-throated Diver and Peregrine at Gruinard Bay, Firecrest at Inverewe Garden (Alan MacAskill/Dave Barnett)
Monday 5th October
Easter Ross: female Velvet Scoter past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Single Yellow-browed Warblers also seen at Tarbat Ness, Wilkhaven Farm (both Peter Stronach) and at Hilton of Cadboll (Simon Levene); Wilkhaven Farm later yielded Redstart (found earlier by Peter Stronach), Spotted Flycatcher, five Blackcap, two WIllow Warbler, one Chiffchaff and seven Barnacle Geese overhead (Dave Tanner). One hour seawatch from Tarbat Ness saw two Pomarine Skua, single Great Skua and two Red-throated Diver (Al McNee)
Inverness: three Water Rail (two adults plus juvenile) at Merkinch plus four Chiffchaff, two Willow Warbler and male Blackcap; 78 Bar-tailed Godwits and two Kingfishers also present around the reserve (Alan MacAskill)
Lochaber: Kingfisher at Lochailort (Stu Crutchfield via Bob McMillan/skye-birds.com)
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler at Kinloch Glen, Rum plus at least ten birds now present in Kilmory Glen (Sean Morris) plus single birds also reported through the day on Skye at Drumfearn (P Knott) and Broadford industrial estate (M Benson - all via Bob McMillan/skye-birds.com). A Lapland Bunting was also reported at Kinloch Glen, Rum with a late Wheatear at Kilmory Glen also (Sean Morris via Bob McMillan/skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: Yellow-browed Warbler at Coul Links (Peter Stronach), with at least ten still in the Durness area -three at Keoldale (also Swallow present), two at Borralie (40 Lesser Redpoll also), two at the craft village and two (plus a Chiffchaff) in Durness itself with another by the church, while at Balnakeil Farm both Willow Warbler and Blackcap noted along with 20 Redwing (Dean MacAskill). In the Assynt area, Yellow-browed Warblers were found at Drumbeg, Culkein and Clashmore (Kate & Jon Clarke)
Sunday 4th October
Badenoch & Strathspey: Yellow-browed Warbler and several Chiffchaffs in trees by the Mountview Hotel, Nethybridge (Mike Coleman). Ten Swallows over Insh marshes, with seven Whooper Swans now present plus 58 Lapwing, 28 Canada Geese, single Merlin and two ring-tailed Hen Harriers (Dave Pierce).
Easter Ross: drake Velvet Scoter, two Long-tailed Duck, two Sandwich Tern and Brambling (near car park entrance) at Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). 33 Barnacle Geese overflew Cadboll Point at 1120hrs (Simon Levene). At Udale Bay were c3,000 Pink-footed Geese, two Little Egrets, two Black-tailed Godwits, two Barnacle Geese and singletons of Pale-bellied Brent Goose and Greenland White-fronted Goose (Blair Whyte). Yellow-browed Warbler in the plantation at Tarbat Ness, while at Wilkhaven were Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher singletons, and in the Brucefield farm/plantation area were two Spotted Flycatchers and a Tree Pipit (Colin Leslie, Bob Swann & Peter Stronach). Chanonry Point seawatch (0730-0945hrs) included eleven Arctic Skua (nine pale/two dark phase), two Great Skua, one Great Northern Diver, four Red-throated Diver, twelve Long-tailed Duck, 750+ Gannet, 180+ Kittiwake, four Common Tern, two Sandwich Tern and one Black Guillemot (Kevin Davis)
Inverness: 18 plus Tree Sparrows on the Leys estate (Alan MacAskill). Two Yellow-browed Warblers at Merkinch, along with single Wheatear, while 70 plus Black-tailed Godwits were at Muirtown Pools (Al & Jenny McNee). Swift near the Longman roundabout on the A9 (D Gibson via John Poyner).
Skye & Lochalsh: Slavonian Grebe on Loch Portree, female Scaup still with Tufted Ducks on Loch Mealt by Staffin, while in the Broadford area were two Black-tailed Godwits at Waterloo and five Barnacle Geese at Ashaig. Single Yellow-browed Warbler still at Kilmory Glen on Rum (all as per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: three Sooty Shearwaters past Lothbeg Point during seawatch 0815-1115hrs, along with three Great Skua, single Pomarine Skua, four Little Gull (one adult and three 1st winter), single Grey Plover and two Goldeneye; northbound Gannet count was 2,450/hour. 284 Barnacle Geese at the Dornoch saltings, with Jack Snipe present also (all from Dean MacAskill). Hoopoe Dornoch Golf Course (per Recorder).
Wester Ross: Sabine's Gull still at Ullapool river mouth (Kate & Jon Clarke)
Saturday 3rd October
Sutherland: 17 Grey Plovers Dornoch Point, 3 pale-bellied Brent Geese and 6 Greenshanks Skelbo, Swift with 11 Swallows Brora River (all Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, Spotted Flycatcher and 8 Redwings Tarbat Ness (Bob Swann), 2 Little Egrets Udale Bay (John Poyner, Kevin Davis), also 2 Black-tailed Godwits and pale-bellied Brent Goose there (Kevin Davis), 239 Scaups and 3 Tufted Ducks Jemimaville (Kevin Davis). 18 Black-tailed Godwits Munlochy Bay (John Poyner).
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler Uig Woods (Seth Gibson) and 65-70 Barnacle Geese east Uig (SG). Yellow-browed Warbler, Lapland Bunting and Brambling Kilmory Glen, Rum (Sean Morris).
Friday 2nd October
Sutherland: Total of 25 Yellow-browed Warblers in Durness area at Keoldale (3), Loch Borralie (2), Balnakiel (4), Craft Village (9), Durness (4), Smoo (2), Durness Kirk (1) with large fall of Redwings, smaller numbers of Song Thrush, Brambling and Blackcap, Ring Ouzel at far, 19 Barnacle Geese Balnakiel heading for Hoan (Peter Stronach), Turtle Dove and Yellow-browed Warbler Culkein (per BirdGuides), 12 pale-bellied Brent Geese and 25 Grey Plovers Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill), 3 Bramblings Embo (Dean MacAskill).
Wester Ross: Brambling Cove, Loch Ewe (Morag McCullagh).
Easter Ross: 3 Yellow-browed Warblers Tarbat Ness (Steve Broyd), 2 Arctic Skuas there (Dave Tanner), 11 Grey Plovers flew NE Chanonry Point (Craig Round), Little Egret and 6 Redwings Udale (Tim Meredith), Greenland White-fronted Goose Udale Bay (Lynda Graham), Little Egret Munlochy Bay (Kevin Davis).
Inverness: 2 Black-tailed Godwits Alturlie (Alan MacAskill).
Skye & Lochalsh: Lapland Bunting Kinloch Glen, Rum (Sean Morris), Chiffchaff with 20 Long-tailed Tits Kildonan Glen, Eigg (John Chester).Black-tailed Godwit Glas Eilean, Broadford Bay (NH), 6 Greenshanks and 10 Bar-tailed Godwits Loch Portree (Neil Bennett), Scaup with 12 Tufted Ducks Loch Mealt (Neil Bennett). Common Rosefinch Stoer garden (per BirdGuides).
Thursday 1st October
Wester Ross: 15 Brent Geese Inverewe (Morag McCullagh).
Easter Ross: Little Egret Munlochy Bay (Al McNee), 2 Little Egrets, pale-bellied Brent Goose and Black-tailed Godwits Udale Bay (Kevin Davis), 2 Grey Plovers, 24 Long-tailed Ducks, 4 Red-throated Divers Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis), 221 Scaup Jemimaville (Kevin Davis).
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler Kilmory and Lapland Bunting Kinloch Glen, both Rum (Sean Morris).
Badenoch & Strathspey: single Brambling, Drumguish (Dave Pierce)
Easter Ross: 50 Pintail, 483 Golden Plover and c90 Fieldfare, Nigg Bay (Blair Whyte).
Skye & Lochalsh: male Brambling, Millers Cottage, Eigg (John Chester via skye-birds.com).
Friday 30th October
Easter Ross: one Black-throated Diver past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). 17 Barnacle Geese at Udale Bay (Blair Whyte). Single Brambling in Tain (Gary and Rosemary Aitken).
Skye & Lochalsh: Eastern Yellow Wagtail on Eigg confirmed by sound recording as a first record for Highland! Note due to COVID restrictions there is no access to the island by visitors from outwith Scottish Tier 1 areas so exact location is not being shared (John Chester via Bob McMillan, Dave Pullan and Ronnie Dyer).
Sutherland: drake Surf Scoter still off Dornoch beach with single Wheatear and 36 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Dornoch Point also two Little Gulls, Brora (Dean MacAskill).
Thursday 29th October
Easter Ross: 2 Swallows at Petley Pig Farm and 300 Whooper Swans including 37 juveniles at Bindal Farm, Portmahomack (Dave Tanner).
Lochaber: single Storm Petrel between Arisaig and Muick (R Dyer via skye-birds.com). Black Duck drake still at river mouth opposite Strontian Hotel, Strontian (per BirdGuides).
Skye & Lochalsh: Brambling still at Kinloch, Rum (Sean Morris via skye-birds.com).
Wednesday 28th October
Easter Ross: Magpie and 20 Whooper Swans at Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis). Two drake Velvet Scoter plus Great Northern Diver at Tarbat Ness, also 25 Whooper Swans at Petley Pig Farm, another 75 at Tarrel Farm, 35 at Wilkhaven Farm and 200+ at Bindal Farm, Portmahomack (Dave Tanner). Snow Goose intermediate phase still in stubble field by A9 near Kildary (per BirdGuides)
Inverness: two Swallows over Longman dump (Thomas Plant). 38 Twite and a female Shoveler at Alturlie also 20+ Fieldfare at Leys estate (Alan MacAskill). Three Swallows and 11 Snipe at Merkinch LNR (Alastair McNee)
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow Wagtail sp. still on Eigg (John Chester via Bob McMillan). Brambling pair in Kilmory Glen and two in garden at Kinloch, Rum also 1st winter Iceland Gull and two Barnacle Geese at Kilmory, Rum (Sean Morris via skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: drake Surf Scoter still off Dornoch, along with single Wheatear at Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill). 20 Sanderling at Loch Fleet (Jonathan Willet)
Tuesday 27th October
Easter Ross: three drake Velvet Scoter plus Great Northern Diver past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Snow Goose intermediate phase amongst Pink-footed Goose flock near the A9/Nigg roundabout (Dean MacAskill). Purple Sandpiper and 20 Whooper Swans at Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis)
Inverness: two Northern ssp. Bullfinch at Merkinch reserve with a flock of Redwing (Alan MacAskill)
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow Wagtail sp. flushed from stubble field on Eigg (John Chester via Bob McMillan)
Wester Ross: Swallow at Mellon Udrigle (C Rose)
Monday 26th October
Easter Ross: single Puffin, plus 14 Twite briefly at Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner)
Inverness: c60 Redwing on Muirtown Street in the city (Thomas Plant)
Skye & Lochalsh: singles of Snow Bunting, Merlin, Blackcap, Brambling and Jack Snipe in Kilmory Glen, Rum (Sean Morris via skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: drake Surf Scoter still off Dornoch, along with single Great Crested Grebe and a number of Slavonian Grebes plus a single Wheatear on the point and six Grey Plover. A further ten Grey Plover were at Dornoch links, while at Coul Links seven Twite were seen. A flock of c300 winter thrushes was at Strath Brora, while Brora itself yielded 83 Ringed Plover and c150 Sanderling (Dean MacAskill/Dave Barnett)
Sunday 25th October
Easter Ross: Glaucous Gull (1st summer/2nd winter) past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Yellow-browed Warbler in Craigdarroch by Contin (Keith & Rosie Barnes). Seawatch off Chanonry Point (0650-0850hrs) included two Black-throated Diver, seven Red-throated Diver, single Black Guillemot and 55 Long-tailed Duck (Kevin Davis). 38 Whooper Swan (including six juveniles) on the Brahan estate, while seen at Munlochy Bay were three Black-tailed Godwit, single Greenshank and c20 Fieldfare (Blair Whyte)
Inverness: eleven Grey Plover at Whiteness (Colin Leslie). 20 Redwing on Muirtown Street/Davies Square in the city (Thomas Plant), with mixed flock of c60 Redwing and Fieldfare in Firthview Drive also (Sam Borthwick)
Sutherland: drake Surf Scoter still off Dornoch but distant (Steve Broyd)
Saturday 24th October
Easter Ross: single Black-headed Gull (unusual for location) and Red-throated Diver at Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Very late sighting of an Osprey (with a fish) near Conon Bridge (via John Poyner)
Inverness: two Water Rail at Merkinch reserve, with 18 Whooper Swan and seven Redwing over (Blair Whyte)
Skye & Lochalsh: four Sooty Shearwater in Loch Slapin ('RW'), Brambling ringed in a Portree garden (JD Jones) with another bird visiting a garden in Kyleakin ('ST') - all via skye-birds.com
Sutherland: drake Surf Scoter, seven Velvet Scoter off Dornoch beach, four Jack Snipe on the saltmarsh and Hoopoe still present on the nearby Struie golf course (Dean MacAskill)
Friday 23rd October
Easter Ross: Little Auk past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Chanonry Point seawatch (0750-0950hrs) included seven Red-throated Diver, single Black-throated Diver, 224 Long-tailed Duck, three Goldeneye, 196 Shag and (unusually for here) a single Mallard (Kevin Davis)
Inverness: single Whooper Swan and ring-tailed Hen Harrier over Drumashie moor (Blair Whyte). Seven Brambling, eight Common Crossbill and c100 Fieldfare at Coulmore (Bob Wilson). Kingfisher and small group of Redwings at Muirtown Pools (Al & Jenny McNee). Gadwall pair, single Whooper Swan, Lesser Black-backed Gull and c70 Fieldfare at Loch Flemington (Blair Whyte)
Skye & Lochalsh: Brambling visiting a Portree garden (JD Jones). Two Long-tailed Duck and two Common Scoter on Loch Slapin ('ST') - per skye-birds.com
Sutherland: 41 Grey Plovers at Dornoch (Simon Levene)
Thursday 22nd October
Badenoch & Strathspey: single Barnacle Goose amongst Pink-footed Geese at Broomhill, Nethybridge (Steve Reddick)
Easter Ross: three Velvet Scoter (1m/2f), two Great Skua and singles of Purple Sandpiper and Great Northern Diver past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Udale Bay birds included 6,500 Pink-footed Geese, 17 Barnacle Geese, two Greenland White-fronted Geese, single Pale-bellied Brent Goose, twelve Whooper Swan (including eight juveniles), three Black-tailed Godwit plus single Kingfisher, while highlights out on the Cromarty Firther were 34 Slavonian Grebe and 87 Scaup (Mark Finn)
Lochaber: Storm Petrel off Arisaig (R Dyer via skye-birds.com). Single Slavonian Grebe at Traigh (Sandy McNeil)
Skye & Lochalsh: pale morph Arctic Skua off Lusa, Broadford (Bob McMillan). Good movement of Whooper Swans around the region - see skye-birds.com for details
Sutherland: Siberian Chiffchaff in Keoldale, while at Balnakeil were 340 Barnacle Geese, 22 Whooper Swans, eight Crossbill sp. (all giving 'Parrot' bill features) plus winter thrushes (Dean MacAskill). Marsh Harrier over Dornoch dunes, while a Little Auk was off Embo (Sue Sykes)
Wednesday 21st October
Badenoch & Strathspey: Yellow-browed Warbler in community woodland near the cafe in Laggan (Duncan Macdonald). Single Swallow near Nethybridge (Pete Gordon)
Easter Ross: seawatch off Chanonry Point 0800-0945hrs included 179 Long-tailed Duck, 120+ Kittiwake plus single Swallow (Tim Stowe). Single Todd's Canada Goose plus Grey-bellied Brant at Munlochy Bay (via Peter Stronach). Two Brambling (a pair) at Heights of Dochcarty - first sighting in a week (Simon Cohen). Single Swallow over the Nigg fabrication yard, with 22 Whooper Swans and six Redwing near the birdhide (Blair Whyte)
Inverness: seven Whooper Swans, 40+ Lesser Redpoll and good numbers of winter thrushes in Glen Strathfarrar (Alan MacAskill/Dave Barnett)
Sutherland: single drake Surf Scoter amongst c500 Commom Scoter off Dornoch (Dean MacAskill)
Tuesday 20th October
Easter Ross: Little Gull Shandwick Bay (Simon Levene), 3 Little Auks and Black-throated Diver Balintore (Simon Levene, Blair Whyte), Snow Goose intermediate phase A( 1 mile N of Kildary (Ken's Garage) (Dave Tanner), 43 Scaups, 16 Shovelers, 3 Pochards, 3 Slavonian Grebes and a Long-tailed Duck Loch Eye (Dean MacAskill), 2 Pomarine Skuas Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis).
Inverness: Great Crested and 8 Slavonian Grebes Alturlie (Lynda Graham), male Pintail Loch Flemington, 12 Black-tailed Godwits and 4 Shovelers Alturlie Pools (Alan MacAskill), Swallow there (Pete Gordon)
Lochaber: 106 Redshank, 89 Wigeon, 36 Bar-tailed Godwit, ten Greenshank, 38 Curlew, two Knot, 30 Oystercatcher, plus single Grey Wagtail and three Rock Pipit in Kentra Bay (Sandy McNeil)
Monday 19th October
Sutherland: Red-necked Grebe Lochinver (Duncan Orr-Ewing), Little Auk lingered off Car Park then headed north, Brora, also 6 Pomarine Skuas S and 2 first-winter Little Gulls off river mouth (Dean MacAskill). 800 Common Scoters, 150 Long-tailed Ducks, 11 Slavonian Grebes, 17 Grey Plovers Dornoch (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 2 Sand Martins Portmahomack Golf Course (Dave Tanner), Swallow Chanonry Point (Alister Clunas) - October Swallows (and House Martins) are expected but Sand Martins and Swifts then are exceptional. Velvet Scoter, 184 Long-tailed Ducks, Whooper Swan, Black-throated Diver, 3 Red-throated Divers Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis). Intermediate-morph Snow Goose with Pinkfeet Kildary (per BirdGuides), Todd's Canada Goose Munlochy Bay, then flew south (Peter Stronach).
Sunday 18th October
Sutherland: Red-necked Grebe Lochinver (Duncan Orr-Ewing), Hoopoe Dornoch Golf Course (Iain Forbes), Gadwall Loch Ospisdale (Dean MacAskill), escaped Reeve's Pheasant Strath Carnaig (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshanks and 8 Barnacle Geese Munlochy Bay (Kevin Davis). Little Auk flew N, came ashore then swam back out Chanonry Point, also 104 Long-tailed Ducks, 5 Red-throated Divers there (Tim Stowe). 918 Whooper Swans Loch Eye (R Wood).
Inverness: 6 Grey Plovers Whiteness (Bob Wilson).
Badenoch & Strathspey; Brambling in Aviemore Garden (Audrey Turner), Swallow Loch Pityoulish (Blair Whyte). Male Pochard with 3 Goldeneyes Loch Mallachie (Mike Dilger). Scaup with Tufted Ducks Lochindorb (Dave Pullan),
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warblers at Kilmory Glen, Rum (SM) and Sligachan Hotel (PK). Arctic Skuas off Muck (Ronnie Dyer) and Neist Point (AS), Bonxie Neist Point (AS).
Lochaber: Kingfisher at mouth of R Lochy (Tony Laidler).
Saturday 17th October
Sutherland: Jay Inverpolly (Stuart Edwards) - rare there.
Easter Ross: Kingfisher and Brambling on Peffery, Dingwall and 5 Black-tailed Godwits at river mouth (Simeon Ewing), 2 Velvet Scoter males SW Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner), Little Auk Chanonry Point (Jo King), 40 Shovelers, 153 Coots & 12 Little Grebes Loch Eye (Bob Swann), leucistic Barnacle Goose Udale Bay (Pat Douglas).
Inverness: Water Rail Alturlie on first pool (Alan MacAskill).
Badenoch & Strathspey: Kingfisher Glenmore, by footbridge behind campsite (Duncan Macdonald), Long-tailed Duck and Slavonian Grebe Loch Insh (Steve Reddick).
Skye & Lochalsh: female/imm Scaup with Tufted Ducks Loch Mealt (JDJ.
Lochaber: 10 Greenland White-fronted Geese Back of Keppoch (SMacD)
Friday 16th October.
Sutherland: Tundra Bean Goose and Barnacle Goose with 500 Pinkfeet and 350 Greylags The Mound, 5 Greenshanks Skelbo, 15 Grey Plovers Dornoch Point and Snow Bunting Dornoch Beach (all Dean MacAskill). Hoopoe by practice greens, Dornoch Golf Course (per Dean MacAskill)
Easter Ross: 8 Blue Tits in off sea at Chanonry Point, then flew west (there has been an unusual influx into Shetland recently) also Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails and 5 Swallows there (John Poyner), Little Auk with 4 Guillemots there (per BirdGuides), 4-6 Swallows Redcastle (Leslie Bowman),
Inverness: Shoveler pair Alturlie Pools, 32 Scaups, Slavonian Grebe, 112 Golden Plovers and Brambling with tree sparrow and finch flock Alturlie Bay (Blair Whyte).
Badenoch & Strathspey: 30 Grey Partridges Badenedin - a recent release to top up the few birds remaining from a 2017 release (Pete Gordon), Slavonian Grebe and Long-tailed Duck Loch Insh (Dave Pierce)
Skye & Lochalsh: Common Redpoll Scullamus, Broadford, Common Scoter off Lusa, Broadford (both Bob McMillan)
Thursday 15th October
Sutherland: Yellow-browed Warbler, 2 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, Treecreeper, 12 Goldcrests and Great Spotted Woodpecker Durness area (Alan & Dean MacAskill, Dave Barnett).
Easter Ross: Little Egret, five Greenshank and drake Shoveler at Munlochy Bay (Bob Wilson)
Inverness: two Todd's Canada Geese amongst Pink-footed Geese in a ploughed field east of Dalcross airport, off minor road south of B9092/north of A96 (via Peter Stronach), Grey-bellied Brant Goose Castle Stuart (per BirdGuides).
Badenoch & Strathspey: 20 Fieldfares over Burma Road, Lynwilg (Clair Beale).
Skye & Lochalsh: 2 Water Rails Loch Suardale, Dunvegan (Bob McMillan), 7 Great Northern Divers Loch Slapin at Ob Gauscavaig (GP).
Lochaber: 23 Great Northern Diver, two Black-throated Diver and five Red-throated Diver at Arisaig (Pete Gordon)
Wednesday 14th October
Easter Ross: single Swallow near Portmahomack, while birds at/off Tarbat Ness included five Teal (a high count for the locus) with three Common Scoter (Dave Tanner). At Tarbat Ness' Brucefield plantation, four Blackcap, three Chiffchaff and a single Willow Warbler (Bob Swann). Little Egret, Grey Plover and drake Shoveler at Munlochy Bay (Keith & Rosie Barnes) with a female Pintail noted later in the day (Tim Meredith). Off/around Chanonry Point (0730-0915hrs) included single Red-throated Diver, 18 Eider, 31 Long-tailed Duck, single Goldeneye and three Black Guillemots (Tim Stowe) plus a juvenile Arctic Tern (John Poyner). Four Slavonian Grebe, single Pochard, three Scaup, 20 Shoveler and c100 Coot on Loch Eye (Blair Whyte).
Inverness: c60 Fieldfare and c30 Redwing on the Leys estate (Alan MacAskill). 30 Long-tailed Duck, 16 Scaup, c12 Twite, six Fieldfare and 30+ Redwing plus single Magpie at Alturlie (Tim Meredith). C300 Fieldfare and c200 Redwing at Clava (Lynda Graham)
Skye & Lochalsh: single Lapland Bunting at Rubha Shamhnan Insir, Rum (Sean Morris). Single Brambling on both Eigg and Rum's Kilmory Glen ('JC'/Sean Morris). Three Slavonian Grebe and single Black-throated Diver off Lusa, Broadford (Bob McMillan). Redwing movement (in the hundreds) over Drumfearn (Phil Knott). Also news was received that a satellite-tagged Red Kite from the Beauly, Inverness-shire area flew west to roost overnight (13/14th) in forestry near Sleat (all from www.skye-birds.com)
Tuesday 13th October
Badenoch & Strathspey: Yellow-browed Warbler still present in Nethybridge private garden (Keith Duncan), with another bird in Grantown-on-Spey, downstream of Old Spey bridge and past second fishing hut (Simon Pawsey)
Easter Ross: Snow Goose (blue/intermediate phase) between Nigg and Pitcalnie amongst Pink-footed Geese (Peter Stronach). Single Manx Shearwater and three Great Skua past Tarbat Ness, with significan Gannet, Kittiwake and Razorbill movement also (Dave Tanner). 180 Whooper Swan and single Common Redstart at Wester Arboll by Portmahomack (Bob Swann). Merlin hunting over A9, south or Tore roundabout at Allangrange (Blair Whyte)
Inverness: 17 Long-tailed Duck off Fort George (Mike Crutch).
Lochaber: Yellow-browed Warbler by the pier in Arisaig (Pete Gordon)
Skye & Lochalsh: 50 Redwing over Kildonan, Eigg ('JC'). Yellow-browed Warbler at Kilmore, Sleat ('NH') and two at Rum's Kilmory Glen (Sean Morris). Sean also recorded two Brambling there, with a further single calling bird at Blackpark, Broadford (Neil Bennett) - all via skye-birds.com
Monday 12th October
Sutherland: adult winter Little Gull Brora, 3 Greenshanks Loch Fleet (Alan MacAskill).
Easter Ross: Snow Goose (Blue or intermediate phase) Nigg (Ian Bremner), Little Egret Munlochy Bay (Hugh Addlesee), 30 Redwings Hill of Fearn (D Thorogood) - still scarce. Brambling 2 Heights of Dochcarty (Simon Cohen).
Inverness: Grey-bellied Brant Goose Castle Stuart (Tim Stowe).
Badenoch & Strathspey: Yellow-browed Warbler and Chiffchaff in Nethybridge Garden (Keith Duncan).
Skye & Lochalsh: 2 Bramblings Portree (Neil Bennett).
Sunday 11th October
Sutherland: Western Orphean Warbler Lothbeg Point (Colin Leslie et al), Jack Snipe, 4 Swallows and Wheatear Coul Links (Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 37 Shovelers Loch Eye and 98 pale-bellied Brent Geese Tain Links (Bob Swann), 5 Swallows SW Alness Point, 3 Black-tailed Godwits Dingwall Bay and Brambling Heights of Dochcarty (Simon Cohen), leucistic Barnacle Goose Udale Bay (Sue Seright), White-fronted Goose Udale Bay (Tim Meredith)..
Inverness: adult Grey-bellied Brant Goose Castle Stuart (Pete Stronach).
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler Tormore, Aird of Sleat (per Bob McMillan), Yellow-browed Warbler (Kinloch, Rum (Sean Morris), Yellow-browed Warbler Broadford Hospital (Martin Benson).
Saturday 10th October
Easter Ross: Black-throated Diver and two Whooper Swan past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Three Grey Plover, two Black-tailed Godwits plus 87 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Tain Links (Bob Swann/Dave Tanner). Seawatch off Chanonry Point (0715-0915hrs) saw a single Great Skua, 14 Whooper Swan, 186 Long-tailed Duck, four Scaup, eleven Red-throated Diver and single Merlin (Kevin Davis). Little Egret, three Greenshank and four Black-tailed Godwit at Munlochy Bay, with Little Egret also at Udale Bay (Blair Whyte)
Inverness: three plus Chiffchaff and single Brambling at Merkinch (Tim Stowe). Steady stream of Fieldfare and Redwing over Milton of Leys through the morning (David Bain)
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler singletons in Kinloch, Rum (Sean Morris) and Broadford (Martin Benson), ten Swallows at Isleornsay ('RC'), at least two Long-tailed Duck, 13 Common Scoter plus Great Skua in Broadford Bay (Bob McMillan) plus dark morph Arctic Skua there later in the day (Neil Bennett) - all per skye-birds.com
Sutherland: Yellow-browed Warbler and probable Siberian Chiffchaff at Helmsdale, just north of the lodge holiday home (Dean MacAskill). Western Orphean Warbler in elders at Lothbeg point (located by Dean MacAskill, confirmed by Peter Stronach) - Dean also sighted a Hobby there this afternoon.
Lochaber: 17 Greenland White-fronted Geese Kentra Moss (Andrew Dacre).
Friday 9th October
Badenoch & Strathspey: Siberian Chiffchaff at the entrance to Glenmore camp site (Duncan Macdonald)
Easter Ross: adult Merlin at Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Two Tundra Bean Geese still showing at Munlochy Bay amongst the Pink-feet, with 16 Barnacle Geese and two Brent Geese present also (Tim Meredith/Tim Stowe/Kevin Davis), with Little Egret seen there also (Blair Whyte). Gadwall plus an unusually high count of 36 Shoveler at Loch Eye (Bob Swann). Grey Plover at Chanonry Point, while at Udale on the afternoon high tide was singles of Little Egret and Greenland White-fronted Goose plus two Black-tailed Godwit (Kevin Davis)
Inverness: Yellow-browed Warbler heard in scrub at Merkinch at South Kessock end of the reserve, plus eleven Black-tailed Godwits still present (Al & Jenny McNee); single Kingfisher seen also (Simon Cohen)
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler still calling at Drumfearn (P Knott) plus two birds in the Broadford industrial estate Neil Bennett). Various Whooper Swan and Barnacle Goose movement around the region, with highest counts at Loch Eynort (114 geese) and Arisaig (23 swans in two groups). Eight Long-tailed Duck plus 24 mixed Scaup/Tufted Duck raft at Broadford Bay, while to the west at Camas na Sgianadin were four Slavonian Grebe (Neil Bennett). A Kingfisher was reported on Scalpay's jetty (Nick Broughton) - all reports via Bob McMillan's excellent www.skye-birds.com
Thursday 8th October
Easter Ross: Barred Warbler and three Yellow-browed Warbler at Wilkhaven farm, Tarbat Ness along with three Willow Warbler, four Chiffchaff and male Blackcap. Over Loch Eye were 18 Swallow and four House Martin (Alan MacAskill/Dave Barnett). Six Blackcap (6m/1f) later noted at Tarbat Ness (Sue Sykes). Little Gull in Shandwick bay (Simon Levene). Off Chanonry Point (0715-0915hrs) were five Red-throated Diver, single Black-throated Diver, 51 Long-tailed Duck, seven Scaup, plus single Pintail and Purple Sandpiper (Kevin Davis)
Skye & Lochalsh: five Greenshank and 30 Lapwing at Loch Harport (via skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: Siberian Chiffchaff at Balnakeil Farm (Peter Stronach), with another bird plus a Yellow-browed Warbler at Culkein (Jon Clarke)
Wednesday 7th October
Easter Ross: Barred Warbler along the track between car park and lighthouse at Tarbat Ness (Peter Stronach) - no sightings late afternoon but it can be elusive; a seawatch at the point 1410-1540hrs yielded four Manx Shearwaters, one Red-throated Diver, ten Common Scoters and 200 Gannets (Al McNee). 20 Whooper Swan, four Pochard, six Scaup, five Slavonian Grebe, c130 Coot and a single Swallow at Loch Eye (Blair Whyte). At Munlochy Bay, amongst eight thousand Pink-footed Geese, were two Tundra Bean Geese, single Greenland White-fronted Goose and seven Barnacle Geese (Al McNee)
Inverness: Yellow-browed Warbler heard in scrub at Merkinch, 84 Black-tailed Godwits also present (Alan MacAskill)
Skye & Lochalsh: two Yellow-browed Warblers at Drumfearn (P Knott) and one in a private garden in Broadford (Martin Benson) with Mr Knott finding another two in the village later in the day, two birds were close to the Edinbane Inn also (Bob McMillan/skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: Yellow-browed Warbler in scrub by the football pitch in Embo, while later in the day two Blackcaps plus late single Swallow and two House Martins were noted (Dean MacAskill)
Tuesday 6th October
Easter Ross: eight Velvet Scoter and eleven Long-tailed Duck past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Grey-bellied Brant and Pale-bellied Brent Goose amongst Pink-footed Geese at Munlochy Bay (Peter Stronach). Magpie at Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis)
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warblers at Kilmory Glen on Rum (5+/Sean Morris), Portree (1/Neil Bennett), Glen Varragill (2 - 3rd and 4th caught and ringed at this site by J D Jones), Broadford (2/Neil Bennett & Martin Benson) and another at Drumfearn - Bob McMillan/skye-birds.com states that (at least) six on one day on Skye is a record. Lapland Bunting still at Kilmory Glen, Rum (Sean Morris)
Sutherland: Hoopoe at Dornoch water works (David Patterson). Yellow-browed Warbler at Drumbeg, Assynt (Kate & Jon Clarke)
Wester Ross: Great Northern Diver, Slavonian Grebe, 29 Black-throated Diver, four Red-throated Diver and Peregrine at Gruinard Bay, Firecrest at Inverewe Garden (Alan MacAskill/Dave Barnett)
Monday 5th October
Easter Ross: female Velvet Scoter past Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). Single Yellow-browed Warblers also seen at Tarbat Ness, Wilkhaven Farm (both Peter Stronach) and at Hilton of Cadboll (Simon Levene); Wilkhaven Farm later yielded Redstart (found earlier by Peter Stronach), Spotted Flycatcher, five Blackcap, two WIllow Warbler, one Chiffchaff and seven Barnacle Geese overhead (Dave Tanner). One hour seawatch from Tarbat Ness saw two Pomarine Skua, single Great Skua and two Red-throated Diver (Al McNee)
Inverness: three Water Rail (two adults plus juvenile) at Merkinch plus four Chiffchaff, two Willow Warbler and male Blackcap; 78 Bar-tailed Godwits and two Kingfishers also present around the reserve (Alan MacAskill)
Lochaber: Kingfisher at Lochailort (Stu Crutchfield via Bob McMillan/skye-birds.com)
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler at Kinloch Glen, Rum plus at least ten birds now present in Kilmory Glen (Sean Morris) plus single birds also reported through the day on Skye at Drumfearn (P Knott) and Broadford industrial estate (M Benson - all via Bob McMillan/skye-birds.com). A Lapland Bunting was also reported at Kinloch Glen, Rum with a late Wheatear at Kilmory Glen also (Sean Morris via Bob McMillan/skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: Yellow-browed Warbler at Coul Links (Peter Stronach), with at least ten still in the Durness area -three at Keoldale (also Swallow present), two at Borralie (40 Lesser Redpoll also), two at the craft village and two (plus a Chiffchaff) in Durness itself with another by the church, while at Balnakeil Farm both Willow Warbler and Blackcap noted along with 20 Redwing (Dean MacAskill). In the Assynt area, Yellow-browed Warblers were found at Drumbeg, Culkein and Clashmore (Kate & Jon Clarke)
Sunday 4th October
Badenoch & Strathspey: Yellow-browed Warbler and several Chiffchaffs in trees by the Mountview Hotel, Nethybridge (Mike Coleman). Ten Swallows over Insh marshes, with seven Whooper Swans now present plus 58 Lapwing, 28 Canada Geese, single Merlin and two ring-tailed Hen Harriers (Dave Pierce).
Easter Ross: drake Velvet Scoter, two Long-tailed Duck, two Sandwich Tern and Brambling (near car park entrance) at Tarbat Ness (Dave Tanner). 33 Barnacle Geese overflew Cadboll Point at 1120hrs (Simon Levene). At Udale Bay were c3,000 Pink-footed Geese, two Little Egrets, two Black-tailed Godwits, two Barnacle Geese and singletons of Pale-bellied Brent Goose and Greenland White-fronted Goose (Blair Whyte). Yellow-browed Warbler in the plantation at Tarbat Ness, while at Wilkhaven were Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher singletons, and in the Brucefield farm/plantation area were two Spotted Flycatchers and a Tree Pipit (Colin Leslie, Bob Swann & Peter Stronach). Chanonry Point seawatch (0730-0945hrs) included eleven Arctic Skua (nine pale/two dark phase), two Great Skua, one Great Northern Diver, four Red-throated Diver, twelve Long-tailed Duck, 750+ Gannet, 180+ Kittiwake, four Common Tern, two Sandwich Tern and one Black Guillemot (Kevin Davis)
Inverness: 18 plus Tree Sparrows on the Leys estate (Alan MacAskill). Two Yellow-browed Warblers at Merkinch, along with single Wheatear, while 70 plus Black-tailed Godwits were at Muirtown Pools (Al & Jenny McNee). Swift near the Longman roundabout on the A9 (D Gibson via John Poyner).
Skye & Lochalsh: Slavonian Grebe on Loch Portree, female Scaup still with Tufted Ducks on Loch Mealt by Staffin, while in the Broadford area were two Black-tailed Godwits at Waterloo and five Barnacle Geese at Ashaig. Single Yellow-browed Warbler still at Kilmory Glen on Rum (all as per skye-birds.com)
Sutherland: three Sooty Shearwaters past Lothbeg Point during seawatch 0815-1115hrs, along with three Great Skua, single Pomarine Skua, four Little Gull (one adult and three 1st winter), single Grey Plover and two Goldeneye; northbound Gannet count was 2,450/hour. 284 Barnacle Geese at the Dornoch saltings, with Jack Snipe present also (all from Dean MacAskill). Hoopoe Dornoch Golf Course (per Recorder).
Wester Ross: Sabine's Gull still at Ullapool river mouth (Kate & Jon Clarke)
Saturday 3rd October
Sutherland: 17 Grey Plovers Dornoch Point, 3 pale-bellied Brent Geese and 6 Greenshanks Skelbo, Swift with 11 Swallows Brora River (all Dean MacAskill).
Easter Ross: 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, Spotted Flycatcher and 8 Redwings Tarbat Ness (Bob Swann), 2 Little Egrets Udale Bay (John Poyner, Kevin Davis), also 2 Black-tailed Godwits and pale-bellied Brent Goose there (Kevin Davis), 239 Scaups and 3 Tufted Ducks Jemimaville (Kevin Davis). 18 Black-tailed Godwits Munlochy Bay (John Poyner).
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler Uig Woods (Seth Gibson) and 65-70 Barnacle Geese east Uig (SG). Yellow-browed Warbler, Lapland Bunting and Brambling Kilmory Glen, Rum (Sean Morris).
Friday 2nd October
Sutherland: Total of 25 Yellow-browed Warblers in Durness area at Keoldale (3), Loch Borralie (2), Balnakiel (4), Craft Village (9), Durness (4), Smoo (2), Durness Kirk (1) with large fall of Redwings, smaller numbers of Song Thrush, Brambling and Blackcap, Ring Ouzel at far, 19 Barnacle Geese Balnakiel heading for Hoan (Peter Stronach), Turtle Dove and Yellow-browed Warbler Culkein (per BirdGuides), 12 pale-bellied Brent Geese and 25 Grey Plovers Dornoch Point (Dean MacAskill), 3 Bramblings Embo (Dean MacAskill).
Wester Ross: Brambling Cove, Loch Ewe (Morag McCullagh).
Easter Ross: 3 Yellow-browed Warblers Tarbat Ness (Steve Broyd), 2 Arctic Skuas there (Dave Tanner), 11 Grey Plovers flew NE Chanonry Point (Craig Round), Little Egret and 6 Redwings Udale (Tim Meredith), Greenland White-fronted Goose Udale Bay (Lynda Graham), Little Egret Munlochy Bay (Kevin Davis).
Inverness: 2 Black-tailed Godwits Alturlie (Alan MacAskill).
Skye & Lochalsh: Lapland Bunting Kinloch Glen, Rum (Sean Morris), Chiffchaff with 20 Long-tailed Tits Kildonan Glen, Eigg (John Chester).Black-tailed Godwit Glas Eilean, Broadford Bay (NH), 6 Greenshanks and 10 Bar-tailed Godwits Loch Portree (Neil Bennett), Scaup with 12 Tufted Ducks Loch Mealt (Neil Bennett). Common Rosefinch Stoer garden (per BirdGuides).
Thursday 1st October
Wester Ross: 15 Brent Geese Inverewe (Morag McCullagh).
Easter Ross: Little Egret Munlochy Bay (Al McNee), 2 Little Egrets, pale-bellied Brent Goose and Black-tailed Godwits Udale Bay (Kevin Davis), 2 Grey Plovers, 24 Long-tailed Ducks, 4 Red-throated Divers Chanonry Point (Kevin Davis), 221 Scaup Jemimaville (Kevin Davis).
Skye & Lochalsh: Yellow-browed Warbler Kilmory and Lapland Bunting Kinloch Glen, both Rum (Sean Morris).
