Bird Species of Milovaig and Glendale

Waxwing photographed in Milovaig in 2004.

To give you an indication of the types of birds that you will experience during your holiday in Milovaig or Glendale, we have produced this chart which illustrates the bird species that a casual observer can expect to see in each particular month.

More experienced bird-watchers will enjoy seeking out some of Milovaig's, specialities, together with the many rare and interesting birds that pass through Glendale on migration. You can view the full list of bird species that we have seen in Milovaig below.

This includes notes and tips on the best times of year, and places, to look for them.

Over the years, many very rare and unusual species have been recorded in Milovaig including such exotics as hoopoe, golden oriole and wryneck, although our list only includes those that we have had the pleasure of seeing ourselves.

Great Northern Diver

Occasional winter/spring visitor to Loch Pooltiel, often staying for extended periods.

Red-Throated Diver

Regularly seen off Meanish Pier outside the breeding season.

Black-Throated Diver

Regularly seen off Meanish Pier outside the breeding season.

Slavonian Grebe

Occasionally turns up on Loch Pooltiel.

Fulmar

Very common. Best seen from the pier.

Manx Shearwater

Regularly seen from the pier in late Summer.

Gannet

Very common. Often seen diving for fish in the Loch.

Shag

Very common resident.

Cormorant

Has just recently colonised Glendale, with handful of sightings during 2008.

Grey Heron

One or two can often be found on the shore outside of the breeding season.

Whooper Swan

Small flocks regularly pass over the Loch on migration and occasionally alight.

Pink-Footed Goose

Vast skeins pass over the cottage at migration times.

Greylag Goose

Vast skeins pass over the cottage at migration times.

Mallard

There are usually up to 8 on the Milovaig shore of Loch Pooltiel.

Eider

Regularly turn up on the Loch throughout the year.

Red-Breasted Merganser

Occasionally turn up on the Loch, often remaining for many days.

Goosander

Occasionally turn up on the Loch in Winter.

Goldeneye

Scarce winter visitor to Loch Pooltiel. Small numbers occasionally found on Loch Mor in winter.

Long-Tailed Duck

Scarce winter visitor to Loch Pooltiel. A drake visited for 1 day in January 2008.

Sparrowhawk

Common resident that often takes birds from bird tables.

Buzzard

The commonest bird of prey in Milovaig.

White-Tailed Eagle

Occasionally visits the Loch and up to 3 have been seen together in Milovaig.

Golden Eagle

Occasionally passes through in Winter. Regularly seen over Dunvegan Head and the Ramasaig-Waterstein Cliffs.

Kestrel

Resident breeding species.

Peregrine

Regular passage visitor.

Merlin

Regular passage visitor, usually in early Spring.

Red Grouse

Occasional winter visitor. Has not been recorded since 2003, when one was in Milovaig.

Oystercatcher

Common, noisy resident.

Ringed Plover

Passes through in late Summer.

Golden Plover

Regular flocks of up to 30 birds pass through in winter. Large flocks gather at Ramasaig.

Lapwing

Regularly passes through. Mainly in late summer and two pairs breed.

Black-Tailed Godwit

A scarce passage visitor to the Loch in mid/late summer.

Curlew

A flock of 6 to 12 birds usually over-winters in Milovaig. Good numbers build up on the Loch in late summer.

Whimbrel

Turns up with curlews on the Loch in late summer and over-wintered in Glendale in 2007/2008.

Dunlin

Passage migrant. Often found at Meanish Pier in Spring and late Summer.

Redshank

Common summer visitor. Breeding on Loch Pooltiel.

Greenshank

Regularly turns up on Loch Pooltiel in spring and autumn.

Common Sandpiper

Breeds on Loch Pooltiel in summer.

Snipe

Resident in small number on the crofts around Milovaig .

Woodcock

Common winter visitor, regularly seen on crofts in Milovaig.

Great Skua

Small numbers now Summer around Neist Point but they are not breeding as yet.

Arctic Skua

Regularly seen from Meanish Pier and Neist Point in late summer.

Black-headed Gull

Occasionally passes through outside the breeding season.

Common Gull

Common resident.

Kittiwake

Common resident.

Herring Gull

Common resident. Often taking food from bird-tables.

Great Black-backed Gull

Common Resident.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Summer visitor that has been recorded on Loch Pooltiel in December.

Iceland Gull

Scarce visitor. A 2nd-winter bird visited Milovaig in March 2007.

Arctic Tern

Regularly seen from the pier in late summer.

Common Tern

Occasional visitors can be seen diving on Loch Pooltiel in late summer.

Puffin

Occurs occasionally off Meanish Pier in small numbers and very small numbers can be seen off Neist Point on passage. Does not breed on Skye.

Guillemot

Very common in summer but scarce in winter.

Razorbill

Very common summer visitor.

Black Guillemot

Common resident. Fishes on the Loch throughout the year, except in the Autumn when they disappear.

Rock Dove

Common resident. Often visits bird tables.

Collared Dove

Scarce visitor that occasionally stays for extend periods.

Turtle Dove

Scarce visitor that has been recorded only once, near Meanish Pier in 2008.

Cuckoo

Common summer visitor. 'Cuckoos' all through the night in June.

Barn Owl

A regular Winter visitor.

Skylark

Common breeding species.

Swallow

Common breeding species.

House Martin

Breeds locally.

Rock Pipit

Very common on the rocky shores around Milovaig.

Meadow Pipit

Extremely common breeding species.

Pied Wagtail

Breeds locally and often attacks car wing mirrors.

White Wagtail

Passage visitor. Often found at Meanish Pier in Spring in good numbers.

Grey Wagtail

Resident on the burns around Milovaig and on the Hamara River.

Waxwing

Andy photographed one in Milovaig in October 2004. Another was at Waterstein and a small group were reported at Skinidin in 2008.

Dipper

One pair breeds locally and often overwinters at the White Beach in Milovaig.

Wren

Common garden resident.

Dunnock

Common garden resident.

Robin

Common, and very tame, garden resident.

Stonechat

A fairly common resident with several pairs breeding.

Whinchat

A pair bred in Glendale in 2008.

Wheatear

Very common summer visitor and regularly visits gardens.

Blackbird

Common garden resident.

Fieldfare

Common in winter and regularly feeds in gardens.

Redwing

Common in winter and regularly feeds in gardens.

Song Thrush

Common garden resident.

Mistle Thrush

A regular but scarce winter visitor with usually only 1 or 2 birds present for a few weeks each year.

Blackcap

Common summer visitor. Does over-winter occasionally.

Chiffchaff

Passage visitor and has over-wintered in Milovaig.

Willow Warbler

Common summer visitor. Nests in gardens.

Sedge Warbler

A scarce summer visitor. A pair may have bred in 2008.

Goldcrest

Regularly visits gardens all year round.

Blue Tit

Common resident. Visit bird tables constantly.

Great Tit

Common resident. Visit bird tables constantly.

Coal Tit

Regularly visit gardens and bird feeders.

Long-Tailed Tit

Occasional visitor to gardens.

Treecreeper

Now becoming an increasingly scarce winter visitor.

Starling

Garden resident.

Jackdaw

Regular visitor.

Raven

Common. Nest on cliffs around Milovaig. Often visit gardens.

Hooded Crow

Very common. Common garden visitor.

Rook

Regular visitor.

House Sparrow

Resident in very small numbers. Occasionally visit the bird tables.

Tree Sparrow

A very rare visitor with only a single record at Milovaig in 2008.

Chaffinch

Common resident with up to 30 on the bird tables at a time.

Siskin

Regular visitors that often use bird feeders.

Greenfinch

Common resident with up to 40 on the bird table at a time.

Goldfinch

Regular visitors that often use bird feeders.

Redpoll

Regular garden visitor. Mostly in summer.

Twite

Large numbers breed locally. Occasionally use bird feeders in late summer.

Linnet

Scarce passage migrant.