Wildlife Sightings in Glendale, Skye in 2018

December 2018

29th

The peregrine was hunting again over the bottom road in Lower Milovaig, mid afternoon, and flew over the loch to Scorr Farm (Alison Stables).

27th

There was a peregrine hunting rock doves in the garden at 2 Lower Milovaig at 1:50pm.

23rd

The over-wintering grey wagtail at Lower Milovaig was on the bottom road this morning. There are now three winter plumage black guillemots back on Loch Pooltiel. There was no sign of the greater white-fronted goose at Waterstein today.

20th

There was a woodcock on the verge at Skinidin at 8:10am.

19th

There was a barn owl hunting on croft 3 Lephin, beside the community hall, at 8am.

14th

There was a woodcock in the road outside the Community Hall at 8am.

11th

There was a woodcock at Hamara Parks, near Lephin, at 8am. The winter-plumage black guillemot was off the skerries in Loch Pooltiel, late morning.

10th

There was a female grey wagtail on the top road in Lower Milovaig at mid-day.

9th

An adult white tailed eagle flew low along Druim nan Sgarbh towards Oisgill Bay at 3:50pm.

5th

The first returning winter plumage black guillemot was back on Loch Pooltiel this morning.

The Greenland white-front is still at Waterstein. Tonight in the company of the long-staying whooper swan.

4th

The Greenland white-fronted goose is still present with the greylags at Waterstein. There was a jack snipe at Neist Point. There were two goosanders on Loch Mor.

3rd

There was a juvenile whooper swan on Loch Pooltiel that later flew towards Feriniquarrie. There was a grey wagtail below the top road in Lower Milovaig. A juvenile white-tailed eagle came off the Lower Milovaig grazings, over the top road and across Loch Pooltiel, late morning.

There was a Greenland white-fronted goose with greylags beside Kelpie Crafts at Waterstein at 4pm.

November

29th

There were two long-tailed tits in the garden at Lephin Cottage at mid-day.

28th

There is still a male blackcap coming to their garden at Feriniquarrie daily (Sue Mansell).

25th

A juvenile white-tailed eagle flew over the bottom road in Upper Milovaig at 12:15pm, heading towards Pollosgan.

There was a whooper swan on croft 6 Waterstein at 2:30pm (Brian Smith).

20th

A white-tailed eagle was over the bottom road in Lower Milovaig at 10am and headed off towards the top road. Another white-tailed eagle was on Dunvegan Head, late morning, and a juvenile white-tailed eagle was on the Lower Milovaig grazings, late morning.

There was a peregrine falcon above the bottom road in Upper Milovaig at mid-day. There were two late meadow pipits at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop.

19th

The male blackcap was in the garden again at 2 Lower Milovaig, early morning.

17th

There was an adult white-tailed eagle low over the skerries in Loch Pooltiel at 8:30am being attacked by gulls. It flew off towards Meanish.

There was an adult white-tailed eagle over Moonen Bay at mid-day that headed inland towards Milovaig. Two late gannets went south past Neist Point. Other birds passing Neist Point included: 2 razorbills, 30 common guillemots, dozens of kittiwakes, a black-headed gull and a red-throated diver. There was a male stonechat on the steps at Neist Point.

There were 16 little grebes and six goldeneye on Loch Mor.

There was a common crossbill briefly in spruces at Ferinquarrie (Lynden Schofield).

13th

There were two adult white-tailed eagles over Dunvegan Head, late morning. There was a stonechat on the top road in Lower Milovaig and a pair of stonechats on the bottom road in Upper Milovaig. The male blackcap was still in the garden at 2 Lower Milovaig.

12th

There were a pair of tawny owls calling in the garden at 2 Lower Milovaig at 8:20pm.

11th

There was a flock of c.50 redwings on the top road in Upper Milovaig at mid-day.

An adult white-tailed eagle landed on the skerries in Loch Pooltiel at 1am before flying across to a viewpoint overlooking the white beach, where it remained until 1:45pm. At 3:15pm, it appeared again flying across Loch Pooltiel, very low over the water heading towards Pollosgan.

There was a male blackcap in the garden at 2 Lower Milovaig at 3:30pm.

4th

The female blackcap was still coming to windfall apples at 2 Lower Milovaig in the morning.

3rd

There was a female blackcap feeding on windfall apples at 2 Lower Milovaig, mid afternoon.

1st

Very vocal female tawny owl in the spruces at 2 Lower Milovaig at 8:45pm.

October

30th

There was a late female blackcap and two, late goldcrests at MacDougal's Spruces, Lower Milovaig, late morning. There was a greenshank on the white beach at Lower Milovaig, late morning. There was a single whooper swan on Loch Pooltiel opposite the skerries, late morning.

28th

The whooper swan is still on the Hamara at Ferinquarrie. This is likely to be the same bird that regularly over-winters here in Glendale.

There were at least two bramblings in the garden at 1 Lower Milovaig with a flock of chaffinches and another brambling in the garden at 2 Lower Milovaig that flew off towards Feriniquarrie. There was a flock of 30 redwings on the top road in Lower Milovaig.

There was a bat feeding over the shoreline near Meanish Pier, late morning, that flew off south.

22nd

There was a whooper swan on the Hamara River (Lynden Schofield).

21st

There was a white-tailed eagle over Beinn Bhuidhe, Upper Milovaig at 1:10pm.

There were three bramblings visiting bird feeders at Feriniquarrie (Lynden Schofield).

15th

Winter thrushes arriving now, with 10 redwings, 3 mistle thrushes, 10+ blackbirds and 10+ song thrushes in the gardens at 1 and 2 Lower Milovaig this morning.

There was an adult white-tailed eagle over Druim nan Sgarbh, Waterstein at 5pm. There were 10 lapwings at Loch Mor, late afternoon. There were 10 little grebes and 2 tufted ducks on Loch Mor, late afternoon. There was a single jack snipe at Neist Point in the afternoon.

There was a late juvenile swallow at Lephin in the afternoon (Lynden Schofield).

10th

There was a chiffchaff on croft 2 Lephin at 8am.

There were ten whooper swans resting in the mouth of the Hamara and an adult white-tailed eagle over the Hamara at Lephin (Lynden Schofield).

9th

At least 1 redwing at Feriniquarrie and 5 probable migrant song thrushes (Lynden Schofield).

6th

There were 5 little grebes, 3 tufted duck and a goldeneye on Loch Mor (Lynden Schofield).

5th

There was a single pink-footed goose with the greylags on the camp-site road at Dunvegan at 8am.

2nd

There were two white-tailed eagles at Borrodale at 10:30am.

1st

There was an otter fishing and then rolling in the seaweed at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop, late morning.

There was an adult white-tailed eagle circling off Dunvegan Head, late morning. A group of 11 whooper swans flew south over Loch Pooltiel, late morning.

September

30th

There was a late skylark in the garden at 6 Waterstein (Brian Smith).

24th

There was a white-tailed eagle calling at Moonen Bay at mid-day.

16th

There was a late wheatear above the top road in Upper Milovaig at mid-day. There was a single twite heading south along the bottom road in Lower Milovaig, late morning.

3rd

Five Risso's dolphins put on a superb show at Neist Point for most of the afternoon. There were also a number of breaching porpoises out in the Minch off Neist Point.

There was a late wheatear on the top road in Upper Milovaig at mid-day.

1st

There was a flock of 80 linnets on croft 2 Lephin, mid afternoon. At 5:50pm, a juvenile white-tailed eagle flew over Borrodale and onwards to the Lephin grazings.

August

28th

There was a whitethroat in the garden at 2 Lower Milovaig at 5pm.

25th

An adult white-tailed eagle flew over the white beach at Lower Milovaig and then along the bottom road towards the pier at 10:30am.

21st

An otter went across the B884 near the Three Chimneys at Colbost at 7:30am, heading towards Loch Dunvegan.

20th

A golden eagle perching on a fence post in Glendale. Though this does happen, it is rare to see or photograph. Ordinarily any brown bird of prey you see sitting on a fence post will be a buzzard.

A cycle ride along the Ramasaig road produced 25 golden plovers and a flock of 40 twite (Lynden Schofield).

19th

An adult white-tailed eagle flew over the white beach at Lower Milovaig, across Loch Pooltiel, to Dunvegan Head at mid-day. A second adult white-tailed eagle was over Rubha Ban soon after and flew across the mouth of Loch Pooltiel to Dunvegan Head. There was a grey wagtail at Upper Milovaig. There were around 12 migrant wheatears around the loop, including a few leucorhoa types. There has been a flock of up to 40 redpolls with 5 linnets behind the PO on croft 2 Lephin for the last few days.

This square-spot dart trapped last night at Lower Milovaig is only the third ever record of this nationally scarce B moth on the Isle of Skye (Alison Stables). It is the first record on Skye since 2014.

14th

The killer whale (orca) named 'John Coe' was seen from a boat off Dunvegan Head at 11:01am (per HWDT).

13th

A dead minke whale beside the big waterfall in Loch Pooltiel is now the third dead minke whale that has washed up on the shores of Glendale this summer. The other two were at Lorgill and Neist Point.

12th

An adult white-tailed eagle flew from Feriniquarrie, over croft 2 Lephin and onto the Lephin grazings, early evening.

11th

There was a pod of around 12 common dolphins far out in the Minch off Lower Milovaig, late afternoon, that were putting on an amazing display of breaching.

There were three leucorhoa wheatears on the bottom road in Upper Milovaig, early morning and another at Meanish Pier, late afternoon.

July

29th

Slightly outside of our patch, at Geary in Waternish this magnificent rosy starling has been present the last few days.

23rd

There was a sanderling at Neist Point and two sanderlings came in over the sea from the north and landed on the point. A total of 5 puffins flew south past Neist Point. A big flock of 400 kittiwakes (adult and juveniles) went south past Neist Point. There was a single bonxie.

17th

GLENDALE CALENDAR 2019
My 2019 Glendale Calendar is now on sale at £11.95 each plus P&P.

If you would like one please email me so that I can send you a paypal invoice. Let me know if you will collect or need it posted.

If you wish to collect, you can get it from me either in Glendale or Portree and they will also be on sale at Glendale Craft Fair on Tuesdays. I only have a limited number of copies, so don't delay.

The calendar is A4 folding out to A3.

16th

There was an otter on the shoreline at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop in the morning (Brian Smith).

A minke whale surfaced once at the shoreline at Neist Point, early afternoon. There were two harbour porpoises off Neist Point, early afternoon.

Three puffins flew south past Neist Point at mid-day. There was an arctic skua and a bonxie at Neist Point, early afternoon.

13th

There were five Risso's dolphins in Oisgill Bay in the morning (Brian Smith).

9th

Five Risso's dolphins went north past Neist Point, mid afternoon. There were several harbour porpoises around Neist Point all afternoon.

There was a pale-phase arctic skua and a bonxie at Neist Point, all afternoon.

8th

There were two or three harbour porpoises out in the Minch off Lower Milovaig, early afternoon.

2nd

There was a flock of 20 and a flock of 10 golden plovers, mostly juveniles, totalling 30 birds at Ramasaig. An adult white-tailed eagle flew across Moonen Bay onto the Ramasaig cliff.

June

30th

An otter was fishing in Loch Pooltiel (Jane Stewart).

There were several harbour porpoises feeding around Neist Point, early afternoon.

There were two arctic skuas attacking seabirds at Neist Point and a bonxie, mid afternoon. The kittiwakes and herring gulls now have young in the nest.

28th

A pod of common dolphins came into Loch Pooltiel and spent some time around the pier (Jane Stewart).

26th

There was a pod of at least eight harbour porpoises feeding around Pooltiel Fish Farm and across the mouth of the loch, late afternoon.

25th

There were two harbour porpoises off Neist Point, mid afternoon.

There were three arctic skuas at Neist Point (two dark phase and a pale phase), together with four bonxies, mid afternoon.

18th

There was a female grey wagtail on the burn on the top road in Upper Milovaig at mid-day.

A pair of oystercatchers were feeding two young chicks on the shore at Lower Milovaig.

11th

Four risso's dolphins went north past Neist Point at 1pm. There was a pod of 20 common dolphins far out in the Minch off Neist Point, early afternoon. There were several harbour porpoises feeding around Neist Point during the day.

10th

There was a common scoter in Loch Pooltiel, near the big waterfall at mid-day. This is the first known record of this species in Glendale. A pair of stonechats were feeding fledged young on the top road in Lower Milovaig. There are still a few late cuckoos around.

Two rare moths were trapped last night at Lower Milovaig: thyme pug and barred umber (Alison Stables). The thyme pug is only the third ever record on Skye and barred umber is only the tenth ever record on Skye. Both are firsts for Glendale.

9th

A pair of grey wagtails successfully fledged at least three young at Borrodale.

May

30th

There were at least two minke whales off Neist between 4pm and 5pm. One surfaced yards from the shore, another was working further out in the Minch and one surfaced towards Oisgill.

29th

There was an adult white-tailed eagle circling around Scoval masts at 4:15pm.

27th

There were four bonxies at Neist Point, two on the grass, and two arctic skuas and two puffins off-shore.

26th

The first midges were biting this evening. Thankfully, a few weeks later than usual.

24th

There was a small pod of around 12 common dolphins out in the Minch off Lower Milovaig, late evening.

There were two house martins at Feriniquarrie, early morning (Lynden Schofield).

22nd

A walk from Orbost Farm, part way to the Maidens, produced: three white-tailed eagles, whinchat, stonechat, whitethroat, blackcap, black-throated diver, bonxie at the beach, dozens of siskins and redpolls.

21st

There were two white-tailed eagles circling over the Lower Milovaig common grazings at sunset that flew over the loch to Dunvegan Head.

19th

There were two common terns on the skerries in Loch Pooltiel, mid afternoon. There was a cormorant on the shore at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop, mid afternoon. There was a white wagtail at Meanish.

14th

There was a single tree sparrow in her garden at Galtrigill yesterday, followed by an amazing count of eight today (Susannah Robson).

13th

The four tree sparrows were still coming to the feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig until 10am but were not seen again afterwards.

12th

Four tree sparrows turned up on the bird feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig this morning.

Two arctic skuas flew north past Neist Point at 1pm. Also at Neist Point around mid-day were four bonxies, a whimbrel and a leucorhoa male wheatear.

There were two house martins at Totaig (Lynden Schofield).

3rd

Yellow wagtail still present at Waterstein, early morning (Bob McMillan).

2nd

A yellow wagtail was found in Sam's sheep park opposite side of the road to Kelpie Crafts this morning (Lynden Schofield).

It was still present at 6:30pm. This is the first record on Skye since 2008 and the first ever record for Glendale.

April

30th

Very late this year, there was a cuckoo was calling at Lephin at 7:45am.

There was a bonxie sitting on the grass at Neist Point at mid-day.

29th

There were three linnets in the garden at 2 Lower Milovaig by late afternoon. There were two adult white-tailed eagles yelping and talon grappling over the top road in Lower Milovaig, late morning. A sub-adult white-tailed eagle was over the bottom road in Lower Milovaig, mid afternoon.

28th

There was a single whimbrel at Neist Point. Two adult white-tailed eagles put on an amazing show directly over the public footpath at Neist Point, late morning.

27th

There was a black-throated diver in the mouth of Loch Pooltiel. There was a group of three swallows on wires at Borrodale School and two twites at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop.

24th

There were two white wagtails at Meanish Pier, together with two common sandpipers. The male blackcap was feeding on the grassy area just south of Meanish.

22nd

Up to three twites have been at feeders in Feriniquarrie today and yesterday (Lynden Schofield).

21st

The first two common sandpipers were back on the white beach at Lower Milovaig, early afternoon.

A snipe has been drumming most evenings at dusk on croft 2 Lephin for about the last 10 nights.

There was a twite in the garden at 2 Lower Milovaig.

19th

There was a swallow over the B884 at Colbost at 8am. Only the 2nd of the spring in Glendale. Another swallow was seen at Lephin in the afternoon (Janet Kernachan).

There were three female and two male blackcaps on bird feeders in Feriniquarrie at 9am (Sue Mansell), an exceptional count.

15th

There was a male blackcap in the garden at 1 Lower Milovaig at 7:30am and a pair of blackcaps were at MacDougal's Spruces, Lower Milovaig, mid-morning.

150 pink-footed geese flew north over Lower Milovaig at 10:45am.

14th

There was a white wagtail at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop and another white wagtail above the bottom road in Upper Milovaig.

A peregrine flew south along the bottom road in Lower Milovaig, late morning. The great northern and black-throated divers were in the mouth of Loch Pooltiel, late morning.

13th

The first swallow was feeding over the white beach at Lower Milovaig, mid morning.

12th

The first minke whale was back off Neist Point and there were two harbour porpoises there too.

A pomarine skua flew north up the Minch off Neist Point.

Lots of birds migrating at Neist Point today:

1.  Bonxie.
2.  Iceland Gull.
3. Two skeins of pink-footed geese: 80 and 120 birds respectively.
4. One shelduck north.
5. 60 manx shearwaters.
6. 4 puffins north.
7. One twite flew off the point heading over the Minch towards Benbecula.
8. One linnet flew off the point over Moonen Bay towards Ramasaig.
9. One skylark went off the point over Minch towards South Uist.

The auks are back on the nesting ledges.

11th

There were a great northern diver and a red-throated diver off Meanish.

The first redpoll of the spring flew north along the bottom road in Lower Milovaig. A siskin flew north along the bottom road in Lower Milovaig. There were three redwings on the top road in Upper Milovaig and a singing male chiffchaff in the garden at 1 Lower Milovaig.

A male merlin flew across the B884 at Upper Milovaig, heading towards Borrodale School.

A woodcock is still present in the garden at 1 Lower Milovaig every evening at dusk.

10th

The first two singing male willow warblers were back at Lower Milovaig this morning, one in the garden at 1 Lower Milovaig and another at MacDougal's Spruces. There was a white wagtail on the bottom road in Upper Milovaig.

No redwings seen this morning.

9th

The large numbers of redwings and meadow pipits yesterday have all shot through. One flock of 30 redwings on the top road in Upper Milovaig remaining. Only the handful of meadow pipits in territory remaining.

Four migrant siskins landed briefly in Macdougal's Spruces at Lower Milovaig, late morning, before continuing north across Loch Pooltiel.

There were 26 wheatears around the Milovaig loop this morning, mostly pairs, with singing males, in territories.

The first small tortoiseshell butterfly was on the wing at Lephin (Alison Stables).

8th

A chiffchaff feeding in the garden at 2 Lower Milovaig flew off northwards along the bottom road around 9am. There was a white wagtail on the top road in Lower Milovaig and a pair of grey wagtails on the top road in Upper Milovaig. Two singing male stonechats in Lower Milovaig.

Large numbers of birds passing through 100+ redwings at Lower Milovaig and 200-300 meadow pipits around the Milovaig loop.

7th

More significant passage through Milovaig this morning with 20 redwings on the bottom road in Lower Milovaig, 20 redwings at Lephin, 6 redwings on the top road in Lower Milovaig. There were 18 wheatears at Milovaig, mostly dotted along the seaward end of the loop (only one was female and one was a singing male in territory). Lots of small groups of meadow pipits passing through, together with several pied wagtails.

2nd

A few redwings passing through today. One on the bottom road in Lower Milovaig and four on the top road in Upper Milovaig. Another six redwings at the Red Roof Café in the morning (Gareth Craft).

Wheatears still scarce but there were two below the bottom road in Upper Milovaig in the morning.

1st

There were three males and a female wheatear around the Milovaig loop, late morning. The grey wagtail is still on the top road in Upper Milovaig.

March

31st

A peregrine falcon was hunting at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop, late morning. A grey wagtail was again on the burn on the top road in Upper Milovaig and at mid-day a pair of grey wagtails flew north above the bottom road in Upper Milovaig.

The wheatears have vanished at Milovaig. None seen since Monday. This is extremely unusual behaviour, as once the first arrive the numbers normally build each day afterwards.

There were two lapwings at Hamara Parks, mid afternoon.

26th

A flock of 54 whooper swans went north over Neist Point at mid-day, followed by three unidentified grey geese. A group of five skylarks flew off the tip of Neist Point out over the Minch to South Uist.

The kittiwakes and fulmars are now back on the nesting ledges at Neist but still no auks. There were no wheatears at Neist or Waterstein but the birds are still present at Milovaig.

The little grebes have all gone from Loch Mor. There were six goldeneyes and three goosanders on there this morning.

25th

Grey wagtail still on the top road in Upper Milovaig. Only two wheatears found today, one below the bottom road in Upper Milovaig and another at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop.

24th

The first three male wheatears back at Milovaig this morning, two below the bottom road in Upper Milovaig and another at Meanish Pier.

A peregrine falcon stooped at a black guillemot on the loch at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop, late morning but failed to catch it.

There was a grey wagtail on the top road in Upper Milovaig. There has been a woodcock in the garden at 1 Lower Milovaig, at dusk, for the last two nights.

20th

The immature glaucous gull was off the white beach at Lower Milovaig at 11am.

18th

There were two immature golden eagles circling high out over the Minch that came in off the sea onto the Lower Milovaig grazings, late morning.

17th

There was an adult white-tailed eagle high over the bottom road in Lower Milovaig, late morning.

16th

There was a juvenile golden eagle over croft 2 Lephin at 5:45pm.

14th

The first lesser black-backed gulls were back in Glendale this evening, with one at Hamara Lodge and another on the playing field at Lephin.

13th

The first two pied wagtails of the spring, both males, were back at Upper Milovaig, below the bottom road, this morning. There was a mistle thrush on the top road in Upper Milovaig, late morning. A peregrine falcon flew from the top road in Upper Milovaig towards Feriniquarrie, late morning.

Goldfinches and starlings were all collecting nesting materials today.

12th

Steady stream of razorbills and gannets heading north past Neist Point all morning. Fulmars and shags back on the nesting ledges. Plenty of razorbills and a handful of guillemots back  but no auks on the ledges yet.

Five whooper swans still on Loch Mor, together with 16 little grebes and a pair of teal.

The immature glaucous gull was at Meanish Pier, early evening, and there were four red-throated divers on Loch Pooltiel in the evening.

11th

There were five whooper swans on Loch Mor at sunset.

10th

The immature glaucous gull was at Meanish Pier again, late morning. There was an adult white-tailed eagle over the bottom road in Lower Milovaig, mid afternoon.

6th

The immature glaucous gull attacked a herring gull at the sheep feeders beside the road in Hamara Parks, mid afternoon.

5th

There was a jack snipe in a ditch beside the bottom road in Lower Milovaig at 7:30am.

4th

There was an immature glaucous gull at Meanish Pier and later on the white beach at Upper Milovaig during the morning. There were an adult and juvenile white-tailed eagle circling together at the seaward end of the Milovaig Loop, being very vocal, mid morning. There was a flock of ten skylarks on the top road in Lower Milovaig, late morning and a single meadow pipit on the top road in Upper Milovaig, late morning.

There was an adult white-tailed eagle over the bottom road in Lower Milovaig at 4:50pm.

2nd

There was an adult white-tailed eagle circling very low over the bottom road in Lower Milovaig at dusk.

February

27th

There was a woodcock in the garden at 1 Lower Milovaig, early morning.

There was an adult glaucous gull on the white beach at Lower Milovaig, early afternoon. There were four juvenile golden eagles and a juvenile white-tailed eagle circling low over Lower Milovaig until mid afternoon.

26th

The long-staying whooper swan is still on the river Hamara at Hamara Parks.

There was a male tawny owl hooting from the Ferinquarrie direction at 11pm, heard from Lower Milovaig.

24th

There was a flock of 10 skylarks below the bottom road in Lower Milovaig all day.

21st

A male tawny owl was hooting at the top of croft 1 Lephin at 6:30pm.

18th

There was a gannet by the fish farm in outer Loch Pooltiel, late morning. More skylarks are returning. There were two below the bottom road on 4 Lower Milovaig and another two at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop.

12th

An adult Iceland Gull was eating the remains of a shag on the black beach by the Hamara (Lynden Schofield).

11th

The first meadow pipit was back today, in the sheep feeding area at 6 Waterstein.

5th

The first skylark was back at Lower Milovaig, mid morning.

4th

There were three red-throated divers in inner Loch Pooltiel and a black-throated diver off Meanish, late morning.

January 2018

29th

There was an adult white-tailed eagle low over the white beach at 10am.

28th

There were 85 grey seals on the skerries in Loch Pooltiel, late morning.

26th

There were a pair of golden plovers on the Glasphein/Ferinquarrie grazings (Donald Shields).

23rd

There was an immature glaucous gull on the white beach at Lower MIlovaig, early afternoon that flew off onto the skerries in Loch Pooltiel when disturbed.

At the same time, there was a male goosander off the white beach.

There is still a whooper swan on the river at Hamara Parks.

22nd

An adult white-tailed eagle was circling over Beinn Bhuidhe, Upper Milovaig at 1:30pm.

21st

An adult white-tailed eagle lifted off from the white beach at Lower Milovaig mid-morning, being attacked by gulls and crows, and flew very low around the shoreline towards Pollosgan.

20th

A white-tailed eagle flew from Dunvegan Head across to the Lower Milovaig grazings and an adult white-tailed eagle flew from Dunvegan Head towards Ramasaig, late morning. Several black guillemots back on Loch Pooltiel now in ranges of plumages from full summer to full winter. There were four red-throated divers on Loch Pooltiel and four cormorants on the shore at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop.

15th

Two adult white-tailed eagles flew south below the bottom road through Milovaig at 2:30pm.

9th

A juvenile white-tailed eagle was hunting low along the River Hamara, behind the Community Hall, at 10am. It made numerous dives at something on the ground before landing for a short while on the riverbank. It then headed off towards Pooltiel.

There was a whooper swan on the Hamara at Hamara Parks at 11am.

7th

There were a black-throated diver and a red-throated diver inside Loch Pooltiel, opposite the white beach, at mid-day. A cormorant flew over Loch Pooltiel towards Pollosgan at 1:45pm.

6th

A juvenile golden eagle flew from Lower Milovaig across to Feriniquarrie at 2pm.

1st

There were eight male (no female) goosanders, 8 goldeneye and 4 little grebes on Loch Mor at mid-day.

There was a whooper swan inland at Upper Milovaig (Clare Gray)

A very happy New Year to all the regular readers of this blog and a warm welcome to new visitors!