Wildlife Sightings in Glendale, Skye in 2020

December 2020

30th

The juvenile golden eagle was seen again on the top road in Lower Milovaig at mid-day, heading over the grazings towards Oisgill.

29th

A juvenile golden eagle flew low along the top road in Lower Milovaig and across the grazings towards Oisgill at mid-day. It is exceptionally rare to see goldies in the townships.

21st

There were three common crossbills in MacDougall's Spruces at Lower Milovaig at 3pm that flew off south.

12th

The juvenile Iceland gull is still at Lower Milovaig. Seen on the white beach and also on the pontoon today.

10th

Two long-tailed tits flew across the road at Skye Silver, mid morning (Alison Stables).

9th

There was a drake goosander off the white beach at Lower Milovaig at 2pm.

6th

There was a harbour porpoise in Moonen Bay and a pod of 12+ common dolphins plus another harbour porpoise out towards South Uist, as viewed from Neist.

There were 14 little grebes and 6 goldeneye on Loch Mor. There was a late skylark at Neist Point.

5th

Two near-adult white-tailed eagles have been hanging around Lower Milovaig for the last week and giving very close views today.

1st

There was a reed bunting on the top road in Lower Milovaig at 11:30am.

November

28th

There was a juvenile Iceland gull on the skerries in Loch Pooltiel, late morning.

16th

The first two returning winter-plumage black guillemots were in outer Loch Pooltiel at mid-day.

15th

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

14th

There was a mistle thrush at the Starhouse, Upper Milovaig, late morning. There was a juvenile Iceland gull on the white beach at Lower Milovaig at mid-day.

A group of six white-fronted geese flew south down the Minch off Lower Milovaig at 2pm.

9th

There was a dipper at the pool beside the bottom road in Upper Milovaig at mid-day. The first great northern diver of the winter was in outer Loch Pooltiel.

7th

There were several harbour porpoises out in the Minch off Neist today, with a family pod of 3 in Moonen bay by the crane, mid afternoon.

There was a late arctic skua south at Neist Point. There were 15 purple sandpipers and a turnstone on the point.

There was a juvenile Iceland gull on the skerries in Loch Pooltiel, mid afternoon.

6th

There were two juvenile Iceland gulls, one biscuity and one pure white, on the White Beach at Lower Milovaig at mid-day.

4th

Two first winter glaucous gulls and a first winter Iceland gull turned up on the white beach at Lower Milovaig at 10:40am.

2nd

There were 8 wigeon and 4 teal on Loch Dunvegan at Skinidin at 2pm.

There was a fieldfare in the trees opposite Café Lephin at 8am.

1st

The first fieldfare and only our third redwing of the winter were on the top road at Upper Milovaig. The winter thrushes have been very scarce so far.

October

21st

There were 21 whooper swans on Loch Mor at 1:15pm (per skye-birds.com).

20th

There were two grey wagtails on the cobbles at Meanish, early afternoon, that flew across to Scorr Farm.

18th

There were at least four minke whales in the Minch off Neist Point, with some very close approaches in the afternoon. There were at least four harbour porpoises off Neist in the afternoon, with three in Moonen Bay.

There were c.30 bottlenose dolphins close in at the point in the morning (Nick & Charlotte - Cetacean Watch UK).

There was a bonxie and a pale-phase arctic skua of Neist in the afternoon. There were 10 turnstones and 2 purple sandpipers on the point in the afternoon.

17th

The first redwing of the autumn was at Lephin Cottage at 3pm. There was a late linnet on croft 2 Lephin at 8am.

16th

There were 3+ long-tailed tits eating apples in the garden at 2 Lower Milovaig at 5:45pm (Alison Stables).

15th

Orcas John Coe and Aquarius were far out off-shore from 10am onwards and came very close in at Neist Point around mid-day before heading over towards Harris (Nick & Charlotte, Cetacean Watch UK - Insta).

There was also a minke whale off Neist (Donald Shields).

14th

There was a pod of about 30 common dolphins in outer Loch Pooltiel at around 5:30pm that split and a group of 10 came into the loch as far as the black beach.

Six possible white-beaked dolphins wee photographed off Neist Point (Donald Shields).

11th

There was a late linnet in the garden of Granny Mary's cottage in the afternoon.

5th

There was a report of a pod of common dolphins around 200m from Pooltiel Fish Farm at 3:20pm (Jo Rose).

There were two probable slavonian grebes at the Scorr Farm side of Loch Pooltiel at 5:30pm.

September

29th

There was a flock of 30 song thrushes near the Three Chimneys at Colbost at 8am.

27th

Orcas JC and Aquarius spent at least 50 minutes this afternoon at Neist Point. They were feeding very close to shore at the tip of the point before heading off towards Harris at 2:45pm (Shelley Styles, Luke Brown, Andy Stables et al).

21st

There was a great spotted woodpecker calling in Dunvegan Castle Woods, east of the road in the morning (Lynden Schofield).

20th

There were a minke whale and 12 common dolphins far out off Neist at mid-day.

There were five manx shearwaters and two bonxies during a 3.5 hour seawatch at Neist.

19th

A pod of 8 common dolphins did a couple of circuits around Loch Pooltiel for about an hour in the evening.

15th

There were a minke whale and 20 common dolphins off Benbecula, as viewed from Neist Point, late morning.

A 2.5 hour seawatch at Neist produced: 4 arctic skuas, 1 bonxie, 1 manx shearwater, 4 red-throated divers.

There were quite a few migrants on the point: 2 late skylarks, 5 wheatears, 30 twite, 6 pied wagtails.

8th

There was a late wheatear at the foot of the steps at Neist Point in the afternoon.

7th

There was a late lesser black-backed gull on the skerries in Loch Pooltiel at dusk.

6th

There were 12 common dolphins off South Uist, as viewed from Neist Point at mid-day. There were eight harbour porpoises in the Minch off Neist from 11am until 2pm. There was a minke whale off Benbecula, as viewed from Neist at 1pm.

During a four hour seawatch at Neist Point: a single bonxie went south and a total of 30 manx shearwaters went mostly north. There was a late wheatear in the fank at 6 Waterstein.

3rd

There was a male whitethroat in the garden at 2 Lower Milovaig at 8am.

August

30th

A pod of 8 common dolphins spent about an hour feeding in inner Loch Pooltiel just before dark

29th

There was a minke whale far out in the Minch towards Harris, as viewed from Lower Milovaig, at 6pm.

There was a late singing male willow warbler at Lephin at 7am.

25th

There was a pod of 12 common dolphins in inner Loch Pooltiel at 10am (Angela Dickinson. Andy Stables).

There were four common swifts at Neist Point today: two at the foot of the steps, one by the lighthouse and another went NW up the Minch. Six arctic skuas and six bonxies went past Neist Point in the afternoon.

A sub-adult white-tailed eagle came very low over the boatshed, near Meanish, at 5:30pm being pursued by two adults. There was a flock of 24 pied wagtails by the boatshed, early evening.

24th

There was a pod of around 100 common dolphins far out off Neist Point for most of the afternoon, slowly working their was south. A small pod of 4-6 harbour porpoises went south close into Neist Point in the afternoon.

There was a flock of 28 ravens circling over Neist Point car park, late afternoon. There were two leucorhoa-type wheatears at Neist Point. Four bonxies and two arctic skuas went south past Neist Point in the afternoon and several manx shearwaters went north.

23rd

There was a male whitethroat below the bottom road on croft 2 Lower Milovaig, mid morning.

21st

There was a pod of 20-30 common dolphins far out in the Minch off Lower Milovaig from 5:30pm until at least 5:45pm.

18th

A basking shark breached fairly close to Neist Point in the afternoon but then did not re-surface until it was close to North Uist. There was a minke whale far out off North Uist as viewed from Neist. There were several harbour porpoises in the Minch around Neist Point, with three passing north very close in. No dolphins today.

There were only 20 twite at Loch Mor viewpoint today but there was a flock of 25 at the lighthouse. A flock of 17 twite flew off the tip of Neist Point across the sea to North Uist. There were no skuas seen at all today in a five hour seawatch. Single manx shearwater. There were two turnstones on Neist Point.

17th

There was a pod of around 8 common dolphins and two harbour porpoises far out in the Minch off Neist Point in the afternoon. There was a harbour porpoise in Moonen Bay, late afternoon.

16th

There was a single minke whale far out of Neist in the afternoon. There were around 30 common dolphins far out off Neist most of the afternoon and 8 came in close to the lighthouse, mid afternoon. There were several porpoises off Neist in the afternoon.

There were 120 twite on power lines at the Loch Mor Viewpoint at mid-day. 7 arctic skuas and 4 bonxies went south past Neist over three hours in the afternoon.

15th

There was a raft of 150 kittiwakes on inner Loch Pooltiel, late afternoon onwards.

11th

There was a basking shark at Neist Point at mid-day. A pod of six Risso's dolphins spent from 12pm until at least 5:30pm feeding close into shore at Neist, predominantly in Moonen Bay. There were two pods of 20+ and 12+ common dolphins at Neist during the afternoon. There were several harbour porpoises close to shore at Neist during the afternoon.

There was a knot at Neist Point in the afternoon. An arctic skua and a bonxie flew south at Neist in the afternoon.

10th

A basking shark was delighting the crowds at Neist Point at mid-day. [View the VIDEO here]. A single minke whale went north a way out at Neist Point in the afternoon. There were 12 porpoises out in the Minch off Neist most of the afternoon.

A pale morph arctic skua and two manx shearwaters flew south at Neist in the afternoon. There were no bonxies at Neist today.

9th

There were 80+ common dolphins in four groups spread up from Minch from Canna to North Uist, as viewed from Neist Point, with a concentrated group of 30+ feeding well inside Moonen Bay, in the afternoon. [Some VIDEO available here]. Pics taken from the crane. Also, 12 harbour porpoises in small groups off Neist Point.

There was a single bonxie at Neist Point and a couple of manx shearwaters out in the Minch in the afternoon. The auks have left the nesting ledges now and largely dispersed.. The fulmars and kittiwakes that remain have large young that are fledging daily and many have already left the ledges.

8th

There was a pod of 20-30 dolphins below Dunvegan Head, which was possibly a mx of Risso's and common dolphins (Kathy Lindsley).

6th

An otter was photographed in a garden on the hill road in Lower Milovaig in the morning (Craig Compton).

There were 100+ house sparrows on/around the bird feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig at mid-day.

2nd

There were two puffins on the water off Neist Point and two bonxies there, early afternoon.

1st

A greenshank flew west past Meanish at 7:30pm.

July

29th

There were two pods of 12 and 4 common dolphins far out in the Minch off Lower Milovaig from 5:30pm until at least 8pm. There were two harbour porpoises off Pooltiel Fish Farm at 5:30pm.

28th

There were two harbour porpoises close in shore at Neist Point in the afternoon.

21st

There was a significant passage of manx shearwaters and puffins at Neist Point, with 300+ manxies and 20+ puffins passing south over a three hour period. There was also a wheatear showing characteristics of the Greenland race, leucorhoa.

20th

There were 200+ manx shearwaters off Neist Point in the afternoon, with many heading south but lots in rafts on the water and some quite close to shore. There were four puffins on the water off Neist and two bonxies.

19th

There was a pod of ~5 Risso's dolphins in Loch Pooltiel at 7:55am (Michael Ryding) that departed past Meanish Pier at 8:45am..

18th

There were two adult black-headed gulls with three young juveniles on the white beach at Lower Milovaig at 4:30pm.

17th

There was a report of around 20 (common?) dolphins breaching near the lighthouse at Neist at around 2pm (Sylvia Porter) and a report of 6 or 7 (Risso's?) dolphins (Vicky & Gene Parlane) at 3:30pm.

There was a juvenile common whitethroat in the garden at 2 Lower Milovaig at 3:30pm.

There was a pale phase arctic skua and a bonxie at Neist Point (Stu Critchfield).

12th

Orca "John Coe" surfaced several times within yards of the shore at Neist Point at 1:30pm before spending until at least 3pm feeding far out in the Minch off North Uist and Benbecula. A pod of six Risso's dolphins went north past Neist Point at 1:20pm.

10th

There was a roe deer buck running around in the road at Hamara Lodge at 7am. This is the first record for roe deer in Glendale since July 7th, 2013.

Two pairs of white-tailed eagles in Glendale successfully fledged three young between them this season. The last two left the nest today. A pair of peregrines successfully fledged two young this week. A pair of buzzards at Milovaig successfully fledged one young today.

8th

The pod of 5-7 bottlenose dolphins came into Loch Pooltiel again briefly at 8:30pm, close to the pier.

6th

A pod of around 12 common dolphins came into Loch Pooltiel at around 8:15pm.

2nd

A group of 5 to 7 bottlenose dolphins put on a fantastic show in Loch Pooltiel at around 11:15am, breaching several times within 10 metres of the pier on their way out.

1st

There was a brown hare in the road at Hamara Lodge at 11pm. This is the first record for around 10 years in Glendale.

June

30th

Six manx shearwaters flew east across outer Loch Pooltiel, early evening. A juvenile white-tailed eagle flew south along the bottom road through Milovaig, early evening.

27th

Far out in the Minch, off North Uist as viewed from Neist Point, at mid-day were a minke whale, 2 adult & 1 calf harbour porpoises and two separate pods of 8 and 12 common dolphins.

Three puffins flew south past Neist Point at mid-day. Eight manx shearwaters flew north past Neist. There were two arctic skuas and a bonxie at Neist.

25th

The pod of six or seven orcas was off Harris, as viewed from Lower Milovaig between 5:30pm and 6pm.

23rd

A pair of lesser black-backed gulls are nesting in the herring gull colony at Neist Point. The first time this species has ever nested at Neist Point. There were two arctic terns attacking seabirds along the cliff north of Neist Point on the Waterstein grazings.

21st

There was a pod of at least 8 common dolphins off Pooltiel Fish Farm, early evening.

20th

There was a single harbour porpoise close to shore at Neist Point at mid-day (Alison Stables).

There were four puffins close inshore at Neist Point at mid-day. Also an arctic skua and bonxie there.

19th

There was a pod of 20-30 common dolphins off North Uist as viewed from the Waterstein grazings at 4:15pm (Sam Bilner).

15th

There was a pod of 6 or 7 orcas (killer whales) off North Uist as viewed from Lower Milovaig at 1pm. They gradually worked their way down the Minch and last seen close to Barra (viewed from Neist Point) at 4pm. The pod had a bull, two females and 3 or 4 calves/juveniles.

14th

There were a pair of harbour porpoises close to shore at Neist Point with a dead calf that the female was repeatedly nudging to try to revive it (Sam Bilner, Alison Stables).

There was a common tern surface feeding in the loch at Skinidin, early afternoon.

A pale phase and two dark phase arctic skuas flew south at Neist Point, early afternoon.

11th

There was a spotted flycatcher in the trees beside the road at Hamara Lodge, early evening.

6th

There were six migrant house martins feeding amongst MacDougal's Spruces, early evening.

3rd

A harbour porpoise came very close to shore at Neist Point, early afternoon.

A juvenile white-tailed eagle raided the fulmar colony on the Stallion's Head at Neist Point at mid-day. The first baby wheatears had fledged today at Neist Point. The summering pair of bonxies were still at Neist Point. There was a single white wagtail at Neist Point.

2nd

There is still a white wagtail coming to spills under the bird feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig.

1st

There was a pod of orcas (killer whales) off Neist Point that headed up the Minch at 12:30pm. This was the same pod that we saw on Saturday but they were much closer, which allowed us to see that they were a bull, two females and two small calves. The pod was seen again at 7pm by someone in the Shiant Isles, heading from Staffin across to Gairloch. The bull is thought to be either Hulk (a Scotland-Iceland migrant) or Busta (one of the northern isles orcas).

There were also two harbour porpoises close in to the shore at Neist and another four out in the Minch.

There were two bonxies at Neist Point and an arctic skua flew south past Neist Point, early afternoon.

May

31st

There were two pairs of lapwings at Ramasaig. There was a juvenile white-tailed eagle at Ramasaig. A bonxie flew along the Ramasaig cliff top, across Ramasaig Bay and then on along the Hoe. There was a house martin feeding along the shore at Ramasaig Bay at mid-day.

30th

There were three orcas (killer whales) off Neist Point. They were far out in the Minch between South Uist and Canna at 1pm. Worked their way into the sound between Rum and Skye before doubling back around Canna.

There were two bonxies at Neist Point.

There were two house martins collecting mud for a nest on the bottom road in Upper Milovaig all day.

28th

The tree sparrow was still visiting the feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig but was not seen again afterwards.

26th

There was a singing male whitethroat in the garden at Mandallagh Cottage, Lower Milovaig at mid-day.

24th

The first pair of siskins of the spring were on the bird feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig, early afternoon.

23rd

There was a group of five shelduck circling over Loch Pooltiel at 7pm. The pair of stonechats nesting at Meanish successfully fledged at lest two young.

21st

There was a house martin at Upper Milovaig, early evening.

20th

There was a ringed plover on the grass west of Meanish at dusk.

18th

There were five sand martins feeding at Meanish, early evening. There is still a white wagtail coming for spills from the bird feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig.

17th

The first sedge warbler was singing at Lephin, late evening.

16th

There was a 2CY Iceland Gull at Meanish, late morning.

There was a house martin, four sand martins and eight swallows in a small flock of migrant hirundines at Meanish, late evening. A bonxie briefly attacked gulls at Meanish, late evening, before heading out to sea.

A pair of linnets and a pair of stonechats are nesting near Meanish and currently making anxiety calls.

15th

There was a drake eider on the skerries in Loch Pooltiel, early evening. There are still two sand martins feeding around the white beach and 2-4 Lower Milovaig.

12th

There were two sand martins feeding below the bottom road on 4 Lower Milovaig, mid morning. These are the first sand martins we have had this year.

The tree sparrow that re-appeared at the bird feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig has an injured leg and is unable to put any weight on it. The bird has totally different behaviour to the previous bird. It is less shy and perches openly on the table. It will eat fat balls. The bird that over-wintered was very shy, always perching in one bush and using the same perch at the same seed feeder. It never touched fat balls.

10th

Sadly, Milovaig's last remaining specimen of early purple orchid, which had been coming into bloom over the last few days, was gone today. Only the torn stem remained, suggesting that someone had picked it.

9th

A group of seven brent geese were photographed at the shore at Meanish in the morning (Angie Atherton).

8th

The first baby house sparrows fledged today at 2 Lower Milovaig.

There was a single whimbrel at Meanish at 7:45pm.

7th

There were two singing male grasshopper warblers on 3 & 4 Lephin at 10:30pm.

6th

There were two male tawny owls hooting simultaneously at Lephin at 10:30pm.

5th

The tree sparrow re-appeared at the bird feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig in the morning for the first time since April 20th.

4th

The grasshopper warbler was reeling again above the Holmisdale road on 3/4 Lephin at 8:30am.

3rd

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

2nd

The singing male grasshopper warbler was putting on a good show near the shop on 3 Lephin, mid afternoon.

There were three white wagtails and two Greenland wheatears around the Milovaig loop in the morning.

1st

There were five whimbrels at Meanish at 6:15pm. There was a pair of linnets on the bottom road in Lower Milovaig, early evening.

There was a singing male grasshopper warbler on croft 3 Lephin at 10:15pm and the male tawny owl was hooting again at Hamara Parks.

April

30th

There was a male tawny owl hooting at Lephin at 10:15pm.

28th

There was a white wagtail at Meanish and another below the bottom road in Upper Milovaig. There was a white wagtail under the bird feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig at 2pm.

27th

There was a leucorhoa male wheatear below the top road in Lower Milovaig at mid-day. A white wagtail was taking spills below the bird feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig, late evening.

25th

There were 30+ puffins in outer Loch Pooltiel and many hundreds of auks flying south down the Minch off Lower Milovaig. A pair of swallows were back at the byre on the top road in Upper Milovaig. The first singing male whitethroat was back in Ron & Glenda's garden at Lower Milovaig.

24th

A swallow, only the 3rd of the spring, was feeding around the spruces at 2 Lower Milovaig, early morning.

There were two puffins and 20+ razorbills off Meanish, early evening.

A cuckoo was calling at Lephin in the afternoon and evening.

22nd

The first cuckoo was heard at Lephin at 8am (Andrea Cross).

There was a swallow at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop in the evening. This is only the 2nd swallow in Glendale so far this spring.

21st

There was a whinchat on the top road in Lower Milovaig that flew over to 13 Upper Milovaig.

There were two common sandpipers on the white beach at Lower Milovaig.

20th

The tree sparrow came to the feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig in the morning but has not been seen since.

19th

A magpie flew south below the bottom road in Lower Milovaig heading towards Upper Milovaig/Borrodale. The first twites were back, with a total of 5 at Upper Milovaig. There was a Greenland-race wheatear on the top road in Lower Milovaig.

18th

The first common sandpiper was calling on the shore west of Meanish, late morning. There was a summer-plumage great northern diver off Meanish, late morning.

In the evening there were two great northern divers at Meanish, one winter and the summer bird plus a single red-throated diver.

17th

There was a female reed bunting in the garden at 6 Waterstein (Brian Smith).

16th

There were three turnstones by the slipway at Meanish, late morning (Alison Stables).

15th

There was a 2nd winter glaucous gull briefly on the white beach at Lower Milovaig at 5pm.

The puffin was still in outer Loch Pooltiel off Meanish.

14th

A flock of 25 whooper swans flew north up the Minch off Lower Milovaig, late morning. A flock of 30 unidentified grey geese flew north over Lower Milovaig, late morning.

There was a single puffin off Meanish and two male plus one female red-breased merganser off the white beach at Lower Milovaig, early evening.

13th

There were two juvenile golden eagles high over the seaward end of the Milovaig loop, late morning. There was a great northern diver off Meanish, early evening.

The first two singing male willow warblers were back at Lephin today.

12th

The first two singing male willow warblers were back at the boatshed, Lower Milovaig this morning.

A putative lesser snow goose flew in off the sea at Waterstein, heading towards Loch Mor at around 2:20pm but was not seen again (Rhona Smith). If accepted by the Highland rarities committee this would be only the second ever record for Skye.

11th

There was a drake red-breasted merganser at Meanish, late evening.

9th

There was a 2nd winter Iceland gull at the fish farm early evening.

A flock of 18 golden plovers were circling over the bottom road in Lower Milovaig at 7pm.

7th

There was a male merlin near Carters' Rest at mid-day.

6th

The first swallow was over the bottom road in Lower Milovaig at mid-day.

4th

Two flocks of 25 pink-footed geese went north over Milovaig during the day.

3rd

There was a summer-plumage great northern diver by the fish farm at 7pm.

2nd

There were nine adult, summer-plumage black-headed gulls on the skerries in Loch Pooltiel, late morning.

The tree sparrow is still coming to bird feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig.

March

29th

There were six immature white-tailed eagles at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop, late morning and then a short time later a flock of eight juv/sub-ad white-tailed eagles was on the Borrodale grazings, near Waterstein/Upper Milovaig road.

There was a flock of 20 icelandic redwings on the top road in Lower Milovaig at mid-day.

28th

Two skeins of 50 and 12 pink-footed geese battled against the wind heading north up the Minch off Lower Milovaig. The first linnet was on the top road in Lower Milovaig. There were four mixed juvenile/sub-adult white-tailed eagles at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop. There was a redpoll in MacDougal's spruces. There were two peregrine falcons over the bottom road in Lower Milovaig. There were two white wagtails on the top road in Lower Milovaig.

27th

There were 8 male and 2 female wheatears around the Milovaig loop (Alison Stables). There was a great northern diver on Loch Pooltiel in the morning (Anne Powell).

26th

There were 7 male and 2 female wheatears around the Milovaig loop (Alison Stables). The first redpolls were back at Milovaig and Lephin.

25th

There was a pod of around eight common dolphins in Loch Pooltiel near the fish farm at mid-day.

The first wheatears were back with two at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop and another below the bottom road in Lower Milovaig.

24th

There were five redshank on the white beach at Lower Milovaig that flew off south, inland.

22nd

20 whooper swans flew north over Lower Milovaig, late morning.

21st

The first chiffchaff was in spruces by the boatshed at Lower Milovaig, late morning. Another chiffchaff was reported at Holmisdale (Gareth Craft).

There were three pied wagtails taking spills from bird feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig all day.

20th

There was a single lapwing displaying, a lesser black-backed gull plus three adults and a juvenile white-tailed eagle at Ramasaig.

19th

There were nine whooper swans on the sea, far out in the Minch, off Neist that took off and went north past the point. The fulmars, kittiwakes and razorbills are back on the ledges at Neist for the first time this year. Several gannets off shore there. There were two juvenile white-tailed eagles over Bioda Mor.

18th

There was a single lesser black-backed gull on the white beach at Lower Milovaig all afternoon.

There was a juvenile white-tailed eagle near the fish farm, late morning.

There were four lesser black-backed gulls roosting at Hamara Parks at 4pm.

10th

There were two pied wagtails by the Community Hall at 8am and still one at Meanish.

9th

The first two pied wagtails of the spring were back this morning, with one a Meanish and another on the top road in Lower Milovaig. There were two shelducks on the white beach at Lower Milovaig at mid-day. There was an adult white-tailed eagle on the white beach at Upper Milovaig at 12:30pm.

8th

The first lesser black-backed gull of the spring was at Hamara Parks at 3:30pm. There was a single skylark on the bottom road in Lower Milovaig. There are small groups of Icelandic redwings passing through on their return journey.

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

There was a dead smooth newt on the road at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop.

3rd

There was a juvenile white-tailed eagle over Pooltiel Fish Farm, early afternoon.

February

29th

A group of three skylarks and the first two meadow pipits were at the seaward end of Lower Milovaig. There was a female red-breasted merganser off the white beach at Lower Milovaig.

There was a drake goosander on the white-beach at Lower Milovaig.

27th

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

25th

There were six skylarks on the Waterstein Grazings. First of the season (Rhona Smith).

23rd

There were two great northern divers at Meanish, late afternoon. The yellow-legged gull was on the white beach at 10am.

22nd

A peregrine was hunting rock doves on the bottom road in Lower Milovaig at mid-day. The yellow-legged gull was on the white beach at Lower Milovaig most of the day. This is now its 365th day here in Glendale. The tree sparrow is still coming to feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig.

18th

There were two otters fishing off the white beach at Lower Milovaig, late morning, that were bringing their catches ashore to eat.

A white-tailed eagle circled over the white beach at Lower Milovaig, early morning, and then landed for a short while on Beinn Bhuidhe.

17th

 A 2nd winter Iceland gull flew past Meanish and north over the Minch, early afternoon. There was a great northern diver close to the shore near Meanish in the afternoon. The yellow-legged gull was on the white beach at Lower Milovaig, early afternoon. The tree sparrow is still coming to feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig.

1st

The yellow-legged gull was on the skerries in the afternoon. The tree sparrow is still visiting bird feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig. Our local adult male white-tailed eagle chased off a juvenile over the bottom road in Lower Milovaig, mid afternoon.

January 2020

27th

The yellow-legged gull was in a sheep park below the road in Lower Milovaig, mid afternoon.

26th

The yellow-legged gull was on the white-beach and skerries during the morning. The tree sparrow is still coming to feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig.

14th

The yellow-legged gull was showing well at the seaward end of the Milovaig loop this morning.

12th

The yellow-legged gull was beside the bottom road in Lower Milovaig at 9am and then roosting on the white beach for the rest of the morning. The tree sparrow is still visiting feeders at 2 Lower Milovaig.

There was a jack snipe caught in headlights on the bottom road in Lower Milovaig at 5:30pm.

3rd

The yellow-legged gull was on the white beach at Lower Milovaig, early afternoon and the drake goosander is still present.

2nd

There was still a drake goosander off the white beach at Lower Milovaig all day.

1st

There were two drake goosanders off the white-beach at Lower Milovaig in the morning and one there till dusk.