Scarce & Rare Sightings 2019

18th August

KINTYRE: A 1CY MEDITERRANEAN GULL came ashore briefly (but settled behind rocks) during a heavy shower at 10:22hrs then >S. (Eddie Maguire).
MID-ARGYLL: An imm LITTLE EGRET at Loch Gilp this morning (Jim Dickson).


15th August

KINTYRE: A 1CY MEDITERRANEAN GULL >S well offshore at 14:21hrs (Eddie Maguire).

MEDITERRANEAN GULL – MSBO, Kintyre 15th Aug (Eddie Maguire)

10th August

TIREE: A brief female TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL in garden at Balephuil 2.15-2.20pm this afternoon – it gave many piping alarm calls before heading off NW (John Bowler).
NORTH ARGYLL: An adult female GOSHAWK gave brief but excellent views on Lismore today (David Jardine).


4th August

TIREE: A SOOTY SHEARWATER off West Hynish with feeding raft of 900+ Manx Shearwaters (John Bowler).
MID-ARGYLL: An imm LITTLE EGRET again at the Add Estuary today (Jim Dickson).


1st August

MID-ARGYLL: An imm LITTLE EGRET at the Add Estuary this morning – probably the same bird that was last at Loch Gilp 10 days ago (Jim Dickson).


30th July

TIREE: 2 WOOD SANDPIPERS and 1 SPOTTED REDSHANK in central Tiree this afternoon – latter bird flew to Loch a’ Phuill, also 100s – 1000s of Painted Ladies on the island today (John Bowler).

WOOD SANDPIPER – TIREE 30th Jul (John Bowler).

28th July

TIREE: A GREEN SANDPIPER was at Loch a’ Phuill this afternoon (John Bowler).


27th July

KINTYRE: A juvenile (1CY) MEDITERRANEAN GULL flew S past Machrihanish SBO at 12:30 (Eddie Maguire).

Juv MEDITERRANEAN GULL – MSBO Kintyre 27th Jul (Eddie Maguire).
Juv MEDITERRANEAN GULL – MSBO Kintyre 27th Jul (Eddie Maguire).

25th July

MID-ARGYLL: An adult MEDITERRANEAN GULL at Loch Gilp late morning – also 1 Bar-tailed Godwit there (Jim Dickson).


21st July

MID-ARGYLL: The imm LITTLE EGRET still showing well at Loch Gilp (Jim Dickson).

LITTLE EGRET – Loch Gilp, Mid-Argyll 21 Jul (Jim Dickson).
LITTLE EGRET – Loch Gilp, Mid-Argyll 20 Jul (Jim Dickson).

19th July

MID-ARGYLL: An immature LITTLE EGRET at Loch Gilp this morning (Jim Dickson).

 


13th July

ISLAY: A first-summer (2CY) MEDITERRANEAN GULL was in with 150 Common Gulls at Bruichladdich today (Mike Peacock & Peter Roberts).

First-summer MEDITERRANEAN GULL – Islay 13 Jul (Mike Peacock)

12th July

JURA: A report of a ROSY STARLING at Craighouse over the last week. Seen by Gary Turnbull again on Sat 13 Jul.

ROSY STARLING – Craighouse, Jura 13th Jul (Gary Turnbull).

9th July

KINTYRE: A 2CY MEDITERRANEAN GULL was at Machrihanish SBO at 11:03hrs this morning – first at MSBO this year – it flew in from the north with a few Common Gulls (Eddie Maguire).
COWAL: A 3CY MEDITERRANEAN GULL was at Toward Point yesterday evening (Alistair McGregor).

Second-summer (3CY) MEDITERRANEAN GULL – Toward, Cowal 8th Jul (Alistair McGregor)
First-summer (2CY) MEDITERRANEAN GULL – MSBO, Kintyre 9th Jul (Eddie Maguire).

6th July

MULL: A male MARSH HARRIER was at Treshnish farm (NW Mull)  today- (Anand Prasad per Alan Spellman).


4th July

ISLAY: A male GOLDEN ORIOLE was seen flying along the roadside 1/4 mile south of the Laggan Bridge on B8016 at Avonvogie (Sandra & Ian Hardy).


1st July

MULL: According to Mullbirds website – the GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO has still been on Iona up to 29th June at least – therefore could perhaps still be on the island…


26th June

MULL: The GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO again near the hostel on Iona this morning.


25th June

MULL: The GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO again near the hostel on Iona from 10:40 am onwards (Jim Dickson).

GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO – Iona, Mull 25th Jun (Jim Dickson).
GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO – Iona, Mull 25th Jun (Jim Dickson).
GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO – Iona, Mull 25th Jun (Jim Dickson).

24th June

MID-ARGYLL: A ROSY STARLING is on the Isle of Luing at Toberonochy – apparently has been in a garden there for a week (per Richard Wesley.
MULL: The GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO is still at the north end of Iona – near the hostel (Bryan Rains).

ROSY STARLING – Toberonochy, Luing 24th Jun (Richard Wesley).

23 June

MULL: An imm GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO was seen briefly at the north end of Iona late morning/mid-day – near the youth hostel/dunes area (Rudolf Hummel). Only one previous Scottish record – on Orkney in 1959!

GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO – Iona, Mull 23rd June (Rudolf Hummel).
GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO – Iona, Mull 23rd June (Rudolf Hummel).

19th June

COMMON QUAIL reports – males calling at Treshnish farm (NM) MULL on 17-19 June (Anand Prasad) and at Crossapol, TIREE on 18 June (John Bowler).


17th June

ISLAY: A ROSY STARLING was at Keppols Farm, Esknish today (per Ian Brooke).

ROSY STARLING – Esknish, Islay 17th Jun (Jenny Woodward).

13th June

COLONSAY: A male COMMON ROSEFINCH in song this morning at Loch Sgoltaire (David Jardine).
ISLAY: Update from David Wood – no further sign of the WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW today and was only seen briefly yesterday at Risabus the Oa when found.


12th June

ISLAY: A WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was at The Oa this morning briefly and found by Bonnie Wood.

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW – The Oa, Islay 12th June (Bonnie Wood).

10th June

TIREE: A LITTLE STINT at  Loch a’ Phuill today and the TURTLE DOVE still at the barns next to Loch an Eilein (John Bowler).


9th June

TIREE: A LITTLE STINT at Gott Bay today (Keith Gillon).


8th June

KINTYRE: A male BLACK-HEADED BUNTING was seen on a dyke at the south end of Gigha (Gigalum) around 15:50 hrs today by Keith Helm.
MULL: A TURTLE DOVE was at Salen this morning (Geoff Pain per Mullbirds) and a HOBBY was seen hunting dragonflies in fields at Grasspoint today (Steve Milton).
TIREE: A HOBBY reported on 6th June at feeding late pm at Milton (Christian Verstraete per John Bowler) and a TURTLE DOVE today nr Loch an Eilein (Keith Gillon).

HOBBY – Grasspoint, Mull 8 th June (Steve Milton).

6th June

MID-ARGYLL: A belated report of a male GOLDEN ORIOLE seen briefly on wires at Crinan on Thurs 30th May (per Brian MacDonald).


5th June

ISLAY: A report in the log book at Gruinart of a RED-BACKED SHRIKE at Kilchiaran on Mon 3 June. No details of the finder given -please can they get in touch. Update 6/6/19 – feedback from someone who saw images of the bird taken indicates the bird was actually a Wheatear.


4th June

TIREE: Two 2CY LITTLE GULLS at Loch Bhasapol today (Keith Gillon).


2nd June

KINTYRE: An exceptional flock of 21 (16 male and 5 female) VELVET SCOTER flew S past Machrihanish SBO at 11:25 today (Eddie Maguire). This is the largest number seen in Argyll since the 1970’s.

VELVET SCOTERS past Machrihanish SBO, Kintyre – 2nd Jun (Eddie Maguire).

29th May

TIREE: A 2CY LITTLE GULL new on the machair at Loch a’ Phuill today and yesterday 3 TREE SPARROWS new at Hynish (John Bowler) – also a LITTLE EGRET flew east over Baugh – (Graham Todd).
MULL: At least 1 TREE SPARROW at Treshnish, Calgary today (Anand Prasad).

2CY LITTLE GULL – Loch a’ Phuill, Tiree 29th May (John Bowler).
TREE SPARROWS – Hynish, Tiree 28th May (John Bowler).

26th May

KINTYRE: A GREY PHALAROPE in breeding plumage was seen briefly some 300m off MSBO at 14:20hrs today in a WNW force 5 / squalls; however, it was staying mainly in the deep troughs and when seen very occasionally over the crest of a wave the jizz (slow rolling flight) and plumage were seen well (Eddie Maguire and Pip Ashley). Only the second ever May report for Argyll.


23rd May

TIREE: The GULL-BILLED TERN again at Loch Riaghain today. Also 1 LESSER WHITETHROAT this evening at Balephuil (John Bowler).


21st May

TIREE: An elusive female RED-BACKED SHRIKE showed  well briefly in the garden at Balephuil this morning (John Bowler).
MULL: A male HAWFINCH was at feeders in a garden (Victoria cottage) on Iona today (per Mullbirds).

HAWFINCH – Iona, Mull 21st May (Laurence Potter)

20th May

TIREE: GULL-BILLED TERN again today – in central Tiree first thing on my breeding wader survey and then all afternoon at Loch Riaghain (John Bowler).
COLL: A female/imm MARSH HARRIER was seen at Bousd, Coll yesterday 19 May (Mark Mitchell RSPB warden).

GULL-BILLED TERN – Tiree 20th May (John Bowler).
GULL-BILLED TERN – Tiree 20th May (John Bowler).
GULL-BILLED TERN – Tiree 20th May (John Bowler).

17th May

TIREE:GULL-BILLED TERN hawking over Loch a’ Phuill at midday today (the 3rd for Tiree & Argyll if accepted) – also 1 Little Egret and 1 Wood Sandpiper there (John Bowler).
ISLAY: A female/imm MARSH HARRIER was at the Gruinart reserve today (James How and also per visitor Jenny Wass).

MARSH HARRIER – Gruinart, Islay 17th May (Jenny Wass).
GULL-BILLED TERN – Loch a’ Phuill, Tiree 17th May (John Bowler).

16th May

Belated report of a COMMON CRANE – one was seen and photographed at Eastbacks farm, the Laggan, Kintyre on 6th May by Kevin Hamilton.

COMMON CRANE – Laggan, Kintyre 6th May (Kevin Hamilton)

14th May

COWAL: A Hoopoe  was a surprise for golfers our on the course at Blairmore and Strone Golf Club yesterday (Andrew Ferguson).


« Newer EntriesOlder Entries »