Scarce & Rare Sightings 2020


2nd July

MULL: Now 2 ROSY STARLINGS on the Ross of Mull in the Bunessan area yesterday (per David Holden/Bryan Rains). A female type MARSH HARRIER today at Dervaig (per Bryan Rains).


30th June

MID-ARGYLL: The first-summer BONAPARTE’S GULL is still at the Add Estuary – depending on the state of tide (Jim Dickson). The ROSY STARLING is still at Blackmill Bay, Luing (David Jardine).

ROSY STARLING – Blackmill Bay, Luing – 30th Jun (David Jardine)
ROSY STARLING – Blackmill Bay, Luing – 30th Jun (David Jardine)

29th June

MID-ARGYLL: The 2cy BONAPARTE’S GULL again at the Add Estuary at noon then early afternoon an adult MEDITERRANEAN GULL there (David Jardine).
MULL: A ROSY STARLING today near Bunessan (David Holden). This takes the Argyll tally to five sightings since the first on Coll back on 4th June…probably a few more still waiting to be found…

ROSY STARLING – Bunessan, Mull 29th Jun (David Holden).

28th June

KINTYRE: A first-summer (2cy) MEDITERRANEAN GULL flew S at Machrihanish SBO this morning – also a Green Sandpiper and 4 Greater Scaup there (Eddie Maguire).
MID-ARGYLL: The first-summer BONAPARTE’S GULL is back at the Add Estuary this afternoon from 15.15 hrs. The ROSY STARLING was seen again at Blackmill Bay, Isle of Luing today (Richard Wesley).

BONAPARTE’S GULL – Add Estuary – 28th Jun (Jim Dickson)
MEDITERRANEAN GULL – Machrihanish SBO – 28th Jun (Eddie Maguire)
MEDITERRANEAN GULL – Machrihanish SBO – 28th Jun (Eddie Maguire)

27th June

MID-ARGYLL: A ROSY STARLING today at Blackmill Bay on the Isle of Luing (per Richard Wesley).


24th June

COLONSAY: A ROSY STARLING appeared at the RSPB buildings on Oronsay today (Andy Knight per David Jardine). This is the first record for Oronsay & Colonsay. Update: this bird was first found on 22 June (Andy Knight).

ROSY STARLING – Oronsay, Colonsay – 24th Jun (Andy Knight)

23rd June

MULL: A nice red adult male COMMON ROSEFINCH was in gardens at Salen (Jacqui Murphy) then nearby (Felicity Pollard).


22nd June

MID-ARGYLL: A 2cy (first-summer) BONAPARTE’S GULL at the Add Estuary – with 67 Black-headed Gulls and a single 2cy MEDITERRANEAN GULL – also 3 Sandwich Terns there (Jim Dickson).

BONAPARTE’S GULL – Add Estuary 22nd Jun (Jim Dickson)
BONAPARTE’S GULL – Add Estuary 22nd Jun (Jim Dickson)
MEDITERRANEAN GULL – Add Estuary – 22nd Jun (Jim Dickson)

18th June

ISLAY: A ROSY STARLING seen in a Bowmore garden  today (per Birdguides).


15th June

COWAL: A male HAWFINCH found today in a garden at Colintraive (Gill John).

HAWFINCH – Colintraive, Cowal 15th Jun (Gill John)

12th June

TIREE: A fem/2cy RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER this pm in garden at Balephuil (John Bowler).

RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER – Balephuil, Tiree 12th Jun (John Bowler)

8th June

TIREE: A male GARGANEY  in central Tiree (John Bowler).


4th June

COLL: A stunning pink adult ROSY STARLING was at Friesland Bay today (Mark Mitchell per John Bowler).


2nd June

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


1st June

TIREE: A BLACK REDSTART today at Balinoe (John Bowler).
MULL: A TURTLE DOVE in a Lochdon garden this morning (Steve James per Alan Spellman).

TURTLE DOVE – Lochdon, Mull 1st Jun (Steve James)
BLACK REDSTART – Balinoe, Tiree 1st Jun (John Bowler)

27th May

TIREE: A 2cy GLAUCOUS GULL at Gott Bay today (John Bowler). First report for a few weeks..

GLAUCOUS GULL – Gott Bay, Tiree -27th May (John Bowler)

21st May

TIREE: A lovely bright ICTERINE WARBLER in the rose rugosa bushes at Meningie this evening, showed well briefly a couple of times but then went to ground (John Bowler).
KINTYRE: A female-type MARSH HARRIER near the Machrihanish air base early evening (Clive McKay).


19th May

ISLAY: A first-summer male COMMON ROSEFINCH in song at Kinnabus, The Oa this morning (David Wood).

COMMON ROSEFINCH – The Oa, Islay 19th May (David Wood).

15th May

COWAL: A single DOTTEREL at a site in central Cowal this evening (Neil Hammatt).
MID-ARGYLL: The RUDDY SHELDUCK was back at the Add Estuary this evening (David Jardine).


14th May

MID-ARGYLL: A RUDDY SHELDUCK at Loch Crinan – found at mid-day (Jim Dickson).
TIREE: Female GARGANEY still at Kilmoluaig and a LESSER WHITETHROAT briefly in garden at Balephuil (John Bowler).

RUDDY SHELDUCK – Loch Crinan, Mid-Argyll 14th May (Jim Dickson).

13th May

MULL: A HOOPOE in a garden at Lochdon this afternoon (Jen Swift).

HOOPOE – Lochdon, Mull 13th May (Jen Swift).

9th May

MULL: A report of a NIGHTJAR ‘churring’ at Salen after 10pm on 8th May,  also a male HAWFINCH in their garden in Salen today! (Mike & Jacqui Murphy).

HAWFINCH – Salen, Mull 9th May (J&M Murphy).
HAWFINCH – Salen, Mull 9th May (J&M Murphy).

8th May

MULL: A report of two NIGHTJARS that flew up from the side of the road nr the Mishnish Lochs (west of Tobermory) on 6th May at 15.30 – hopefully more details to come..(Steve Wilburn per Alan Spellman).


5th May

TIREE: A pair of GARGANEY this evening at Kilmoluaig (John Bowler).

GARGANEY – Tiree 5th May (John Bowler).

4th May

KINTYRE: A COMMON CRANE seen and photographed yesterday at Stewarton, nr Campbeltown by Sandy Mackinnon -per Steve Redwood.

COMMON CRANE – Stewarton Kintyre 3rd May (Sandy MacKinnon)
COMMON CRANE – Stewarton Kintyre 3rd May (Sandy MacKinnon)

23rd April

MID-ARGYLL: A female HAWFINCH was at feeders today in Slockavullin (Chris & Helen Maddox).
MULL: A male HAWFINCH was reported from Tobermory – seen on 16th Apr (Jane Clutterbuck).

HAWFINCH – Slockavullin, Mid-Argyll 23.4.20 (Chris & Helen Maddox).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ISLAY: A DARK- BELLIED BRENT GOOSE (with a Pale-bellied) was off Port Ellen (Duncan MacNeill per David Wood).

Dark-bellied Brent (right) Islay 23rd Apr (Duncan MacNeill).
Dark-bellied Brent (left) Islay 23rd Apr (Duncan MacNeill).

20th April

MID-ARGYLL: A WAXWING today in a garden in Kilmartin (Gary Linstead) – then it moved to David Jardine’s garden nearby.

WAXWING – Kilmartin, Mid-Argyll 20th Apr (David Jardine).

19th April

MULL: An adult STONE CURLEW seen today on a Ross of Mull beach (Nigel Shannon). One previous Argyll record – at Loch Gruinart, Islay on 23-23th May 1997.
COLL: A female HAWFINCH was in a garden at Arinagour today (Pauline White).

STONE CURLEW – Mull 19th Apr (Nigel Shannon).
STONE CURLEW – Mull 19th Apr (Nigel Shannon).

18th April

MID-ARGYLL: An adult LITTLE GULL just off the front green at Loch Gilp at 9.50 am (Jim Dickson).

LITTLE GULL – Lochgilphead, Mid-Argyll 18th Apr (Jim Dickson).

17th April

ISLAY: A BLACK REDSTART today at Kinnabus on The Oa (Bonnie Wood).
KINTYRE: A fall of 100+ Willow Warblers today at Machrihanish in stands of gorse (Jo Goudie/David Millward).
MULL: A PIED FLYCATCHER in song at Aros coastal path, Tobermory on 16th Apr (Stuart Gibson).

BLACK REDSTART – The Oa, Islay -17th Apr (Bonnie Wood).

15th April

MID-ARGYLL: A PIED FLYCATCHER at Ballymeanoch (N of Lochgilphead) was a good reward today for David Jardine while helping out folk who are self-isolating.


12th April

NORTH ARGYLL: A RED KITE this morning over Achnacreebeag , North Connel (David Bennett).

RED KITE – North Argyll 12th Apr (David Bennett).

8th April

KINTYRE: A large Grey Heron sized egret – thought ‘likely’ a GREAT WHITE EGRET seen flying NE over Carradale golf course this evening (Alasdair Paterson).


5th April

ISLAY: A GREEN SANDPIPER was seen flying over Gruinart today (James How).


4th April

MID-ARGYLL: A report of a FIRECREST in the Oban area today.


1st April

TIREE: A Great Crested Grebe at Balephetrish Bay today – only my second in 19 years here (John Bowler).


30th March

COWAL: A HAWFINCH was seen briefly this morning in a garden at Meldalloch (Lesley Maw).
ARGYLL: An up date on LITTLE EGRETS – birds still present in Kintyre (at least 2), Islay (2), North Argyll (1, possibly 3), Cowal (at least 2) and Mid-Argyll (at least 2). Photo of the Loch Gilp bird today in a cold wind…

LITTLE EGRET – Loch Gilp, Mid-Argyll 30th Mar (Jim Dickson).

29th March

TIREE: A 3cy GLAUCOUS GULL at Sorobaidh Bay today (John Bowler).
ISLAY: A male MARSH HARRIER was reported from Sunderland farm today (per Malcolm Ogilvie).

3cy GLAUCOUS GULL – Tiree 29th Mar (John Bowler).

26th March

ISLAY: A STOCK DOVE at the RSPB Oa reserve was a new area tick for the warden David Wood (per Islaybirdblog). Also now 2 drake GREEN-WINGED TEAL at Gruinart floods – reported there on 24th Mar (James How).


22nd March

TIREE: First BLACK-TAILED GODWIT arrivals today with 5 birds at Sandaig. Also 3 WHEATEARS reported from Totronald, Coll (John Bowler).
NORTH ARGYLL: A RED KITE was seen over Barcaldine campsite today (Will Currie).

RED KITE – Barcaldine 22nd Mar (Will Currie).
BLACK-TAILED GODWITS – Sandaig, Tiree 22nd Mar (John Bowler).

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