Please send your sightings to Jim Dickson (Argyll Bird Recorder) to:
Posts on this page are for scarce & rare sightings. Descriptions will be required for species listed by the Argyll, Scottish & British rare bird committees prior to their acceptance. Rare bird forms are available from Jim.
The Argyll Bird Club has a Facebook group if you wish to post your own sightings and photographs for all other reports. In addition, please submit any relevant records to BTO BirdTrack or the Argyll bird recording system. Contact Malcolm Chattwood email:
The 2024 ARGYLL BIRD REPORT Volume 36 with Systematic List for 2024 is now published as a PDF – (available to ABC members only by an emailed link)
SPRING MIGRANTS TABLE 2025 : SPRING MIGRANTS 2025 to 10 May
Recent Reports of Scarce & Rare Sightings 2025
25th November
KINTYRE: A GREAT WHITE EGRET was at Carradale Bay this morning – also 3 Little Egrets there (Alasdair Paterson).
24th November
MID-ARGYLL: The SPOTTED REDSHANK was showing well today down river at Loch Gilp (Jim Dickson).
23rd November
MULL: A COMMON ROSEFINCH was photographed at feeders in a private garden in Calgary (Tim Knight).
18th November
MULL: A report of a BLACK-NECKED GREBE at Kellan, Loch na Keal (per Birdguides). Last confirmed report in Argyll was in 2003 – we will need full details/photographs please from whoever reported this to confirm.
12th November
ISLAY: The long staying rare goose species aside, today was a bit of a red-letter day for scarce & rare species with reports of a juv ELEONORA’S FALCON hunting starlings over Loch Gruinart – the latest ever claim of one in GB & I (c10 previous records), also a RED-NECKED GREBE at Loch Indaal, RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER at Portnahaven and a fem RING-NECKED DUCK at Loch Skerrols.
MID-ARGYLL: The SPOTTED REDSHANK is still at Loch Gilp.
8th NOVEMBER
ISLAY: A fem/imm BLACK REDSTART was at Carnain today (Frank Cavanagh).
TIREE: A LAPLAND BUNTING was seen near Heylipol church today (John Bowler).
25th October
ISLAY: Two WAXWINGS near the Storm pods at Lagavulin (Neil McMahon). A probable LESSER YELLOWLEGS was seen with Redshanks at Bridgend, Loch Indaal after midday (Martin Armstrong).
TIREE: Two WAXWINGS flew N at Balephuil at 16.50 hrs (John Bowler).
24th October
ISLAY: A drake GREEN-WINGED TEAL from the north hide at RSPB Loch Gruinart today (James How).
TIREE: Four GREATER SCAUP (1m and 3 imm/f) at Loch Bhasapol today (John Bowler).
21st October
TIREE: A HUME’S LEAF WARBLER was at Balephuil this morning – only the second record for Argyll & Western Scotland – last one at this location on 30 Oct-3 Nov 2020 (John Bowler).
20th October
MULL: A HOOPOE was seen and photographed around Inverlussa, nr Lochdon late morning (Susan Ringwood).
19th October
MID-ARGYLL: An adult MEDITERRANEAN GULL was at Loch Gilp, just off the front green at Lochgilphead (Jim Dickson).
18th October
ISLAY: The presumed returning adult RED-BREASTED GOOSE was at Gruinart and nearby a CACKLING GOOSE in that area.
17th October
ISLAY: The YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER is still present at Kilchoman woodland (Theo de Clermont).
MID-ARGYLL: A RED KITE passed over the Moine Mhor late morning heading south (John Halliday).
KINTYRE: A YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER was at the Gobagrennan area (Neil Brown).
16th October
TIREE: One YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER remains at Balephuil and a ‘SIBERIAN’ CHIFFCHAFF there. Also 22 Long-tailed Tit, a recent Great Tit there and a small island influx of Coal Tit (John Bowler).
ISLAY: A new YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER found today – this time at Kilchoman House woodland (Theo de Clermont).
NORTH-ARGYLL: A RED KITE was seen in Glen Strae, Dalmally (Linda Gibson).
15th October
ISLAY: Negative news re the VEERY at Easter Ellister. A YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER was found at Bruichladdich at 15.40 (Jack Morris). A TODD’S CANADA GOOSE was found along the shore SW of Bowmore area (Theo de Clermont).
MID-ARGYLL: Three RED KITES hanging around late afternoon at Creag an Tairbh, Ford (John Seddon).
TIREE: A TODD’S CANADA GOOSE – presumed returning bird was seen in the east Balephetrish area with Barnacle Geese (John Bowler).
14th October
ISLAY: Two brief sightings of the VEERY this morning at Easter Eliister with no further sightings after mid-morning.
TIREE: Two YELLOW-BROWED WARBLERS were found today at Balephuil (John Bowler).
13th October
ISLAY: A 1w VEERY was a great find for Jack Morris while checking through scrub/woodland at Easter Ellister – found after midday the bird remained very elusive frequently going deeper into cover and was not seen by the time other birders arrived after 2.30pm. Will be a new species for Argyll of the North American thrush if accepted by the BBRC (excellent photos were taken) and only the 13th British record, last records in Shetland in 2023 and Orkney 2015. A CACKLING GOOSE was found at head of Loch Gruinart in with the Barnacle Geese (Theo de Clermont).
10th October
TIREE: The juv WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER is still at Hough Bay (greyer than the Balephetrish bird) (David Jardine)
9th October
TIREE: The juv WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER is still at Balephetrish Bay (Jim Dickson).
ISLAY: The 1w GLOSSY IBIS is still at Gruinart.
8th October
TIREE: The juv WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER is still at Balephetrish Bay – also up to 5 juv CURLEW SANDPIPERS remain there (Jim Dickson).
ISLAY: The juv/1w GLOSSY IBIS is still at Gruinart. A high count of 50 Long-tailed Tit in a flock at Loch Finlaggan.
7th October
ISLAY: The juv BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was refound today at the head of Loch Gruinart.
MID-ARGYLL: An adult male SURF SCOTER was close inshore with the Eider flock at Ormsary (Dan Brown).
6th October
TIREE: A new juv WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was found – at Hough Bay (Theo de Clermont, David Jardine), in addition to the Vaul bird, which has moved to Balephetrish Bay. A 1w MEDITERRANEAN GULL was found at Barrapol (Jim Dickson, Stuart Gibson et al).
ISLAY: The juv BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was seen again at Ballinaby (Dan Brown).
5th October
MULL: A LEACH’S PETREL was seen S of Fishnish, Sound of Mull (Ewan Miles).
ISLAY: An island peak count this autumn of 9 LITTLE EGRETS at Gruinart (Dan Brown).The juv PECTORAL SANDPIPER still present at Sanaigmore and 6 LEACH’S PETRELS passed offshore there (Marc Eden).
KINTYRE: Seven LEACH’S PETRELS and 2 juv LITTLE GULLS passes Machrihanish SBO, Uisead Point after Storm Amy (Jo Goudie et al).
4th October
TIREE: A flycatcher that turned up at Balephuil a few days ago was now showing well in better viewing conditions and looked good for a MEDITERRANEAN FLYCATCHER (M S balearica) – with little streaking on the underparts, white underwing coverts, short primary projection, pale upperparts, silky white flanks, broad pale fringers to the wing coverts & tertials. A juv WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was found at Vaul Bay (Jim Dickson et al), an early morning seawatch from Aird, N Coast, after Storm Amy produced highlights of 3 juv SABINE’S GULLS, 3 LEACH’S PETRELS, 3 GREY PHALAROPES, 1 POMARINE SKUA, 9 ARCTIC SKUAS, 10+ SOOTY SHEARWATER.
ISLAY: A seawatch from Sanaigmore produced highlights of 2 juv SABINE’S GULLS, 23 LEACH’S PETRELS, 1 GREY PHALAROPE (Marc Eden).
3rd October
ISLAY: A juv PECTORAL SANDPIPER was in a field at Sanaigmore, the 1w BLACK TERN was seen again at Loch Gorm and a GLOSSY IBIS (new juv/1w?) was found at Gruinart reserve area (Dan Brown).
2nd October
ISLAY: Two juv SABINE’S GULLS were noted during a seawatch from Frenchman’s Rocks (Clive McKay).
1st October
Mid-ARGYLL: A fly-by HOBBY was noted on Luing this morning (David Jardine).
ISLAY: A juv BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was found in a field at Ballinaby in with a flock of Golden Plovers then a juv PECTORAL SANDPIPER flew over (Dan Brown).
28th September
KINTYRE: A fem GREATER SCAUP on a flooded pool at Machrihanish Water nr Parkfergus and a GREAT CRESTED GREBE on the sea off Ronachan Point today (Dan Brown).
26th September
MID-ARGYLL: A 2w LITTLE GULL was at the head of Loch Gilp early afternoon (David Jardine et al).
23rd September
MULL: An adult and a juv LITTLE GULL were noted off Grass Point (F Todd).
ISLAY: A report of a juv BLACK TERN hanging around at Loch Gorm (Marc Eden).
TIREE: News that the Swedish 1cy WHITE STORK was very poorly and taken into care (per Hayley Douglas). Update – sadly the bird died overnight. It could be that the bird had collided with something?
22nd September
COLL: A juv BARRED WARBLER was seen in an area to the south of the air strip (per Birdguides).
20th September
MULL: A juv SABINE’S GULL and a juv POMARINE SKUA flew south during a seawatch from Caliach Point (Theo de Clermont). A juv BLACK TERN was seen yesterday (19th) at the entrance to the Sound of Mull, off south Lismore in with good nos of Kittiwakes, and a LEACH’S PETREL was noted off NE Coll (F Todd).