Category: Sightings

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: A 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).

8th May

TIREE:  More Dotterels passing through Argyll today with 4 found on Tiree (John Bowler with Robert Coleman)

DOTTERELS – Tiree – 8th May (John Bowler).