Rose-coloured Starling

The rose-coloured Starling has been seen feeding recently on the high tide line in Penerine with other starlings, and in nearby gardens. It has been around for a few days now, most recently in the Stoneybridge area - Cnoca Breac

The Siskin was still around this morning so i just had to photograph it, even though it was pouring with rain

Frank's siskin photograph

David B

Rose-coloured Starling

Corncrake

Curlew Sandpiper

Curlew Chick

Dunlin

Arctic Terns

at the Bird Reserve.... out of the car, still with my camera around my neck. And then in the small field next door I heard a creaking and then a head popped up. It came ever nearer and then dashed across the road into the next field. It took nearly 60 pictures to get about 8. The sun was very bright and some were distorted and I think the majority I was sooooo excited the camera shook too much.

Debbie's corncrake photographs

... was right over the other side of the bay...saw a huge flock of Dunlins and took random pictures of the closest. It was only when I got home that I realised it was the Curlew Sandpiper.

pictures of the closest. It was only when I got home that I realised it was the Curlew Sandpiper.
Debbie's curlew sandpiper photograph

Also saw a baby Curlew, didn't realise was baby until got screeched at by huge Curlew, was no where near, I was in the road and the baby was behind the barbed fence a distance away. Wasn't till I cropped small image I realised what it was.

Saw lots and lots of Summer Coated Dunlins, really stunning... sleeping on the rocks in the full sun on the Balivanich Headland.

Also saw about 6 to 8 Arctic Terns.... tried to photo in flight but to quick for me.

Rose-coloured Starling

The rose-coloured Starling has been seen feeding recently on the high tide line with other starlings. It has been around for a few days now.

Just the male bird this time

Coming in at approximate proportion of 3:1 pomarine skua to long-tailed skua (17 poms)

Peter M

Peter M

Rose-coloured Starling

Rose-coloured Starling

Just the male bird this time - eating dandelion seeds

(That's twites, redpoll and goldfinches all reported eating dandelion seeds already this year ....one of the first wildflowers seeding)

Ela S

(Terry writing of Frank's gyr)
My initial reaction is, a captive saker ( bells and jesses). This bird also has the typical yellow legs and feet, unlike the Kilda falcon. ...The Kilda bird is less uniform in the wing area than this one. Brian Rabbitts has requested the corpse be sent to him for more checks.

It is looking like the Gyr corpse is probably a Hybrid, I saw it today and it was obviously a large bird when alive. On another note, I left my camera at home today and thought this would fool the Owl into showing up - not a hope as I found out, although I did see 2 dark morph Arctic Skuas as we landed. ...

St Kilda

Corncrake

????

we have been hearing a Corncrake in our village in Point for the last week. I thought it a bit early but it is croaking away to beat the band.

There is another bird that you may be able to shed light on as well. I have only heard it at night and it sounds like a pigeon on steroids, not a cooing but a grrrrup sort of noise? Any idea from that amazing description as to what it is? It has been calling for over a month and getting replies.

any suggestions....

Snipe?

"The snipe climbs high in sky then dives down at a slant with its tail feathers spread. The air rushing through causes the outermost tail feathers to vibrate and makes a drumming sound..."
There is a recording on this page

"I think it is the snipe"

Judy

Suzanne

Sunny

Bar Tailed Godwit 64

Knot 6

Black Tern 1

(Black Tern seen originally by John K) another appeared later, could be a second bird.

Red Necked Phalarope 2

Arctic Skua 2

Pomarine Skua 15

Uist

Stinky Bay - Benbecula

(19:15-20:15)

Rose-coloured Starling 1

Pomarine Skua 17

Arctic Skua 6

Swallow 5

Great Northern Diver 1

Iceland Gull 1 imm

Rose Coloured Starling was feeding on the high tide line with other starlings. It has been around for a few days now.

Terry's photograph of the rose-coloured starling

Did you know that rock doves kiss?

The other thing about rock doves is that they have no sense when it comes to rain...all the other birds find a bush or some other shelter...not rock doves they just stand there looking miserable

Sally M

(aged 8)

I tried walking slowly and carefully to where the sound appeared to come from, but no sign of it (surprise, surprise!)

Time; between 10 and 11 this morning, I haven't heard it since then"

Some good birds backing up the star cast LT Skuas, Bonxies and Arctics with supporting cast of White-beaked Dolphins

Managed to visit Handa Island for the Bonxies wonderful - even saw one of the two Red Grouse on the island!
Looked for the Bee-Eater further North without success and returned to the West and onto Skye. Looked and listened for Corncrake all over the Waternish peninsula without success only to hear one calling outside the hotel where I was staying when I got back!

At Glenbrital saw 3 separate Golden Eagles and one White tailed plus a small flock of Twite.

110,000 territories in the UK
20 - 30 here?

RED Status

Snowy Owl

Bonxie Lots and NO LONGER friendly

Common Scoter 1 male

Redshank 1

Iceland Gull 1

Gadwall 1 male

Sarah

Terry F

Iceland Gull 1

Gadwall 1 male

Teal 1 female

Whimbrel 9

Hooded Crow 3

Chiffchaff 1

Dunlin 1

Redshank 1

Turnstone 1

Common Scoter 1 male

G/N/Diver 2

Brent Goose 1

Sarah M

Terry F

Dunlin 1

Turnestone 5

Redshank 1

Common Scoter 1 male

Golden Plover 2

Merlin 1 female

Gadwall 1 male

Chiff/Willow 1

Snipe 5

Teal 1 male Sarah M

G/N/Diver 2

Greylag Goose 1

Bonxie Lots and still friendly

Common Scoter 1 male

Gadwall 1 male

Brent Goose 1

Greylag Goose 1

G/N/Diver 2

Golden Plover 13

Merlin 1 female

Bonxie Lots and still friendly

St Kilda

Merlin 1                         This has been around for quite a while

Hawfinch 1                    This had been around for a few days and was first                                     seen by
                                    Sam (Archaeologist)

Tree Sparrow 2              These had been around for a few days and were                                     first seen by
                                     Sam ( Archaeologist)

Brent Goose 1               Been around for a few days

Bull Finch 1                   Possible sighting at the top of the hill Dave C

Bonxie                          Lots and still friendly

Puffin                            Lots

Terry F

Dave C

Sam

Skua heading toward Callanish

Saw a rock dove take off with something brown dangling in it's claws...the rock dove dropped the object which promptly flew off...it was a male sparrow

"....BTW Someone saw a male subalpine warbler on Vatersay (South Uist) beach... mobile"

bird gossip...

White-billed Diver

Cutting my peats:

Greylag Geese - not unusual in themselves, but they were chased by a flock of sheep at full "gallop" , the geese took flight and the sheep continued chase until the geese had made a lot of distance...??

White-billed Diver

A few pics of the Dotterel from Tuesday

Got a picture of a gull which has a beak that is nearly all pink but doesn't go with the colouring of the bird which is about a 1st year. Are you able to ask for any opions from your surfers as is it an aberrant type. Have alook maybe you will have some thoughts

I reckon Debbie's gull is a sub-adult herring gull, but I am no expert
and the more I look at it the more uncertain I am - anyone confirm or other suggestions?

Its a first winter "argenteus" Herring Gull (the ones the bred in the UK). Bit of an unusual bill pattern, but the range of variation in gulls is immense

I'm no gull expert....it appears to be a second winter plumaged Herring Gull...The bill does look a little odd but I feel it's just aberrant colouring no more....There are some good gull photographs in the POYSER book "GULLS a guide to identification" by the late Philip Grant. It's a little out of date now but most of the information in it still holds true and it contains some good photo's for matching up birds seen if you ever see a copy for sale.

Download a large version (143k)

Debbie B

webmaster

Martin Scott
Western Isles RSPB

Carl C

White-billed Diver
Red-throated Diver

A few pics of the Dotterel from Tuesday

A few pics of the Dotterel from early this morning on Lionacleit Machair, Benbecula.