Sooty shearwater passage and a few eagles, Barra

Barra isn't only about rarities, thankfully. There's also plenty of resident birds to keep you entertained if the rares don't show up, as is the case at the moment. Today we saw four eagles, three white-tailed and a single golden, male hen harrier and three great northern divers. The white-tailed eagles in particular can be very obliging and are often seen well. The bird in the photos flew low over the church at Eoligarry.

White-tailed eagles have proportionally long necks when compared to golden eagles, which gives them a very different jizz, but to be honest there's not really much chance of confusing the two, with white-tailed appearing much larger.

One of the reasons I love this island is that you get to experience some impressive passage. Barnacle geese and whooper swans are yet to come, hopefully next week, and we also get other species that you might not expect arriving from over the sea, such as flocks of snipe. Highlight of the day today was the passage of sooty shearwaters which went down the east coast of the island, heading south in their hundreds. 508 in total were logged, one of the highest counts ever. Although I've seen sooty shearwaters many times before, I've never experienced anything quite like this.

Eagles, harriers and divers, Vatersay

Photo: 1st win golden eagle.

Another glorious day on Barra, light south easterly winds and unbroken sunshine with bright blue skies. Too good in fact, we need a storm to bring some birds to the island. 

We spent the afternoon on Vatersay where the birding highlights were a 1st winter golden eagle and a flock of 35+ black-throated divers. Also hen harrier with another two at Eoligarry, plus red-throated divers and black guillemots

It's difficult to be too fed up with the lack of rare vagrants when the weather and scenery is like this. Still, a good storm would be nice to shake things up a bit!

American golden plover, Allasdale, Barra

The Allasdale American golden plover showed better today in good sunlight and light winds. It's a really smart bird and stands out well, even in a flock of 200 European golden plover. 

Otherwise it was a case of deja vu with yellow-browed warblers dominating. Apparently not as many around today as yesterday, but we still connected with three and there were at least seven reported from around the island. 

American golden plover have long primaries, especially when compared to Pacific golden plover which has long tertials and a short primary projection. In some of my photos you can clearly see at least four primaries projecting beyond the tertials.

The Day of the Yellow-brow, Barra

Today was the Day of the Yellow-browed warbler on Barra with at least 14 on the island at several locations. We managed to connect with four at Nask (2), Ardmhor and Northbay. Really nice and surprisingly showy and vocal birds.

Birds seemed to be arriving during the day as more and more were reported. Encouraging stuff for us, surely if there's a fall of yellow-broweds then something rarer can't be too far behind????

Magnificent white-tailed eagle at Eoligarry, Barra

An magnificent adult white-tailed eagle put on a great show today, hunting greylag geese and later sitting on a fence post eying up sheep. One of the best views I've ever had of the species. 

Also today, a male and female hen harrier and a couple of great northern divers at Allasdale Bay.

American golden plover, Allasdale, Barra

There was a cracking juvenile American golden plover at South Allasdale today, this morning with a flock of 180 European goldies then this afternoon with just four. A really smart bird, it really stood out in amongst it's European cousins, being much greyer with a bright supercilium.

Back to Barra

Back to Barra today on the MV Isle of Lewis for our now annual visit in October.

A very quiet crossing with just one common dolphin and no whales, but we did at least see an adult white-tailed eagle sitting on a small island in the Sound of Mull. Apart from that we had three great northern divers, a single bonxie and smallish numbers of kittiwakes, gannets and auks.

Wheatear and small copper, Moss Lane

Moss lane continued to produce the goods today in an unexpected way with a small copper butterfly in grass next to one of the horse paddocks. I don't see that many small coppers these days so this was most unexpected at the end of September.

This 1st winter wheatear was in the same horse paddock that the "eastern" yellow wagtail was in last weekend. 

Spotted flycatcher, Moss Lane

Photo: © Ray Banks. 

I was going to give Moss Lane a miss today and went to Pennington Flash first thing instead. However, Ray's find of a spotted flycatcher had me rushing my lunch and heading off to St Helens. Not a bad drive at midday, just 21 minutes from home.

The bird was showing well in trees around the farm buildings in Moss Lane and occasionally flycatching. Also today, a magnificent hunting peregrine over the stubble field where the barnacle geese were on Monday and at least 60 swallows.

Photo: © Ray Banks

Stonechat, Pennington Flash

An excellent few hours at Pennington Flash this morning cumulating in the discovery of a 1st winter stonechat on the ruck. It might not seem much, but this was my first stonechat at the flash since 29th November 1981! What a beauty it was. I love this photo, the rose hips really set off the orange breast of the bird and what a contrast with the green leaves.

While I was watching it a great white egret flew in high from the north and landed on the side of the ruck. Again nothing too unexpected about that you might think, yet I'd just been watching two in view at the same time, one on the south side, the other at the western end reedbed. Although I could no longer see these birds, it seems very likely that this latest sighting was a third bird. Quite amazing if it was!

Other birds included the common sandpiper still at the sailing club, two swallows at the western end, 28 shoveler, two little egrets and two willow tits.

Swallows on the move

Swallows are on the move, there was a small passage west at Dairy Farm Road today, including this group of 18 which rested briefly on overhead wires.