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The Oystercatcher I posted a couple of weeks ago seems to have got over its car infatuation, taken a good look at itself and moved onto bigger things, namely this 15 tonne pneumatic road roller that's parked on its turf. #BirdingScotland #Birds

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Common Sandpiper keeping watch over its brood, a common sight on Barra at present. Meanwhile a few late migrants were about today: the 6th Hawfinch of the season was at Creachan, a lone Redwing at Northbay and a Whooper Swan flew north over Brevig. #BirdingScotland #Birds

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

For once the big pale thing on the bush wasn't a plastic bag! Fabulous views of this male Hen Harrier on Barra, most probably a day-tripper from South Uist. #BirdingScotland #Birds

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

We've had a nice drop of rain on Barra this week, just what we needed after the long dry spell and now the grass is growing fast. This of course means the Corncrakes are going to get even harder to see! #BirdingScotland #Birds

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

It's been a quieter few days for new migrants on Barra, but there are a lot of young birds about including the first brood of Shelducks down on the shore. #BirdingScotland #Birds

submitted 10 days ago • 0 comments

It's a blustery morning on Barra but the Collared Flycatcher is still present for its third day, singing in the sycamores at Creachan during the brighter spells. #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK

submitted 15 days ago • 1 comment

Just when we thought the Collared Flycatcher had gone from Barra and that was that, it resurfaced in marginally better weather conditions late afternoon on my 3rd visit of the day to Creachan, eventually showing really well. #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK

submitted 15 days ago • 2 comments

Another image of today's Collared Flycatcher at Creachan, the 4th species of flycatcher I've heard singing at this particular site in recent springs. #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK

submitted 16 days ago • 1 comment

Just found an absolutely stonking male Collared Flycatcher at Creachan, a species I've been dreaming of finding for years! This is the first for Barra and the third for the Outer Hebrides. #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK

submitted 17 days ago • 15 comments

Every day continues to produce new migrants on Barra. Pick of the bunch so far today include a Wood Sandpiper at Eoligarry, 2 Crossbills at Morghan and our 4th Tree Sparrow of the month at Cuithir. #BirdingScotland #Birds

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments

Have fish, will travel! Osprey with lunch headed north over Ardmhor at 10.45 this morning, the third that I'm aware of passing over Barra this month. #BirdingScotland

submitted 19 days ago • 0 comments

Our first Crossbill of the year was at Nask this morning before departing high south. We've not had an influx on Barra for a long time - maybe this will be the year! Nearby the 4th Hawfinch of the spring was touring the housing estate at Horve. #BirdingScotland #Birds

submitted 20 days ago • 0 comments

Returned to the car after birding around Northbay to find this Oystercatcher showing a bit too much interest in it! I'm not saying we've got the cleanest vehicle on Barra, but I'm pretty sure there's no Oysters growing on it. #BirdingScotland #Birds

submitted 21 days ago • 1 comment

Bee-eater on the power lines opposite the Nask turning this evening, just over a year since the last one on Barra in exactly the same place! Thanks to the group from Oriole Birding for the initial find and to Ian Ricketts for relocating it. #BirdingScotland #Birds

submitted 22 days ago • 1 comment

Predictably there was no sign of the Eastern Bonelli's Warbler today, but at least 6 Spotted Flycatchers were new in around the island. With Barra's midge season just beginning, they wont go hungry! #BirdingScotland #Birds

submitted 23 days ago • 1 comment

Another image from this morning of Britain's 10th Eastern Bonelli's Warbler at Northbay. It was still present this evening but very elusive. A couple of bursts of song, occasional bouts of quiet calling and a glimpse or two in the canopy in 3 hours of looking. #BirdingScotland

submitted 24 days ago • 0 comments

10 years of daily walks through Northbay plantation thinking one day this will produce a mega, well, today is that day! Found an Eastern Bonelli's Warbler singing and chipping away in the sunny glade at the far end of the pathway. First record for Barra. #BirdingScotland

submitted 24 days ago • 3 comments

A beautiful warm evening at Eoligarry. Corncrakes calling, dozens of terns, a tight raft of 50 sum plum Great Northern Divers offshore - and better still a Honey Buzzard heading high north, only our second record on Barra. #BirdingScotland

submitted 25 days ago • 0 comments

A migrating Osprey heading up the east side of Barra this evening. This magnificent raptor is just about annual here. Seeing my first one appear through the morning mist over a Wiltshire lake 45 years ago is still firmly etched on my memory. #BirdingScotland

submitted 28 days ago • 1 comment

Our second visit of the day to Creachan yielded a couple of very brief glimpses of a female/1st summer male Golden Oriole, our first on Barra for 2 years. Fair to say it was ultra shy even by Golden Oriole standards #BirdingScotland

submitted 30 days ago • 0 comments

Our first Tree Sparrow of the year at Scurrival this morning giving a few verses of chirpy song, so I guess it must be a male! Also another Hawfinch freaking out the Goldfinches and Redpolls at Glen, my second on Barra this week. #BirdingScotland #Birds

submitted 30 days ago • 0 comments

I'm always surprised by how many Hawfinches turn up on Barra. A single bird flying about Bruernish before bounding off high north this morning was my first this year and my 46th on the island in the past ten years, with a clear peak in May. #BirdingScotland

submitted 32 days ago • 0 comments

A marked arrival of Whimbrel on Barra today including a restless flock of 70 around Allasdale, typically the most favoured part of the island for them in spring. #BirdingScotland

submitted 38 days ago • 0 comments

A decent arrival of migrants on Barra this morning with an obvious increase in numbers of Corncrakes, Cuckoos, Grasshopper Warblers and Blackcaps plus the first Sedge Warblers of the year and my first Tree Pipit for 3 years! #BirdingScotland

submitted 43 days ago • 0 comments

Whenever I see a ringed bird on Barra I feel duty bound to try and read the ring number. It can be a frustrating pastime, but occasionally pays off. This White Wagtail at Cleat today had an Icelandic ring bearing the code 9156510. Anyone know who to report this to in Iceland? #BirdingScotland

submitted 44 days ago • 2 comments

It's that time of the spring when every day seems to bring new birds for the year list. The first Arctic Terns and Grasshopper Warblers have arrived on Barra in the past few days and a Lesser Whitethroat, scarce here in spring, was new in at Bruernish today. #BirdingScotland

submitted 45 days ago • 0 comments

Great Northern Diver close in and looking stunning: there must be several hundred off Barra and Vatersay at present. The Surf Scoter was still off Vatersay today, though rather less showy, asleep in the murk half a mile offshore. #BirdingScotland #Birds

submitted 48 days ago • 0 comments

We don't let a bit of persistent heavy rain and cold wind interrupt our bird-finding routine! An afternoon visit to Vatersay in said conditions yielded wet optics, soggy waterproofs and a distant female Surf Scoter in among an Eider flock, our first for 3 years. #BirdingScotland

submitted 50 days ago • 1 comment

The orchid season has begun on Barra. 2 species in flower today, Early Purple and a 4cm high Lesser Twayblade. It looks like the Early Purple was first into bloom by a day or two. @ukorchids.bsky.social

submitted 51 days ago • 0 comments

Grey Plover sticking out like a sore thumb among the Goldie flock at Eoligarry this morning. A scarce species on Barra, this is the first one I've seen this year. #BirdingScotland

submitted 51 days ago • 0 comments

Pleased to find a new site for Short-necked Oil Beetle on Barra today, 4 years after we first discovered this cool species on Barra. After a lean season in '24, this looks like being an excellent year for them here. @liamolds.bsky.social

submitted 52 days ago • 1 comment