Outer Hebrides for Oriole Birding - 12th May 2025

The promised rain had chosen to go elsewhere but we still layered up for our first post-breakfast jaunt up the Uists.  One of the problems that we had not anticipated was the lack of any food on the islands due to the hacking of the Co-Op systems the week before.  The shelves were literally bare as the stores could not order in supplies.  This was to make lunches even more rustic than my Lesvos version.

Hebridean Starling

Our first proper stop was on Benbecula at the Balranald RSPB reserve but we initially did not even make it to the car park having heard a couple of singing Corncrakes on the way down but with no where to stop.  The last few hundred yards offered more opportunities and to my delight both buses picked up two males going for it in the closest short cropped pasture.  I was particularly happy as I had only heard my first ones in Estonia last summer and had never been serenaded in the UK before despite having found two autumn birds!

Balranald - you could hear the Corncrakes while in the loos!

Corncrake

The sound was amazing at close range and you could ‘watch it’ differ in location of origin with each head throw back and swivel. We could not have hoped for more so early in the trip.

Corncrake - Chris Darby

We parked up and used the loos and had a chat with the staff on site while other Corncrakes called, Snipe kipped and drummed and Lapwings tumbled.  There were many Skylarks and Meadow Pipits but we were told that there is only one Corn Bunting left on the Uists.  No one quite knows why they have crashed to localised extinction.

Oystercatcher

Common Gull overseeing its mate on a nest

Oystercatcher

From here we cut across the Machair to the beach at Aird an Runair – the famous headland from which the spring Skua passage is noted but although breezy, it was from the north-east and we already knew that we were onto a no win.

However, it was certainly not a bird free zone and the beach was alive with Arctic bound waders.  There were many Sanderlings in a mixture of plumages running to and fro with stop start Tundra Ringed Plovers, ten Purple Sandpipers, chestnut pied Turnstones and black-bellied Dunlin of two races. 

eight Purple Sandpipers & three Dunlin

Dunlin

Turnstone

Turnstone

Sanderling - Chris Darby

There were Oystercatchers and Redshank too but these would be local breeders and them and the Lapwings, Snipe and Dunlin were in the fields behind.  It was good to hear Dunlin song again as they fluttered up and down like crazy Pipits.  Five Pink-feet headed north and local Greylags were around us while scanning the sea only gave us a couple of Arctic Skuas, a single Red-throated and three Great Northern Divers. A Rock Pipit was displaying and spent some time perched in front of the crew preening, where it cryptically blended in with the rocks.

Gannet - Chris Darby

Great Northern Diver  - Chris Darby

 Arctic Skuas

Displaying schinzii Dunlin

Sea Campion

budding Thrift

Sea Campion

4 billion year old Gneiss and slightly younger lichen

There were a few insects on the coastal flora with what I presume were Bombus muscorum and lucorum and several Small Whites.

Lunch was still MIA so we pushed north once again passing two more Arctic Skuas over the causeway to North Uist, male Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owls once again.  The Co-Op at Sollas was our last resort and it was getting late and well past lunchtime by now but we were delayed getting there by Tracey in my van saying ‘What’s that?’ as a Golden Eagle came by practically at eye level along the slope.  I stopped and radioed ahead giving Tracey and Chris the chance to literally leap from the van, cameras in hand.  I had to move on and radioed again ‘ I have jumpers!’

Golden Eagle about to be Lapwing bombed

Golden Eagle - Chris Darby

Golden Eagle - Chris Darby

The Eagle circled the ridge and came back by for a second low circuit.  Other cars had stopped.  It was just too good to miss.  Once we had re stocked the van with bodies we did likewise at the Co-Op and with some meagre supplies to share headed down to the loch at Sandary where a Lesser Yellow-legs had been frequenting.

Birds first – no ‘Legs but a close flock of resting Oystercatchers and about 100 whistling Whimbrel were in the fields along with two islandica Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Dunlin, five Ringed Plover, two Snipe and six Turnstone.  Two Common Sandpipers were around the edges and were obviously breeders.

Oystercatchers, Blackwits and Common Gulls

Whimbrel lurking

Whimbrel 

Whimbrel, Dunlin and Turnstones hiding under our noses but no Legs

Whimbrel 

Whooper Swan with iron stained head

Eristalis sp - still working on it

Eristalis sp

Swallows

The day was finished up down at Paible where we hoped to check for waders but the tide was well out.  However we were surrounded by counter singing Corncrakes which was simply wondrous.  Plump Hebridean Starlings probed the lawns and a Pied Wagtail had a nest on the ground underneath a piece of discarded marine ply.

The undulating drive back produced yet more male Hen Harrier and Shortie action and a subadult Golden Eagle soared over a ridge not far from base camp.

Short-eared Owl - Chris Darby

Hen Harrier - Chris Darby

Hen Harrier - Chris Darby

A calm had descended, the temperature had risen, the wind dropped and as the sun set in a Mordor glow I had a feeling that we were in for a fair weather few days ahead.

 The evening view from by the hotel

The squashy molten sun

The wobbly sun