In association with Highlights
Scottish highlights were too many to list, starting with an Oriental Turtle Dove on South Uist, early on, followed by multiple Brown Boobies, then a rush of North American landbirds, including two Yellow Warblers, three Tennessee Warblers, a Blackburnian Warbler and a Veery (Shetland); plus a Turkestan Shrike from the east (Fair Isle).
ARGYLL
TIREE: Best birds in a good month were a juvenile male Yellow Warbler at Kilmoluaig (from 30th) – the first for Argyll, a juvenile Red-eyed Vireo at Scarinish (from 26th) – the second for Tiree, a juvenile Baird’s Sandpiper at Vaul Bay (from 22nd), a juvenile American Golden Plover at Barrapol/Kilkenneth (from 13th) with another at Barrapol (29th), a juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Loch a’ Phuill (6th), up to two juvenile Pectoral Sandpipers at Barrapol/Middleton (25th-30th) and a juvenile Common Rosefinch at Baugh (22nd). Island scarcities included a Red Kite at Barrapol (2nd), a Lapland Bunting south over The Reef (12th), Pied Flycatchers at Balephuil (1st-3rd) and at Vaul (2nd-4th), a Whinchat at Loch a’ Phuill (3rd-5th), a Wood Warbler at Balephuil (14th-15th), a Garden
Warbler at Scarinish (30th), a Whitethroat at Hynish (8th), Grey Wagtails at Balephuil (2nd) and at Baugh (30th), a Short-eared Owl at Baugh (9th), a wandering adult Sea Eagle all month, and a Scaup at Loch a’ Phuill (15th) and Loch Bhasapol (30th). Sea-watching produced 13 Sooty Shearwaters (27th-29th), three Storm-petrels (to 28th), a Grey Phalarope off Hynish (24th), a Pomarine Skua off Hynish (24th), eight Arctic Terns (to 29th), 15 Arctic Skuas and 16 Great Skuas.
Passerine migrants included a Spotted Flycatcher at Vaul (6th), four Blackcaps (from 24th), two Chiffchaffs, 11-plus Willow Warblers, three Sedge Warblers (to 12th), two Dunnocks, 16 Goldcrests (from 1st), up to 28 Goldfinches all month, 14 Greenfinches, five Chaffinches (from 24th), 12 White Wagtails and a peak count of 32 Greenland Wheatears (11th). There were late Sand Martins (to 29th) and Swallows (to 30th).
Wader passage was intermittent but included peaks of 263 Sanderling (6th), 225 Ringed Plover (6th), 194 Golden Plover at Ruaig (28th), 27 Ruff, nine Curlew Sandpipers, 164 Knot including a record count of 115 (10th), two Grey Plovers (from 26th), 86 Bar-tailed Godwits, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, six Whimbrel, four Greenshanks (to 11th) and a juvenile Little Stint at Clachan (3rd). Returning winter raptors included up to five Hen Harriers, two Sparrowhawks, two Kestrels and five Merlins. Wildfowl passage included 120-plus Pink-footed Geese (from 4th), 40 Barnacle Geese (26th), 20-plus Barnacle Geese (from 28th) and 11 Whooper Swans (28th). Dr John Bowler E-mail: john.bowler@rspb.org.uk
CENTRAL REGION
HIGHLIGHTS: Skinflats Pools had a Black Tern (1st), Pectoral Sandpiper (2nd-3rd) an
