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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 9h

Mediterranean Gulls are still scarce visitors to the Outer Hebrides. This first winter at Traigh Mhor today was the first we've seen on Barra this year. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

A change in wind direction to a gale force south-easterly produced Barra's first Yellow-browed Warbler of the year at Cuithir. It feels like proper autumn now. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

It took several minutes of making pishing noises to coax out the grey shape in the undergrowth at Creachen into something identifiable: our second Barred Warbler on Barra so far this autumn. Sadly this was as good as the views got! #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Spurred on by finding the AGP on Vatersay, we dried our optics off and headed to the north end of Barra to check the Golden Plover flock at Eoligarry. After 10 minutes, out popped a Buff-breasted Sandpiper from behind the ragwort: the second Kathy and I have found this month. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

You really have to love birding a place to go do it in the rain. It was sluicing down when Kathy and I hit the south end of Vatersay today. Waterproofs, optics and ourselves utterly drenched, but the payback was finding a juv American Golden Plover, the first Vatersay record. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Utterly grim weather meant seawatching from the comfort of our lounge was the order of the day and by Barra standards it was pretty good. Highlight was a house tick Sabine's Gull (no.156) plus juv Long-tailed Skua, 4 Pom Skuas, 120+ Sooty Shearwaters all flying south into the gale. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Got to Castlebay just in the nick of time this afternoon to see the Glossy Ibis that put in brief appearances in the past 2 days circling away high to the north-west. The 3 previous Barra records involved 2 singles and a flock of 9. Fair chance we'll get more this autumn. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Our first Redwing of the autumn was at Northbay this morning. Just as well there's a huge crop of Rowan berries on Barra this year as there will be many thousands of hungry thrushes passing through over the next two and a half months. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

The Lesser Yellowlegs, present for its second day on Barra, was again flaunting itself at Allasdale on a rapidly shrinking pool just a few metres from the road. What an absolute treat! #birdingscotland #RareBirdsUK

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Lesser Yellowlegs new in at Allasdale today. With only single previous records for both Barra and Vatersay, this was a very good find by Mark Oksien. #birdingscotland #RareBirdsUK

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The Buff-breasted Sand was still trotting about on the machair at Allasdale this afternoon, though looking slightly dishevelled in the persistent driving rain. Seems one of the local Lapwings has taken a dislike to it and repeatedly tried to chase it off. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Kathy and I bumped into our first Barred Warbler of the autumn at Eoligarry during a lull in the weather first thing. It didn't take long for the wind and rain to return! #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Buff-breasted Sandpiper present on and off at Allasdale for the second day: it could be the same bird we had yesterday on Vatersay, though perhaps more likely to be a different one. Also today another Lapland Bunting at Eoligarry; seems to be a good autumn for them. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

After years of searching, trudging over the machair, beaches and headlands, delighted to find a mobile and flighty Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Vatersay this morning; the first record for the island and my first self-found too. Well worth getting rained on for! #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Our first migrant Whooper Swan of the autumn taking a break on Barra's airport beach this morning. Must have been a tough flight from Iceland into strong headwinds. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Brevig seawatch today in a southerly gale and intermittent rain: 1 Cory's Shearwater (increasingly frequent on Barra these days), 22 Sooty and thousands of Manx Shearwaters all going south. The White-billed Diver did a fly-past as did the pictured White-tailed Eagle. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Autumn migration has been much in evidence on Barra today. Our first returning Pale-bellied Brent Geese cruised past Cleat first thing, there was a big arrival of Meadow Pipits around the island and a steady trickle of Lesser Black-backed Gulls slipping away to the south. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

At least one Pied Fly was still at Castlebay today, our first Wood Warbler on Barra this year was at Creachan, a few Sooty Shearwaters were offshore and 21 Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits were at Eoligarry. And the breeze kept the midges away till 7pm when they all came for dinner! #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

The White-billed Diver reappeared off Brevig this evening, the first time we've seen it since the 19th. This makes 4 species of diver from our lounge in the past week! #birdingscotland #RareBirdsUK

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

A Pied Flycatcher at Nask and 2 more at Castlebay were our first of the autumn on Barra, all finding plenty to eat on the midgiest of days! #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

An adult Long-tailed Skua to the NW of Coll was the avian highlight of today's Oban-Barra ferry crossing. Also good to see a couple of Minke Whales off the east side of Barra plus multiple pods of Common Dolphins: great value as always. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

A small pod of Barra's resident Bottlenose Dolphins made a flying visit to Brevig this morning; lots of jumping, big splashes, great stuff! #cetaceans

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Tree Sparrow, one of my favourite species, at Eoligarry today, our first on Barra since last winter. Also today the White-billed Diver was again off Brevig first thing and multiple flocks of Oystercatchers, Dunlin and Redshank were leaving Barra, departing SE out to sea. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

The White-billed Diver loomed out of the fog in Brevig Bay again this afternoon, the first time we've seen it since the 7th. A single Sooty Shearwater, a few Storm Petrels and the usual crowd of Manxies were passing offshore during the clearer spells. #birdingscotland #RareBirdsUK

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

It's that time of year again. 2 Cory's Shearwaters south past Brevig mid-afternoon, the 6th consecutive August we've recorded them here. No longer a Scottish rarity, but still a thrill to see this awesome seabird cruising effortlessly past Barra. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Wonderful views of Short-eared Owl at Eoligarry this morning, a highlight of one of the regular guided wildlife walks I lead for Barra and Vatersay Ranger Service. We also had 3 White-tailed Eagles, 3 species of tern and 3 rare bees! #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Finally got my first Swift of the year on Barra which may also be my last Swift of the year on Barra! #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Absolutely not what I expected to see when I scanned the sea from our lounge at lunchtime: a White-billed Diver feeding in the bay! A ridiculous early August record for Barra. #birdingscotland #RareBirdsUK

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Bottlenose Dolphin cavorting in front of our house yesterday morning was entertaining, but surpassed today by at least 2 Orca heading south offshore, the latter sadly way too distant for any record shots. We're lucky enough to see Orca from Barra a few times most years. #cetaceans

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Cuckoos have had another good breeding season on Barra with at least 18 juveniles recorded so far. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Found our first Violet Sea Snail of the year washed ashore on Vatersay today following a moderate arrival of By-The-Wind Sailors over the past week. #beachcombing

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

This has been a fantastic year for orchids on Barra and it's not over yet! Irish Lady's Tresses are now coming into flower, while Frog, Lesser Butterfly, Pyramidal, Northern Marsh, Common Spotted and Common Twayblade are still putting on a fine display. @ukorchids.bsky.social

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

By-The-Wind Sailor on Traigh Eais, one of many hundreds washing ashore along with thousands of Moon Jellyfish on Barra today in a fresh westerly breeze. #beachcombing

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Great Yellow Bumblebee coming in to feed on Kidney Vetch. It's a really good year for both on Barra's machair. #bumblebees

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Young Cuckoos are popping up in all sorts of odd places around Barra at present, keeping their Meadow Pipit foster parents busy! #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Big thanks to Ulf Berthelsen for amazing news about the ringed Little Tern I saw on Barra last week. Turns out it was ringed on 30th March 2025 4635km south of the Isle of Barra at La Langue de Barbarie National Park, SENEGAL! #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Our evening wind-down took an unexpected turn when a Honey Buzzard flew south past the lounge window! A genuine rarity on the Outer Hebrides, this is the third I've found on Barra and a house tick too (no.154). #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Northern Colletes solitary bees are currently very active on Barra's sand dunes. This cluster on Knapweed presumably contained a female!

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

After years of checking Little Tern legs on Barra I finally found one with a ring! Appears to be Z10 on a green ring. Record submitted and awaiting details about where and when it was ringed. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

We've had unusually high numbers of Kittiwakes feeding off the east side of Barra for the past week. At one point this afternoon we had c1100 in view from the headland at Leanish with numerous feeding flocks stretching away into the distance. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Our first returning flocks of Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits were dropping in on the rainy Barra machair today. A few Dunlin flocks and some extra Redshanks on the beaches too. It's starting to feel a bit like autumn... #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Juvenile Cuckoos are starting to appear around Barra just a few days after the adult Cuckoos departed. Last year we recorded 21 youngsters; hoping for similar success this season. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

After a poor season in '25, Frog Orchids are having a far better year on Vatersay with many hundreds currently in flower. @ukorchids.bsky.social

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Non-native Gunnera, Isle of Barra. From 1 plant in the late 90s to 700+ today, this wannabe Triffid is thriving in the damp peaty soil but shading out native flora including rare Irish Lady's Tresses. There's talk of an eradication scheme; it can't come soon enough. #InvasivePlants #wildflowerhour

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Painted Lady taking a rest at Eoligarry jetty this afternoon, one of dozens of these freshly arrived migrant butterflies around Barra and Vatersay today.

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

A lovely brood of Red-breasted Mergansers out and about on Barra today: the first chicks we've seen this season, with hopefully more to come. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Whinchats don't often nest on Barra, in fact the most recent territorial bird that I'm aware of was in 2022. Pleasing therefore to have 2 pairs breeding this year in close proximity to each other. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

It's been a very poor spring for Spotted Flycatchers on Barra with far fewer birds than usual, but despite this a pair have established a territory and look set to breed, something that only occurs once every 4-5 years here. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Juvenile Wheatear from the class of '26: one of many out and about on the hillsides of Vatersay this afternoon. #birdingscotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

The Cuckoos are still in fine voice on Barra this evening but the season's passing all too quickly and there's only a fortnight until the adult depart. #birdingscotland

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