Birding Tiree August 2007

Getting there

We got the ferry from Oban to Tiree, this runs daily into late October, see link. Prices are not exactly cheap with the car, but this did allow us to take all the camera gear, optics etc. Price for car & 2 passengers was Ł206.00in Aug 2007, of course if you fill a car with four of you this is not so bad, alternatively go on as a foot passenger this is signifciatly cheaper and there are various offers.
The ferry takes around 4 hours and stops off at Coll en-route.

Getting around

If you don't have a car then bicycles are available for hire and as the island is relatively flat this is a very nice way of birding around the island, it will also enable you to access areas quickly that the car won't take you to! We got ours for 3 days from MacLennan Motors situated just N of the Pier where the ferry docks, but beware they do not provide pumps or repair kits!!

Maps

We bought the Ordnance survey map 46 Coll & Tiree, however inside our cottage, was a the Ordnance Explorer Map 372 this shows much more detail and is preferable

Weather

The weather was warm & fairly dry, temp was between 12-18c and we had no midge problems!

Money

Accommodation

We stayed in a 2 bedroom Cottage, Croft View in the South west corner of the island, we would highly recommend it. Good fully applianced kitchen, well dining room, furnished lounge, with TV/DVD player, CD/Radio, upstairs bathroom and 2 bedrroms - all clean & v.warm. To view click here

Main areas to bird and species to look for

As the island is only approximately 12 miles long by 4-5 miles wide it is possible to check the better areas daily. Of course rares can turn up anywhere, but we focussed on looking through the areas that were holding the larger numbers of birds to increase the possibility of finding something good, we didn't find anything good so you may wish to totally ignore this section of the report!!!

Shorebirds & Gulls - During our visit Hough Bay on the NW side of the island held the best numbers, lots of Sanderling, small numbers of Knot, Dunlin, Turnstone, Ringed Plover. Also 100+ Common Gull on the beach here. Gott Bay also had smaller numbers of similar species

Golden Plover flocks - these apparently were in reduced numbers compared with 2006, when both American & Pacific Golden Plover were found, these are an obvious carrier species. There was around 300-400 birds most of the time during our stay and the vaast majority were consistently in fields around Middleton & Kilkenneth, a few Ruff were often to be found in with these flocks and in 2006 a Buff-breasted Sand was found

Ducks - There are limited areas of extensive undisturbed freshwater, so Loch a' Phuill is by far the best area for ducks, and the shallow edges on the western shoreline would be worth checking for waders. This area can be accessed on foot/bicycle through the dunes on the west side at Barrapol.

Seawatching - There are lots of place to seawatch but the suggested spot according to those who seawatch regularly is from Aird Point, this is just due N of the telephone box opp the school at Conaigmore.

Passerines - Cover is at a minumum on the island, the gardens adjacent to the shoreline at Mannal are sheltered and produced a few warblers, there are some small bushes and a hawthorn on the NW face of Carnan Moor below the radar station accessed by taking the B8067 to from Balemartine to Balephuil and then turning on to the first left a minor road (passes Croft View) there is a track at the end of the road that takes you along the base of the hillside. The last house on the right on this track belongs to the RSPB warden. There are also some walled allotments at Hynish just beyond the museum that would be worth checking. There are many other small areas of cover but nothing signifcant!

Systematic List

Red-T-Diver - 1-2's seen in Hynish Bay & 1 seen In Hough Bay
Great -N-Diver - 1 seen Hough Bay, 1 seen Aird Point & 1 seen Hynish Nay
Fulmar - Breeding colony on stacks at West Hynish
Sooty Shearwater - Single figure numbers were noted daily, normally first few hours of light from Aird Point
Manx Shearwater - Seen daily, maximum count 123 west at Aird Point 0800 - 0900 on 31st August
Gannet - Seen daily, with maximum count 150 west at Aird Point 0800 - 0900 on 31st August
Cormorant - Small numbers daily less commoon than Shag
Shag - Seen regualrly roosting on rocks and offshore
Grey Heron - 1-2's seen daily
Whooper Swan - 5 noted on Loch a' Phuill present all week
GreyLag Goose - Common across the island
Shelduck - 4 immatures noted off Caolas on 30th
Wigeon - 1 Loch a' Phuill on 29th.
Teal - 10 on Loch a' Phuill on 29th, & 10 on the sea just N of Caolas on 29th.
Shoveler - 2 Loch a' Phuill on 29th.
Eider - Small groups of 20+ seen in many of the bays. 50 offshore Hynish bay on 28th.
Red-B-Merganser - 1 west of Aird Point on 31st August
White-tailed Sea-eagle - A single adult was seen from the retirn ferry 40 minutes short of Oban looking towards the mainland.
Hen Harrier - 1 R/tail at Caolas area am on 30th & possibly another Balephuil same day in the evening.
Buzzard - Singles seen regularly, but 2 together on 29th ne Hynish
Kestrel - 1 Balephuil evening on 28th was the only one.
Merlin - 1 seen regularly around the Middleton area, also seen at Balephuil
Peregrine - 1 seen at Balephuil on 25th & 1 seen hunting around Caolas on 30th
Pheasant - Present
Oystercatcher - Present around most of the shoreline in small numbers
Ringed Plover - Present around most of the shoreline in small numbers, but 50+ at Hough Bay on 27th
European Golden Plover - 300+ Present at Middleton, Kilkenneth & Hough fields.
Lapwing - Present across the entire island, many juvs noted
Red Knot - Seen in small numbers, with best count 30 Hough Bay on 29th
Sanderling - Present around most of the shoreline in small numbers, best count 350+ Hough Bay on 29th
Dunlin - Only small no's, best count 10 at Hough Bay on 29th.
Ruff - 2 in fields with Golden Plover at Middleton 26th & 31st, 1 on fields at Hough on 27th, 3 in fields at Balevullin on 29th, 1 at Aird Point 31st.
Snipe - 5 flushed whilst walking from Scarinish to Balemartine, 3-4 noted regularly around Middleton in fields and presumably many hidden in these wet areas.
Black-Tailed Godwit - 40 all juvs Balephuill on 25th, small group of 10-15 all juvs present most days between Middleton & Balevullin
Bar-tailed Godwit - 9 juvs at Hough Bay on 31st
Whimbrel - 2 over calling whilst walking from Scarinish to Balephuill along the coastline
Curlew - Noted most days in small numbers, 30+ at Aird Point on 27th.
Redshank - Present in small numbers in many of the bays.
Turnstone - Present in small numbers in many of the bays. 20+ Hough Bay on 29th.
Arctic Skua - 1 ad dark phase Hough Bay on 31st along shoreline, 2 seen from Oban to Tiree ferry on 25th
Great Skua - Seen in 1-2's offshore most days maximum count 5 off Aird Point on 27th in 2 hrs
Black-headed Gull - 1-2's noted in bays at the east end of the Island on 30th.
Common Gull - best count 100+ Hough Bay on 27th
Herring Gull - best count 50+ Hough Bay on 27th
Great black-backed Gull - Seen regularly in small numbers
Kittiwake - Small numbers from Aird Point whilst seawatching
Arctic Tern - 2 off Aird Point on 27th, 3 off Aird Point on 29th.
Common Tern - 1 Hough Bay on 27th
Guillemot - Small no's from Aird Point whilst seawatching
Rock Pigeon - Small numbers along the crags at West Hynish, most of these looked kosher!
Skylark - Present in small numbers in the dunes areas
Sand Martin - 2 from Croft View cottage on 25th were the only ones, possibly migrants although there is a small breeding colony apparently on the Isalnd
Swallow - 1 pair with 3 young still being fed at Croft View!!
Meadow Pipit - Probably the commonest passerine
Rock Pipit - Small numbers along the rocky shorelines, clearly true Britsh "petrosus" very different to the wintering birds in Norfolk which are Scandinavian in origin.
Pied Wagtail - Many noted and many juv's.
Grey Wagtail - 1 over Croft View on 28th.
Stonechat - Noted regularly plus several juvs
Wheatear - 1 probably a migrant along the shoreline at Hynish on 25th, 2 nr Hough on 27th poss breeders & 3 at Salum poss breeders on 30th.
Blackbird - Noted in small numbers regualrly
Song Thrush - Noted on 2-3 occassions only, but 4 Balevullin to Sraid Ruadh, noticeably darker than their mainland congeners
Willow Warbler - 1 Mannal gardens on 25th, 1 in bushes below the Radio Mast nr Croft View
Sedge Warbler - 2-3 noted from pools alongside the B8067 Balemartine to Balephuill road, in breeding habitat.
Raven - Seen most days in small numbers around Croft View and the radar station.
Hooded Crow - Seen most days in 1-2's
Starling - Numerous with flcoks of 2-3000 around Middleton area.
House Sparrow - Common, best count 120 in allotments at Hynish
Linnet - Many small groups mixed with Twite, many juvs noted
Twite - Many small groups mixed with Linnet many juvs noted

Other Wildlife

Minke Whale - 1 offshore at Hynish on 26th
Basking Shark - 4 to 5 seen on 27th & 31st off Aird Point
Brown Hare - Present in exceptional numbers and best looked for around 1 hour before dark, also quite approachable via a car.