Boatbirder.com: 📖 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Uist & Benbecula ~ Part 3 ~ May 2024

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Saturday 11th May 2024 🌤 19C ~ Wind SE @ 14MPH ~ It was another beautiful day on Uist, and once again, we enjoyed glorious sunshine. We had already recorded both eagles and, of course, the sought-after Corncrake. We decided to try for better views of a Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl today and I was still hoping to find a summer plumage Black-throated Diver.

Hen Harrier

On Benbecula, a good walking track runs from the car park past Ruabhal. This area of moorland and lochs apparently hosts breeding Hen Harrier, Merlin, and Short-eared Owls. However, our first bird as we were parking was a complete surprise - a 'dark phase' Pomarine Skua shot past overhead before disappearing from view an unexpected addition to our holiday listings! Shortly after we did indeed get better views of a Hen Harrier.

Black-throated Diver ~ Shame I was unable to get closer!

There are two large lochs along the route and I was delighted to see that the only bird on one loch was a cracking Drake Black-throated Diver. While watching the diver a couple of Stonechats were busy chattering away and so we moved on, we may well have been too close to their nest. Also of note during our walk, more Wheatears and our first Kestrel of the holiday.

Short-eared Owl ~ Taken from the car window!

It wasn't until we were leaving our accommodation on Sunday morning for our ferry back to Skye that we had our best views of a Short-eared Owl. As we drove away from our accommodation we noticed immediately a bird perched on the verge next to the road. A great end to a cracking holiday!

Our first visit to the Outer Hebrides was amazing, and we have no doubt that we'll be back. The area features beautiful white sand beaches, exquisite turquoise waters, bracken-cloaked moors, and machair-draped dunes. When the sun breaks through, it's simply stunning.

More Images of the Trip...