July 2022 Sightings

31st July 2022

  • Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa): At least two pairs mating, unnamed lochan above Culkein Stoer (DAH). Photo Gallery - Dragonflies
  • Common Dolphin: c.20 very active animals off Stoer Head Lighthouse (DAH)

29th July 2022

  • Harbour Porpoise: Two animals off Culkein Drumbeg, and two (mother and calf) off Bay of Stoer (DAH)
  • Common Dolphin: Two active pods, one with c10 and the other c20 animals, off Bay of Stoer (Mhairi & Charlie Leeson)

28th July 2022

  • Common Dolphin: Around eight animals off Culkein Drumbeg (Steve Langford, DAH).  Similar sized group off Bay of Stoer in evening (Mhairi Leeson)
  • Slow-worm: Two reptiles in Baddidarach garden (Chris and Fran Barley). Seen two consecutive days.
  • Common Dolphin: c20 animals, Bay of Stoer (Mhairi Leeson). 
  • Great Skua: Two birds amongst group of divers, Bay of Stoer (Mhairi & Charlie Leeson)
  • Dark Green Fritillary: Single butterfly, Gleann Leireag (Charlie & Mhairi Leeson)
  • Scotch Argus: 15+ butterflies in bracken, Gleann Leireag (Charlie & Mhairi Leeson)
  • Red-throated Diver: Three birds, Bay of Stoer (Mhairi Leeson)

27th July 2022

  • Arctic Skua: Two birds (one dark phase, one light phase) harassing Kittiwakes off Stoer Head Lighthouse (DAH)
  • Minke Whale: Single animal off Stoer Head Lighthouse (DAH, et al.)
  • Common Dolphin: Several pods totalling 50+ animals off Stoer Head Lighthouse (DAH, Claire Belshaw, et al.)

26th July 2022

  • Grey Heron: Nine birds, mouth of Oldany river (Mhairi Leeson)

25th July 2022

  • Eider: Single female with two ducklings, Balchladich Bay (Charlie Leeson)

23rd July 2022

  • Common Dolphin: 25+ active animals heading south, 1km off Rubha Leumair (John Hebron).  Also several very active pods (total c40 animals) feeding off Stoer Head Lighthouse (DAH)
  • Scotch Argus: 23+ very active butterflies on lightly grazed grass verge between Culkein Drumbeg and Oldany (DAH). Photo Gallery - Butterflies
  • Arctic Skua: Single bird (pale morph) harassing Kittiwake off Stoer Head Lighthouse (DAH)
  • Harbour Porpoise: Four animals off Stoer Head Lighthouse (DAH)
  • Black Guillemot: 14+ birds on water and rocks below Stoer Head Lighthouse (DAH)

22nd July 2022

  • Common Dolphin: c20 animals off Clachtoll (Marianne Simpson)
  • Butterflies: Six Meadow Brown, four Grayling and a single Common Blue Butterfly near coast, Rubha Leumair (John Hebron)
  • Black-throated Diver: 17 birds in a group off Rubha Leumair (John Hebron)

21st July 2022

  • Redshank: Five birds on rocks off Clashnessie (DAH)
  • Dipper: Single bird on river opposite Little Assynt Tree Nursery (DAH)
  • Yellow Saxifrage (Saxifraga aizoides): Flowering in profusion, disused quarry, old road opposite Little Assynt Tree Nursery (DAH). Photo Gallery - Flowering Plants & Ferns
  • Meadow Brown: Single butterfly in grasses along old road opposite Little Assynt Tree Nursery (DAH)
  • Willow Warbler: Four birds in trees along old road opposite Little Assynt Tree Nursery (DAH)
  • Long-tailed Tit: Five birds+ in trees along old road opposite Little Assynt Tree Nursery (DAH)
  • Spotted Flycatcher: Single juvenile bird, old road opposite Little Assynt Tree Nursery (DAH)

20th July 2022

  • Stonechat: Three birds (adult male and two juveniles) in shrubbery near Imirfada, Clashnessie (DAH)
  • Willow Warbler: Three birds in roadside trees above Imirfada, Clashnessie (DAH)

19th July 2022

  • Scotch Argus: Two butterflies, Culkein Drumbeg (DAH)

18th July 2022

  • Golden Plover: 20+ birds, Conival (John Hebron)
  • Butterflies: Single Scotch Argus and four Speckled Wood butterflies by a track, Oldany (Gwen Richards)
  • Shelduck: Single duck, Lochan na Leobaig, Oldany (Gwen Richards)
  • Harbour Porpoise: Two animals off Clachtoll and a single off Balchladich (DAH)
  • Black-headed Gull: Two adult birds, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Dunlin: Five adult birds, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Ringed Plover: 10 birds, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Common Sandpiper: Four birds, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Little Grebe: Three adult birds and one very small fledgling, Loch na Claise (DAH)

17th July 2022

  • Common Sandpiper: Two birds, Church Road, Stoer (Charlie Leeson)
  • Great Skua: Single bird flying north, Bay of Stoer (Charlie Leeson)
  • Oystercatcher: 15 birds Bay of Stoer (DAH)
  • Red-throated Diver: Two birds Bay of Stoer (DAH)
  • Common Tern: Two birds feeding, Clashnessie Bay (DAH)
  • Black-throated Diver: Two birds Clashnessie Bay (DAH)

16th July 2022

  • Great Skua: Single bird off Rubh'an Dunain, Culkein Stoer (DAH)
  • Curlew: Five birds Culkein Stoer (DAH)
  • Dunlin: Six birds, all adults Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Common Sandpiper: Two birds Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Goldfinch: 23 birds, mainly juveniles Culkein Stoer (DAH)
  • Swallow: 13 birds feeding over grazing land, Culkein Stoer (DAH)
  • Oystercatcher: 19 birds Bay of Culkein (DAH)

15th July 2022

  • Harbour Porpoise: Four animals, including mother and calf pair, Bay of Culkein (Jan Maclennan)
  • Common Dolphin: 20-30 animals travelling north off Stoer Head Lighthouse (Jan Maclennan)

11th July 2022

  • Arctic Tern: Pair of adults and two chicks on rocks near the Split Rock, Clachtoll (DAH)
  • Skylark: Two birds 'dust bathing', Clachtoll beach car park (DAH). Photo Gallery - Birds
  • Black Guillemot: Probable breeding pair with chick on cliffs near Bay of Stoer (Val Badger)
  • Mountain Hare: Single adult, east of Spidean Coinich (John Wakefield)
  • Chimney Sweeper Moth: Single insect, Torbreck (Cheryl Smith)

10th July 2022

  • Little Grebe: Single bird, Loch na Claise (DAH)
  • Twite: Three birds on croft, Balchladich (DAH)
  • Great Skua: Single bird high over Balchladich (DAH)
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull: Two adult birds, Balchladich Bay (DAH)
  • Butterflies: 5 Meadow Brown, 4 Common Blue, 1 Small Heath and 1 Red Admiral on Stoer croft (Claire Belshaw)
  • Ptarmigan: Single male and single female, Spidean Coinich (Ryad Chebbout)
  • Magpie: Single bird, Balchladich (Claire Belshaw)
  • Common Toad: Single animal, Clachtoll garden (Charlie Leeson)
  • Harbour Porpoise: Two animals, Strathan Bay (Stephen Welch)
  • Arctic Skua: Single bird, Stoer Head Lighthouse (Stephen Welch)
  • Great Skua: Single bird, Stoer Head Lighthouse (Stephen Welch). Later, another sighting in same location

5th July 2022

  • Ptarmigan: Six birds just below summit of Spidean Coinich, Quinag (Mike Pinnock)
  • Poplar Hawkmoth (Laothoe populi): Two moths, one large, the other smaller, mating on aspen tree, Culkein Drumbeg (Carol Langford). Photo gallery - Moths

2nd July 2022

  • Yellowhammer: Single bird in Lochinver garden (Dave McBain). A rare sighting in Assynt these days.
  • Bullfinch: Five birds (2 adult, 3 juvenile) in Glendarroch garden (Chris and Fran Barley)
  • Peacock Butterfly: Approx. 350 caterpillars living on nettles, Torbreck (Gwen Richards). Photo Gallery - Butterflies
  • Common Toad: Two animals on road in late evening, Culkein Drumbeg (Carol Langford)

1st July 2022

  • Chimney Sweeper moth: Single moth in wildflower meadow at Ardvar garden (Beccy Garvey)
  • Arctic Tern: Single bird, Clashnessie beach (Liz Burns)
  • Red-throated Diver: Single bird, Maiden Loch (Liz Burns)

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