August 2022 Sightings

31st August 2022

  • Common Dolphin: c20 very active animals between Clashnessie Bay and Eilean Chrona (Assynt Ranger and those attending rock pooling event)

30th August 2022

  • Harbour Porpoise: Four animals (3 adults, 1 calf) just off the Split Rock, Clachtoll (DAH)
  • Sparrowhawk: Single bird flew between customers sitting at Flossie's Beach Store, Clachtoll (DAH)

29th August 2022

  • Risso’s Dolphin: Five animals (4 adult, 1 juvenile) off Stoer Head Lighthouse (DAH)
  • Minke Whale: Single animal off Stoer Head Lighthouse (DAH)
  • Harbour Porpoise: Single animal foraging in/just out from Clashnessie Bay (DAH)
  • Sparrowhawk: Single female bird slowly weaving through roadside trees near Lagg (DAH)

28th August 2022

  • Grey Seal: Single animal, Stac Fada (Charlie Leeson)
  • Whimbrel: Three birds on beach at low tide, Bay of Stoer (Charlie Leeson)
  • Common Dolphin: 10+ active animals off Culkein Drumbeg in Eddrachillis Bay (DAH, et al.)

27th August 2022

  • Mining Bee (Colletes succinctus): 100+ of these solitary, harmless bees excavating nest holes in sandy bank of drainage ditch, Clashnessie (DAH). Photo Gallery - Other Insects
  • Shag: A group of five birds fishing, Bay of Stoer (Charlie Leeson)
  • Sparrowhawk: Single bird flying overhead, Clachtoll (Charlie Leeson)
  • Gannet: Single adult fishing off Bay of Stoer (Charlie Leeson)
  • Whimbrel: Two birds calling and flying over Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Black-tailed Godwit: Single adult bird feeding on croft land, Culkein Stoer (DAH)

26th August 2022

  • Peacock Butterfly: Single female butterfly in garden, Torbreck (Cheryl Smith)

25th August 2022

  • Marsh Harrier: Juvenile bird still showing well, Culkein Stoer (David Tyson)
  • Gannet: Single bird, Mill Beach, Alltan na Bradhan (Steve & Erica Ivey).  The bird was sick or injured sitting on the sand with head buried between shoulder blades occasionally raising head; most likely suffering from fatal avian flu.

24th August 2022

  • Common Dolphin: 14+ active animals off Culkein Drumbeg in Eddrachillis Bay (DAH)
  • Guillemot: Single dead bird on beach, Bay of Stoer (Steve & Erica Ivey).  This summer we have seen numerous dead seabirds washed up on our beaches, most likely caused by avian flu.  There is more information on the website - A dead gannet and Avian Flu

23rd August 2022

  • Great Skua: Two birds near Stoer Head Lighthouse (DAH)
  • Whimbrel: Single bird heard off Stoer Head Lighthouse (DAH)

22nd August 2022

  • Small Adder’s Tongue Fern (Ophioglossum azoricum): Four plants in tight-grazed turf, Stoer Head Lighthouse (David Mallon)

21st August 2022

  • Osprey: Single bird heading south and hovering over Lochan Sgeireach, Stoer (David Tyson)
  • Black-throated Diver: Three birds flying west over Loch Assynt before Tumore (DAH)

19th August 2022

  • Redshank: 25 birds flying over Culkein Stoer (DAH)
  • Vapourer Moth (Orgyia antiqua): Still numerous caterpillars, females and eggs on railing of Lochinver harbour breakwater (Les and Liz Pearce 18-8-22 and DAH 19-8-22). Photos Gallery - Moths
  • Marsh Harrier: Single juvenile bird still showing around Clashmore area (Eachan Mackenzie)

18th August 2022

  • Kestrel: Single bird seen in evening, hunting along cliffs, Bay of Stoer (John Gilbertson)

17th August 2022

  • Kestrel: Two birds hunting near Oldany Farm (DAH)
  • Scotch Argus butterfly: Six butterflies near Loch Poll track end (DAH)
  • Speckled Wood butterfly: Four+ butterflies in trees around Loch Poll Hydro plant room (DAH)
  • Common Darter dragonfly: 30+ dragonflies on track to Loch Poll (DAH)

16th August 2022

  • Whimbrel: Single bird in shallows at low tide, Bay of Stoer (Charlie Leeson)
  • Great Skua: Two birds drinking from freshwater streams on beach at low tide, Bay of Stoer (Charlie Leeson)
  • Otter: Single animal, by Stac Fada (John Gilbertson)

14th August 2022

  • White-tailed Eagle: Single bird over Culkein Drumbeg (DAH).  Possibly same bird seen over Bay of Stoer (Charlie Leeson)
  • Red-throated Diver: Seven adult birds Clashnessie Bay and three Loch Dhrombaig (DAH)
  • Marsh Harrier: Juvenile bird quartering ground, Raffin area (DAH)
  • Eider: Adult female with juvenile, Bay of Stoer (Charlie Leeson)

13th August 2022

  • Red-throated Diver: Four adult birds, Clashnessie Bay (Anne Nicol)
  • Redshank: At least two birds calling but flying unseen in low mist over Clashnessie Bay (DAH)
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull: Single adult bird, Clashnessie Bay (DAH)
  • Harbour Porpoise: Three animals off Clachtoll Broch (DAH)
  • Sparrowhawk: Single adult female hunting around the cemeteries at Stoer (DAH)
  • Cormorant: Three birds, including a juvenile over Bay of Stoer (DAH)
  • Red-throated Diver: Nine adult birds, and a single adult Black-throated Diver, Bay of Stoer (DAH)
  • Skylark: Two birds dust bathing, Ranger's Hut car park Clachtoll (DAH)
  • Buzzard: Five birds circling and calling over Clachtoll (DAH)
  • Common Dolphin: Four well spread out small pods off Clachtoll (DAH)

12th August 2022

  • Northern Bottlenose Whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus): Two animals off Soyea Island (Tony Macrae/North Coast Sea Tours). This is a very exciting record and could well be a first for Assynt in recent times. 
  • Black-headed Gull: Single adult bird and three juveniles, Bay of Stoer (DAH)
  • Spotted Flycatcher: Single adult bird on fence wire Oldany Dornie (DAH)
  • Sandwich Tern: Single adult bird feeding, Bay of Stoer (DAH). Photo Gallery - Birds
  • Vapourer moth (Orgyia antique): Dozens of caterpillars, cocoons and eggs, Lochinver breakwater (Ian Taylor). Caterpillars were feeding on small birch, rowan and willow trees. Cocoons and eggs were on the rail. 

11th August 2022

  • Barn Owl: Single bird hunting, Lochinver breakwater (Paul McGowan)
  • Arctic Skua: Two dark phase birds, Stoer Head Lighthouse (Paul McGowan)

10th August 2022

  • Gannet: Eight birds fishing, Bay of Stoer (Charlie Leeson)
  • Slow Worm: Single animal in garden, Ardvar (Beccy Garvey)

9th August 2022

  • Corncrake: Single bird heard, Culkein Stoer (Nick Simpson).  
  • Merlin: Single male flying alongside road, Inchnadamph (Paul MGowan)

7th August 2022

  • Common Toad: Single amphibian in grass near Oldany (DAH)
  • Palmate Newt: Single amphibian in grass near Oldany (DAH)
  • Butterflies: Scotch Argus (7), Speckled Wood (2), Dark Green Fritillary (1), Meadow Brown (1), all along stretch of B869 from mouth of Oldany River to Culkein Drumbeg junction (DAH)
  • Gannet: Two birds, one immature, fishing from Bay of Clachtoll to Bay of Stoer (Charlie Leeson)
  • Field Gentian (Gentianella campestris): 15+ plants coming into flower, Stoer green (Charlie Leeson)
  • Great Skua: Two birds on water, Bay of Stoer (Charlie Leeson)

5th August 2022

  • Dunlin: Three birds (1 adult, 2 juvenile) Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Ringed Plover: Eight birds (6 adult, 2 juvenile) Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Curlew: Three birds, Culkein Stoer (DAH)
  • Teal: Six birds on water, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Red-throated Diver: Three adult birds, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Great Skua: Single bird flying over Culkein Stoer (DAH)
  • Pied Wagtail: 12 birds flying over Culkein Stoer (DAH)
  • Swallow: 12 birds, Culkein Stoer (DAH)

3rd August 2022

  • Starling: c250 birds (adults and juveniles) Clachtoll (DAH)
  • Twite: c35 birds Balchladich (DAH)

1st August 2022

  • Spotted Flycatcher: Single bird in trees catching flies, Brackloch (DAH). Photo Gallery - Birds
  • Red-breasted Carrion Beetle (Oiceoptoma thoracicum): Single beetle on stem of rush, Brackloch (DAH). Photo Gallery - Beetles
  • Black-throated Diver: Single adult bird Loch Drumbeg (DAH)
  • Common Sandpiper: Single bird on rocks near Imirfada, Clashnessie (DAH)

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