September 2022 Sightings

30th September 2022

  • Shag: 30+ birds and a single Cormorant, Clashnessie Bay (DAH)

29th September 2022

  • Otter: Single female with two kits swimming along the shore at high tide, Balchladich Bay (Peter Reynolds)

28th September 2022

  • Whooper Swan: Three birds flying towards Loch na Claise (Peter Reynolds)
  • Whooper Swan: Three birds flying over Ardvar (Beccy Garvey)
  • Red Admiral: Single butterfly in garden, Ardvar (Beccy Garvey)

27th September 2022

  • Whooper Swan: Six birds, Cam Loch (Rosie Christmas).  This is the first reported sighting for autumn 2022.  Previous first recorded sightings are 23/9 (2021), 23/9 (2020), 17/9 (2019), 27/9 (2018)

26th September 2022

  • Great Black-backed Gull: Five birds, Balchladich Bay (Peter Reynolds)
  • Gannet: Seven birds, including two juveniles and one immature, Balchladich Bay (Peter Reynolds)

25th September 2022

  • Red Deer: Single stag rutting with eight females, reed beds south of Loch na Claise (Peter Reynolds)

24th September 2022

  • Pink-footed Goose: 32 birds over Oldany heading south-east (DAH)

23rd September 2022

  • Common Darter (Sympetrum Striolatum): 50+ dragonflies seen along All Abilities path, Little Assynt (Charlie Leeson)
  • Pink-footed Goose: Single skein of c80 birds heading south-east over Culkein Drumbeg mid-evening (DAH)
  • Long-tailed Tit: 21 birds moving through garden, Culkein Drumbeg (DAH)
  • Ptarmigan: Three birds on Spidean Coinich (Karen Beattie)

22nd September 2022

  • Black-throated Diver: Single bird, Balchladich Bay (Peter Reynolds) 
  • Devil’s Coach-horse beetle (Ocypus olens): Single beetle on slabs around house, Clachtoll (DAH)

21st September 2022

  • Stoat: Single animal dragging (still alive) rabbit across the road near cemetery, Stoer (Peter Reynolds)

20th September 2022

  • White-tailed Eagle: Single bird reported from the north of the parish

19th September 2022

  • Wren: Single bird in garden, Clashmore (Jane Livingstone)

18th September 2022

  • Ringed Plover: 27 birds resting on sand, Clashnessie Bay (DAH)
  • Dunlin: Six birds on beach, Culkein Stoer (Peter Reynolds)
  • Turnstone: Six birds on beach, Culkein Stoer (Peter Reynolds)
  • Ringed Plover: Eight birds on beach, Culkein Stoer (Peter Reynolds)

17th September 2022

  • Wheatear: Single bird, Clashmore (Richard Chappell & Ennis Jones)
  • Peregrine Falcon: Single bird flying south over Balchladich Bay (Peter Reynolds)

16th September 2022

  • Harbour Seal: 62 animals hauled out on rocks at Loch Roe, Achmelvich (AS)

15th September 2022

  • Pied Wagtail: c80 birds coming into roost in the evening at the reed bed at Loch an Aigeil, Clachtoll (AS)

14th September 2022

  • Pink-footed Goose: c. 70 birds heading SSE over Clashmore (Richard Chappell & Ennis Jones)
  • Little Grebe: Two birds, Loch na Claise and single bird Lochan Sgeireach, Stoer (Ennis Jones and Richard Chappell)
  • Teal: Four birds, Loch na Claise (Ennis Jones and Richard Chappell)
  • Dipper: Single bird, Lochan an lasgaich, opposite Little Assynt Tree Nursery (DAH/Ennis Jones and Richard Chappell)

13th September 2022

  • Pink-footed Goose: c. 60 birds heading south-east over Culkein Stoer (DAH/Ennis Jones and Richard Chappell). Our first report this autumn. Previous first dates: 2021, 23rd September; 2020, 5th September; 2019, 16th September.
  • Leach’s Storm-petrel: Single adult bird rescued from 'Rientraid fish farm' (Victor Rooney/Paul Nelson). The bird was brought to Andy Summers to check its condition before being released. This is a rare record for Assynt. Photo Gallery - Birds
  • Broom Moth caterpillar (Melanchra pisi): Single caterpillar on Red Goosefoot (Chenopodium rubrum) beach, Culkein Stoer (DAH/Ennis Jones). Photo Gallery - Moths
  • Curlew: Five birds, Bay of Culkein (DAH/Ennis Jones and Richard Chappell)

12th September 2022

  • Kestrel: Single bird hovering, Culkein Drumbeg (Steve Langford)
  • Common Snipe: Single bird flushed from moorland, Clashmore (Ennis Jones)

11th September 2022

  • Shag: C150 birds on rocks by lighthouse, Stoerhead (Charlie Leeson, Helen & Malcolm McGillvray)

10th September 2022

  • Common Dolphin: c50 very active animals feeding off Bay of Clachtoll (DAH/Ennis Jones and Richard Chappell)
  • Harbour Porpoise: Three animals off Bay of Stoer and a single very close in, Bay of Clachtoll (Ennis Jones and Richard Chappell/DAH)
  • Great Skua: Single bird off Bay of Stoer (DAH)
  • Sanderling: Four juvenile birds, Bay of Stoer (DAH)
  • Starling: c170 birds on overhead wires and feeding on the green, Stoer (DAH). Photo Gallery - Birds

9th September 2022

  • Otter: Single animal, Loch na Claise (Richard Chappell and Ennis Jones)

8th September 2022

  • Grey Wagtail: Single bird feeding on insects, Glendarroch Lochinver (Chris & Fran Barley)
  • Peacock Butterfly: Single butterfly, Stoerhead lighthouse (Ennis Jones)
  • Ptarmigan: Single bird heard near Spidean Coinich (Keith and Nita Salmon)
  • Raven: Nine birds over Spidean Coinich, Quinag (Keith and Nita Salmon)

7th September 2022

  • Common Lizard: Single female basking by roadside, Clashmore (Ennis Jones & Richard Chappell)
  • Redshank: A group of 14 birds, Lochan na Leobaig (Andy Summers, Charlie Leeson & others)
  • Curlew: Single bird, Lochan na Leobaig (Andy Summers, Charlie Leeson & others)

5th September 2022

  • Little Grebe: Two birds, Loch na Claise (Ennis Jones and Richard Chappell)

4th September 2022

  • Magpie: Single bird near Clashmore being vigorously mobbed by Swallows (Richard Chappell and Ennis Jones)
  • Gannet: Nine adult birds feeding in and just out from Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Black Darter (Sympetrum danae): Single male basking on heather in warm sunshine, Clashmore (Ennis Jones and Richard Chappell)

2nd September 2022

  • Common Dolphin: c50 very active animals close in and just off Bay of Stoer (Raymond and Bunty Ferguson)
  • Jackdaw: 20+ birds, Elphin (DAH). Part of Assynt's only resident population of this species.

1st September 2022

  • Pygmy Shrew: Single animal (in mousetrap!), Torbreck (Michael Rochester)

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