February 2023 Sightings

28th February 2023

  • Lapwing: Two birds, Balchladich (Carol Langford)
  • Harbour Porpoise: Three animals off Clachtoll Broch and a single Clashnessie Bay (DAH)

27th February 2023

  • Siskin: Two birds on feeder by school, Loch Culag, (Fiona Carter)

26th February 2023

  • Otter: Single animal fishing in the shallows, Loch Kirkaig (Fiona Carter)
  • Skylark: Single bird, Clashmore (Jane Livingstone)
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker: Two birds, Strathan (Fiona Carter)
  • Barn Owl: Single bird hunting over croft land, Clashmore (Jane Livingstone) 
  • Long-tailed Duck: Single winter plumage female, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Red-throated Diver: Single bird, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Great Northern Diver: Seven birds, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Ringed Plover: 13 birds, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Oystercatcher: 27 birds, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Curlew: Six birds on grazing land behind chalets, Culkein Stoer (DAH)

25th February 2023

  • Oystercatcher: 20+ birds on grass above beach, Culkein (Jane Livingstone)
  • Eider: Small raft of c.20 birds off Culkein Drumbeg (DAH)

24th February 2023

  • Pied Wagtail: Two birds foraging in the seaweed, Clachtoll beach, and three birds at Stoer beach (Charlie Leeson)

23rd February 2023

  • Long-tailed Tit: 12+ birds on garden seed feeder, Lochinver (DAH)
  • Jackdaw: Single bird with Hooded Crows, Clachtoll (DAH)
  • Cormorant: Single bird with breeding patch, Loch an Ordain, Clachtoll (DAH)
  • Starling: 15 birds on and around garden feeders, Culkein Drumbeg (DAH)
  • Long-tailed Tit: Two birds on feeders, Lochinver Primary school (Jane Livingstone)
  • Goldfinch: Three birds on feeders, Lochinver Primary school (Jane Livingstone)
  • Greenfinch: Six birds on feeders, Lochinver Primary school (Jane Livingstone)

22nd February 2023

  • Hermit crab: Single crab prospecting new shells in shallow water, Bay of Culkein (Murray Anderson)
  • Red-breasted Merganser: Two birds, a pair, Bay of Culkein (Murray Anderson)
  • Oyster Catcher: A group of 12 birds on beach, Culkein (Murray Anderson)
  • Pied Wagtail: Single bird on beach, Clachtoll (Murray Anderson)
  • Redshank: Two birds on beach, Culkein (Murray Anderson)
  • Curlew: Five birds on beach, Culkein (Murray Anderson)

21st February 2023

  • Weasel: Single animal, probably female due to small size, Nedd (Ian Evans)
  • Song Thrush: Single bird heard in song (first time in 2023), Nedd (Ian Evans)
  • Redwing: Three birds, Clachtoll peat track (Jane Livingstone)

20th February 2023

  • Pied Wagtail: Single bird on beach, Clachtoll (Charlie Leeson)
  • Barn Owl: Two birds - one near Clachtoll (Kenny John Matheson) and another near Strathcroy (Carol and Steve Langford)

19th February 2023

  • Sparrowhawk: Single male in garden, Torbreck (Gwen Richards)
  • Goldfinch: Eight birds in trees, Strathcroy (Jane Livingstone)
  • Grey Seal: Single animal in Clashnessie Bay (Jane Livingstone)
  • Starling: Six birds with nesting material, Clashnessie (Jane Livingstone)

18th February 2023

  • Barn Owl: Three birds all seen within a few hundred metres, two on fence posts and one flying, Inverkirkaig (Kenny John Matheson)
  • Black Guillemot: Four+ birds, some in breeding plumage, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Great Northern Diver: Three birds, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Pied Wagtail: Single male bird, Bay of Culkein (DAH)
  • Curlew: Five birds, Culkein Stoer (DAH)
  • Reed Bunting: Single male bird, Culkein Stoer (DAH)
  • Lapwing: Single male bird, Loch Neil Bhain (DAH). Another migrant breeder returns.
  • Little Grebe: Two birds, Loch na Claise (DAH)
  • Goldeneye: Two female birds, Loch na Claise (DAH)
  • Primrose: Single plant in flower on Achmelvich croft (Mandy Haggith). A nice early flower.
  • Fieldfare: Six birds near the Culkein Stoer/Stoerhead Lighthouse junction (Jane Livingstone)
  • Skylark: Four birds at side of track to transmitter tower near Stoerhead Lighthouse (Jane Livingstone)
  • Mistle Thrush: Single bird on overhead wires, Culkein Drumbeg (DAH)
  • Redwing: Single bird, Culkein Drumbeg (DAH)

16th February 2023

  • Barn Owl: Single bird on fence at side of B869 just south of Clashnessie (DAH)
  • Roe Deer: Two animals (male & female) on the road near Oldany  (Tom Sykes)
  • Skylark: Single bird back on breeding ground at Clachtoll (AS)

14th February 2023

  • Toad: Single amphibian crossing the road early evening at Loch An Aigeil, Clachtoll (AS)
  • Goldeneye: A pair of birds on a loch near Torbreck (Gwen Richards)

13th February 2023

  • Teal: A pair of birds on Lochan an Tairbh, Torbreck (Gwen Richards)

12th February 2023

  • Greenfinch: Nine birds on feeder in garden, Culkein Drumbeg (Carol Langford).  Birds were in a group of chaffinch and goldfinch.

11th February 2023

  • Frog Spawn: Eight clumps of fresh spawn in roadside pool, Culkein Drumbeg (DAH). First dates for past 10 years: 2022 - 13 Feb: 2021 - 24 Feb; 2020 - 29 Feb; 2019 - 16 Feb; 2018 - 13 March; 2017 - 19 Feb; 2016 - 3 March; 2015 - 19 Feb; 2014 - 25 Feb; 2013 - 1 March.
  • Teal: Six birds (three pair), Lochan na Leobaig, Culkein Drumbeg (DAH)
  • Jackdaw: Single bird in with six Hooded Crows, Clashnessie (DAH). We have resident Jackdaws in Assynt but they are Elphin 'residents' so this single bird is likely from elsewhere.
  • Puffin: Single dead bird on Stoer green (DAH). From the size of its beak this was a 1st-winter bird which has most likely succumbed to the recent stormy weather.

9th February 2023

  • Moorhen: Single bird, Loch an Aigeil (DAH)
  • Dipper: Single bird foraging, Lochan an lasgaich, opposite Little Assynt Tree Nursery (DAH)
  • Long-tailed Tit: 4+ birds near Little Assynt Tree Nursery (DAH)
  • Sparrowhawk: Single bird flying very near to Peet's Restaurant, Lochinver (Jean Cousins)

5th February 2023

  • Greenfinch: Two birds (male & female) feeding on ground in garden, Culkein Drumbeg (Carol Langford)
  • Hen Harrier: Single ring-tail bird at Clashnessie (Andrea Kant)

4th February 2023

  • Goldfinch: 34 birds in garden, Torbreck (Gwen Richards)

1st February 2023

  • Badger: Single animal on road in the evening, near Loch na Gainmhich (Steve Langford)
  • Treecreeper: Single bird on Sitka spruce tree, Torbreck (Gwen Richards)
  • Barn Owl: Single bird hunting at dusk, Clashmore (Jane Livingstone)

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