March 2025 Sightings

31st March 2025

  • Badger: Dead female, most likely hit by a vehicle, Kylesku (Diane Keenan-Bokr)
  • Kestrel: One bird hovering over edge of mire, Poll Buidhe, Nedd (Ian Evans)
  • Greenshank: Single bird calling, Clachtoll Peat Road (AS)

30th March 2025

  • Chiffchaff: Male bird singing in Culag woods (AS)
  • Pied Wagtail: One bird, Glendarroch garden (Chris and Fran Barley)

28th March 2025

  • Goldeneye: Two males and three females, Loch Ruighean an Aitinn, Drumbeg (Ian Evans).
  • Redpoll: Eight birds feeding in downy birch woodland at Nedd (Stefan Taylor)

26th March 2025

  • Otter: Single animal on coastline at Raffin (AS)
  • White-tailed Sea Eagle: Single bird flying overhead at Clachtoll (Marianne Simpson)
  • Oystercatcher: Twenty-three birds at Loch an Aigeil (John Hebron)

24th March 2025

  • Wheatear: Single bird near Ardvreck Castle, Inchnadamph (AS)
  • Red-breasted Merganser: Three adult male birds and one female in Lochinver bay (AS)
  • Greenshank: Two birds at Loch Nedd (Kari Knights)

23rd March 2025

  • Peregrine: Single bird at Raffin (Avril Haines)
  • Bullfinch: Four individuals (two pairs) eating apple tree buds, Nedd (Stefan Taylor)

22nd March 2025

  • Greenshank: Single bird at Loch Nedd (AS)
  • Black Guillemot: Six individuals at Stoer lighthouse (John Hebron)
  • Minke whale: Single animal, approximately 1km offshore at Balchladich (John Hebron)
  • Ringed Plover: One individual at Culkein Stoer (John Hebron)
  • Barnacle Goose: Twenty-six birds at Culkein Stoer (John Hebron)
  • Skylark: One individual at Clachtoll (Dorell Pirie)
  • Lapwing: Six individuals near Clachtoll Broch (Dorell Pirie)
  • Cormorant: Five individuals, some flying, some on the water, off the Clachtoll coastline (Dorell Pirie)
  • Great Northern Diver: Approximately ten birds (winter plumage) along the Clachtoll coastline, some in pairs, some in larger groups (Dorell Pirie)
  • Oystercatcher: Seventeen individuals, Stoer Beach (Dorell Pirie)
  • Ringed plover: Two individuals, Stoer Beach (Dorell Pirie)
  • Gannet: Five individuals, wheeling and diving, Stoer Bay (Dorell Pirie)
  • Golden plover: Two individuals singing/displaying at great height, Nedd (Stefan Taylor)

21st March 2025

  • Little grebe: One individual, Loch an Aigeil, Stoer (Dorell Pirie)
  • Red Shank: One individual at Culkein Drumbeg harbour (Carol Langford)
  • Black throated diver: Four individuals at Achmelvich Bay (John Hebron)

20th March 2025

  • White-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum): Two butterflies feeding on flowering currant, garden, Solus, 83 Torbreck (Gwen Richards)
  • Roe deer: One male, just west of Strathcroy (Ian Evans and Stefan Taylor)
  • Linnet, Greenfinch, Goldfinch: Four Linnets, six Greenfinches, and four Goldfinches perching on top of a Birch tree as a mixed flock in a garden at Blairstarn near the old Stoer School (Jane Livingstone)
  • Peacock butterfly: One individual resting on the paving in the sunshine (Jane Livingstone)
  • Gannet: Three individuals at Stoer lighthouse (John Hebron)
  • Guillemot: Single bird (freshly dead) Clashnessie beach (Jane Davies)

19th March 2025

  • Chiffchaff: First bird of the year at Achmelvich woods (Bill Ritchie)
  • Wheatear: First bird of the summer spotted at Clachtoll this morning (AS)

18th March 2025

  • Goldeneye: Three birds still on Loch Drumbeg - one male and two females (AS)
  • Common Seals: 25 animals at Loch Nedd (AS)
  • Ringed Plover: Pair of birds on breeding site at Clashnessie near Imirfada (AS)
  • Weasel: One individual in Glendarroch garden (Chris and Fran Barley)
  • White tailed bumblebee and Honey bee: Two bumblebees and about eight honey bees (Chris and Fran Barley)
  • Twite: Two birds with 13 Linnets at Clachtoll (AS)

17th March 2025

  • Treecreeper: One bird climbing holly tree in a Badnaban garden (Alan Blakemore)

15th March 2025

  • Reed Bunting: Single male at Loch Neil Bhàin, moving about in reeds at the Loch side (Jane Livingstone)
  • Little Grebe: Single male at Loch Neil Bhàin, frequently diving and re-appearing some distance away (Jane Livingstone)
  • Lapwing: Approximately 12 birds flying low over Loch Neil Bhain in swooping motions, then landing by the Loch (Jane Livingstone)
  • White-tailed Bumblebee: Single insect in garden at Clachtoll as temperatures rise to 12 degrees (Dorell Pirie)
  • Goosander: Pair of birds on Star Pool, River Inver (Roz Summers)

14th March 2025

  • Minke whale: One individual sighted from the salmon bothy at Clachtoll (Alan Blakemore)
  • Oystercatcher: Pair of birds back on breeding territory along shores of Loch Assynt (AS)
  • Orca: Two males seen off Clachtoll, identified as John Coe and Aquarius (Alan Blakemore, D &A Haines)

13th March 2025

  • Whooper swan: Two individuals at Lochan Sgeireach (John Hebron)

11th March 2025

  • Linnet: First bird of the new season in garden at Clachtoll (AS)

10th March 2025

  • Stoat: Single animal on ice houses, Culkein Stoer (Kath Ainslie)
  • Greylag Goose: Seven birds on football pitch, Lochinver (Alan Blakemore)

9th March 2025

  • Teal: Nine birds on Loch an Ordain (Andy Summers)

8th March 2025

  • Black-throated Diver: First birds seen back on their breeding lochs including Loch Assynt (AS)
  • Teal: Eight birds (four male, four female) at Loch an Ordain, Torbreck (Stefan Taylor)
  • Crossbill: Six birds feeding on fir cones and calling, Lochinver (Stefan Taylor)
  • Badger: Adult spotted in garden at night; believed responsible for breaking / dragging away low-hanging fatball and peanut feeders intended for birds. Achnacarnin (Jean Cousens)

7th March 2025

  • Common Green Lacewing: Single insect seen at Clachtoll (AS)
  • Golden Plover: 4 birds on crofts at Clachtoll (AS)

6th March 2025

  • Whooper Swan: Two birds on Loch an t-Seana Chlaidh, Achmelvich (AS)
  • Frogspawn: Large clump in the flooded Cattlegrid, Glencanisp Road, Lochinver (Fiona Carter)
  • Buzzard: Four birds soaring together as a loose group above Loch Bad Na Goibhre from Glencanisp Road (Fiona Carter)
  • Pied wagtail: Our resident pied wagtail returned for the summer today, Nedd (Stefan Taylor)
  • Treecreeper: Two birds moving up and down birch trees beside Glencanisp Road (Fiona Carter)

5th March 2025

  • Pine Marten: Three individuals feeding together on nuts, some playful interaction, possibly a family group? Loch Culag/School Loch, Lochinver (Fiona Carter)

2nd March 2025

  • Buzzard: Two birds perched together on a tree branch before taking off and interacting mid-flight, Loch Culag/School Loch, Lochinver (Fiona Carter)
  • Badger: One animal feeding on peanuts, house grounds, Loch Culag/School Loch, Lochinver (Fiona Carter)
  • Pine Marten: Two individuals, travelling and interacting together, feeding on peanuts, scent marking, Loch Culag/School Loch, Lochinver (Fiona Carter)

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