April 2025 Sightings

30th April 2025

  • Great Northern Diver: Adult bird in summer plumage in Lochinver bay (AS)
  • Slow Worm: Two individuals, Glendarroch garden (Chris and Fran Barley)
  • Grasshopper Warbler: One bird singing by road 2km east of Ardvar (Stefan Taylor)
  • Moorhen: One bird, Loch an Aigeil, Clachtoll (Dorell)

29th April 2025

  • Short-eared Owl: Single bird, lower eastern slopes of Canisp (John Wakefield)
  • House Martin: One bird flying over Drumbeg (Ian M. Evans)
  • House Martin: One bird over Culag Hotel, Lochinver (reported to nest on the Hotel) (Ian M. Evans)
  • Common frog: One bird, Quinag just under Sail Garbh (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Lapwing: Two birds trying to repel a buzzard, croft land above the path to Rubh an Dunain, Culkein (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Ring Ouzel: Heard from Quinag Sail Ghorm (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Dunlin: Flock of 60+ at Culkein Stoer beach (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Ptarmigan: A male and a female, eastern side of Canisp (John Hebron)

28th April 2025

  • Lesser Twayblade (Neottia cordata): Ten plants (six in flower), Culag Woods (Gwen Richards)
  • Swallow: Two birds, garden at Ardvar (Beccy Garvey)

27th April 2025

  • Mallard: Proud mum with 9 ducklings, Loch an Aigeil (Dorell)

26th April 2025

  • Ptarmigan: Two birds, possibly lekking, on ridge towards top of Glas Bheinn (Michael Friebe)
  • House Martin: Three birds, Drumbeg (Beccy Garvey)
  • Swallow: One bird, flying low over the beach and grass banking by Stoer Salmon Bothy (Jane Livingstone)
  • Heath Spotted Orchid: Several plants, all in flower, Stoer Head Point (Jane Livingstone)
  • Twite: Two individuals singing at Balchladich (Stefan Taylor)

25th April 2025

  • Red-breasted Merganser: Early butterfly at the Bone Caves car park (AS)
  • Green-veined White: Early butterfly at the Bone Caves car park (AS)
  • Sand Martin: At least five birds at Inchnadamph (AS)
  • Yellow-marked Staphylinus: One beetle at Leitir Easaidh (All Abilities Path carpark) (Jean Cousens) (Thanks to Ian Evans and Gwen Richards for identifying/checking)
  • Common Sandpiper: Two birds at Loch an Aigeil (Dorell)

24th April 2025

  • False Puffball: Single sighting of this rare slime mould on a dead birch tree in the Culag Woods also known as Reticularia lycoperdon (AS)
  • Osprey: Two birds together on the River Inver (Stuart Belshaw)
  • Golden Plover: Two birds at Clachtoll on the crofts (AS)
  • Common Crossbill: At least two birds feeding on spruce cones in the Culag woods (AS)
  • Blackcap: Male bird singing in Culag Woods (AS)
  • Slow Worm: One individual, garden at Ardvar (Beccy Garvey)
  • Chiffchaff: One bird, garden at Ardvar (Beccy Garvey)
  • Grasshopper Warbler: One bird at Ardvar, just outside garden (Beccy Garvey)

23rd April 2025

  • Long-eared Owl: Single bird on fence post near the Bone Caves, Inchnadamph (Steve Langford)
  • Orange-tip Butterfly: Male butterfly in garden at Clachtoll (AS)
  • Long Eared Owl: One bird sat on post on roadside of A837 just before Bone Caves entrance (Steve Langford)

22nd April 2025

  • Whimbrel: Three birds on croft at Clachtoll (AS)
  • Cuckoo: Heard near Culkein Drumbeg Peat Road (Carol Langford)
  • Cuckoo: Heard, not seen, Croft 85 Torbreck (Gwen Richards)
  • Cuckoo: Heard, not seen, Culkein Stoer (top road) (Cheryl Smith)
  • Cuckoo: Heard, not seen, Torbreck (Cheryl Smith)

21st April 2025

  • Whimbrel: Two birds at Clachtoll (Stefan Taylor)
  • Cuckoo: Heard but not seen, Loch Culag (Alan Blakemore)
  • Cuckoo: Heard but not seen, Badnaban (Alan Blakemore)
  • Speckled Wood Butterfly: One butterfly at Croft 85 Torbreck (Gwen Richards)
  • Blackcap: Heard but not seen, Dundarach, Culag Bridge (Jane Young)
  • Speckled Wood Butterfly: One butterfly, Dundarach, Culag Bridge (Jane Young)

20th April 2025

  • Golden Plover: About 35 birds in fields behind Balcladich (John Hebron)
  • Otter: One animal feeding on rocks 200m north of Balcladich beach (John Hebron)

19th April 2025

  • Osprey: One bird passing through, Loch Ailsh (Richard Warburton)
  • Shelduck: Three birds at Lochan na Leobaig (John Hebron)

18th April 2025

  • Grasshopper Warbler: One bird heard reeling, Drumbeg (Beccy Garvey)
  • Cuckoo: Drumbeg

17th April 2025

  • Snipe: One bird drumming over field next to Loch Neil Bhain (John Hebron)

16th April 2025

  • Swallow: Single bird along the river Inver at Brachloch (AS)
  • Violet Oil Beetle: One beetle in garden at Drumbeg (Beccy Garvey)

15th April 2025

  • Eider: Male bird in Lochinver bay (AS)
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull: Adult bird at Loch an Aigeil, Stoer (AS)
  • Blackcap: One singing male at Nedd (Stefan Taylor)
  • Cuckoo: One bird at Nedd, heard not seen (Stefan Taylor)
  • Magpie: One bird in garden, road to Balcladich, Stoer (John Hebron)

13th April 2025

  • Redwing: Four birds at Achnacarnin (Jean Cousens)
  • Common Carder Bumblebee: Queen bumblebee feeding in garden at Clachtoll (AS)
  • Greenshank: Pair of birds Loch Neil Bhain, Stoer (AS)
  • Redwing: Two birds at Clachtoll (AS)
  • Ring Ouzel: One bird, Upper Gleann Dubh, Traligill (John Wakefield)

12th April 2025

  • Red-breasted Merganser: Pair of birds on potential breeding site on Ledmore River, Elphin (AS)
  • Pink-footed Goose: Approximately 30 flying over Drumbeg (Beccy Garvey)

11th April 2025

  • Willow Warbler: One bird at the harbour end of the track to Glencanisp Lodge, Lochinver (John Hebron)
  • Willow Warbler: One bird at Calltuinn, Nedd (Ian M. Evans)

10th April 2025

  • Violet Oil Beetle: One beetle in garden at Ardvar (Beccy Garvey)
  • Red Grouse: Two birds, just off track towards Loch Cul Fraioch (Calum Millar)

9th April 2025

  • Barrel Jellyfish: Washed up on Clashnessie Beach (Jane Livingstone)
  • Grey Seal: Three at Clashnessie Bay (Jane Livingstone)
  • Ringed Plover: Three birds at Bay of Stoer (John Hebron)
  • Common Lizard: One individual, basking in sun, garden in Drumbeg (Calum Millar)
  • Pink-footed Goose: Approximately 50, flying over garden, Ardvar (Beccy Garvey)
  • Willow Warbler: Male bird singing in Culag Woods (Jane Young)
  • Water Rail: One individual, Loch na Claise (not seen but heard and recorded) (Stefan Taylor)

8th April 2025

  • Small Tortoiseshell: One bee flying amongst flowering Broom bushes, Blairstarn (Jane Livingstone)
  • Common Carder Bee: One bee flying around daffodils at Blairstarn (Jane Livingstone)
  • White-tailed Bumblebee: Two bees feeding on daffodils at Blairstarn (Jane Livingstone)
  • Greenshank: Two birds at Lochan an Tairbh, Torbreck. One chasing the other, very vocal (Gwen Richards)
  • Willow Warbler: One bird, singing at 7.30am, and flitting among small trees in a front garden, Achnacarnin (Jean Cousens)

7th April 2025

  • Black Guillemot: Eleven birds, Stoer lighthouse (John Hebron)

6th April 2025

  • Slow Worm: Near Loch Donnaig(Beccy Garvey)
  • Black-throated Diver: One bird at Clashnessie Bay (John Hebron)

5th April 2025

  • Ptarmigan: One bird with partial white winter plumage grading into darker summer plumage, top of Suilven (Adam Smith)
  • Stonechat: One bird near junction of Balcladich beach and Culkein Stoer roads (John Hebron)
  • House Martin: Two birds flying over Loch Niel Bhàin, catching insects (Jane Livingstone)

4th April 2025

  • Meadow Pipit: One bird at Culkein Drumbeg (Carol Langford)
  • Willow Warbler: One bird, garden at Ardvar (Beccy Garvey)

3rd April 2025

  • Wheatear: Two birds at Culkein Drumbeg harbour (Carol Langford)
  • Reed Bunting: One bird feeding in garden, Culkein Drumbeg (Carol Langford)

2nd April 2025

  • Merlin: Single bird at Clachtoll, probably female (AS)
  • Peacock butterfly: One butterfly feeding on dandelion in garden, Solus, 83 Torbreck (Gwen Richards)
  • Drinker moth caterpillar: One butterfly on the path to Suilven (Jane Livingstone)
  • Peacock butterfly: Seven butterflies on Glencanisp/Suilven track between Loch Druim Suardalain and the second bridge on the lower path (Jane Livingstone)
  • Peacock butterfly: Garden at Ardvar
  • Redwing: Six birds resting in trees opposite cottage in Culkein Drumbeg (Carol Langford)
  • Teal: One male and two females at Loch Neil Bhain (John Hebron)

1st April 2025

  • Whooper swan: Five birds flying over Drumbeg (Beccy Garvey)
  • Pink-footed goose: One skein of approx. 150 and one skein of approx. 80 flying over Drumbeg (Beccy Garvey)
  • Pied Wagtail: Two birds in garden, Culkein Drumbeg (Carol Langford)
  • Redwing: Seven birds, feeding up on their way north, Nedd (Stefan Taylor)
  • Pink-footed geese: Skeins of c150 and c100 birds flying north, Stoer (AS)
  • Peregrine: Male bird at Stoer lighthouse (AS)
  • Small Tortoiseshell: Single butterfly in garden, Clachtoll (AS)

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