May 2025 Sightings

31st May 2025

  • White-tailed Eagle: Two birds flying above the All Abilities car park, Little Assynt (Gwen Richards)

30th May 2025

  • Adder’s-tongue fern (Ophioglossum vulgatum): More than 200 individuals in a dried-up pool, Little Assynt - 'new' site in unusual habitat (Nick Clooney)
  • Reed Bunting: One male perched on roadside fence, Strathcroy (Ian Evans)
  • Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary: One butterfly in garden, Solus, Torbreck (Ian Evans)
  • Wigeon: One individual, Loch nah Airigh Fraoich (John Hebron)
  • Black-throated Diver: Two individuals, Clachtoll (Peter Reynolds)
  • Oak Eggar Moth: Two moths on the northern slope of Suilven (John Hebron)
  • Minke Whale: Seen from Balchladich Bay, travelling north (Peter Reynolds)
  • Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary: Five butterflies along the path between Glencanisp Lodge and Suilven (John Hebron)
  • Red Admiral: Two butterflies at the summit of Suilven (John Hebron)
  • Short-eared Owl: One bird sitting on roadside snow pole, Skiag (Stefan Taylor)
  • Green-veined White Butterfly: Approximately six butterflies in garden, Clashmore/Stoer (Jane Livingstone)
  • Common Blue Damselfly: Approximately eight damselflies at Loch Neil Bhàin, Stoer (Jane Livingstone)
  • Four-spotted Chaser: Approximately 12 dragonflies at Loch Neil Bhàin, Stoer (Jane Livingstone)

29th May 2025

  • Wood Mouse: One mouse perched on hanging peanut feeder on hazel tree, Calltuinn, Nedd (Ian Evans)
  • Barn Owl: One individual hunting over reed beds at dusk, Stoer/Clashmore area (Jane Livingstone)

28th May 2025

  • Wood Warbler: One individual, by B869 between Ardvar & Newton (Stefan Taylor)
  • Ptarmigan: One individual, Quinag (Alex Koehler)
  • Common Toad: Two individuals at Loch Crocach (Peter Reynolds)
  • Small Heath: One butterfly at Loch Crocach (Peter Reynolds)
  • Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary: Two butterflies at Loch Crocach (Peter Reynolds)
  • Gannet: One individual at Culkein Stoer Bay (Peter Reynolds)
  • Red-throated Diver: Two birds at Culkein Stoer Bay (Peter Reynolds)

27th May 2025

  • Sanderling: Three adults at Culkein Stoer Bay (Peter Reynolds)
  • Stonechat: One individual, on track to Clashnessie falls (Peter Reynolds)
  • Wheatear: One individual, on track to Clashnessie falls (Peter Reynolds)

26th May 2025

  • Pied Wagtail: Three birds at Culkein Stoer bay (Peter Reynolds)
  • Oystercatcher: More than 40 birds at Culkein Stoer bay (Peter Reynolds)
  • Dunlin: More than 30 birds at Culkein Stoer bay (Peter Reynolds)
  • Turnstone: More than 25 birds at Culkein Stoer bay (Peter Reynolds)
  • Sanderling: More than 25 birds at Culkein Stoer bay (Peter Reynolds)
  • Ringed Plover: More than 50 birds at Culkein Stoer bay (Peter Reynolds)
  • Red-breasted Merganser: One female at Clashnessie Bay (Peter Reynolds)
  • Eider Duck: One pair at Clashnessie Bay (Peter Reynolds)

25th May 2025

  • Barn Owl: Bird flying at dusk Clashnessie (AS)
  • Whimbrel: Ten birds on the crofts at Clachtoll (AS)

24th May 2025

  • Curlew: One individual, south of Loch Urigill (Stefan Taylor)

23rd May 2025

  • Snipe: Heard (not seen) at Clachtoll salmon bothy (Alan Blakemore)

20th May 2025

  • Red Kite: Single bird at Elphin (Sian Curley)
  • Greenfinch: A male and a female in the garden at Ardvar (Beccy Garvey)

19th May 2025

  • Shoveler: A male and a female at Balchladich Bay (John Hebron)
  • Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary: Approximately six butterflies at Ardvar (Beccy Garvey)

18th May 2025

  • Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Butterfly: Approximately 16 butterflies, very active in the sunshine and feeding on wildflowers at Ardvar (Jane Livingstone)
  • Golden-ringed Dragonfly: One individual near garden, Ardvar (Calum Millar)

17th May 2025

  • Small Heath Butterfly: Four butterflies, very active in the sun flying over heather banking near Loch Neil Bhàin (Jane Livingstone)
  • Blue-tailed Damselfly: Two males and one female at Loch Neil Bhàin (Jane Livingstone)
  • Whitethroat: One bird singing at Unapool (Stefan Taylor)

16th May 2025

  • Minke Whale: Single animal feeding just off Stoer green (David Williams)

15th May 2025

  • Small pearl-bordered Fritillary: Very early butterfly at Little Assynt near the tree nursery (AS)
  • Red Admiral Butterfly: About 40 butterflies, feeding on cotoneaster shrubs in the garden at Ardvar (Beccy Garvey)
  • Minke Whale: Single whale seen feeding amongst a shoal of small fish from Clachtoll (David Williams)

14th May 2025

  • Green-veined White Butterfly: Several individuals, flying amongst grasses and wildflowers in Clashmore/Stoer garden (Jane Livingstone)
  • Red Admiral Butterfly: One individual feeding on dandelion flowers, Clashmore/Stoer garden (Jane Livingstone)
  • Large Red Damselfly: Three flies, flying amongst grasses and sunbathing on rocks, Clashmore/Stoer garden (Jane Livingstone)
  • Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly: Two dragonflies flying amongst grasses by a small stream in a Clashmore/Stoer garden (Jane Livingstone)
  • Osprey: One individual, landed atop Ardvreck castle (Stefan Taylor)

13th May 2025

  • Bitter Vetch: One plant at Little Assynt (Lynn Bennett-Mackenzie)

11th May 2025

  • Tufted Duck: Male bird at Loch an Aigeil (AS)
  • Violet Oil Beetle: One beetle near Drumbeg (Beccy Garvey)
  • White Ermine Moth: One moth at Clachtoll (polycrub) - dead, possibly because the crub accidentally reached 42°c (Dorell)

10th May 2025

  • Common Tern: At least 34 birds apparently breeding near Clachtoll Broch (AS)
  • White Wagtail: Single bird on passage at Clachtoll (AS)
  • Yellow Underwing Moth: One individual, Glendarroch garden (Chris and Fran Barley)

9th May 2025

  • Whitethroat: Two singing males at Glencanisp Lodge (AS)
  • Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly: Early dragonfly seen on Glencanisp road (AS)
  • Mountain Hare: One hare, believed to be a youngster, north slope of Breabag plateau, enjoying the sun (John Wakefield)
  • Common Tern: Three birds, Culkein Stoer bay (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Eider Duck: Culkein Stoer bay
  • Sedge Warbler: One bird singing at Loch Assynt between Calda and Inchnadamph (Stefan Taylor)
  • Sedge Warbler: Bird singing near Clachtoll Broch (AS)

8th May 2025

  • Oyster Plant: One plant, NW of Clachtoll beach (John & Philippa Gilbertson)
  • Red-throated Diver: Culkein Stoer Bay
  • Goldeneye: One bird, Lochan Sgeireach (John Hebron)

7th May 2025

  • Ptarmigan: One bird in partial winter plumage just under the summit of Cul Mor (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Red Admiral butterfly: Two butterflies on summit of Cul Mor (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Ring Ouzel: One bird seen and heard on summit ridge of Cul Mor (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Black-headed Gull: Two birds, Culkein Stoer bay (Heather Braunholtz)

6th May 2025

  • Stoat: Single animal at Clachtoll coastline (AS)
  • Great Northern Diver: Three birds in summer plumage near Clachtoll bay (AS)
  • Minke Whale: Single animal off Clachtoll towards Soyea island (AS)
  • Chiffchaff: One individual calling at Duart (Stefan Taylor)

5th May 2025

  • Painted Lady butterfly: One butterfly feeding on dandelion flowers on track near old Stoer School (Jane Livingstone)
  • Red Admiral: One butterfly, Solus, 83 Torbreck garden (Gwen Richards)

4th May 2025

  • White-tailed Sea Eagle: Single bird, Rubh an Dunain, Culkein, flying over & out towards Quinag (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Linnet: Two birds on feeder and then in tree at Achnacarnin (Jean Cousens)

3rd May 2025

  • Whimbrel: About 17 birds on croft land above Culkein Stoer jetty (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Golden Plover: About 72 birds on croft land above Culkein Stoer jetty (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Bullfinch: Male bird at Ardvar (Becky Garvey)

1st May 2025

  • Speckled Wood Butterfly: Single butterfly in Culag Woods (AS)
  • House Martin: Several birds in Lochinver (AS)
  • Golden Plover: 37 birds on the crofts at Clachtoll (AS)
  • Common Crossbill: One bird feeding on cones at Lochinver Primary School (Jane Livingstone)
  • House Martin: Four birds flying over Loch Culag and Lochinver Primary school. One pair was investigating a nest used last year (Jane Livingstone)
  • Stoat: One animal on croft land above the jetty at Culkein Stoer (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Golden Plover: About 50 birds on croft land, Culkein Stoer (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Swallow: One bird flying over the top road at Culkein Stoer (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Black-throated Diver: Two birds, Culkein Stoer bay (Heather Braunholtz)
  • Swallow: One bird on telephone wire in Balchladich (John Hebron)

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