March 2023 – Sightings

30/03/2023

• Great Northern Diver (x5)
• Greenland White-fronted Goose (x7 – probably the last for this winter)
• Teal (a migrant pair on a small lochan)
• Curlew (x2 passage birds)
• Redshank (a noisy pair in territory)
• Sanderling (x40)
• Hen Harrier (female)
• Dunnock (several singing around the village)
• Chiffchaff (in song – less than annual here on Coll)
• Drinker moth (a fat caterpillar in the dunes)

28/03/2023

• Whooper Swan (x3 on our local loch)
• Lesser Black-backed Gulls (x12 a notable flock of new arrivals)

27/03/2023

• Whooper Swan (a large movement of Swans across the island today heading north)
• Greenland White-fronted Goose (a flock of 60 birds departed mid-afternoon heading north)
• Wheatear (they’re back! The first two birds of the year around the cottage)

20/03/2023

• Whooper Swan (x2)
• Greenland White-fronted Goose (x25)
• Barnacle Goose (x450)
• Woodcock (x2)
• White-tailed Eagle (a singe adult bird stressing the local Ravens)
• Redshank and Lapwing (several pairs in territory)
• Common Eelgrass (Zostera marina)

17/03/2023

• Whooper Swan (x2)
• Woodcock (x6 individuals flushed during walk in local plantation)
• Goldcrest (x2 migrants)

16/03/2023

• Stonechats, Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails (suddenly everywhere on recent southerly winds)
• Fox Moth caterpillars (two emerging from hibernation will shortly pupate)

15/03/2023

• Canada Goose (x2+2)
• Lapwing (in territory and displaying)
• Woodpigeon (x2 – first of the spring)
• Dunnock (x2)
• Golden Eagle and Short-eared Owl (both reported in recent days)

11/03/2023

• Greenland White-fronted Goose (x51 – a separate flock to the 53 yesterday)
• Pied Wagtail (our second bird of the spring)

10/03/2023

• Whooper Swan (x2)
• Greenland White-fronted Goose (x53)

09/03/2023

• Greenland White-fronted Goose (x53)
• Canada Goose (x27 – a very large arrival of potential breeders)
• Shelduck (the first pair of the spring reported)
• White-tailed Eagle (two separate observations reported today)
• Woodcock (x2)

08/03/2023

• Snow Bunting (a single female on Cliad Beach)

07/03/2023

• Canada Goose (x2+2)
• Greenland White-fronted Goose (x54)
• Fieldfare

06/03/2023

• Whooper Swan (x2)
• Greenland White-fronted Goose (x26)
• Moorhen (x3)

05/03/2023

• Red-breasted Merganser (a stunning drake on Loch Eatharna)
• Dunnock (x5)
• Skylarks (x5 – further arrivals)
• Greenfinch (singing – an uncommon breeder on Coll)

02/03/2023

• Great Northern Diver (x15)
• Cormorant (x2)
• Greenland White-fronted Geese (x30+19)
• Lapwings (several pairs in in territory and displaying)
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (x2)
• Black-headed Gull (a spring arrival)
• Jackdaws (x19 – a surprising record)
• Early Purple Orchid rosettes
• Common Whitlow Grass and Primroses in flower