Short-eared owl |
Birds
The Isle of Coll has a large variety of bird species, both common and rare to the Western isles and the UK. A train-spotters' list of sightings would be fairly meaningless, so here I'll just show examples of what you may see during your visit. It's unlikely you'll see them all and you will find others, especially during migration times, but that's what it's all about. Coll's diverse range of habitats helps increase the mix and the low population density of the island assists the easily-disturbed to breed in peace.
The Auk photos are taken on Lunga, a small uninhabited island a short boat ride away from Coll.
Click images to enlarge
Photographs of Coll Birds (126 images)
Arctic Skua
Stercorarius parasiticus
Fàsgadair
Arctic tern
Sterna paradisaea
Steàrnag-Artaigeach
Barnacle geese
Branta leucopsis
Cathan
Barnacle geese
Branta leucopsis
Cathan
Black Guillemot
Cepphus grylle
Gearra-glas
Black-headed gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Faoileag-a’-chinn-duibh
Buzzard
Buteo buteo
Clamhan
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Gèadh-dubh
Common gull
Larus canus
Faoileann
Common gull
Larus canus
Faoileann
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Fìdhleir-bòrd-an-locha
Corncrake
Crex crex
Traon
Cuckoo
Cuculus canorus
Cuthag
Curlew
Numenius arquata
Guilbneach
Dunlin
Calidris alpina
Gille-feadaig
Dunnock
Prunella modularis
Gealbhonn-gàraidh
Eider ♀
Somateria mollissima
Colc
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialis
Eun-crom
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialis
Eun-crom
Gannet
Morus bassanus
Sùlaire
Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelis
Deargan-fraoich
Grasshopper warbler
Locustella naevia
Ceileiriche-leumnach
Great black-backed gull
Larus marinus
Uighean farspag
Great black-backed gull eggs
Larus marinus
Uighean farspag
Great Northern Diver
Gavia immer
Muir-bhuachaille
Great skua
Stercorarius skua
Fàsgadair Mòr
Greenfinch (fledgling)
Chloris chloris
Glaisean-daraich
Greenshank
Tringa nebularia
Deoch-bhiugh
Grey heron
Ardea cinerea
Corra-ghritheach
Grey heron
Ardea cinerea
Corra-ghritheach
Greylag Goose
Anser anser
Gèadh-glas
Greylag goose eggs
Anser anser
Uighean gèadh-glas
Guillemot
Uria aalge
Eun-dubh-an-sgadain
Guillemot (winter plumage)
Uria aalge
Eun-dubh-an-sgadain
Hen Harrier ♂
Circus cyaneus
Clamhan-nan-cearc
Hen Harrier ♂
Circus cyaneus
Clamhan-nan-cearc
Hen Harrier ♀
Circus cyaneus
Clamhan-nan-cearc
Hen Harrier ♀
Circus cyaneus
Clamhan-nan-cearc
Herring Gull
Larus argentatus
Faoileag an Sgadain
Herring Gull (youngster)
Larus argentatus
Faoileag an Sgadain
Hooded Crow
Corvus cornix
Starrag
Hoopoe
Upupa epops
Calman-cathaidh
Hoopoe
Upupa epops
Calman-cathaidh
House Sparrow ♂
Passer domesticus
Speug
Lapwing
Vanellus vanellus
Curracag
Lapwing
Vanellus vanellus
Curracag
Lesser Redpoll
Acanthis cabaret
Dearcan-seilich
Lesser Redpoll (yellow headed variant)
Acanthis cabaret
Dearcan-seilich
Linnet
Linaria cannabina
Gealan-lìn
Linnet
Linaria cannabina
Gealan-lìn
Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
Corra-gheal-bheag
Little Tern
Sternula albifrons
Steàrnag-bheag
Little Tern
Sternula albifrons
Steàrnag-bheag
Long-eared Owl
Asio otus
Comhachag-adharcach
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Lach
Manx Shearwater
Puffinus puffinus
Fachach-bàn
Meadow Pipit (fledgling)
Anthus pratensis
Riabhag-mhonaidh
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensis
Riabhag-mhonaidh
Merlin ♀
Falco columbarius
Mèirneal
Merlin (immature)
Falco columbarius
Mèirneal
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus
Cearc-uisge
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
Eala
Mute Swans and cygnets
Cygnus olor
Eala
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Iolaire-iasgaich
Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegus
Gille-Brìghde
Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegus
Gille-Brìghde
Pied Wagtail
Motacilla alba
Breac-an-t-sìl
Pied Wagtail
Motacilla alba
Breac-an-t-sìl
Pink-footed goose
Anser brachyrhynchus
Gèadh-dearg-chasach
Puffin
Fratercula arctica
Buthaid
Puffin
Fratercula arctica
Buthaid
Raven
Corvus corax
Fitheach
Raven chicks
Corvus corax
Fitheach
Razorbill
Alca torda
Coltraiche
Razorbill
Alca torda
Coltraiche
Razorbills
Alca torda
Coltraiche
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
Sìolta-dhearg
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
Sìolta-dhearg
Red-throated Diver
Gavia stellata
Learga-ruadh
Red-throated Diver
Gavia stellata
Learga-ruadh
Redshank
Tringa totanus
Maor-cladaich
Redwing
Turdus iliacus
Smeòrach an t-sneachda
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclus
Gealag-dhubh-cheannach
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclus
Gealag-dhubh-cheannach
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticula
Trìlleachan-tràghad
Ringer Plover
Charadrius hiaticula
Trìlleachan-tràghad
Robin
Erithacus rubecula
Brù-dhearg
Rock dove
Columba livia
Calman-creige
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosus
Gabhagan
Sanderling
Calidris alba
Luatharan-glas
Sedge Warbler
Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Loiliseag
Shag
Gulosus aristotelis
Sgarbh-an-sgumain
Shag
Gulosus aristotelis
Sgarbh-an-sgumain
Shelduck
Tadorna tadorna
Cràighiadh
Short-eared owl
Asio flammeus
Comhachag chluassach
Short-eared owl
Asio flammeus
Comhachag chluassach
Skylark
Alauda arvensis
Uiseag
Skylark
Alauda arvensis
Uiseag
Snipe
Gallinago gallinago
Naosg
Snipe (fledgling)
Gallinago gallinago
Naosg
Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalis
Gealag-an-t-sneachda
Snow goose
Anser caerulescens
Gèadh-sneachda
Snow Goose
Anser caerulescens
Gèadh-sneachda
Song thrush
Turdus philomelos
Smeòrach
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus
Speireag
Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Druid
Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Druid
Stonechat ♂
Saxicola rubicola
Clacharan
Stonechat (fledgling)
Saxicola rubicola
clacharan
Stonechat ♂
Saxicola rubicola
Clacharan
Stonechat ♀
Saxicola rubicola
Clacharan
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligula
Lach-sgumanach
Twite
Linaria flavirostris
Gealan-beinne
Waxwing
Bombycilla garrulus
Canranach-dearg
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenanthe
Brù-gheal
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenanthe
Brù-gheal
White-fronted goose
Anser albifrons
Gèadh-bhlàr
White-fronted goose
Anser albifrons
Gèadh-bhlàr
White-tailed eagles
Haliaeetus albicilla
Lolaire sùil na grèine
Whitethroat ♂
Curruca communis
Gealan-coille
Whooper swan
Cygnus cygnus
Eala-fhiadhaich
Whooper swans
Cygnus cygnus
Eala-fhiadhaich
Whooper swans
Cygnus cygnus
Eala-fhiadhaich
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilus
Ceileiriche-giuthais
Wren
Troglodytes troglodytes
Dreathann-donn
Wren
Troglodytes troglodytes
Dreathann-donn
© All photos, Tony Oliver