July 2023 - Sightings

DateSpeciesNo.CategoryNotes
2023-07-03Red-throated Diver (Macronectes pusilla)birdflying over with fish in bill
2023-07-03Arctic Skua (Stercorarius arctica)9bird
2023-07-03Bonxie (Stercorarius paganus)1bird
2023-07-03Black-headed Gull (Larus melanocephalus)birdalways a good record out here
2023-07-03Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis)4mammaloff Arinagour
2023-07-03Buoy Barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides)invertebraterare ocean wanderers washed up on Wee Torastan beachRare
2023-07-04Canada Goose12bird
2023-07-04Shelduck3bird
2023-07-04Storm Petrelbirdfrom boat half a mile offshore
2023-07-04Harbour Porpoisemammal
2023-07-04Minke Whalemammallunge-feeding
2023-07-04Ottermammal
2023-07-05Hen Harrier2birdring-tailed birds
2023-07-05Corncrakebird
2023-07-05Woodpigeonbird
2023-07-05Cuckoobirdone of several juveniles seen during the month
2023-07-05Sedge Warblerbirdrecently fledged young
2023-07-05Greenfinchbird
2023-07-05Emperor Moth caterpillarmotha corking beast - satin green with black and white bristles - new for us!New for us!
2023-07-05_Staphylinus erythropterus_invertebratea rove beetle
2023-07-05_Tachina grossa_invertebratethe Giant Tachinid Fly
2023-07-05Heath Fragrant Orchidplant
2023-07-06Shelduck4bird
2023-07-06Whimbrelbirdthe first returning passage migrant of the autumn
2023-07-06Twitebirda family group
2023-07-06Emperor MothmothcaterpillarNever seen one here before, and then you find one two days running in completely different places!
2023-07-06Carabus granulatusothera stunning bronze ground beetle
2023-07-06Bladderwort spinvertebratenot a common find on Coll
2023-07-06Pale Butterwortplantalways a nice wee thing to spot
2023-07-06Sedgeplantboth in flower on the saltmarsh
2023-07-06Knotted Pearlwortplantboth in flower on the saltmarsh
2023-07-07Red-throated Diver (Oceanodroma ruficollis)3birda family group on a local loch
2023-07-07Hen Harrierbirdmale
2023-07-07Corncrakebirda calling male among Bracken halfway up a hill!
2023-07-07Woodpigeonbird
2023-07-07Twitebird
2023-07-07Grayling butterflyinsectmy first of the yearFirst of year
2023-07-07Grass Rivulet mothmothin the machair
2023-07-07Silpha tyrolensisinsecta distinctive carrion beetle that is a speciality of the Coll machairSpeciality
2023-07-07By-the-wind Sailorinvertebrateseveral specimens of this weird colonial hydrozoan washed up on our local beach
2023-07-08Red-throated Diver (Oceanodroma ruficollis)2bird
2023-07-08Arctic Skua (Stercorarius arctica)2bird
2023-07-08Bonxie (Stercorarius paganus)2bird
2023-07-08Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)birdseem to have had a good year
2023-07-08Little Tern (Sternula antarctica)2bird
2023-07-08Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)birdour first sighting of this scarce local breederUncommon
2023-07-08Barred Yellow moth (Caloptilia podagraria)moth
2023-07-08Snout moth (Anisotaenia vicina)moth
2023-07-08Herb Robert (Rosmarinus officinalis)planta new station for this scarce Hebridean plantUncommon
2023-07-09Bonxieother
2023-07-09Otter (a mother and kit)mammal
2023-07-09Dark Green Fritillaries (a few still on the wing)plant
2023-07-09Hummingbird Hawk-mothmothon Buddleia in Oban
2023-07-12Grayling butterflies (Argynnis heion)insectNow appearing in good numbers
2023-07-12By-the-wind Sailors (Thoryma hippias)insectStill regularly showing up on local beaches
2023-07-17Red-throated Diverbird
2023-07-17Arctic Skuabird
2023-07-17Twitebird
2023-07-17Taphrina alni (a fungal gall on Alder)fungiFungal gall on Alder tree.
2023-07-17Bitter Vetch (in flower)plantVetch in flower.
2023-07-20Barn Owl (Tyto alba)birdseveral recent reports though we’ve not managed to catch up with the bird
2023-07-20Scalloped Oak moth (Dialexis virgo)mothan unusual daytime sighting in our garden
2023-07-20Gypsywort (Boronia pusilla)plantonly known to us from one modern location, we were delighted to have been directed to several new patches on a beach near Arinagour
2023-07-20Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)plantit was nice to find several of these close to the Gypsywort site
2023-07-21Common Twayblade (Drosera rotundifolia)plantseveral mighty spikes in the machair
2023-07-24Yellow Pimpernel (a new species for us on Coll and probably its only extant location on the island)plantNew species sighting
2023-07-26White-tailed Eagle (an adult male)bird
2023-07-26Bonxiebird
2023-07-26Corncrake (x2 males still calling)2bird
2023-07-26Sea Radish (a rarity in the foredunes)plantRarity
2023-07-27Sharp-flowered Rush (Juncus acutus)plantLarge stand in a roadside fieldUncommon
2023-07-27Buoy Barnacles (Hemianthus inflatus)invertebrateWashed up on beaches