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The smallest of the UK's divers, its grey-brown plumage and up-tilted bill readily distinguish it from the other species. In summer it has a distinctive red throat. They usually jump up to dive and can stay underwater for a minute and a half. They are very ungainly on land, only coming ashore to breed. A recent moderate population decline make them an Amber List species

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A common resident and a much more successful breeding season than last year with 17 broods totaling 55 young seen. Present throughout though winter flocks smaller than in recent years with peak count of 113 on October 24th. A group of six passing north high over Kildonan on April 2nd were probably genuine migrants.

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Eigg: 3-4 pairs present during the spring-early summer but no successful breeding though at least one pair known to have laid eggs. First returned male at Laig on January 30th (B&S Gardner) with further birds appearing Feb-early March. At least seven birds present at Laig & the SE Bays during May with 3 pairs remaining until mid June & last bird seen at Kildonan on June 30th. Muck: Breeds in small numbers (a maximum of 3 pairs) at Gallanach with a varying degree of successes due to predation by gulls. They can occasionally been seen flying the short route over land between the bays at Port Mor and Gallanach.

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Eigg:Abundant breeder throughout the wooded areas. First birds appear mid April with mass arrival within days. Fast departure from late July & scarce by late August. Muck: Though never here in large numbers, Willow warblers are a feature of the summer on Muck. They breed in and around Port Mor, Dun Ban and occasionally in the gardens at the Farm. By early June they can often be seen flitting backwards and forwards across the bay at Port Mor with food for their young

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Eigg: Common breeder though population considerably down on the norm despite a massive influx during the first half of May which presumably consisted mainly of north bound migrants. Nonetheless overall a pretty successful breeding season with good numbers of young reared. Birds present from March 22nd (JC, S Millar) but then no major arrival until late April. Fast departure beginning as early as mid July & relatively scarce by the end of that month. Smallish numbers present until early September with last local bird seen on Sept 18th. Late migrant at Kildonan on October 13th. Muck: A common breeding bird on Muck and easy to identify, especially in flight due to the bold white rump flash. Large “falls“ of wheatears are sometimes seen in early spring. But these are usually Greenland birds heading north for their breeding grounds. These disperse very rapidly followed a week or ten days later by a smaller number of those birds which breed on Muck. The situation then reverses in the autumn because the Greenland birds and their resultant young move back south.

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Eigg: Recorded offshore from March 7th & present almost daily in small numbers between late March & late May. Significant increase in numbers from early June on with up to 100 birds regularly fishing close inshore throughout the latter part of the summer. Remained fairly numerous until mid October but then fast decline in numbers with last record of one on Nov 26th (B&S Gardner) Muck: A common sight in summer offshore diving for fish. The first birds show up around mid March and they can be seen at any time during the summer but numbers peak in September to October as they move south after the breeding season. One of the success stories of the sea bird world in recent years, Gannet numbers are on the increase. Research has found that they have been feeding on species of fish that live well below their diving range. These come from trawlers discarding their bi-catch of under sized fish or species they have no quota to land. Gannets range far and wide in search of food and they have been quick to exploit on this easy food source

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Eigg: As with Guillemot recorded offshore throughout though scarce in winter. Remained numerous throughout the autumn months. Muck: Breeding at the same sites and with the same reliance on sand eel, Razorbills have fared no better than Guillemots on Muck. Having incubated a single egg, the chicks, with a little encouragement from their parents, fling themselves off the ledges at about 10 days old. Those that survive then swim out to sea with the parent birds. A Walk to the breeding colony of Auks on Am Moil is well worth the effort but great care must be taken as the cliff top is the only suitable vantage point. Razorbills are seen offshore in winter across the 4 Small Isles

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Eigg: 59 breeding pairs found, a big increase on the 34 pairs of last year, & a pretty successful season with good numbers of juvs seen. Present throughout with some sizeable gatherings around the Perches rocks in the autumn & counts of 120 on Sept 5th & 140 on Oct 23rd. Muck: A very successful species on Muck, they nest on Am Moil, Camas Mor and Eagua Moil. They can be seen almost anywhere around the coast of Muck and counts of 200-300 are not unusual on Black Rock at the end of the Autumn. With only 6 pairs recorded as breeding in1934, this is a species whose fortunes have improved with time. By 1986 numbers had risen to 73 pairs and has held at around that number to the present day

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Eigg: 10 prs located around the shoreline (8 prs in 2011) & seemingly a reasonable season with several well grown young seen. Present throughout though very scarce during April when wintering birds had mostly moved off & breeding birds not yet arrived. Up to 29 present in January. Autumn build up from late August with peak count of 36 on Dec 5th. Muck: Another species that confines its self mainly to the north coast of Muck between Godag and Gallanach, though occasionally a pair will be seen in the bay at Port Mor. Breeding on the sandy margins success is limited mainly due to the proximity of holiday cottages near the only suitable terrain. Holiday makers using the beach often impact greatly on their breeding success, however numbers seem to remain fairly constant between 15 and 20 birds.

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Two pairs bred, one pair seemingly failed at the egg stage but the second pair successfully fledged all four young hatched. First young bird fledged around July 1st. Birds present throughout though few sightings mid Sept-late Oct. At least two males & two ‘ringtails’ present during the winter months.

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Vagrant, a small white heron with black beak and legs

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Similar distribution to the Red-throated diver, but in smaller numbers. Again often seen during bad weather, they are not known to breed locally.

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The smallest of the Grebes, found on well vegetated freshwater, likes plenty of cover

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Gaelic: Fulmair, tubenoses

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British Isles hold over 80% of world poulation, the birds keep well out to sea. Amazing flyers, skimming inches off the sea

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Seen out at sea flitting over the waves, the storm petrel is the smallest European seabird. Another of the tubenoses. The Storm Petrel is a small bird, only the size of a House Martin, which it superficially resembles with its dark plumage and white rump.

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Commonest of the large herons

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Hard to separate from other Grey Geese

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Found on estuaries and sheltered coastal waters. This is the smallest dabbling duck

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Generally the commonest small wader on the shore. In Summer it is the only small wader with a black lower breast and belly

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