With a generally mild winter so far, I have not seen the large numbers of migrant birds that we would normally see coming through. Some of our usual visitors are here in small numbers at present with Red Breasted Merganser and Golden Eye Duck on the loch just outside our house and no shortage of Greylag Geese everywhere.

One wildlife sighting no one wants to see close to home is becoming a more common sight since the demise of the Mink and that is the Brown Rat. Up until two years ago it was very rare to see a rat on Great Bernera, but with the Mink eradication project taking effect on the non-native and much hated Mink, a niche has re-opened for the Brown Rat.

A week ago I was having a walk on the shoreline at Shawbost on the Westside of Lewis and was able to observe a small flock of Turnstone and Oystercatcher on the beach along with some Ringed Plover that were foraging a little further along. Normally at this time of the year there would be quite a few Whooper Swans on the Lochs of the Westside, but numbers have been very low so far this winter.

An indication of how mild the weather has been lately is that some of our Potentilla and Escallonia plants had started to come into leaf until the wind switched to a south easterly a few days ago. Today as I write this post the weather here in Bernera is bright, calm and cool.

The weather has been a real mixed bag, but as I write we have sunshine with a stiff breeze! Yesterday I was out with a family group from the USA and on our tour of the Westside of Lewis they literally had to hang onto their hats. However they saw Lewis at its best with all of the mixed weather we have come to expect.

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of taking a couple of keen birdwatchers out for the day and we had a fantastic day out on Lewis. The highlights for both them and I was seeing an immature Golden Eagle perched on the edge of its nest and the illusive Red-necked Phalaropes on the Westside of Lewis.

We had some early sightings of Basking Sharks around Lewis this year and last month I had the great pleasure of seeing a small pod of Orcas off the Butt of Lewis. These were the first Orcas I have seen in years and because of the calm sea conditions we were able to observe then for almost 15 mins.

Last week I was on Bostadh Sands on Great Bernera with some clients when we had the good fortune to be able to watch a pair of Great Skua chase a Herring Gull to try and get it to jettison its meal. Its a bit like watching a guided missile closing in on its target!!

Just two days later and I am seeing my first Cuckoo of the year and now a few days further on and I have been hearing them too. Visitors to Lewis are often surprised that we have Cuckoo’s given our lack of trees, but we have a fairly good population of them most years.

I have seen or heard most of our summer visitors by now, but the cold weather seems to have held back the Common Sandpipers. I have not seen or heard this active little bird so far, but I’m sure this will change over the next day or two. We still have small groups of Red Breasted Merganser and Tufted Duck around and the Red Throated Divers are starting to appear on some of their favourite feeding lochs.

The cold spring has held our plants back, but finally the leaves of the Hawthorn, Rowan, Alder and Crack Willow I have planted around the croft are beginning to open and the grass has shot up over the past few days. Time to get the mower out!

The buds on the Crack Willow are beginning to swell and the Alders on the croft are full of seed. If I can keep the dreaded sheep out I might just get some self-seeded Alder soon!!

Walking over the croft the other day I saw and heard a Greenfinch on one of my neighbours trees. It is always great to see any type of finch or tit here in Valasay as we have so few trees.

No shortage of Buzzards however especially between Lundale and Earshader where you are almost guaranteed to see one flying or sitting patiently on a fence post.

On Thursday 28th February we had a damp, mild evening and on my way home from Stornoway I had to wend my way through countless Toads that were sitting on the road at Crulivig and here in Valasay. It’s just as well they breed in such large numbers although strictly speaking they sould not be here in the Outer Hebrides and are one of the many introduced species.

The cold weather has brought a few Golden Eye Duck down from the north and one of them is currently on Loch an Fheior keeping company with the Red Breasted Merganser and the Greylag Geese. I have had daily sightings of Common Buzzard around the croft along with the resident Hooded Crow and Rock Doves, but much to my surprise two days ago I heard and saw a single Lapwing on the shore of Loch Geal here on Bernera. This is a bird that I would not expect to see around here until late February/early March as they normally stay further south at this time of year.

This morning as I drove back into Valasay I put up a little group of 5 Curlew, a bird that I always enjoy seeing and hearing as it is very much one of the sounds of the Hebrides.

As I write this the hail is pelting off the windos while the sun continues to shine!! Just another Hebridean Day! Roll on Spring.

Last week we had a single male Golden Eye Duck on Loch an Fheior. This is a bird that only tends to be around when there is a cold spell and the harsh weather of the last few days will push it further south. Another bird that is around in good numbers at the moment is the Common Snipe and I have put up quite a few in the past couple of days. A couple of days ago I spotted a small group of Ringed Plover on the mudflats near the Kirkibost Causeway. This little bird is common throughout the islands all year and during the breeding season you will often find them on rocky coastlines where they nest among the stones and seaweed.

As I write this today the weather is turning a little bit milder as the wind rises, but the wind chill is raw. The trees on the croft to the back of the house have lost all their leaves now and the landscape is looking very bleak. Still we are into December now and it won’t be long to the turn of the year!

A few days ago there was a sharp dip in the temperature and there was a little bit of Snow fall on the Uig and Harris hills. As if by magic some small flocks of Snow Bunting have been around. I am always amazed at how accurate these little birds are when it comes to predicting the weather.

One bird there has been no shortage of around the house is the Greylag Goose. Every evening we are treated to a fly past of several dozen as they prepare to settle down for the night on Loch an Fheoir which is just next to our croft. Another bird that is very common around the croft is the Meadow Pipit. This little bird is beginning to think about heading south for the winter and will soon be gone along with the Wheatears.

Recent walks on Bostadh Sands at the north of our island have resulted in sightings of Turnstone and Sanderling, a sure sign of autumn. Over the coming weeks we can expect to see the return of the Redwing along with Tufted Duck and Whooper Swans.

As food becomes a bit more scarce, larger numbers of Rock Dove are descending on the crofts and the Stonechat have come down from the higher ground and can be seen around the croft more frequently.

The islands are home to a huge diversity of wildlife and a tour or walk with ‘Out and About Tours’ will bring you into contact with wading birds, moorland birds and coastal birds. A visit to the Butt of Lewis is a must for the keen birdwatcher with Gannet, Fulmar Petrel and Shag just three of the many species to be seen here. Whales, Dolphins and Grey Seal are also regularly seen here during the summer and the mysterious Basking Shark often make a sudden appearance here too at the peak of summer.

The Uig and Bernera District is one of our best areas for seeing Red Deer and Otter, but is also one of the top areas for sightings of Golden Eagle and the less common White-tailed Eagle. Common Buzzard and Merlin are to be seen in this and other areas of Lewis. The Uig and Bernera District has a good population of Red-throated Diver and a smaller number of Black-throated, together with healthy populations of Lapwing, Golden Plover and Skylark.

South Lochs District on Lewis is a haven for wading birds in particular, but is also home to Golden and White-tailed Eagles and a healthy population of Divers and Greylag Geese. During the autumn, winter and early spring months this area is also fantastic for overwintering wildfowl such as Tufted and Golden Eye Duck. This district is also a stronghold at all times of the year for the Otter.

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Much has been made of the impact of the Olympics on tourism this year, but we have found that the Outer Hebrides has continued to attract visitors in good numbers. TV programmes such as Coast have kept the islands profile high and many of the clients I have worked with this year have been inspired to visit as a result of seeing some of the beautiful images on screen.

One of the big happenings on Lewis right now is the restoration of Stornoway Castle which when completed will house a 4 star hotel and  a purpose built museum. This will combine one of the islands most historic buildings with a facility that will house a wide range of artefacts and exhibits including it is hoped, some of the famous Lewis Chessmen.

A recent archaeological dig at the Berie Sands in the Uig District of Lewis revealed a brooch that is believed to date back to Mesolithic times and this is another example of the amazing history of these islands. This Uig District of the island has yielded a number of important finds including the Lewis Chessmen and the Viking Burial site.