explore | Grilled Cheese

The 5 Brents remained at Portsoy for today's @webs-gsmp.bsky.social count, whilst 17 Canada Geese were also notable (just two singles here before). A Knot was the highlight among the more usual waders.

@patchbirding.bsky.social #birdingscotland

Just the usual suspects around Barns Ness, although the Merlin App did its best to wind me up (surely a hallucination, even if it somehow managed to pick the exact spot where RFB have been found in recent years)
#BirdingScotland

Leucistic Ringed Plover (I presume?) with the Dunlin and plover flock at Whitesands beach
#BirdingScotland

When I discovered the second Common Rosefinch for Suffolk in 1982, it was still treated as a national rarity. Since then it has become a regular scarce migrant, and this month I have found six in Shetland. Autumn numbers remain quite stable, but FIBO data hint at a recent decline. #BirdingScotland

Wader passage has been a bit slow over the last 2 weeks on Lewis, so quite happy to find this Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Steinis this evening! #birdingscotland

The third North American Baird's Sandpiper of the Autumn was at Dalsetter here in Shetland today. Less than 20 Shetland records and amazing that all three in 2026 have been within a few kilometres of each other! #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #Birds #UKWildlife

A great day on the Isle of Luing today with 3 (!) Mediterranean Gulls, 2 1cy and 1 adult, 5 Manx Shearwater, an island tick for me, a juv Peregrine that was showing off its acrobatics by chasing crows and an Otter at full sprint! #BirdingScotland

"Cam-owl-flage"

Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) peering out from a fir tree at Grimbister, #Orkney.

For today's #BirdOfTheDay theme of #BirdsInAbstract; from motion blur, obscure angles, or contrasting textures, anything goes!

#OrkneyBirding #BirdingScotland #BirdsOfBluesky #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Owl 🪶🦉

Smart juv Baird's Sandpiper feeding along the top of the beach at Gott Bay, Tiree at midday today - a nice find last night by @kgbirder.bsky.social and the 9th record for the island since 2007. Also the juv Buff-breasted Sandpiper still at Ruaig #BirdingScotland #PWC2026 @birdguides.bsky.social

And better still this evening with this smart juv Baird's Sandpiper in Gott Bay. #birdingscotland @birdguides.bsky.social

It's an encouraging start when the first plover flock you check on leaving the ferry contains a Buff-breast. This (never close) juv at Ruaig, Tiree this morning #birdingscotland

Five Pale-bellied Brents spent the day on the shore in front of Portsoy campsite while two Swifts were still screaming over the town centre this evening.

@patchbirding.bsky.social #BirdingScotland

"Brood Food"

a busy new dad Eurasian Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) at Grimbister, #Orkney, in July.

For today's #BirdOfTheDay theme of #Mouthful; any bird with anything in its beak.

#OrkneyBirding #BirdingScotland #BirdsOfBluesky #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birdsoftheworld #ornithology #Chaffinch 🪶