East coast to West coast

Chasing shadows (and birds)

#Papay
#islandwalks
#Orkney

From the land of ice to the land of gales.

Barnacle geese fresh in this morning..

From Svalbard?

#Papay
#Orkney

It's a bright, pleasant day in #Orkney and #BookyMcBookface is away on the ferry to the beautiful island of Shapinsay! 📚

If you're lucky enough to be in Shapinsay today then go and say hello! 👋

"Little Grey of Hope"

Dunnock (Prunella modularis) at Grimbister, #Orkney.

For today's #BirdOfTheDay theme of #Grey.

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

THE HIGH ISLAND - 'The sense of place is strong and the plot is as intriguing as ever – in The High Island Lin Anderson has worked her particular magic once more' — Alexander McCall Smith
https://bit.ly/4pzBB4H #TheHighIsland #LinAnderson #Orkney

THE HIGH ISLAND - 'The High Island is spell-binding. Atmospheric, compulsive and utterly gripping, Anderson is on fire' — Helen Fields, international bestselling author of the DCI Callanach series
https://bit.ly/4pzBB4H #TheHighIsland #LinAnderson #Orkney #CrimeFiction

The island has shifted into Winter palette, almost overnight.
in light of no trees, to speak of.
The sea signals the change.

South Wick and North wick today.

#Papay #Orkney

Helen’s #BirdOfTheDay theme today via Atlantic Birding is:

#ShoreBirds; any bird on the shore.

Four from the Papay shore..

Horse gok - Snipe
Knot
Purple sandpiper
Sanderling

#Papay
#Orkney

During WWII in the early hours of 14 Oct 1939, the German submarine U-47 entered Scapa Flow & struck the HMS Royal Oak with torpedoes while it was anchored near Holm shore. 835 of the 1259 sailors onboard died. A memorial service is held at its wreck site each year.
#hmsroyaloak #orkney #scapaflow

THE HIGH ISLAND - 'The High Island is spell-binding. Atmospheric, compulsive and utterly gripping, Anderson is on fire' — Helen Fields, international bestselling author of the DCI Callanach series
https://bit.ly/4pzBB4H #TheHighIsland #LinAnderson #Orkney #CrimeFiction

THE HIGH ISLAND - 'The sense of place is strong and the plot is as intriguing as ever – in The High Island Lin Anderson has worked her particular magic once more' — Alexander McCall Smith
https://bit.ly/4pzBB4H #TheHighIsland #LinAnderson #Orkney

"First Class Fare"

Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) at Grimbister, #Orkney, yesterday.

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

87 years ago today. Early on 14 October 1939, HMS Royal Oak, anchored in Scapa Flow, Orkney, was sunk by a German U-boat with the loss of 834 lives. The tragedy is commemorated by the Royal Oak Memorial Garden, overlooking Scapa Bay. More pics and info: www.undiscoveredscot...

#Scotland #Orkney

What was a group of folk from North Walls #Orkney doing in London in 1861? Find out in in my talk for All About That Place. Available
until 31 October.
#AATP2026 #AllAboutThatPlace #FamilyHistory #LocalHistory #OnePlaceStudies

sog.org.uk/gold-library...

@atlanticbirding.bsky.social
has given us #LookingDown for #BirdOfTheDay.

A juvenile Pickie on a stab.

#Papay
#Orkney
#fencesitters
#arcticterns

"Red Oktober"

a few close-up shots of a flock of >100 Redwings (Turdus iliacus) in my trees at Grimbister, #Orkney, on Friday.

#OrkneyBirding #BirdingScotland #BirdsOfBluesky #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birdsoftheworld #ornithology #Redwing #Thrush 🪶