explore | Grilled Cheese

Barnacle Geese heading south past Barra today driven on by a strong tailwind. The same conditions also produced a small arrival of Icelandic Redwings around the island. Hopefully more birds will surface tomorrow when the wind drops. #BirdingScotland

A Merlin, perhaps the same bird as yesterday, ploughing the wave troughs off Girdle Ness this afternoon.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #UKWildlife #Falcons #Raptors

Despite 50mph gusts, today’s NW gale delivered few seabirds at Ardnamurchan Point this AM, perhaps only 10% of the numbers seen in the strong SW winds earlier in the week. Reduced numbers of Gannets, Kittiwakes & auks passed south. No skuas, petrels or shearwaters.
#ukbirding #BirdingScotland

Couldn't find the needle in a haystack that was the Aberlady Lapland Bunting today.

Did have my first Whooper Swan (10) and Golden Plover (500+) of the autumn. As well as 2 Greenshank and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose.
@birdinglothian.bsky.social
#birdinglothian
#birdingscotland

08/10/26
An uneventful day, saved by the Quendale Black-faced Bunting (stunning photo below).

09/10/26
Scanning through a huge fall of Redwing led to us scoping fields and finding a juvenile American Golden Plover at Fleck. A Quail on the deck! Bonus A.Wigeon and Arctic Warbler.

#BirdingScotland

A few Redwings were diving into the hawthorns and rowans at Girdle Ness today, although the highlight was a Merlin, perhaps following them, that flew in off the sea.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

The 1st of October 2026 will be a memorable day for many birders who spend their autumns in Shetland.

Siberian Blue Robin!!!

Right place, right time, played a part in identifying the Quendale Two-barred Warbler when it was still being very elusive.
#BirdingScotland

Oh you beauty! Another day tour and another cracking American wader. This time a very smart juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper at LA2, West Gerinish, South Uist. #BirdingScotland #BirdingOuterHebrides #RareBirdAlert

"Good Still Bunting"

♀️ Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) in my garden at Grimbister, #Orkney, on Wednesday.

For today's #BirdOfTheDay alt theme of #GardenBirds

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

Our walk in north Mainland Shetland yesterday was as ever scenically stunning. One unexpected discovery was this kit Rabbit - pretty late by my reckoning and another sign of the warming climate. #BirdingScotland

Moved to Barra on Monday but with the weather worsening I headed back to South Uist today for more wader action. Good views of presumably the same Long-billed Dowitcher from last month on The Range. Had a look at Balgarva this evening and picked up this juv White-rumped Sandpiper! #birdingscotland

Just got back from Aberdeen so that my sister could check out the university there, me and my dad were able to do bit of birding too. Highlights, my lifer Pectoral Sandpipers (x3), my best views of Little Stint, lifer Pallid Harrier and a bird we don't see often the Tree Sparrow #BirdingScotland

It's always pleasing to get a fast response when reporting a ringed bird, so big thanks to Olivier Gilg for getting straight back to me about yesterdays Sanderling on Barra. Turns out it was ringed as a juvenile in a brood of 2 in NE Greenland on 28th July this year. #birdingscotland

Adult American Golden Plover new at Cornaigbeg, Tiree this morning (the 6th for the island in 2026!). Also 1cy female Ring-necked Duck at Loch an Eilein with 47 Whooper Swans, plus 5 Brambling new in the Balephuil garden #BirdingScotland #PWC2026
@birdguides.bsky.social

"Fed & Berried"

♀️ Blackbird (Turdus merula) at Grimbister, #Orkney.

For today's #BirdOfTheDay theme of #Eating; birds with food in their beaks.

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

It certainly felt like autumn during our day trip around North Uist today. The highlight (for me) was this Baird's Sandpiper that was originally at Loch Paible before heading to Balranald. The Golden Eagle was pretty decent too! #BirdingScotland #BirdingOuterHebrides #rarebirdalert