David Roche

@papaybirder.bsky.social

Patch birder based on Papa Westray, Orkney

@papaybirder.bsky.social

Long eared Owl from this morning #BirdingScotland One of very few highlights of what has been another very poor month. No Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat or Garden Warbler this autumn, with the latter presumably missed for the year. Mid way through Oct and still not seen a Goldcrest!!

2nd LEO of the month, this time in the walled garden of Holland Farm
@robertvaughani.bsky.socialReposted by @papaybirder.bsky.social

There was an influx of Bairds Sandpipers in Ireland this Autumn with atleast 3 in Donegal. It has been a long time bogey bird of mine, so I was delighted to find one infront of the Tready hide at Inch Island shortly after distant views of another at nearby Blanket Nook.

The juvenile bird showed very well infront of the hide allowing some field sketches to be made. The first sketch just trying to note the details. The bird earlier in the morning was very distant and into harsh light, so it was great to see this one so well.
@papaybirder.bsky.social

It's gonna take something of near equal calibre to make up for the last two months... Just over 300 miles covered on foot for single Leach's Petrel, Great Shearwater, Barred Warbler, 5 YBWarbler and a few Lapland Buntings.

@markgolley.bsky.socialReposted by @papaybirder.bsky.social

Quiz nite!

Home from Devon & reminiscing about rares seen there in my youth. Four old, one less so.

One a mega.
One a "bird of the decade" for many who saw it.
One a dessert after main course the same day (2 for 1!)
One a bunked-off-school solid rare at the time.

What & where?!?
#rarebirdsuk

@papaybirder.bsky.social

If I could sum up a Papay autumn in one photo it would probably be this one from today, highlights of which were a YBWarbler, 2 Redstart a Grey Wagtail and my first Jack Snipe #BirdingOrkney September now finished, without having seen a Whinchat, Garden Warbler or Lesser Whitethroat...

Song Thrush, taking shelter under the clifftop rocks at Mull Head. One of at least 30 seen today
@papaybirder.bsky.social

Rock up on Fair Isle, the day before the first easterlies of Sept 2026, whilst we have had to slog through weeks without any migrants... Very well timed (and also grossly unfair!)

@stevedudley.bsky.socialReposted by @papaybirder.bsky.social

On 23 Sep 2022 I was watching Orkney’s fourth and Westray’s first Semipalmated Sand, found by a visiting Lothian birder, Andy Thomas. Four years to the day I was watching another, in exactly the same place as 2022, also found by a visiting Lothian birder, Ed Parnell. Thanks fellas! #WestrayBirding

@papaybirder.bsky.social

Couple of highlights today from what had been a very quiet September. Leach's Petrel past Mull Head and a Barred Warbler (first seen yesterday) still in the North Wick #BirdingScotland The quest for a yank wader - currently all residing @northronbirdobs.bsky.social - goes on...

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