George Gay
@georgenorthron.bsky.social
30- Principal Ornithological Warden at North Ronaldsay Bird Obs, Bristol City fan.
Orkney Bird Report 2025 - out now! As well as the usual species accounts we have @northronbirdobs.bsky.social report, articles and a full list of birds recorded in Orkney (as at 31 Dec 2025) - see contents page image attached for full details and how to order a copy via Jim Williams. #OrkneyBirds
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater becomes my 300th island bird after dropping back to 296 with the AviList update! What a bird to do it with! Was a nice surprise to see it hunting for bees as we drove past the fence at Burray! Not where Id of predicted it’d turn up! #OrkneyBirding
A nice little video of the bird just before it went into roost. #OrkneyBirding
A brilliant day trip twitch to Papa Westray for the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. Bonus Reed Warbler in a geo that @papaybirder.bsky.social was telling us he never sees anything in (apart from a Greenish), the Reed got a good laugh when it popped out! Massive thank you to all the Papay community
@gavnorthron.bsky.social in at the back post with a late spring (it might be summer) mega with this very smart Oriental Turtle Dove (ssp. meena) at Westness #OrkneyBirding
The newly ploughed observatory crop has played host to a colour-ringed Knot in the past few days. Initially seen in poor weather and post submission we discovered it’s also carrying a geo-locator from @globalflyway.bsky.social you can follow Arenicola’s progress on the globalflyways network website
The three Dotterels remain at Sandar for their 13th day. Showing very well despite occasionally disappearing. #OrkneyBirding
Bright and blustery days are often unproductive on North Ron but today proved the total opposite! A very smart Subalpine Warbler in Ancum just before lunchtime was joined on the yearlist by three Dotterel in the afternoon at Sandar.
King Eider still at Dornoch after we were fogged off on Christmas Eve. Still two Surf Scoter but no sign of Black Scoter sadly. #HighlandBirding #Ukbirding #KingEider #BoxingDayBirding
Always nice to find a Red-breasted Flycatcher, this bird appeared to drop onto a wall and feed in the garden at Dennishill. #OrkneyBirding
Another day, another bird. This Black-headed Bunting found by @maddyhine.bsky.social is our 9th island record and first since 2012. Needless to say, another island tick! #OrkneyBirding
A bit of video of todays White-rumped Sandpiper on Sandsheen. First on here since two birds in 2015. Amazed it was able to predate the Great Black-backed Gull, or thats what I assume from the evidence 🫣 #OrkneyBirding
Some great birding today, with plenty of migrants making landfall throughout the day. Personal highlights included 2 Barred Warblers, 2 Rosefinch, a Wryneck, Black and Common Redstart, 7 Garden Warblers and nearly 20 Willow Warblers! Four Convolvulus Hawkmoth and two Bat sp in the evening at nets.
Bonaparte’s Gull at Bewan today, it certainly made the blow of missing a very brief American Wigeon land a bit softer. Both would be island ticks so 1 out of 2 isn’t bad. Now on 295 for the island! #OrkneyBirding
Some good birds caught over the last few days. Obvious highlight was the Eastern Subalp but Crossbill and some Curlew chicks a close second. #OrkneyBirding #Ringing
Costa del North Ronaldsay strikes again! Black Kite today, Little Ringed Plover yesterday and a Glossy Ibis Tuesday. Not the usual mix for the Northern Isles.
Who doesn’t love a contextually significant rubbish bird. A nice pair of Mandarin on Gretchen this morning, only the second time I’ve seen Mandarin in North Ronaldsay #OrkneyBirding #NotPlasticStillFantastic
Some highly enjoyable but very cold birding in Finland and Norway with @heatherleabirds.bsky.social in the past 48hrs!
A few processed pics from mine and @maddyhine.bsky.social week on Fuerteventura. African Houbara an obvious highlight but Eastern Yellow Wag and African Blue Tit were great too. Common Sand on a Hippo (at the zoo 🙈) was good fun.
A few days in Kruger NP post flock to marion has treated us well! Leopard at death today, Ground Hornbill both today and yesterday, Lions yesterday and Elephants seemingly everywhere!
A very long but very enjoyable day of birding on board the Flock to Marion ship. Wandering Albatrosses, Sooty Albatrosses, White-chinned Petrels and another Barau’s Petrel! #FlocktoMarion #BirdingSouthAfrica #BirdLifeSouthAfrica
Day two: Burchell’s Coursers just outside Piketberg in lovely evening light was the highlight of the day…. although Ostriches were pretty good too, even when photographed through windscreen. #birdingsouthafrica
African Penguins, Orange-bellied Sunbirds and Cape Sugarbird the highlights from a great first day in South Africa. #birds #birdingsouthafrica
Happy New Year from all of us at NRBO. We’re looking forward to seeing you in 2025!
