@maddyhine.bsky.social with the 200th Tystie ringed this season! #OrkneyBirding #BTO #Ringing

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.

The three Dotterels remain at Sandar for their 13th day. Showing very well despite occasionally disappearing. #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

🚨JOB OPENING🚨 We are looking to employ a housekeeper for the 2026 season, part or full time roles available! Accommodation at the observatory included. For more information and to apply please contact alison@nrbo.co.uk Please share!

Another season filed away! In summary it was a quiet spring with very little to shout about but the autumn was superb. Our second records of Rufous-tailed Robin and Siberian Rubythroat the standout birds with a strong supporting cast. Thank you to all this years staff and visitors, see you in 2026!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all at NRBO

Warra week. Black-throated Thrush and Sibe Rubythroat! #OrkneyBirding

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

Three nights and three Leach’s Petrels! We’ve also caught 118 Storm Petrels, a great start to the Stormy sessions #OrkneyBirding #StormPetrels #SeabirdsUK

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

A superb Aurora Borealis showing last night over the obs #space #northernlights #darkskies #orkney #aurora

A quick update on the blog from the past few days! The mist nets are up in Holland and the year list is ticking along nicely ✅ northronbirdobs.blogspot.com/2025/03/4th-... #OrkneyBirding

4th - 7th March

The weather seems to have finally broken! Another very windy day on 4th gave way to a light breeze and sunshine by 6th and 7th, allowing for...

northronbirdobs.blogspot.com

Appears the link to the blog didnt work yesterday! So we’ll try again! #OrkneyBirding northronbirdobs.blogspot.com/2025/03/wint...

Winter update and 1st March - 3rd March sightings

It has been a quiet winter for sightings, with all volunteers having left the island on 15th November, closely followed by George and Maddy ...

northronbirdobs.blogspot.com

An update from over the winter and sightings from the first few days of March now on the blog! With the appearance of a familiar friend, we have our first rarity of the year! northronbirdobs.blogspot.com/2025/03/winter… #OrkneyBirding

Well our first adult Glaucous Gull of 2025 wasn’t quite in the condition we’d hoped for 😢

Happy New Year from all of us at NRBO. We’re looking forward to seeing you in 2025!

🚨VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY🚨 We are looking for a volunteer for the 2025 season to help with bird monitoring, ringing, and obs maintenance! Full board included. Long term volunteers preferred, but all applications welcome! Contact alison@nrbo.co.uk for more info. Please share!

🚨JOB OPENING🚨 We are looking to employ a housekeeper for the 2025 season! Accommodation at the observatory included. For more information and to apply please contact alison@nrbo.co.uk Please share!

What a year it has been @northronbirdobs.bsky.social ! Personal highlights include Ortolan Bunting, Great Snipe, Black-faced Bunting, Long-tailed Skua, Stone-curlew (island mega!), and a pterdroma now in the hands of the BBRC powers that be as a Zino’s Petrel! #UKbirding

The 2024 season is coming to a close! Its been an incredible year of birds. It appears we may have beaten last years yearlist total, but still need to wait on various rarities making the grade! A big thank you from me, Maddy and Alison to all the volunteers and guests this year!

Not the November bird I had mind, but the first Brown Booby for Orkney was a very welcome find after a dry spell. Not quite as smart as yesterdays Eyebrowed Thrush, Craig seems to attract bright orange birds! #scottishbirds #OrkneyBirds #UKbirding @northronbirdobs.bsky.social

All the lovely habitat we have here on the island and the Black-faced Bunting chooses a cattle pen full of litter… #scottishbirding #orkneybirds @northronbirdobs.bsky.social

Born in the USA. This very obliging American Robin was a first for the island this afternoon, not what we thought the easterly winds had in store for us! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 #UKbirding #scottishbirds #orkney #birds

Everyone down to Brown (shrike) town! #ukbirding #scottishbirding

A locustella double of the highest order! Lancey and Pallas’s Gropper in the same day 😍 #scottishbirding #ukbirding

This Dusky Warbler was a wholly unexpected find this morning while showing new volunteer @cgunnnat.bsky.social around D. Im told the earliest Autumn record by some distance!

Blog update for the last few days. We’ve finally seen some birds after a rather bleak August. northronbirdobs.blogspot.com/2024/09/28th...

28th August - 2nd September

With August now thankfully behind us September has started in style with a system of south-easterlies and a bit of rain. We have had few ye...

northronbirdobs.blogspot.com