The other highlight from Golspie was the wealth of flowering plants, found in the dunes opposite Loch Fleet. An incredibly species rich site #WildFlowerHour

Black throated Divers Golspie, 23rd July. I challenge anyone to name a better looking British breeding species #BirdingScotland Simplistic elegance at its finest

Finishing a week exploring around Cannich and Glen Affric. Quiet for Dragonflies but still two Golden and one WTEagle, several Crested Tits, numerous Tree Pipits and plenty of Spot Flys plus a loose flock of 32 Mistle Thrush! #BirdingScotland

20 Black throated Diver (groups of 9, 6 and 5) feeding close inshore off of Golspie yesterday evening #BirdingScotland A bonus treat from an overnight camp, en route to Glen Affric.

The ingenuity of the Papay fun weekend carties never ceases to amaze... @birdguides.bsky.social #BirdingOrkney #PWC2026

A very fresh juvenile Common Rosefinch around the school this morning #BirdingOrkney #PWC2026

No sign of Bee eater, roosting at Hundland this evening #BirdingScotland An afternoon of nervous tension and borderline despair, followed by pure, utter joy when it reappeared for all assembled

Bee eater roosted again tonight in Hundland Willows, showing at point blank range. This bird knows no fear! #BirdingOrkney

Roosting around Hundland this evening #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUk

Orkneys first Blue cheeked Bee eater, first found by Paul and Jakey around Clestrain whilst out on the quadbike. A nervous wait, but relieved to find it again around around Hundland where still present this evening #BirdingOrkney #RareBirdsUK

Second Honey Buzzard of the year just gone North through the island. Last watched heading out to sea, bound for @northronbirdobs.bsky.social (or maybe to be poached by @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social) #BirdingScotland

A couple of Arctic Skua chicks from this afternoon for #SuperSeabirdSunday Hopefully the first of many, in what looks like it could be a decent year for them, here on Papay #BirdingOrkney

Good to confirm the presence of several Blue tailed Damselfly, just above the North Wick this afternoon. The first record for Papay. A vigil over the airfield went exactly as planned, with the departing plane once again flushing the Quail! #PWC2026

Nuthatch at Tarbat Ness lighthouse today, around 60km from the nearest nest site I’m aware of, its dispersal time! #highlandbirds @richardkbroughton.bsky.social

Another surprise this afternoon with a dark phase Honey Buzzard north through the island #BirdingOrkney Surely only a matter of time before Papay's first Red Kite does the same thing...

At the airfield this morning to see off family, when the incoming plane flushes a Quail (twice) from the edge of the runway #BirdingOrkney My first seen on the isle and only my 5th ever, after two migrants on Fair Isle and the Farne Islands

and a wee bit of video of the Woodcock with chicks in tow! #highlandbirds 🪶

Quail, videoed by island resident Anne Hourston outside Cott, early Monday morning #BirdingOrkney Would have probably been my bird of the year so far, had I been lucky enough to see it! @patchbirding.bsky.social

The Papay breeding season in full swing #OrkneyBirding

Yesterday's Marsh Warbler, replaced by an Icterine Warbler #BirdingOrkney Another bird which largely refused to cooperate, but did at least offer better views than the previous one around Holland. Another Quail singing this evening, my third of the year

Marsh Warbler above the South Wick this afternoon, including a brief rendition of Nightingale amongst its few bursts of song #PWC2026 #BirdingOrkney My fourth here, but only giving itself up for a few brief views

A delight to refind and spend time with yesterday's Bluethroat, having previously been so brief and elusive #PWC2026 Of the eleven birds, recorded here since 2017, this is the first to stay for longer than a single day! #BirdingOrkney

A couple of nice surprises this afternoon with these two Curlew Sandpipers in the North Wick, followed by a (frustratingly elusive) male Bluethroat around Cott #PWC2026 #BirdingOrkney

And a bit of video, capturing the song (Nikon P900 hand held) Only my fourth spring bird here after one in 2016 and two in 2019, one of which was also singing #BirdingOrkney

First summer male Rosefinch singing along the east road of Papay this morning @patchbirding.bsky.social #BirdingOrkney

💥 Getting in to the car after my early morning efforts chasing a Golden Oriole when a large, pale warbler flew past me. Boom! 🙅🏻‍♂️ Great Reed Warbler! 🤯 With only five Orkney records, three of them pulled from mist nets on North Ron, GRW defo not on my radar. What a bird! #WestrayBirding #PatchGold

Was beginning to think I had missed my chance for Tree Sparrow this year, so a welcome addition to find this group of four today #PWC2026 139 for the island year list. Not bad considering the overall quiet spring with Garden Warbler, Redstart and Pied Fly still to fall (again!) #BirdingOrkney

Icterine Warbler, skulking in the quarry garden of Holland this morning @patchbirding.bsky.social plus another Little Stint in the North Wick #BirdingOrkney Calm conditions the next few days - and the time of year when anything could happen...

Little Stint in the North Wick this morning along with 290 Ringed Plover and 420 Dunlin #PWC2026 Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat and Tree Pipit around the school (the latter, my first here since Sept 2022!) and a Quail singing around the outer edge of North Hill #BirdingOrkney

Bee Eater still present this morning, giving some great scope views, spending at least 30 minutes feeding from a short stretch of wire fencing #PWC2026 Eventually moved north and last seen flying high North East, lost to view over Fowl Craig just after 11:15 #BirdingOrkney