6 nests and 2 territories found this season marks a remarkable increase from the previous peak of 4 Arctic Skua territories recorded on #StKilda. A relatively recent colonist to the archipelago, this must be one of the only increasing populations of this species nationally @smp-seabirds.bsky.social

Grateful to any visitors this season that are able to photograph any of @jezierskimt.bsky.social 's colour-ringed birds in the Village. If you're able to read a darvic ring, please report the alphanumeric code, time and location to NTS staff for contribution to Michal's research 🙏

Michał Jezierski@jezierskimt.bsky.social · 2mo ago

What next? Well, I just slept for 10h, after returning from a month of fieldwork. We've set up a ringing project of St Kilda's Wrens + other passerines, supported by @stkildawhs.bsky.social @britishecologicalsociety.org @leverhulme.ac.uk. With this, we hope to study how island syndromes evolve.

Acrocephalus warbler ID can be tricky, but easier when seen well. Marsh Warbler from 26th-28th May- a 7th St Kilda record, and 4th since 2022. Seabird volunteer Jeremy has been involved in multiple spring acro records in recent years and managed this excellent image. @birdguides.bsky.social

Rare to see a Quail out in the open like this. Initially spotted on 30th May and present again yesterday, this is the 11th St Kilda record. @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social

An impressive total of 41 species recorded for #GlobalBigDay yesterday here on #StKilda. The day list has been submitted to #ebird. The highlight was this very pale Redpoll, thought to be A. f. islandica, a first record of this subspecies here. @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

Bonxies (Great Skua) were heavily impacted globally by HPAI in 2021/22, with 2/3 of the population on #StKilda succumbing to the virus. We've been conducting a census annually since then, with results suggesting relative stability since the dramatic decline. #NTSSeabirds @smp-seabirds.bsky.social

A second flock of 6 Bar-tailed Godwits on 29th Apr included this colour-ringed female, ringed in the Dutch Wadden Sea on 10th May 2011. The @niozsearesearch.bsky.social ringing project has informed us that this is the most NW observation from 9,500 barwits ringed and almost 70,000 observations!

The leucistic Common Snipe on #StKilda last autumn is back around the Manse again this year! A lovely pale flash among the richer browns of its counterparts.

Scanning through this morning's flock of 11 Wigeon and a Red-breasted Merganser, but one of them has a green head! American Wigeon is a second for #StKilda, after the first in 2011. @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

This Little Ringed Plover was a nice surprise at the Helipad in Village Bay this afternoon. A third for #StKilda, with the previous two in 1977 and 2022, and possibly only the fifth Outer Hebrides record! @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

Yesterday's 6 Bar-tailed Godwits represented the first record of this species on #StKilda since 2009. @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

Any tern on #StKilda is notable, and following the recent Little visitor, today we were delighted to find this Sandwich Tern feeding in Village Bay. @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

Here's something that's never been seen on #StKilda before- a Little Tern hunting over Village Bay yesterday! Still present this morning, happily fishing away. Great start to the 2026 season 🙂 @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

White-tailed Eagles are an annual feature these days on #StKilda, but today's Golden Eagle joining the three White-taileds was remarkable! There had previously been single records in only 5 years between 1955 and 1976. @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

These two are blissfully unaware of how busy the Village will be tomorrow!

We're hopefully welcoming our first human visitors tomorrow, but the pinniped visitors have been quite comfortable with the jetty the through the winter!

A Black-tailed Godwit in spring on route to its breeding grounds in Iceland with a wee stop over in Village Bay. There aren't many smarter waders in their summer finery! @hebridesbirds.bsky.social

Many Fulmars are now back on territory, including FP96412, ringed in 2011 and still happily residing along Head Dyke. Fulmars are among our longest lived seabirds, with some reaching over 50 years, so this one may be in the prime of its life. #NTSseabirds @scottishbirding.bsky.social

This 1st winter Iceland Gull has been present on #StKilda since at least 3rd April. There was also a reported Glaucous Gull from @soaysheep.bsky.social researchers on 22nd March. Eyes are back on the island 👀 @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

We're back!!! Trying to clean the pier and get ready for our first visitors of the year. Not today though

A little bit of good news for the ocean www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... #WorldHeritage #NTS #StKilda

Scottish government bans wet wipes containing plastic

This type of wipe is a common source of marine litter and can break down into microplastics over time, harming the environment.

bbc.co.uk

Crisp winter days often give the best view of St Kilda. This one from Benbecula

Bliadhna Mhath Ur! A guid new year to ane an' a! Happy New Year! The National Trust for Scotland doesn't have any staff on island at the moment, so we'll post some archive pictures until April when we are back 📷lmacleod

Nollaig Chridheil a h-uile duine! Happy Christmas everyone and we'll see you in the new year. 'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse...' This St Kilda mouse didn't get the Christmas memo and is enjoying a midnight snack 📷MC2

Two more sleeps, better make sure your chimney is swept for an important visitor #Stkilda, #NTS, #advent

Advent window 22, a picture from the Trust's archives. The summer months were busy harvesting seabirds and storing them for the winter months #StKilda, #NTS, #advent

Its winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. Today St Kilda will see about six and a half hours of daylight, but tomorrow the days start to get longer. Still plenty winter evenings to coorie in next to the fire. #StKilda #NTS #advent 📷MC2

Cleits are a unique style of building to St Kilda, small stone built turf capped 'sheds'. Great for hiding those Christmas presents in #advent, #NTS, #StKilda

All is calm, all is bright . This lovely image of Village Bay was taken on a calm summers day #NTS, #StKilda, #advent

Well hello there, welcome to advent window 18. Soay lambs are born in late April and are curious to explore their surroundings #StKilda,#advent, #NTS