An exhilarating seawatch this morning on North Ronaldsay with a Fea’s/Desertas type petrel passing the hide! Also 127 Sooty Shearwaters mostly passing at close range and a Slavonian Grebe #OrkneyBirding

I’m hoping this might be the worst photo of a Wryneck posted on Bluesky in recent weeks 😄 Regardless it was a lovely surprise when it landed in front of the car as I was leaving Exminster Marshes early this am! #UKBirding

Two neat juv Long-tailed Skua north were the highlight of a four skua day at Seacliff yesterday with @tomgale98.bsky.social. A nice supporting cast of three Sooty Shear and adult Pom, with one of each again this morning @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdinglothian

Big new @adriftlab.bsky.social paper - we show for the first time that plastics affects seabirds at the POPULATION level. Plastic ingested as a chick reduces recruitment of birds to the breeding population. And the story is pretty grim. 🧵 www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Lovely adrenaline rush this evening at Musselburgh when this Temminck’s Stint appeared! It was acting fresh in, feeding a lot then sleeping, also skittish often adopting this crouched banana stance when spooked. After 1.5 hrs it took off and no sign since @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingScotland

Ventured across the Forth for the Kirkcaldy Scoters today. Black Scoter was new for me and the upright posture and thick-necked structure really stood out. Great views also of 2 White-winged Scoters with Eider, plus Surf Scoter also showing much better than they ever do in Lothian! #BirdingScotland

A Great White Egret over Seacliff as soon as I arrived this morning, heading south-east. Continuing the site's recent good form with White-winged Scoter, 3 Redstart and Osprey also in the last couple of weeks #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Mega day at the Seacliff patch! Osprey and Redstart were top aims for the spring but the (re) appearance of a White-winged Scoter was completely unexpected this far out of the Forth! Ring Ouzel at Traprain Law also #BirdingScotland

Joe Nichols@itssjoenichols.bsky.social · 6mo ago

A drake White-winged Scoter off Seacliff this pm with @tomgale98.bsky.social , associating with Eiders. Now in its fourth calendar year and last seen off Musselburgh in June '25, it still clearly thinks it's an Eider! Also Osprey west & male Redstart #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

An evening trip out to Mayshiel for the Black-throated Thrush went to plan with great views in evening light. Lovely supporting cast of thrushes and Bramblings also - in addition to this morning’s Ring Ouzels, it became a 6 Turdus sp. day! #BirdingScotland @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Great pre-work yomp around Holyrood park this am w/ @itssjoenichols.bsky.social. Highlights were 2 Ring Ouzels over Salisbury Crags, singing Grasshopper W, and 4 Wheatears which performed beautifully on the slopes below Arthur’s Seat summit #BirdingScotland @birdinglothian.bsky.social

In true record shot style, here is a photo of the first Glaucous Gull I’ve seen for 3+ years (lingering bird at yellowcraig). A great day with White-billed and Black-throated Divers and great views of Common Scoters on flat calm seas (tho lack of Velvet) #BirdingScotland @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Nice to watch some distant specks eventually become 2 ‘in-off’ Sand Martins at Eastfield today. My first singing Chiffchaffs also @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingScotland

Do juv WBDs winter in a different location to adults, hence the lack of juvs in current influx (presumably triggered by weeks of SE winds)? Juv seabirds of some species are less efficient foragers so presumably would expect at least as many juvs being wrecked like this?

Jared Wilson@wilsonjaredm.bsky.social · 8mo ago

A sad end for another White-billed Diver, this one at the Eden Estuary #birdingFife #rarebirdsUK

Two, poss 3 White-billed Diver off N end of Inchkeith currently! Thanks to @tomgale98.bsky.social for the video! @fifebirdnews.bsky.social #BirdingScotland

Yesterday’s Bittern at Duddingston Loch provided a great lunchtime twitch - here it is with its feathers ruffled up! #BirdingScotland

This 1cy Caspian Gull at Tyninghame yday was a much enjoyed Scottish first for myself and @tomgale98.bsky.social. Dutch green darvic V|+ was ringed 5 May at IJsselmmer, then seen Lowestoft (Suffolk) in July and De Haan (Belgium) 17 Oct before arriving here #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Two Black Redstarts at Torness added a dash of colour to a grey scene this morning - including a very smart male #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Fantastic day in East Lothian with birds right up until dusk! Unfortunately the plover flock took off before long but it was great to watch the AGP in flight amongst the European Golden Plovers - quite distinctive once you get your eye in! #BirdingLothian

Joe Nichols@itssjoenichols.bsky.social · last yr.

Great day with @tomgale98.bsky.social . American Golden Plover at Barns Ness early pm, part of a mobile Goldie flock that soon headed west towards Whitesands. Jack Snipe in-off at Fluke Dub, then Yellow-browed Warbler & Pom at Seacliff. Vismig clear w. 12 Brambling and many thrushes #birdinglothian

Very nice to find this Wryneck at Dalmeny House this afternoon. Still present this eve, moving between the shoreline at the golf course to feed and nearby cover. Also juv Pom, RN Grebe + 4 Pintail offshore, & 3 juv Black Tern at Hound Point #birdinglothian #rarebirdsuk @birdinglothian.bsky.social

An enjoyable three skua day with @tomgale98.bsky.social. The highlight a smart ad Pom Skua W off Seacliff late afternoon. Also Bonxie off Barns Ness, plus 6 Arctics and 63 Manxies total between both sites #birdinglothian

Rufous Hummingbirds complete one of the greatest migrations of any bird, if calculated by body length (~3 inches). Their ~3900 mile trip from Alaska to Mexico (one-way) equates to ~80 million body lengths. This puts the Arctic Tern’s migration to shame, at ~50 million body lengths. #birdringing 🇨🇦🧪🌎

Watercolour of the view of Sheep Rock from Buness, Fair Isle

Stunning views of 3 White-winged and 1 drake Surf Scoter y’day in Fife with @birdingtothemax.bsky.social and Jack Morris #BirdingScotland

Excuse the poor video skills but does anyone know if this behaviour is common in Robins? Almost doing a snake/wryneck like display! Video taken back in March. #ukbirding

1/6 Tidal stream environments are unique marine habitats characterised by fast tidal currents. Knowledge of how #seabirds use these areas for foraging is scarce. @tomgale98.bsky.social is at #BOU2025 presenting work on understanding drivers of habitat selection of Shags in these environments...

Our new @adriftlab.bsky.social paper is out, lead by @alixdejersey.bsky.social showing the insidious impacts of plastics on seemingly health birds (1/5) www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Seabirds in crisis: Plastic ingestion induces proteomic signatures of multiorgan failure and neurodegeneration

Plastic consumption in seabirds causes blood signatures of widespread organ damage including brain, stomach, kidney, and liver.

science.org

The Guardian@theguardian.com · 2y ago

Plastic pollution leaves seabirds with brain damage similar to Alzheimer’s, study shows

A tracking study has found that dogs walked off-lead cause significantly more disturbance on lowland heaths than pets kept on the lead:

Dog-tracking study reveals disturbance to lowland heaths

Researchers tracked dogs on heathland sites, showing off-lead walking can reduce conservation value.

bit.ly

Watercolour of one of my favourite moments last year watching a Greenish Warbler feeding amongst the sycamores at Valyie, Unst #birds #birdart #BirdingScotland

Watercolour of the Eastern Black Redstart that was present @northronbirdobs.bsky.social in autumn 2022 #birds #birdart #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK

Thanks Mark, visiting birders sound recording crossbills, I'm shocked and stunned! :-) Hope Max doesn't mind, but one of his excitement calls on the left, key ID features of N20/Scottish excitement calls in the centre and to the right the evolution of the shape of these excitement calls 1995-2024