A Lapwing this morning over Inchgarth was a welcome surprise- I’ve only had 16 prior records so it’s less than annual for me here, far from guaranteed on the year list. March/April provides the best chance, but often associated with hard weather #birdingscotland
Some thermal video of a Beaver 🦫 in central Scotland earlier this month #mammals
Slow start to the year in Aberdeen VC92 with a Wogan yesterday but 5/3 this morning, 2 Hebrew Characters, a Chestnut and 2 Agonopterix her/cil aggregates #teammoth
Thanks to @alanknox.bsky.social for helping me solve a mystery bird I recorded last night while walking the dog - sounded goose-like but not a pink-foot, and I was wondering about White-front. Turns out it’s a white-front of sorts 😂…and also new for my home square #birdingscotland
NESBR+ 2024 Bufflehead by Ron Macdonald
NESBR+ 2024 Isabelline Wheatear by Harry Scott
NESBR+ 2024 breeding GW Egret article by Allan Perkins, photo by Mark Sullivan
NESBR+ 2024 Firecrest photo by Harry Scott
The 2024 North-east Scotland Bird Report+ is about to hit mats! Another cracker. Covers birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, butterflies and Odonata. Available now at the new low price of £8.50 including p+p (!) from Mark Sullivan as usual - see tinyurl/NESBR #birdingscotland
The Hume’s Warbler at Lea Marston was very active mostly high up, showed fairly well on/off late morning but far too quick for my camera, and only called twice while we were there. Loosely associating with Long-tailed Tits #ukbirding
Nice bright Shorelark at Mow Cop today, just on the Cheshire side of the border with Staffordshire. Only my 4th inland record (including the Staines Horned Lark) #ukbirding
No sign of yesterday’s Slavonian Grebe at Inchgarth this morning, first here since 2014 #birdingscotland
Driving down the A92 early afternoon by Bridge of Muchalls and a flying barn door appeared parallel to the road - managed to pull over into a lay-by to enjoy my 2nd immature White-tailed Eagle in Aberdeenshire in 3 days. Corvids looked like flies buzzing around it 😂 #birdingscotland
First here since 2014, think it’s my 4th here. Would swap it for a Red-necked or Great crested though!
Not sure that’s such a problem for 2cy Stej. More of a problem would be extensive yellow but on the current photos I don’t see anything that excludes Stej.
Check out Nial Moore’s photos on the Korea birds blog. Some of the Stej (presumably 2cy males) look virtually “knobless” and very similar to this bird.
Last couple of days have produced a Red-breasted Merganser and a Coot at Inchgarth, neither of which are annual here. Nearby the Ring-necked Duck was still at Loirston this afternoon. And it has stopped raining (for now!) #birdingscotland
Never known anything like it. Ghastly. And at least another week of it apparently.
The drake Ring-necked Duck was a little closer today at Loirston, still pretty grim weather though 😬 #birdingscotland
A quick tour around three local sites (before the weather turned truly dreadful again!) produced an Otter at Inchgarth, the Ring-necked Duck at Loirston, 2 Great Northern Divers and the Pale-bellied Brent Goose below the allotments at Girdle Ness #birdingscotland
Not much better but weather not really conducive to photography! 3rd for Loirston (last in 2005). Different bird to the one at Forfar which was still being reported today #birdingscotland
Inchgarth still frozen over, but a male Brambling in my garden for the second time this week. No yellowhammers though, which I sometimes get in these hard weather conditions #birdingscotland
Inchgarth still frozen but worth the trudge through the snow today for a fly-through patch ✅ Little Egret, first record here since 1993 (when it was still a rarity in Scotland) #birdingscotland
Never starts at Inchgarth! Just the 5th Kitt here AFAIK, all since 2022 and all but one have been dead/dying with signs of avian flu.
Dead kittiwake at Inchgarth reservoir this lunchtime #birdingscotland
Always good to talk with Mark and the Out of Doors team. A short piece on Robins (European and American!) in the first few minutes of today’s programme #birdingscotland
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
I’ve AviListed the North-east Scotland checklist, available as a free Excel download (v10 January 2026) from the SOC site below. Don’t shoot the messenger (!) #birdingscotland
www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/local-...
Woodcock and 2 Crossbills at Inchgarth today, almost worth falling flat on my back for 🙄 #birdingscotland
Scops Owl, Fair Isle, June 2025. © Alex Penn
Black-faced Bunting, Fair Isle, October 2025. © Alex Penn
Oriental Turtle Dove , Fair Isle, October 2025. © Kevin Kelly
Music night at the Obs. © Alex Penn
Still wondering whether to visit the new Fair Isle Bird Obs in 2026? We are open for bookings 20th May to 31st October. Although there is only limited availability in May-July, we still have plenty of space from early August until the end of October. Our website includes information on how to book.
Birds of Scotland lists just 3 Scottish records up to 2005! I twitched one in D+G in December 2007 when it was still a real Scottish mega.
First regional record was as recent as September 2020, followed by 3 in 2023 at Meikle/Slains with one going to Strathbeg, and up to 2 at Strathbeg in 2024, with one staying until New Year’s Day this year. So probably just the 7th individual in the region, all in the 2020s.
Cattle Egret nr Tillyeve, feeding amongst Wagyu cattle north of Potterton this afternoon - still a rare bird in NEScotland #birdingscotland
Superb- up there with my all time favourite birds. One from the very top drawer. From Gulberwick 2011 - if Carling made bird direction signs…
Nowt going on this pm, just one Little Auk and 3-4 Harbour Porpoise
