A few hours at Girdleness this afternoon I didn’t expect much with a southerly breeze so it was nice to see a couple of Brent Geese, not a regular visitor up here, eventually settling near the south pier. #birdingscotland

Just back from an excellent weekend in Musselburgh with the RSPB Aberdeen & District Local Group. Lots of highlights but nothing topped this Marsh Sandpiper on Lagoon 6. Right place, right time. #birdingscotland #birdguides

Just back from few days around Aviemore and it seems certain species are doing well although Wood Warblers remain a scarce commodity! #birdingscotland

Up at Glen Callater, Cairngorms today. A distant male Ring Ouzel was nice but was amazed to see soo many juvenile Wheatears! Seems there having a good season.

A morning on the coastline of between Slains and Bullers of Buchan searching for yesterday’s unprecedented sighting of a Chough! I can confirm that the Jackdaw population is thriving. A few images of a stunning pair of Reed Buntings was one highlight, a most underrated species! #birdingscotland

A bit of a wader golden hour at Loch of Strathbeg today! A few record shots of Temminck’s Stint, Wood Sandpipers (4), Ruff (2) and of course the Cinnamon Teal of unknown origin 🧐 Also 2 LR Plover, Dunlin & 4 Ringed Plover. #birdingscotland

Just had stunning views of a pair of Short-toad Eagles displaying over the Villa #mijas #andalusia #birdingspain

You’ll need your magnifying glass for this but 3 White-billed Divers off Portsoy, Aberdeenshire today and a count of circa 75 Long-tailed Ducks. #birdingscotland

Business in Aberdeen today so a quick visit to Girdleness! Lots of Bottlenose Dolphin activity, including what I think could be some young ones and it would seem that the recent Iceland Gull is still about. #birdingscotland

Early start today at the Cabrach with the RSPB Aberdeen & Local Group. Highlights included a Black Grouse Lek, a half dozen male Wheatear but the surprise of the day was when this White-tailed Eagle literally flew over or heads! #birdingscotland

A walk around #MuirofDinnet this morning while the sun shone. Highlights a couple of Willow Warblers, 3 Tree Pipits and a small Adder. #birdingscotland

Still a scarce bird in the northeast but becoming more frequent this Little-ringed Plover was along my local stretch of the River Don today! A pleasant surprise and a patch first. #birdingscotland

Spring migration is starting to build up now the sun is shining at #fuentedepiedra Andalusia Spain 🇪🇸 with lots of Gull-billed Terns arriving and such a treat to see both Alpine Swift and Collared Pratincole over the reserve today! #birdingspain

A wonderful moment during my latest trip to Spain today near Granada! Watching this pair of Great Spotted Cuckoos gorging on caterpillars while I was also having lunch.

Smart looking adult Mediterranean Gull on Starnafin Pools, RSPB Strathbeg this morning. Plus Russian White-footed Goose at St. Mary’s Chapel, Rattray! #birdingscotland

When I lived back in Warwickshire I almost certainly had to travel a little for these three species: Corn Bunting, Tree Sparrow & Crossbill! But since moving up to #aberdeenshire in 2020 I’m always amazed that there practically on my doorstep 😁 #birdingscotland #birders #ukbirding #wildlife

Great to see this Glossy Ibis fly onto Starnafin Pools Loch of Strathbeg today! Also a Common Crane skulking in the reeds. #birdingscotland #birders #rspbscotland

Aurora beginning to put on a show this evening from Kemnay Aberdeenshire! #aurora

Hi everyone, just a quick post to raise a bit more awareness of an event celebrating the Aberdeen & District RSPB Groups 50th birthday celebration! #birdingscotland #aberdeen #aberdeenshire #birders should be a good one 👍

A #LocalPatch walk today around Fetternear Estate, Aberdeenshire 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 and it’s such a treat to see Hawfinch (at least 9 today at Bishops Palace) Bramblings and Red Squirrels just a few minutes from home! #birdingscotland #birders

Finding Water Rails anywhere in Aberdeenshire 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿can be quite challenging. However, out with the RSPB Aberdeen & District Local Group today at Girdleness, we popped over to St. Fittick’s Park where two birds put on a real show for the group #UKBirding #RSPB #BirdingScotland

An excellent day on the Aberdeenshire coast in gorgeous conditions today! This Iceland Gull at Sandhaven Harbour, Med Gull at Rosehearty, Little Auk at Kinnaird Head and can’t get used to seeing Puffins offshore in the winter!

A Local walk around Fetternear woodland this morning with a few of the RSPB Aberdeen Local Group committee. An amazing moonset from the kitchen window and at least 9 Hawfinch around the Bishop's Palace. Plus a couple of Dippers down the channels. @rspbscotland.bsky.social

Well the big thaw has begun up here in #aberdeenshire 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿and for the 1st time in days we’re above freezing! It’s always a nice feeling to know you’ve played your part in keeping the birdies fed.

Was hoping to get out 2day but another dumping of heavy snow #aberdeenshire ~ So comfort birding and it certainly pays to put out apples with yesterdays Blackcap joined by a second female 2day. The ringed Brambling also returned. Fieldfares are also in on the act @rspbscotland.bsky.social

An excellent morning comfort birding from my Aberdeenshire home. Blackcaps r less common up here in the winter months and it's lovely to see this female on apples. First Bramblings are coming down too, this one ringed but I was unable to get any definition on the numbers! @rspbscotland.bsky.social

An excellent start to the birding year yesterday along the Ythan Estuary Aberdeenshire 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 with the RSPB Aberdeen & District Local Group despite the snow! Red-breasted Mergansers, Eiders and the less common to the area Grey Plover, with 5 seen today!

A wonderful ending to my 2024 with a New Year’s Eve showing of the Aurora taken from the garden just before midnight!

My final birding trip before I head back to the snow & ice of Aberdeenshire. I ascended to around 4,500 feet in the Sierra de las Nieves, Ronda, for some late autumn birding, and the weather was beautiful. Singing Woodlark, Over 30 Griffon Vulture & Iberian Shrike just a few of many highlights!

Having visited my friends villa in the mountains of Mijas Andalusia for the past 10 years you could count the number of Gulls seen on one hand until today! At least 50 Mediterranean Gulls passed through in about 10mins. Wonder what caused such a large movement 🤔

Currently in Andalusia and after yesterdays storms I headed out to one of my favourite birding areas near Malaga Airport, Zapata. Here's a before and after! Devastating to see but the current new pipe laying is also having a major impact on the area. Although this young Bluethroat is unperturbed!

I quick dash over to Collieston to see this Isabelline Wheatear on Saturday afternoon. This is the 1st one to been seen in Aberdeenshire since 1979. A great find by Catriona Reid and the guys at Forvie National Nature Reserve.

An excellent morning at Rattray Aberdeenshire 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 such a hotspot for rarities with just a few sycamores, firs & bushes! Pallas’s Warbler today, 10+ Goldcrest, Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaffs, Lesser Whitethroat & 100+ Whooper Swans & 1000s of Pinkies!

My first ever post on Bluesky! Back home after another top week on Shetland & my 1st few processed images to show includes Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler (lifer), Arctic Warbler, Pallas’s Warbler & Lapland Bunting! Still more to come 😁