Only managed 3 days panning this week because the weather wasn’t on our side .. rivers in spate but still managed my best bit of gold in many years so celebrated with a Braw dram 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Took the Bairns fishing for their 1st time at Helmsdale harbour the other day .. 1 wee pollock caught & thrown back safely… 👍

Braw wee strole up the Sub 2000 Creag Thoraraidh 404m this am from Helmsdale.. typicaly the weather cleared on our descent 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

We're incredibly concerned about the welfare of two satellite-tagged golden eagles, Tarras and Wren, that have recently disappeared in Dumfries and Galloway. Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland. Read more 👉 bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce80l4jgd1qo 📷 Chris Gomersall, RSPB Images

There’s gold in them thar hills also found this dragon fly nymph on the Helmsdale river 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Braw Bike & Hike yesterday taking the Bairns up our most Easterly Munro Mount Keen via Glen Mark , nearly 30 years since my 1st visit up this route & about 15 years since I visited from Glen Tanar with The Wife 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Wryneck , Lesser Spotted Woodpecker & wasn’t sure with the last pic but looks good for Middle spotted rather than Syrian Woodpecker but happy to be corrected 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇸🇰 #Zriedlovadolina #birdingslovakia

Although you can’t mistake the call Golden orioles are not always the easiest birds to spot #Zriedlovadolina #slovakia 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇸🇰

Honey Buzzard Zriedlova Dolina Slovakia 🇸🇰 #Slovensko #birdingslovakia

Green Woodpeckers Zriedlova Dolina Slovakia #birdingslovakia #woodpeckers 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇸🇰

Wheatear , Spotted Nutcracker & Fieldfare Vysoké Tatra Slovensko 👍🇸🇰🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #birdingslovakia #Tatra

Finally got time to put up more from visiting the in-laws in Slovakia last month Only my 3rd Slovak KingFisher at Kunov also Common Sand , Kestrel & Black Redstart in the High Tatra Mountains 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇸🇰 #slovensko #birdingslovakia #slovakia #birds

Good to see the Marsh Sandpiper at Morrisons Haven Scrape yesterday & and also some familiar faces👍 bird was only viewable distantly from the East during my time there , Kudos to Mervyn for the Find @birdinglothian.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social

Only my 3rd Slovak Black Stork in 23 years of coming to Slovakia with White Stork the more common bird in my opinion seen yearly , so was pleased with this Zriedlova Dolina fly over 👍🇸🇰🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #birdingslovakia

Need a bit of help with this wader id from Kunov Slovakia last week..I was thinking Green sandpiper but supercilium doesn’t look right & eye ring very prominent? Also doesn’t look right for Common which I think is bird behind? #birdingslovakia

Some waders from Kunov Slovakia last week , what looks good for Wood Sandpipers & also a Little Ringed Plover, also Common Sandpiper which I’ve had here before. Water very low which made for rarer birds coming in #birdingslovakia wood sandpiper a Slovak✅

New Zriedlova Dolina ✅ for me today … Black Stork flyover.. previously only seen a few of these near the Austrian border 👍🇸🇰 #birdingslovakia

Braw 18k walk in the High Tatras yesterday from Strbske Pleso 1346m to Velke Hincovo Pleso 1948m , , Spotted Nutcracker & a Water Pipit also Marmot . The latter a new Slovak Species for me 👍🇸🇰

Out for a wee strole in Zriedlova Dolina & a Honey Buzzard soars overhead calling … 👍🇸🇰#birdingslovakia

Wee strole through the woods near in-laws house zriedlova Dolina today last photo looks good for Syrian woodpecker 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇸🇰

Alpine Longhorn taken on Camera phone so not the clearest photo but apparently quite scarce & protected & a 1st for me👍🇸🇰 #slovakia

Beautiful Demoiselle & hopefully not mistaken 🤔👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇸🇰

Back in Slovakia visiting the in-laws & a wee strole down Zriedlova Dolina from the house , with good numbers of Red Backed Shrike & a couple of pairs of Reed Warblers being a bit more elusive 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇸🇰

Camp for the wknd near Lairg & a walk up the Corbett Ben Hee 873m today.. Clegs were brutal & very quiet bird wise with only Meadow pipit, 2 Ravens near Summit & a Dipper in burn on descent seen 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Western Sandpiper from Maidens Ayrshire 7/6/25 . I don’t think I’ll win any Photo of the year competitions but still a Braw wee bird to see 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 @scottishbirding.bsky.social

Walk from East Linton to Haddington this am along the Tyne Path with the Bairns & the Dug .. Swans seem to be doing well Grey Heron & a Sedge Warbler photos 👍 @scottishbirding.bsky.social @birdinglothian.bsky.social

An old photo of Barns Ness Campsite, not my photo but looks like it was taken in the 70s 👍

Nice couple of Munro’s Today in A Chailleach & Carn Sgulain in the Monadhliath hills today , new Summits for Anna & the Bairns as I had been up them about 25 years ago 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Boc of the Western Sandpiper at Maidens today , typical Scottish summer Weather with sideways rain & bird hunkered down made for distant views but well worth the drive through to Ayrshire for a lifer 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #scottishbirding

Buying a present for Fathers' Day on 15th June? See my books on wildlife and the investigation of wildlife crime at wildlifedetective.wordpress.com/books/ and email me to post out a signed and personalised copy.

With taking the Bairns up Ben Macdui a few weeks ago I thought I’d share some photos of a previous walk up Ben Macdui in 2014 looking for a Snowy Owl that wasn’t seen.. ach well still a Braw walk 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

A wee swallie 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🍺🥃

Nice to see the Avocets on the old scrapes Musselburgh this am 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 lifers for the Bairns @birdinglothian.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social

Just seen a Water Vole on the Tyne Haddington whilst out for a Cycle 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Good to see Snow Bunting & the 1st Dotterel I’ve seen on the hills for a good few years made yesterday’s walk over Ben Macdui & Cairngorm extra special @scottishbirding.bsky.social 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

More from yesterdays walk over Ben Macdui & Cairngorm 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Braw Walk yesterday taking the Bairns over Ben Macdui & Cairngorm, 10 years since my last walk up Ben Macdui so a new Summit for the Bairns 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Red Kites found shot at one end of the country (Aberdeenshire), Red Kites found poisoned at the other end (Dumfries & Galloway). Welcome to Scotland. And yes, it's just as bad in England, Wales & N Ireland. #RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime #UKBirding raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/05/03/p...

40k Cycle round East Lothian this am , Grey Partridge added to year list ..Haddington , Bolton ,Gifford , Yester Path to Garvald past the Danskine & Donnolly Reservoirs round Traprain to Hales Castle & up the Tyne ..Braw

Braw weekend Camping over in Fife , walked up West Lomond yesterday & a wee walk to the Bunnet Stane this morn 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Braw walk up the Corbett Beinn a Chualliach 892m last up here 28years ago new summit for Anna & the Bairns, 1st wheatears of the year & what I think was an early female Cuckoo but only glimpsed 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Braw taking the Bairns on their 1st Canadian canoe on loch Rannoch .. brilliant weather & the auld Canoe will be used again soon 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

2 ringed Herring Gulls from Oslo Norway last week , any help on info much appreciated black with with white IPM34 & JA6A7 @scottbirder01.bsky.social

Braw city break to Oslo🇳🇴 for my wife’s birthday .. not much time for birding but did manage a wee while in the park near our Hotel with Hooded Crow ,Nuthatch ,Fieldfare , Great Spotted Woodpecker , Greenfinch amongst other park birds seen 👍

1st day in Oslo ..1st bird seen Magpie 🤪

The 2025 Spring Migrants Table is now live! 2025 is already showing some notable records, with many people commenting on their earliest ever Chiffchaffs. This February saw three records of Sand Martin, almost unprecedented in Scotland, with only one record from an earlier date than this year.

Braw walk from Barns Ness to Dunbar today along the John Muir Link .. another bit of this walk across Scotland completed by the Bairns 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Nice walk From Barnsness to Dunbar today … Shore Lark the highlight & lifer for Jamie👍 @birdinglothian.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social

Braw Bike & Hike taking the Bairns up the Moorfoots Graham/Donald Black Hope Scar 651m today , not been up here for about 18 years , grim bird wise apart from the most RedGrouse I’ve seen on the hills for ages .. well over 100 birds so making a recovery but for how long☹️