Morning on Cairngorm, lucked in on Ptarmigan just before the cloud closed in. Afternoon spent on the Black Isle: single Barnacle Goose among thousands of Pinkies, 200+ Scaup on the Firth, 20+ Slavonian Grebes.

Lovely day birding the area between Thirso and John O' Groats in Caithness. Group found Bony's was a highlight but so much more to enjoy: 5 Hen Harriers, our most Northern Great Egret, 3 Diver species, Eiders and so much more. Sadly few passerine migrants, just 2 Wheatear.

Bonaparte's Gull, Dinner Bay, Caithness. Also Mediterranean Gull. Flew out to sea 11.45.

Some pre breakfast Black Grouse action from day 1 of our Heatherlea trip. Day continued well with excellent views of Cresties, a Golden Eagle, 2 WT Eagles, Red Grouse. Also Crossbills, Redpoll and plenty of Red Squirrels

The tiny Todd's Canada Goose (🤞for my ID) at Hesketh Out Marsh today. Also: our first Pinkies of the Autumn, a good range of common waders, Great and Little Egret, Spot Fly. A gorgeous Barn Owl circumnavigated the car park as we watched the goose and a Weasel showed as we left. Lovely site.

2Ruddy Shelduck still at Blithfield Red, Staffs. Distant from the causeway.

2 Red Kite near the Mendip Mast earlier. Another, probably different, near Priddy. At least 1 Hummingbird Hawk Moth still in the garden despite a cold night.

Red-Necked Phalarope and 3 Grey Phalarope still distant at Cheddar Reservoir. #somersetbirding

Black Kite in flight form Bosistow Lane. Being chased by the local Corvids. #cornwallbirding

Grey Phalarope still at Siblyback, near the inlet. #cornwallbirding

Decent selection at Cheddar Reservoir after the deluge. Glossy Ibis 7, Great Egret 30+, Black Tailed Godwit 2, Ruff 2, Dunlin 2, Snipe 4, Knot, Ringed Plover 4+, Common Sandpiper 1. Nice to share with @devontess.bsky.social #SomersetBirding

Wales has been very kind to us in recent weeks with Marsh Sandpiper, Grey Phalarope and Lesser Yellowlegs on trips over the bridge. Not so today when the reported Black Winged Kite was revised to Buzzard just as we crossed. Ho hum, worth a try!

I'm selling my Swarovski NL Pure 8x42 binoculars if anyone is interested. Excellent condition, hardly been used outdoors. Full details on the page linked below, will post (UK only) at cost if required. Any reposts much appreciated, thanks. #UKBirding #BirdingGear lros.org.uk/for-sale-wan...

Wryneck showed beautifully at the seaward end of the path to Nanzijal beach. Enjoyed the bird at close range for 10 mins before flushed by walker. 2 Chough at Lower Bosistow #cornwallbirding

Four Dotterel at Trevilly this afternoon. A real treat just 40 minutes after disembarking from the Scillonian.

4 Dotterel still present in field at Trevilly until 16.50. They then flew, probably to the next ploughed field. #cornwallbirding

Melodious Warbler showed well behind the Cadet Hut on the Garrison at c9.30.

Final Scilly Pelagic for us tonight. Drifting 6 miles off shore in choppy conditions. Personal totals: Wilson's 4, Euro Stormy 20, Great Sheer 10, Cory's 10, Arctic Skua 2, Great Skua 2. Fascinating watching 4 Blue Sharks caught and tagged. Next year..can't wait!

Sunday Scilly Pelagics. Had to travel a long way to find the rafts of feeding Sheers, once there it was spectacular with Dolphins and birds everywhere. My totals: Great 40, Cory's 20, Sooty 10, Manx 300+ Euro Stormy 12, Wilson's 1, Arctic Skua 1,Bonxie 2, Arctic Terns 20, Black Tern, Sabines 2.

Saturday Scilly Pelagics, personal totals: Great Sheerwater 30+, Cory's Sheerwater 3, Sooty Sheerwater,10 + Manx 500+, Bonxie, Arctic Terns 10, Wilson's Storm Petrel 4, Euro Storm Petrel 30+ Common Dolphins, Ocean Sun Fish. Not quite the numbers of previous years but great birdingm

Scilly Pelagics, Friday Evening. Birds: Great Sheerwater 10+, Sooty 1, Wilson's Storm Petrel 1, Euro Stormy20+ many Manx. Best though was a perfect adult Sabs that stayed with us for 45mins. Also: Fin Whale, Humpback Whale, Risso's Dolphins, Common Dolphins.

Scillonian: Penzance to St Mary's. Quiet on the bird front: Bonxie, 2 Euro Stormies, Balearic, 500 Manx. Ocean Sunfish, several pods of Common Dolphins, Blue Fin Tuna boil, group of Harbour Porpoises.

Off we go

Female Pied Flycatcher in the sallows just beyond the donkey paddock in Kenidjak Valley this morning. Nothing else of note for a morning staring into bushes. Less "usual" birds than normal #cornwallbirding

Slim pickings around Lands End this morning. Two Chough in the horse padock near Treave Moor (4 at Sennen earlier), around a dozen Willow Warblers from the cycle track, Peregrine hunting over the fields. Great Tuna action offshore and a brief, non sea watching, sighting of @runnelstone.bsky.social.

Bewildered looking White Stork still on lamp post at Matford Roundabout, Exeter.

Black Kite setting out on it's journey over the Strait. Image courtesy of Simon Tonkin.

White Stork confetti over the Strait of Gibraltar last Saturday. Image courtesy of Inglorious Bustards

Little Swifts, Chipionia earlier this week. Pictures courtesy of Inglorious Bustardsm

White-Rumped Swift earlier this week. Picture courtesy of Inglorious Bustards.

Excellent morning on the Straits of Gib. At least 40 Wilson's Storm Petrel, 20 Scopolli's/Cory's Sheerwater. Large Groups of Pilot Whale and BN Dolphins. And a bonus Eleanors's Falcon. Afternoon on a V hot La Janda: great views of 3:Mony's, ST Eagles, GB Terns, waders, Egrets, Ibises ...phew

Rufous -tailed Brush Robin earlier this week near Cadiz. Image courtesy of Inglorious Bustards.

Andalusia day 4. Privileged to spend the morning watching migration over The Strait. An amazing spectacle as 3000 Black Kite and 5000 White Stork headed to Africa. Sharing the experience with real experts (who did the counting) was very special. Continued....

Another great day in Andalusia. Dawn at Vineyards, specially farmed for nature. There were 9 singing male Rufous-Tailed Scrub Robins in a small area. Later at Europes largest Little Swift colony. So good to see them at their feathered nests..50+ in flight around us. Then churros for breakfast!

Early start and long wait brought us our first target for our Andalusia trip...White-Rumped Swift. A first distant view rapidly followed by a pair low overhead. A long awaited bird we've tried and failed to see many times. Hundreds of Black Kite held back in the fields by strong Levante winds.

Fab first day in Andalusia with the lovely Inglorious Bustards. An hour from the airport we were watching flocks of White Stork and Black Kite beginning their journey across the straits. Surrounded by chattering Bee Eaters. Also good to see juv Thekla and Crested Larks, BE Wheatear and Pratincole.

Any chance that @bsky.app can give us a way of turning off reposts. The endless over-use of the repost button is rapidly turning me away from an environment I used to enjoy.

Barrow tanks this afternoon, lucky break in between the rain, and managed some nice pics of the Wood Sandpiper I found this morning, lucky lucky Me😊 @bristolbirding.bsky.social

3 Hummingbird Hawk Moths visiting Nepeta in our garden on the Mendips. Regular visitors for several weeks.

Curlew Sandpiper on roadside pool between Bamburgh and Seahouses.

Fab day in the Costa del Northumberland. All about Terns with 5 species seen, though the Yankee Black Tern eluded us. Puffins always good to see. Other highlights: Summer plumage Red Throated Diver at Amble Marina, L Gull at Hauxley, Tree Sparrows and Yellowhammers as we don't get them at home

Blyth's Reed Warbler at the wonderfully named Upsettlington showed well twice in a hour and a half. Some other brief views and calls but no real song. Beautiful place, friendly birders and our second Lifer of the day. Long time since our last 2 tick day in the UK.

A short video of the Western Sandpiper hopping about in the harbour at Maidens a few minutes ago. Lifer!

Enjoyable time watching Ospreys at Foulshaw Moss. Three adults and wing flapping Juv's seen at the two nest sites.

Brief flight views of a Common Quail near Haxton, Wiltshire early this morning. Plenty of singing Skylarks and Corn Buntings in the area.

Merry Solstice, everyone. Raining on the Mendips.

After the surprise Desert Wheatear this morning we ventured into Hampshire. A long wait paid off with decent views of a single Honey Buzzard plus a single Gosshawk .... and an awful lot of Common Buzzards.

Desert Wheatear posing beautifully on the goalposts at Somervale, Keynsham. A nice, sociable gathering of the clans on a summer Sunday.

Clodgy Point 8.30 - 9.30. Singles of Balearic Sheerwater and Storm Petrel close on among loads of Manx. #cornwallbirding

Three churring Nightjars on the Lizard tonight with 2 seen in flight. Conditions weren't ideal and the birds were only active from 21.50. Barn and Tawny Owl seen on the way home. #cornwallbirding