First Wheatear was reported back in the county today at John O’Groats #CaithnessBirds

It’s the time of year to be out finding, recording and enjoying rare breeding birds, but it’s vital to put their welfare first. Here’s some advice from @markaeaton.bsky.social, and there’s a blog here tinyurl.com/RBBPsafe [1/2] youtu.be/5xXc9Dl7vwk?...

First Sand Martins of the year were at Nybster and Sinclair’s Bay today. Also Woodpigeons on the move north #CaithnessBirds

Great article featuring Caithness - East coast patches #CaithnessBirds

Still a few White-fronted Geese scattered through the county today. Lots of Pink-footed Geese new in and the first Lesser Black-backed Gulls are back #CaithnessBirds

Smart dark faced, white collared, and heavily streaked Merlin (presumably a 2cy) landed briefly at Nybster this morning #CaithnessBirds

Green-winged Teal at Loch of Wester, 2 Snow Buntings in Sinclair’s Bay and 2 Great White Egrets at Scarmclate today #CaithnessBirds

Looks like a Juv Kumlien’s Gull in Dunnet Bay this morning with @ninaohanlon.bsky.social #CaithnessBirds

White-billed Diver showing very well at Gill’s Bay this afternoon with @ninaohanlon.bsky.social Nice find by A. Branch #CaithnessBirds

Three Euro White-fronted Geese at Huna this afternoon. Nice #PWC2026 birds #CaithnessBirds

We are receiving increased reports of dead auks, including Puffins, particularly in North East Scotland. It's quick and easy to report any dead or sick birds you find through the 'Deceased bird' function on the home page of the BirdTrack app Photo: Puffin by Richard Selman / BTO #ukbirding

Third juvenile Iceland Gull from our house in two days. Today’s was a particularly dark individual #PWC2026 #CaithnessBirds

Green-winged Teal at St John’s Pool this morning, and two juvenile Iceland Gulls at Nybster #CaithnessBirds

GPS tracked Icelandic Greylag Goose movements tracker link below. Greylags ‘Alastair’ and ‘Willem’ are currently in Caithness arcgis.stofa.is/portal/apps/... #CaithnessBirds

6 Tundra Bean Geese at Huna, Water Pipit and Glaucous Gull in Dunnet Bay, Iceland Gull in Scrabster/Thurso today. Also a few Barnacle Geese are new in #CaithnessBirds

Juv Glaucous Gull still in Dunnet Bay and Juv Iceland Gull at Harrow Harbour today #CaithnessBirds

Water Pipit in Dunnet Dunes/outflow this weekend #CaithnessBirds

64 species on our 25 km cycle around NE Cairthness yesterday, with Great-spotted Woodpecker and Tree Sparrow good additions to the 10 km #PWC2026 list. The only photo I took was @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social admiring his cake! #CaithnessBirds

A very enjoyable @webs-gsmp.bsky.social count at Dunnet Bay this morning with my first Glaucous Gulls of the year - plus a smart Water Pipit was a great bonus! #CaithnessBirds

Water Pipit (2nd Caithness record), 2 Glaucous Gulls and 3 Velvet Scoters in Dunnet Bay; 3 Taiga Bean Geese Loch Heilen/Greenland; 2 GW Egrets and 90+ Greenland WF Geese on Loch of Mey today #CaithnessBirds

Juv Iceland Gulls in Wick harbour and south past Nybster today. Also a Great White Egret still on St John’s Loch #CaithnessBirds

Juv Iceland Gull and three Little Gulls in Freswick Bay at lunchtime today #PWC2026 #CaithnessBirds

9 Snow Buntings and 2 Black-throated Divers at Nybster today #CaithnessBirds

After an absence last year, White-tailed Eagle flying past our house was a welcome #PWC2026 tick #CaithnessBirds with @ninaohanlon.bsky.social

Happy New Year and good luck to everyone who is out #birding, making a start to their #PWC2026 totals this morning! If you have not yet signed up then use this link to do so! - docs.google.com/spreadsheets... Remember to keep us updated on your finds by using the #Patchbirding and #PWC2026 tags!

Christmas can be an expensive time of year, so how about something for free? The @scottishbirding.bsky.social and Scottish Birds Records Committee are hosting a FREE online conference over the evenings of February 24th to the 26th. Three talks per night and some real belters among them.

Lone Waxwing in a private garden in Reay today #CaithnessBirds

The Taiga Bean Goose at Loch Heilen was ringed in E. Finland in July 2020. Usually wintering in S. Sweden, it was sighted in Norway (26th Sept) before Caithness. Full details can be found here submit.cr-birding.org/animals/1417... #CaithnessBirds

Particularly pale mantled Hooded Crow with our typically darker grey mantled local Hooded Crows (and Carrions) in Dunnet Bay over the weekend #CaithnessBirds

16 Taiga Bean Geese at Loch Heilen on my @webs-gsmp.bsky.social count today. One of which looks to have been neck collared in Finland! Will share its history when it comes through #CaithnessBirds

Adult Bonaparte’s Gull still in Dunnet Bay this afternoon plus Smew on Scarmclate and four Ring-necked Ducks on Watten yesterday #CaithnessBirds

Firecrests at John O’Groats, Auckengill and Berriedale today. Also Siberian Lesser Whitethroat and Mealy Redpoll at Auckengill, and a Yellow-browed Warbler at Dunnet. Odd movement of 8 Long-tailed Tits flying over John O’Groats too #CaithnessBirds

Just the 9th record of Firecrest in Caithness

Yellow-browed Warbler at Noss, 1st w Little Gull in Freswick Bay, 4 Little Auks north past Nybster, and a Little Egret and 3 Great White Egrets on Loch of Mey today #CaithnessBirds

This Treecreeper at John O’Groats this morning was #PWC2025 #patchgold Looked a bit frosty in the dull light #CaithnessBirds

Nicely marked Ring Ouzel at John O’Groats football pitch this morning. Also Hawfinch, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, 2 Siberian Chiffchaffs, Woodcock and 3 Crossbills. Quite a few commoner migrants too #CaithnessBirds #PWC2025

Migrant Wren at John O’Groats being chased off by the darker local birds. The first photo shows the two in a bramble bush #CaithnessBirds

Lots of migrant Robins in today, this one getting a bit toasty in the sun #CaithnessBirds

Odd plumages, particularly small Ringed Plover at Freswick this afternoon #CaithnessBirds

Four Ring-necked Ducks on Wester Loch and 2 adult Pomarine Skuas north past Nybster today #CaithnessBirds

Three Bonaparte’s Gulls still in Dunnet Bay today, also a new Ring-necked Duck on Wester Loch #CaithnessBirds

Movement of Tree Sparrows today, with a flock of 17 at John O’Groats with a NW type Redpoll. Greenland Wheatear at Freswick. 3 Brent Geese in Dunnet Bay. Now three Ring-necked Ducks on Wester Loch and the Bonaparte’s Gulls are still in Dunnet Bay #CaithnessBirds

Three Bonaparte’s Gulls still in Dunnet Bay this morning (adult and two 1st winters) #CaithnessBirds @birdguides.bsky.social

Ended up being at least four Bonaparte’s Gulls with another adult seen this afternoon!!!! Another Mediterranean Gull there too. Ring-necked Duck also still on Wester Loch #CaithnessBirds @birdguides.bsky.social

Two 1st W Bonaparte’s Gulls off Castlehill at the moment #CaithnessBirds @birdguides.bsky.social

Foraging flock of 170+ Sooty Shearwaters off Nybster with 2,400+ Kittiwakes this afternoon!!! Also at least one Sabine’s Gull, 2 Manxies, 2 Common Terns and 5 Arctic Skuas, with large numbers of Gannets and Auks foraging too. #CaithnessBirds

A Glossy Ibis flew NE over Hilliclay this morning #CaithnessBirds

Juv Sabine's Gull off North Head, Wick with the thousands of Kitts. Also 2 juv Long-tailed Skuas, 2+ Stormies and a few Manx. Plus Ring-necked Duck still on Wester Loch this morning. Couple of Magpies on the move too #CaithnessBirds

Juv Sabine’s Gull and Arctic Skua off Nybster and three Curlew Sandpipers in Dunnet Bay today. Movement of Whooper Swans continues and there is still the odd Swallow around #CaithnessBirds

Woodpigeon and its chick managed to cling on through Storm Amy, in Wick #CaithnessBirds