A mad first few days on North Ronaldsay! Highlights being a FEA’s type Petrel this evening (brilliantly picked out by @cgunnnat.bsky.social) and finding the returning Long-billed Dowitcher. Other lifers being Great Shearwater, LT Skua, RN Phalarope and AGP. All photos taken by Charles.

Franklin’s Gull on North Ronaldsay! A brilliant find by @cgunnnat.bsky.social! The bird came within 10m of us at some points. #BirdingScotland

Stop worrying about bats and newts? No Rachel Reeves MP – start worrying about the future of our economy if we tear down the nature it depends on. Nature isn’t a blocker; it’s the foundation of growth.

"What even are subspecies, these neither-this-nor-that intermediates, these creatures caught between binomials, like actors surprised mid-costume change?" I wrote about Noah's ark, wrens, ruddy ducks and Booming Ben, for @aeon.co. aeon.co/essays/the-c...

Started the year off well with a rather neck based theme. The grebe showed really well early on before drifting further out. The same can't be said for the pair of rnds which played hide and seek on the other side of the reservoir. #ukbirding #yorksbirding #yorkshirebirding

Cool to see the Scottish ecomorph of Red Crossbill last week in Highland. N20 call type recorded (if I’ve interpreted the literature correctly!); note excitement calls with short middle line and longer, descending bottom line. #birdingScotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

BOSH! Grey-headed Lapwing this morning at East Chevington, Northumberland. @cgunnnat.bsky.social #NEbirding #rarebirdsUK

A reminder for county bird recorders and other data providers… please submit your rare breeding bird data by the end of November. Many thanks to those that have done so already 👍 #UKbirding #ornithology

What a month october was, with good numbers of migrants and a nice spread of rares throughout the month to keep energy high. Close friends Dan Beadle and Jack Morris picked their visits well producing a bluetail and the bunting respectively.

My first month on @northronbirdobs.bsky.social has been successful, 5 lifers and 3 self found rarities (booted, lancey and brown shrike). #ukbirding #rarebirdsUK

Lanceolated Warbler @northronbirdobs.bsky.social today. Another top find for @cgunnnat.bsky.social and his crocs! #ukbirding #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk