The last of the 4 previous #StKilda Baird's Sandpiper records was in 1999, and finding a 2nd bird on 16th was a surprise in itself. That 2nd bird was neither of these two though, meaning that Will found a 3rd of the year this morning. Madness! @birdguides.bsky.social @hebridesbirds.bsky.social

This week we've seen many hundreds of Pink-footed Geese flying in over #StKilda from their breeding grounds in Iceland as they return to their UK wintering grounds. Some will no doubt rest a while before continuing their journey. A lone Whooper Swan joined them in the Village on Thursday.

LESSER KESTREL on #StKilda! Retrospectively identified from Will Miles' excellent images on 16th Sept. We'd recorded a Kestrel from 12th, possibly the same bird, but sadly not relocated today. @birdguides.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social @hebridesbirds.bsky.social

The @n-t-s.bsky.social team is down to one now, as we said goodbye to Sue and Clare yesterday at the end of our fifth season together. It's been a busy, but fantastic year on the island and we're already looking forward to 2026! 🙂

After finding St Kilda's fifth Baird's Sandpiper on 5th Sept, we were astonished to confirm a second Baird's on island yesterday too! Will's pics here clearly show two different birds. @birdguides.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social @hebridesbirds.bsky.social

An excellent day birding on #StKilda yesterday, with this Arctic Warbler probably the highlight. This is the second island record after finally being added to the Kilda list last year. @birdguides.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social @hebridesbirds.bsky.social

This very smart looking partially leucistic Snipe has been here on #StKilda for at least 2 weeks now. Got us very excited initially! @scottishbirding.bsky.social

A Fulmar glides through the sunset with Carn Mor beyond. A quiet night up there, with many of our nocturnal seabirds now departed. #NTSSeabirds #SuperSeabirdSunday

Yesterday's juvenile Red-backed Shrike was the 10th #StKilda record and first since 2014. A third classic Shetland migrant of the month that is far less regular this far west, following the Wryneck and a Barred Warbler. @birdguides.bsky.social @hebridesbirds.bsky.social

Another #SuperSeabirdSunday from #StKilda, and another tern! This time it's an Arctic Tern, moulting into winter plumage on slipway yesterday. Sandwich Tern next Sunday perhaps?!? 😅

A reality check yesterday: as exciting as it is to find unusual birds in remote locations, some species, like this Wryneck on #StKilda, will struggle to find food on islands with no familiar habitat. A sad end for a beautiful bird.

The latest blog takes a look at how the @n-t-s.bsky.social Ranger Team spent the anniversary of the evacuation on #stkilda www.nts.org.uk/stories/from...

Baird's Sandpiper on #StKilda today! Following Britain's first record here in 1911, there had been just 3 further sightings of this Nearctic vagrant before today, with the most recent involving 2 birds in 1999. @birdguides.bsky.social @hebridesbirds.bsky.social

After a quiet start to autumn migration on #StKilda, this morning felt like the beginning- Wryneck and Rosefinch within 30 mins of each other in the Village! Wryneck is 10th island record, but first since 2003! Rosefinch is always a delightful bird to find. @birdguides.bsky.social

Terns are not part of the extensive #StKilda breeding seabird assemblage of 16 species, and Friday's Common Tern (lower bird) was just the second record in the last 5 years, following last season's Arctic Tern (upper bird). #SuperSeabirdSunday @n-t-s.bsky.social

Something of a tradition in recent years is to document all current 'residents' on #StKilda, this year marking the 95th anniversary since the last 36 St Kildans left the island. Life on the island is very different these days, but we're all honoured to call this 'home' for a short time.

Today marks the 95th anniversary of the evacuation of St Kilda. You can listen to this podcast with Roger Hutchinson on life before the evacuation and the factors that led to this decision www.nts.org.uk/visit/places...

Thermoregulation is very important for humans and seabirds alike. Stay hydrated this week people! #NTSSeabirds

The Ring-billed Gull has been present on #StKilda now for 17 days and counting! Our American vagrant seems quite happy here in the Village, despite the wild and windy weather in recent days. @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social

The Bonxie in the foreground is one of the few remaining ringed birds (WSWR) from an intensive study conducted between 2007 and 2009 here on #StKilda. Great to see this bird, ringed as an adult in 2009, still going strong post #HPAI outbreak. #NTSSeabirds @theseabirdgroup.bsky.social

An immature female Ruff was in Gleann Mor on #StKilda yesterday, the first record of the year. @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

After a week of wild weather, #stkilda were delighted to welcome back the day boats and meet Stefan, an avid supporter of @stkildafc.bsky.social! #stkildaclub

4 of our 6 Arctic Skua chicks have fledged on #StKilda, with the remaining 2 not far away now either. Both were hunkered down a couple of days ago, but will soon be on the wing too. #NTSSeabirds #SuperSeabirdSunday

Wilson's Storm Petrel! Another fantastic find by @rspbscience.bsky.social researcher Brennig Hughes approx halfway back to Leverburgh yesterday. 4th 'at sea' record from near #StKilda and possibly the closest one yet! @scottishbirding.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @hebridesbirds.bsky.social

Results from the 2023 #StKilda Gannet census are to be published in the December issue of #ScottishBirds, revealing relative stability in what is once again the world's largest colony, despite fears that #HPAI may have had a greater impact on the population #NTSSeabirds @scottishbirding.bsky.social

This smart adult Ring-billed Gull was a fabulous find this #SuperSeabirdSunday on #StKilda by @rspbscience.bsky.social researcher Brennig! Our first American vagrant of the season, and only a second record for the island after one in 2018. @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

Views this good of Minke Whales are rare on #StKilda, but yesterday we watched one of at least five close in to the north of Hirta. Spot those white pectoral fin bands 😍 Our marine sightings within 3km of the archipelago are reported to the #HWDT #WhaleTrack app each year. @whalesorg.bsky.social

Breeding records of Golden Plovers are rare on #StKilda, so it was fantastic to find two chicks yesterday in one of three suspected territories this season. Delightfully well camouflaged wee chicks! @ukrbbp.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social

Most Guillemot jumplings will have jumped by now from #StKilda and be heading out to sea with their dads, whilst some Kittiwake chicks aren't far from fledging age now either. #NTSSeabirds #SuperSeabirdSunday

Check out the fabulous seasonal highlights board updated today by our amazingly talented biosecurity volunteer, Hebe! Those stormies are incredible 😍 @n-t-s.bsky.social #NTSSeabirds

Views over Village Bay on what has been a stunning weekend on #StKilda. Finally got some of this heatwave sweeping the country after a week of persistent fog!

intimate views of the #StKilda Gannet colony are a rare privilege, due mainly to difficult access, but we were able to land on Boreray a couple of weeks ago in order to conduct a census, for which the results will be shared when analysed. Glorious seabirds! 😍 #SuperSeabirdSunday #NTSSeabirds

One of many young Fulmars taking shelter under their parents during a grey and drizzly couple of days on #StKilda this weekend. #SuperSeabirdSunday #NTSseabirds

Catch up on what’s been happening #stkilda and have a look at our latest blog www.NTS.org.uk/stories/from... @N-T-Sbsky.social #stkildaclub #livingthedream #islandlife

The great news from #StKilda this #superseabirdsunday is that following a significant decline since 1999, our Kittiwake population is creeping ever closer back up to 4 figures this year, with 989 nests recorded last week! #NTSSeabirds @smp-seabirds.bsky.social

A proud father on #StKilda this week, as our pair of Pied Wagtails successfully fledged two young. An irregular breeder here, but this is the second successful attempt in three years. @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social

Our volunteers are vital to helping us care for #StKilda. Thank you to Norrie, Kate, Laura and Pam for taking up “the badge”! #stkildaclub #volunteersinwildplaces #ilovepainting #nationaltrustforscotland

Look what we found. This 1887 shilling piece (5p) was left in the shop honesty box. That year the schoolteacher on St Kilda was George Murray who wrote how he was desperate to leave. Storms, including snow in May, meant the first boat didn't come till June. #StKilda

Happy campers leaving #stkilda. Chris, Sandy, Veronica and Ian were last here on one of the 2019 #stkildaworkparties, where lifelong friendships were forged.

Well done Nigel Dawson for completing #stkilda “Chimney Challenge”! A run and then a near vertical scramble up Mullach Sgar. Brilliant effort! #extremescrambles #stkildaclub

Thanks to Ian for leading a very poignant kirk service to commemorate the servicemen who lost their lives in the three crash sites #stkilda #stkildaclub #wewillrememberthem

🎉 MAJOR OCEAN WIN! 📢 UK Government commits to ratifying the High Seas Treaty (aka the BBNJ) by the end of the year, as confirmed by Ocean Minister @emmahardymp.bsky.social at the UN Ocean Conference just now 🎉 #OceanProtection #UNOC3 #UNOC2025 #OceanWin @oceana.bsky.social @hugotagholm.bsky.social

Not a good day for the seal population. Occasionally Orcas visit St Kilda, this pod was seen hunting off Boreray in 2016 #UNOC3 #SaveOurSeas #NTS

The ocean around St Kilda supports life above and below the water #UNOC3 #SaveOurSeas

The ocean produces over half of the oxygen we breathe. These jewel anemones thrive on the underwater cliffs in the St Kilda archipelago. #UNOC3 📷George Stoyle

The clear waters around the St Kilda archipelago support a huge amount of life. The underwater scenery is dazzling #SaveOurOcean #UNOC3

Lots of Puffins at the end of the rainbow on Dùn today for #SuperSeabirdSunday #NTSSeabirds

Did you know that St Kilda is the only Marine World Heritage Site in the UK? #WorldOceanDay #StKilda #NTS

It felt like a reward finding this Blyth's Reed Warbler in the irises behind the street on #StKilda yesterday after a long hard day in the field searching for Great Skuas. Fourth island record and third in 5 years! @hebridesbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social

Clear skies over #stkilda on an evening when we remember the young men who died in aircraft crashes in June 1943/44. On those nights low cloud hid the mighty mountains @n-t-sblsky.social #wewillrememberthem