Now back on Fetlar & back to very windy weather. The highlight of today’s birding was finding this very smart Redpoll in a garden at Stakkafletts.

Very pleased to get my second self-found tick of the trip, with a male Bluethroat at Norwick this morning. The photo won't win any prizes, but at least it's a record shot.

After leaving Fetlar for the W. Subalp yesterday, we decided to head up to Unst for a few days. Definitely more birds to see here than Fetlar such as my first Yellow-browed Warbler of the year but the highlight was this stunning Redpoll at Valyie.

The main aim of our trip to the Uists was to try and find American waders. The trip started with two Pec Sands, but not really what I was hoping for. Today, on our last full day here, we scored with a White-rumped Sandpiper. A self-found tick. Job done😀(full zoom digiscope)

One of the more unexpected species seen so far on our trip, has been this really smart juvenile Turtle Dove we found at Balranald a few days ago, possibly my best ever views of the species.

Today on South Uist, I rather embarrassingly / surprisingly saw only my 3rd, 4th & 5th ever British White-tailed Eagles! (previous Oxfordshire 1984 & Skye 2000). I can now happily add them to my self-found List.

Another day, another island, another Pectoral Sandpiper! This one on South Uist this afternoon & found by Linda. It showed a lot better than mine on North Uist yesterday!

A great first morning birding on North Uist, with Black Tern, 2 Little Stints & 7 Curlew Sands but the best of the bunch was my 4th self found Pectoral Sandpiper. (awful record shot attached). Enjoying my first proper birding on the Uists (only twitched here previously)

Excellent start to our Scottish trip: Stopped off on our way north to try for Eurasian Beaver, near Perth and was not disappointed, with 6 seen at dusk. A new mammal for me 😀

An excellent mornings birding on the Anglesey patch. It started with 8 Black Terns on an early morning seawatch-my highest patch count and a species I see less than annually. Followed by a Pied Fly at Hen Borth, my 4th Anglesey record, where its less than annual & my 1st for 9 years! 🪶 #BirdsinWales

Cheers James. Glad it called (recorded) to help nail the id, as underwing not seen. Well pleased.

I thought the day was going well when I found my first Great White Egret of the year on the Inland Sea, early morning. But it would soon get a whole lot better when I found: Anglesey’s second Pacific Golden Plover (Wales’s third?) on the Alaw Estuary! #BirdsinWales 🪶

Cemlyn is home to a scarce moth, the Thrift Clearwing, which is only found in a few west coast sites. I have looked for it several times & failed, but today I finally succeeded, thanks to a lure loaned from @philj61.bsky.social

Lunar Hornet Moth, at Keele Uni this morning. My first ever Clearwing and a first for Keele. A species I've wanted to see for a long time, as they were pretty mythical when I was mothing 25 years ago.

Really fortunate to have this Little Owl perch up right by the path, on my walk around Keele Uni. this morning.🪶

This female Common Scoter put in a brief appearance on Tyn Llan pool, Cemlyn, this morning. I found it swimming around with the Mallards! I think it's my first scoter record actually on the reserve.

One of the highlights of our Tajikistan trip has been Azure Tit, a species I have wanted to see since seeing it in field guides when I first started birding. The birds in Tajikistan belong to one of the yellow-breasted races also known as Yellow-breasted Tit.

We have finally managed to get decent wifi after nearly a week into our Tajikistan trip. My main target was Tibetan Sandgrouse, having missed them on the Tibetan plateau 23 years ago, so getting great views of a flock of 12 birds with will certainly make it the bird of the trip.

Spotted Flycatcher is a scarce & tricky to locate breeder at Keele University, so I was pretty pleased when, after finding non last week, I managed to find 3 territories this morning. 🪶

It's been a quiet few days back on the Anglesey patch, with very few migrants. The highlight has probably been this rather smart Red Squirrel, which showed rather well in the small plantation on Carmel Head this morning.

Another very enjoyable wader session on the Alaw Estuary / Llanfwrog beach area this evening, with 2 Curlew Sandpipers being the highlight. #BirdsinWales 🪶

The Iberian Wagtail was still present this morning, but this time closer and in much better light, so very pleased with the improved photos. This must be the real deal. #BirdsinWales🪶

Decided to spend the afternoon checking out the waders on the Alaw Estuary / Llanfwrog beach, but it didn't go to plan when we found this rather smart Yellow Wagtail - a good Spanish Wagtail candidate. 🤔 #BirdsinWales 🪶

An excellent wader session on the Alaw Estuary / Llanfwrog beach area this afternoon, with 3 Little Stints and a really showy Curlew Sandpiper. #BirdsinWales 🪶

Day three and the 2 Roseate Terns are still at Cemlyn & looking settled. 🤞 #BirdsinWales 🪶

Great to find a pair of Roseate Terns in the Cemlyn tern colony this morning. It would be even better if they stayed around🤞#BirdsinWales 🪶

A pleasant couple of days birding the nw Anglesey coast from Carmel Head to Cemlyn, with a decent scatter of migrants: The highlights being my 1st site record of Marsh Harrier for Carmel Head, only my 2nd Reed Warbler for Cemlyn, 8 Spotted Flys, 3 Yellow Wagtails & 1 Tree Pipit. #BirdsinWales 🪶

This last week on Anglesey has been poor for passerine migrants, due to the persistent northerly winds, with just a few Tree Pipits and Whinchats. The waders have been some consolation thanks to finding finding Anglesey's first Little Stint & Curlew Sandpipers of the year. #BirdsinWales 🪶

My first mornings birding around Keele Uni. for a few weeks, so great to catch up with a few summer visitors. The highlight was the 4th record of Sedge Warbler for Keele, plus Willow Warbler, 2 Garden Warblers & 5 Whitethroat. 🪶

Nice views this afternoon of 6 of 7 the Cattle Egrets, that have been present in the Valley area for the last few months. BirdsinWales 🪶