David Roche

One of three adult Glaucous (top left)

Not quite sure the photo does it justice, but pretty impressive to see!

Another day of wintry showers, giving some impressive cloud formations out to the North. Been quiet for white winged gulls so far, so nice to find three adult Glaucous Gulls in the North Wick, before flying out towards Mull Head #BirdingOrkney #PWC2025

Just a snapshot of the mass of gulls, feeding in the North Wick this morning. Adult Iceland Gull amongst them, two White billed Diver past Mull Head and a fly over calling Waxwing. Technically speaking, all outdone by a Papay mega flock of ten Rook! #BirdingOrkney

Lesser Scaups at Helston, Cornwall 5th Nov ‘25. Montage showing key primary and secondary bar colouration. Both male and female shown. Underwing shot also shows the white axillaries.

@bobbosisto.bsky.social
#cornwallbirding #birding #ukbirding

And a wee bit of video as it fed along the dyke. Shame about the distinct lack of light! #OrkneyBirding

The vanishing black and white Corvid...

Initially found at the bottom of the stone dyke before eventually moving to the garden of Quoys where it performed at point blank range

2nd for Papay following the first on 7th-9th Oct 2020

Not your typical Pallas's Warbler encounter!

Since my time here, there have only been three species seen on Papay which I have missed. A difficult one to get back with a strong eastern bias to Orkney records, this was the last place I expected to claw back a Pallas's Warbler. The sweetest kind of patch tick #PWC2025 #OrkneyBirding

Radde's Warbler, Westray, Orkney Isles, 5 November 2025

Radde's Warbler, Westray, Orkney Isles, 5 November 2025

Radde's Warbler, Westray, Orkney Isles, 5 November 2025

Firecrest, Westray, Orkney Isles, 5 November 2025

5 Nov fireworks 💥 on Westray today! Not one, but two isle firsts! 🙅‍♂️ First up was Orkney's 11th Radde's Warbler (second this autumn and the latest ever recorded in the county) which was followed minutes later by a Firecrest - in the same bush! Pure #PatchGold! #PWC2025 #WestrayBirding

Couple of hours before I needed to be back in the shop so left the Firecrest to check elsewhere. Walking back for more views and this Bonaparte's Gull has appeared above Cott (wasn't there on the walk up!) #BirdingOrkney #PWC2025 2nd for Papay and still only the 5th Orkney record

Had all but given up hope of a Papay Firecrest until @papayranger.bsky.social came to the rescue with this bird at Shorehouse. An Island tick and only the 2nd Papay record. Now 13 birds found within Orkney this autumn, there had only been 35 records prior to this year! #BirdingOrkney #PWC2025

Only my 4th Papay Long eared Owl

Scope set up to view through the gate and into the walled garden. Several folk were able to enjoy it at a comfortable distance with the bird remaining settled and undisturbed

A quick check of Holland this morning, when I suddenly realised that I was being watched... missed the male Bullfinch, but Black Redstart and three Greenfinch new in plus a very unseasonal Wood Sandpiper at Mull Head #OrkneyBirding #PWC2025

A pretty rare, entirely non bird related post but too good not to share. Last night in the Papay hostel, singing with Caroline Price and Stream of Sound. A fitting end to an inspiring week of singing workshops. Utterly joyous

I have a very bad feeling about this...

Single Little Auk past Mull Head this morning bringing up 170 for the island year list plus adult Iceland and 1st winter Glaucous Gulls #BirdingOrkney Can't see me adding much more (Waxwing or Mistle Thrush probably my best chance) but then again, autumn ain't over just yet...

Absolute beast of a female Northern Bullfinch this morning in Lerwick. #YellBirding #Shetland

Of all the things that I thought I might find today, it's fair to say that a late October Dotterel wasn't one of them! Only my third Papay record (5th bird) but the first in autumn and my first juvenile anywhere since two on the beach at Snettisham back in 2005! #OrkneyBirding

Rock Pipit

Right, before you judge my photos, it was a last ditch attempt in near dark! Taken at 16000 iso, to be fair they are better than I was expecting! Found by a local resident outside his house on the road verge!
Northern Long tailed Tits are still a rare bird in UK. #shetlandbirding

Map of Orkney Isles (courtesy of Google) with totals of each tit species given for all isles recording one or more species up to 31 Dec 2024. Some things to consider: - W Mainland probably has high totals because of greater number of of active birders (resident and visiting from other parts of the county) and importantly, resident ringers. - not all Coal Tits are assigned to race but we know they come from Scotland (britannicus) and Scandinavia (ater) - not all Great Tits are assigned to race but we know they come from Scotland (newtonii) and Scandinavia (major) - Long-tailed Tit - only one record of northern, white-headed caudatus (Sanday) - all the 'isles' away from Mainland other than North Ronaldsay have limited observer effort/coverage cf. to North Ronaldsay, e.g. Westray = 18 sq miles probably averages c.1 observer/year cf. to North Ronaldsay = 4 sq miles with average 4-6 (observatory staff (inc. ringers) and volunteers) plus visitors.

The afternoon turned a little dreich here so I quickly sorted records (not number of birds) of all tit species by isle and here they are in map form.

See Alt Text on attached image for some notes.

#OrkneyBirding

15th October With dreary, anticyclonic conditions firmly established, diminishing returns are inevitably setting in. However, it's the middle of October ...

www.portlandbirdobs.com/2025/10/15th-october.html

Corncrake, in an overgrown village garden, Pierowall, Westray, Orkney Isles, 14 October 2025

I’ve heard plenty on the isle, seen one in flight, but this is the first Corncrake I’ve seen on the deck here in Westray. And mega surprised to find one running around an overgrown village garden in mid-October. Only one later county record than today’s, 23 Oct 1996. #WestrayBirding

Red-breasted Flycatcher at the Manse this afternoon #BirdingOrkney Can't remember the last vocal bird that I saw, so very satisfying to hear this one calling #PWC2025

Barred Warbler giving good views in Rosa above the South Wick, first seen yesterday #BirdingOrkney Ten Pomarine Skua past Mull Head this morning plus a year tick Slav Grebe in the South Wick. Both Taiga Beans still present #PWC2025

Out of curiosity, what's your Rosefinch feeding on?

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

Red legged Partridge, drifting past the seawatch hide at Dungeness is one that comes to mind. Good job I had seen it fly off of the beach as I doubt I would have otherwise been able to tell what it was. Ripe for being strung as some rare Pacific alcid

Exactly that! I have to keep reminding myself that it is still only the second week of October and therefore shouldn't abandon hope...

The school sycamores with barely a leaf left on them

The willows at Hundland

Fuchsia of May Cottage garden

Fair to say that the last couple of weeks have been something of a slog. We do tend to lose leaves a bit earlier in the autumn on here but this year seems particularly stark #BirdingOrkney Really doesn't feel like there is much left to attract and hold migrants...

Aye, 23 yesterday. Normally two pairs of breeding Mute Swan on there

A slight drop in the wind produced a bonanza of Sooty Shearwater off Mull Head #BirdingOrkney 360 west, but lots of birds feeding, including one flock of up to 150. Also my 2nd Barred Warbler of the autumn along the North Wick #PWC2025

Don't worry, Its not as dangerous/collapsible as what it might appear!