David Roche

Just like the Franklin's in November, today's Bonaparte's Gull on Barra seemed a bit too keen to spend time in the road, causing a few heart-stopping moments when cars passed. Here's a shot through our windscreen as it dropped in front of us briefly at Allasdale. #birdingscotland #RareBirdsUK

The only non adult bird I have seen off Papay was a 1st summer bird in June 2017. Wintering birds otherwise all adults

For all the possibilities that the area has to offer, birding around Sapa has been very hard work. Collared Finchbill, Pygmy Blue Flycatcher and Black eared Shrike Babbler the standout highlights but nothing like the variety I was expecting/hoping for

Undoubted birding highlight was superb views of Collared Laughingthrush with Grey crowned Crocias seen twice. Bay Woodpecker, Clicking Shrike Babbler, Rufous and Snowy browed Flycatchers, Lesser Shortwing, White tailed Robin and Siberian Thrushes some of my other favourites.

Looking down on Dalat from the top of Mount Lang biang

Ta Nung valley. Not the amusement park but a derelict site just next to it that was far superior for birding!

A mixed bag in Dalat but still really enjoyed the town. Lang biang was great, Thuyen lam lake was OK (I never really did work out where people actually go birding here!) and Ta Nung tourist park was somewhere I couldn't get away from quickly though! 1/2

Also White browed Crake, Bluethroat, Eastern Yellow Wagtails, Cinnamon and Yellow Bitterns, Purple Herons etc. Bird of the day was (in a Vietnamese context) a drake Tufted Duck!

Scruffy edges, home to Black browed and Oriental Reed Warblers

Drier areas and crops, holding Paddyfield Pipits, Green Bee eaters, Black Drongos and Long tailed Shrikes

A slight change of plan, so diverted to Hoi An. A day out on the bike, with highlights inc Masked Laughingthrush, Red billed and White shouldered Starling plus a nice selection of waders inc 21 Long toed Stint and a flock of 25 Marsh Sandpiper.

Camera phone pic of male Blue rumped Pitta.

A rush of birds coming in to bathe late evening from remnants of standing water in a mostly dry river bed. Already made up with the Kingfishers, things got even better when an adult Slaty legged Crake appeared!

Blue eared Kingfisher this side and a Black backed (Oriental Dwarf) Kingfisher the other! At least six Sibe blue Robins, 5+ Hainan Blue Flycatchers, male Oriental Paradise Flycatcher, Abbots and Buff breasted Babblers amongst others

Made it to Dalat after four days in Cat Tien. Many highlights inc Green Peafowl, Siamese Fireback, Germains Peacock Pheasant, Bar bellied and Blue rumped Pittas, Watercock, Grey headed Fish Eagle, two Slaty legged Crake, Blue eared and Black backed Kingfishers. See captions in photos

An apparent Great Black-backed Gull x Herring Gull hybrid (stood behind a Herring Gull), Westray, Orkney Isles, 26 January 2026

More gull watching today and I came across this apparent Great Black-backed Gull x Herring Gull hybrid. A real brute! #WestrayBirding

Parakeets feeding on Welwyn barn wall display Amazonian behaviour Ornithologist Jack Baddams says the video is "really cool".

Imagine your house falls down one day and it's because a load of parakeets have been systematically eating your mortar

Adult Glaucous Gull at Backaskaill this morning, attracted to the Minke Whale that washed up freshly dead on 29th November #OrkneyBirding Little Gull and Velvet Scoter both still in the sound

Wouldn't surprise me if it's the same individual that I initially had here as a 1st winter in Dec 2024. Generally absent between about late May and September but otherwise present on and off, in between.

A nice double yesterday with this Little Gull and a drake Velvet Scoter in the Sound. Single drake on 31st Jan last year, the only record of what is often a difficult island bird #PWC2026 #OrkneyBirding Hen Harrier through the living room window this afternoon

14/1/26 - Drake Smew today at Broadwood Loch, Cumbernauld.
#birdingscotland #smew #clydebirding

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One of three Woodcock today, plus a 2nd winter Med Gull through the South Wick. Two Glaucous Gulls in the North Wick Sunday and a 1st winter Iceland Gull there on Monday #PWC2026

Standout record of the year. Confirmation of successful breeding by a pair of Ruff.

One of three Wryneck that I found on 8th Sept. Probably my favourite day of the year

Glossy ibis, Common Buzzard, Tree Pipit and Redstart (single record of a dead bird) only species missed. Mistle Thrush and Curlew Sand probably the most obvious overall omissions. A very poor spring and patchy autumn with late Sept/early Oct being especially quiet #PWC2025 #OrkneyBirding

Juv Dotterel 23rd October. Latest Orkney record by almost two weeks

Greenish Warbler Fowl Craig 26th Aug feeding down to a few metres in a geo. Superb!

2nd year Long tailed Skua, North Hill 1st July. Another joyful bird to watch

First scope views of the Brown Shrike. 5th for Orkney

170 for the Papay year list from an island total of 174. RNDuck, *Taiga Bean Geese, Buff breasted Sand, two Pecs, *White-rumped and *Baird's Sandpipers, Bonaparte's Gull, *Brown Shrike, 4 Wryneck, Bluethroat, Greenish Warbler, 3 Barred Warbler, RBFly *Firecrest and *Pallas's Warbler (* patch ticks)

Strong contender for most unexpected record of the year. Female Pochard (a scarce enough island bird at the best of times) amongst the Eider and Long tailed Duck in Papa Sound, around the Vestness Salmon cages!

Given up on fancy wellies and now rely on Altberg defender boots. Easy to pick up ex military stock for a fraction of the price. Used, but still in good condition which can then be sent to the factory to be resoled, whenever the time comes. No brainer!

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.

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