@scottishbirding.bsky.social
The SOC is Scotland's Bird Club. We bring together like-minded individuals with a passion for birds and nature, through a programme of talks, outings and via our renowned journal, 'Scottish Birds'. www.the-soc.org.uk
LATE OPENING TOMORROW FOR JÓLABÓKAFLÓD
Sat 6 Dec | 5pm - 8pm | Free event | No Booking
Late-night opening at Waterston House, Aberlady, to embrace the Icelandic tradition of Jólabókaflód, the giving of books at Christmas. We'll be serving hot chocolate & offering the latest nature-books to buy. 🎁🎄
🚨Bookings for the 2026 Scottish Birdwatchers' Conference are now live! 🚨
Head over to the SOC's website to get yourself booked on. It's a great programme of events- see you there! For more info. and to book your place go here: www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/event/... #BirdingScotland
Whooper Swan © LaurieCampbell.com
Scottish Birdwatchers' Conference 2026
Join us & @btoscotland.bsky.social for next year's Spring Conference in Dundee on Saturday 14 March.
View the full programme of talks on 'The Birds of Tayside: conservation, migration and habitats' and book your place at www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/event/...
The cover of the November 2025 issue of British Birds, with a Little Ringed Plover sheltering its chicks
The latest report from the RBBP, Rare Breeding Birds in the UK in 2023, is out now in British Birds. It reports on the 104 species and races of rare breeding birds recording breeding, or showing signs of breeding, in 2023. Read the summary at rbbp.org.uk/2023-report-... #ornithology #ukbirds 🧵[1/15]
04.11.2025 10:46 — 👍 137 🔁 44 💬 7 📌 2
OPTICS DEMO EVENT TOMORROW
Saturday 8th November | 10:30am - 3pm | Free event | No Booking
We’re hosting a Viking Optical demo at our HQ #WaterstonHouse in Aberlady! This is a fantastic chance to try out optics in field conditions and get advice from experts: www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/gettin...
Image of a deceased Puffin lying on the ground. White wording on an orange background reads: Please report sightings of dead birds.
⚠️ Please report sightings of dead birds for possible testing for Avian Influenza. ⬇️
📌 In England, Wales & Scotland: www.gov.uk/guidance/...
📌 In Northern Ireland: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/...
📌 In Republic of Ireland: aviancheck.apps.serv...
#UKBirding #BirdingWales #BirdingScotland
Stonechat © Lauriecampbell.com
Last chance to book your place at SOC's Conference! This year's event centres around the effect of climate change on birds & looks at how these changes can be managed as positively as possible. There'll be a chance to socialise, network & enjoy a first-class line-up of speakers! tinyurl.com/2s43k3dj
30.10.2025 10:02 — 👍 16 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Barnacle Geese © Angus Hogg. Flock of 11 Barnacle Geese (small goose with mostly grey plumage with black bars, a black neck with white face and a black bill and legs) in flight against a grey-white sky
October is a good time to look out for skeins of Barnacle Geese. These small, black, white and silver geese have a distinctive ‘barking dog’ like call. For more birds to look out for this autumn, check out our Birding Calendar: www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/birdin...
17.10.2025 14:26 — 👍 22 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
This event is being run by Paul Jepson and Mike Thornton as part of their bioacoustics project in Lothian, supported by the Club's Endowment Fund.
To book a place, please visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1776778374...
Cartoon-style image of a person crouched down at a laptop and holding a recording device in a meadow with scattered trees and one bird perched and two flying overhead.
BIOACOUSTICS EVENT AT WATERSTON HOUSE, SOC HQ
2 November 2025 | 13:30- 15:30 | Booking essential | Charge applies
Curious about bioacoustic bird surveying? Come along to share field experiences, hear updates, and explore how to get involved in Scotland’s growing bioacoustics network.
Were looking forward to working closely with the BTO and other partners on Bird Atlas 2027-31, and to supporting the vital role that Scotland’s birdwatching community will play in its success.
06.10.2025 12:15 — 👍 19 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0
Watching Kittiwake © Samuel Hood
Clyde SOC are helping young birders in Clyde-who face financial barriers to attending Conference-to participate in the 2025 event on 22 Nov @ Kilmardinny House. Clyde are subsidising 20 conf. places, allowing successful applicants to pay £10. Application process & criteria apply tinyurl.com/bdd5fn7d
02.10.2025 13:32 — 👍 20 🔁 6 💬 0 📌 1
Stonechat © lauriecampbell.com Male Stonechat, with a caterpillar in its bill, perched atop a flowering gorse bush with a yellow background of out of focus gorse
Booking is now open for the SOC Annual Conference!
Open to SOC members and non-members alike, this year's theme is Scotland for birds: opportunities for positive change.
The Conference will be held in Bearsden on 22 November. For more info and to book, visit: www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/event/...
Waterston House © June Scott
Waterston House, SOC HQ, is about to celebrate its 20th birthday! To celebrate, we invite you to join us for a host of free activities at the centre on Sat 4 Oct (10am - 4pm), including bird walks, talks, childrens activities, live music & more! No need to book. Visit tinyurl.com/w4hb9hhy for info!
17.09.2025 14:12 — 👍 11 🔁 2 💬 1 📌 1
One of the birds from the Glasgow Peregrine Project © lauriecampbell.com
SOC Members' Talk - Wednesday 17th September at 7:30pm
All of our members should have received details of the upcoming online talk this Wednesday evening, where we will be joined by Alasdair Reid and John Simpson who will take us through their local branch projects on Marsh Tits and Peregrines.
For more information about bird reports and how to get hold of copies, including recent reports from Argyll, Arran, Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway, visit: www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/local-...
15.08.2025 14:32 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
The recently published Lothian Bird Report 2022 and Isle of May Bird Observatory Bird Observatory Annual Report 2023 are now in stock at Waterston House.
#BirdingLothian
17 Sandwich Terns, a mix of adults and juveniles, roosting on a rocky shoreline © Alan Brown
Terns are finishing up their busy breeding season and are thinking about getting on the move. Now is a good time to look out for large roosts and local birds may be joined by those from further afield. A careful scan may reveal ringed birds which can be reported to BTO at app.bto.org/euring/lang/...
08.08.2025 16:53 — 👍 27 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
It's the 🦋 #BigButterflyCount 🦋 (18 July-10 August)
Come & join us, see what you can discover in our wildlife friendly garden at #WaterstonHouse. We've got everything you need to complete a survey, it takes just 15 minutes & is fun for all the family!
www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/gettin...
Photo by John Agnew. Adult male Sparrowhawk perched on a garden fence. It is a small bird of prey with slate-grey back, wings, tail and head with rufous cheeks and breast. It has orange eyes and a hooked bill. The bird has its back to the camera but has turned its head to look at the camera.
New research on Edinburgh's urban Sparrowhawks has been published in Bird Study. Lead by Mike Thornton, SOC representative on Scottish Raptor Monitoring Group, the study looks at changes to Sparrowhawk diet and links to clutch size.
doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2025.2513542
#RaptorResearch #ornithology
New Local Bird Recorder
Alex Penn has taken on the role of Fair Isle Bird Recorder. Alex is the Head of Ornithology at @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social and a keen birder and A-permit bird ringer.
For more information about bird recording in Fair Isle, visit: www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/local-...
Surveying for rare breeding birds isn’t always successful, but is always worthwhile! RBBP member Ian Francis has been looking for the (increasingly?) elusive Dotterel… #birds #UKbirding youtu.be/FGa1ZKQbOKs?...
10.07.2025 19:52 — 👍 32 🔁 6 💬 0 📌 1
Please continue to report all sightings of dead birds for possible testing for avian influenza:
📌In England, Wales & Scotland: www.gov.uk/guidance/rep...
📌In Northern Ireland: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/services/dae...
📌In Republic of Ireland: aviancheck.apps.services.agriculture.gov.ie/report
Front cover of the Orkney Bird Report 2024 featuring a male Red-backed Shrike atop a sycamore tree
Contents page for Orkney Bird Report 2024
Whooper Swan account from Orkney Bird Report 2024
Page 94 from Orkney Bird Report 2024
The Orkney Bird Report 2024 is out!
144 pages inc accounts for all species recorded in 2024, Ringing report, @northronbirdobs.bsky.social report, Meteorological report and finders accounts of county 1st Black-faced Bunting and 2nd American Robin. Price £12. DM me for sales info. #OrkneyBirding
JOB OPPORTUNITY | ASSISTANT DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
We're looking for an Assistant Development Officer to enhance the Club’s delivery of key programmes and provide vital support to our Development Manager, across several cross-cutting areas of activity. Full vacancy details here: //tinyurl.com/3jrd5t5r
Marsh Tit © Peter Stronach
Marsh Tit © Peter Stronach
Marsh Tits are now only found in 1 known area of Scotland & are one of our rarest breeding birds at 3 known pairs. The Scottish Marsh Tit Project is looking for volunteers to assist in the species' conservation. Join an online info evening on 2 July to find out more tinyurl.com/yswhtuxz #ornithology
13.06.2025 08:19 — 👍 58 🔁 12 💬 0 📌 2
Peppered Moth © John Harrison
Poplar Hawk-moth © John Harrison
Family mothing event: Waterston House is mecca for moths, with >200 species recorded there. Take a look in the moth traps on Tues 1 July, 9-11am, to see what its lights have brought in. Hosted by
@eastlothiancouncil.bsky.social
Countryside Rangers. Tickets £4.95 p/p. Book at tinyurl.com/32kjw76u
#Nightjars! Don't you just love 'em? An exceptional year in NE Scotland. Another pr pinned down last night w/ Paul Baxter & another bird at a new site
www.bto.org/get-involved...
@scottishbirding.bsky.social @btoscotland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social #birdingscotland @greg-conway.bsky.social
OPTICS DEMO EVENT NEXT MONTH
Thursday 19th June | 10:30am - 3pm | Free event | No Booking
We’re hosting a Viking Optical demo at our HQ #WaterstonHouse in Aberlady, this is a fantastic chance to try out optics in field conditions and get advice from experts: www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/gettin....
Dr Alan Knox (SOC Council member), checking a sound recorder, Aberdeenshire
An ornithologist working in the field, North Scotland
As Volunteer Week continues (2nd-8th June), today we're shining a light on the dedicated individuals who serve on our Council & Board of Trustees.
A huge thank you to all our volunteer office bearers & recorders— your contributions make a lasting impact.
#VolunteerWeek #ThankYouVolunteers #TeamSOC
