Phonescoped Drake Common Scoter today. Draycotebirding Probably my best views of the species, let alone at landlocked Draycote! R-T Diver, Adult Glaucous Gull, 3 Caspian Gulls the best of the rest.

Great geese on Islay once again with Ewan Miles last week. Richardson's Cackling ✅️, Russian White-front and Red-breasted Goose the best of a 100sp haul!

March on #Mull... a great month to be in the Hebrides! Ewan Miles Skye and Frisa

2025 spring on #Mull done! Another adventure starts tomorrow...

Back on Shetland with Brydon Thomason and week 1 complete! Started off strong with finding this drake Mandarin (still a scarcity up here). Now waiting for a change in the winds 🤞

A fine encounter with my 1st Shetland (and Scottish) Wood Sandpiper, busily flycatching in the morning sun with Jon Dunn 🇺🇦.

Oriental Turtle Dove! ✅️ Great views with 2 of the local Collareds at Hillwell yesterday afternoon! A new species for all on my Brydon Thomason Spring Birders trip!

Unforgettable views of this 2cy White-billed Diver in Baltasound, Unst.. Just look at that bill!! A real tour highlight from my Brydon Thomason tour, stacked with great encounters this week!

Fantastic Fetlar Phalaropes with my Brydon Thomason group yesterday! Early in the season they feed more coastally, where we encountered 2 females, getting breeding season ready after their transatlantic migration.

Drake Surf Scoter in Ronas Voe, Shetland today, always distant but a very smart duck! My 3rd in Britain, but by far the best views. Brydon Thomason

What a gorgeous bird! Breeding plumage female Grey Phalarope yesterday evening on Loch of Spiggie. 2 Phalarope day completed, after a day on Unst on my Brydon Thomason tour!

Black-winged Pratincole✅- I enjoyed a few visits during its stay, great to watch... tricky to photograph hawking around Loch of Spiggie. My first and much anticipated Pratincole!

Shetland strikes again.. Stunning White-throated Sparrow enjoying the views at SumburghHead this morning.

A successful morning seawatching at SumburghHead interrupted by this White-throated Sparrow! First on scene and thankfully didn't take long to re-find, my 1st American Sparrow and a corker at that!

Close Orca finally!.. An early morning Brydon Thomason otter tour put me in the right place and right time for a fantastic 2hrs, watching 8 members of the 27's and 65's pods hunting the shores and islands of South Nesting Bay.

My 11 weeks of spring on Shetland completed! Not one to remember for common migrants but some good rarities seen, Orca encounters and Otters aplenty. Many thanks again to Brydon Thomason and all of you others for a great season, you know who you are. Shetland, see you soon...

This video of the Porthgwarra Soft-plumaged Petrel by Michael McKee is absolutely immense!! Mind-blowing stuff. The commentary is brilliant too. Maybe in the next few weeks off Loop 🤞🏻michaelmckee.co.uk/videos/video.a…

Heading back south for a few days at home, I called in at Marden Quarry, Northumbs for the Black-crowned Night Heron ✅️. After 2hrs roosting almost obscured from view, it eventually showed well!

Came across this apparent Black-Throated Diver x Great Northern Diver hybrid, whilst carrying out Black-Throated Diver surveys in the Scottish Highlands this week. It was present with three other Black-Throated Divers and a pretty striking individual!

Silver-spotted Skipper, Brown Hairstreak, Chalk hill Blues and Silver-washed Fritillary. 4 new Butterflies for me, from a few days back home in Oxfordshire. Butterfly Conservation 🦋