But it's not all about the birds, 2024 was also incredible for a host of other wildlife: Whale Shark off St. Helena, Western Lowland Gorilla in Gabon, Indri in Madagascar, Western Tarsier in Borneo. Other highlights being Banded Linsang, Mandrill, Crowned Guenon etc.

The first full day of our Scottish lives was mainly spent on the Black Isle, h’lights being 4 Hawfinches, 270 Scaup & Slav Grebes.

This Ring-tailed Vontsira appears habituated, but deep within the forests of Marojejy NP it was just as surprised as we were, allowing a memorable 15-minute encounter with what is usually a shy species. #Madagascar October 2024

With working in Stirling this week, it made complete sense to twitch the drake Smew at Broadwood Loch in Clyde today – my first for many years now they’re next to impossible in S England. The icy loch also drew many Goosander close to the banks.

I’ve rarely birded in cooler temperatures in the UK than today! A coastal session from Helmsdale (-12C) to Cromarty Firth (-2C) yielded no white-wingers, but several Purple Sands, a Green-winged Teal (Loch Fleet), Barnacle Goose, 30+ Scaup & Slav Grebes, + the usual bits.

Only three months late, but our time spent at Marojejy National Park in Madagascar is now on the blog. The variety of wildlife here is unlike anywhere I've been in the world! Matt Eade's Blog: Madagascar Part 3 - Marojejy NP

seafordbirding.blogspot.com/2025/01/madaga…

After work, Em and I ventured to Lossiemouth to check the gulls and much to our delight this adult Iceland Gull was roosting in the estuary. Nearby were 8 Purple Sands.

A brief day on Cape Point before transferring to Durban tomorrow for the Flock resulted in lots of species, all of which I saw on my very first foreign trip with Chris Glanfield 🐝 in 2011, but mostly all new for Em.

A personal total of 55 Sooty Albatross as we sailed towards Marion Island today, plus ludicrous numbers of Subantarctic S’waters, Soft-plumaged Petrels & Wandering Albatross, and in addition to y’days surprise Barau’s Petrel, the Flock has proven its worth so far!

Seabirds rarely get better than the White-headed Petrel! This spectacular Pterodroma was seen today as we circled Prince Edward & Marion Islands, along with thousands of other seabirds.

There are few better places than the Western Cape. After watching many Bryde’s Whales in False Bay, the Betty’s Bay area was as usual prolific in bird life, including Cape Sugarbirds everywhere! We’re going for a big day list tomorrow to finish our time away. #SouthAfrica

Wine and cider got in the way of a big day, but we still saw 88 species around Betty's Bay. Personal h'lights were Cape Rockjumper, Blue Crane, Black Harrier and Verreaux's Eagle, plus non-avian specialties including the mega Cape Dwarf Chameleon, spotted by Eagle-eyed Em.

A 13-hour delay to our Norse Atlantic Airways flight from Cape Town to Gatwick meant we had another day to explore Harold Porter Botanical Gardens where we managed to jam in on my only mainland SA lifer of this trip, a Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher!! We even had time for Table Mountain!

On the recent Flock to Marion cruise, this Barau's Petrel was a top highlight, being completely unexpected in these latitudes. Initially called as a Soft-plumaged, it wasn't until it banked that its identity was nailed, becoming my 4500th world bird! Pics by Emily Richens

A lovely morning on yet another sunny Sunday here in Beauly. Between this Firth and Udale Bay, two Otters actively hunting, six Slavonian Grebes, 172 Scaup and the usual Long-tailed Ducks, Eiders and Pink-footed Geese.

A blogpost from our recent visit to Kinabalu NP, Borneo here: seafordbirding.blogspot.com/2025/02/borneo…

Working on the Isle of Skye this week... it went Golden Eagle crazy today! An incredible bird of prey and after several encounters already this year across the Highlands, it's certainly a favourite of mine!!

Our three full days along the wildlife-rich waterways of the Kinabatangan (Borneo) now on the blog: Matt Eade's Blog: Borneo - Part 2 (Kinabatangan River): December 2024

A cracking weekend away along and above our favourite loch – Loch Maree! A certain question was asked (and accepted) here, before camping and then ascending Slioch (981m)! Couldn’t have asked for a better weekend alongside my wife to be! Ring Ouzels, Golden Eagles etc also seen.