A relatively slow Winter season for scoters locally so far. Three Surfies over the last month, a 2w drake staying faithful to Porth Eirias and a drake+female pair initially off Llandulas before moving to the Old Colwyn flocks. Very few Velvets, no LTDs and poor numbers of large gulls! #birdingwales

Thanks Sarah. Yes managed some digiscope pics in the wind.

A day looking at ducks down the Lleyn. This 1cy Sabine’s Gull at the Afon Dwyfor mouth wasn’t on my radar for 10th Dec! Yet another ‘why did I leave my camera in the car’ situation… #birdingwales

A classic record shot! Don’t worry, field views ruled out Taiga :)

I had pretty much given up on passerines and switched to Winter birding early, so wasn’t really expecting to bump into this Red-breasted Flycatcher whilst checking the scoters in Lunan Bay. A Red-necked Grebe was offshore and the Tundra Bean Goose remains at St Cyrus. #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk

Nice start to the day. Just found this Tundra Bean Goose along approach road to St Cyrus NNR. #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk

Cracking flock of ‘trumpeting’ Northern Bullfinches along Tayock side of Montrose basin just now. At least 3 males and a female. #birdingscotland

Awesome, nice one Bruce. That’s a random loch!

As was initially suspected, they are actually both Oriental Turtle Doves.

Great views of European & Oriental Turtle Dove side by side at Hillwell, Shetland this evening. #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk

Blackcaps everywhere! 40+ in the iris beds of Quendale yesterday morning alone!

The easterlies looked good so I headed up to Shetland last weekend. So far slightly dissapointing but enjoyable birding nonetheless, with lots of common migrants to keep the interest. Cool to see Northern Bullfinch and always nice bumping into YBWs and Sibe Chiffs. #birdingscotland

Good numbers of migrants over last couple days on Barra after a quiet week. Pleased to find this Red-breasted Flycatcher at Glen this morning (1 of 2 on the island). My first Yellow-browed Warbler of the year was a nice surprise in North Bay plantation yesterday. #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk

First full day on Barra. Fantastic place and great to be on a new island. Common Rosefinch at Scurravel this afternoon the only find of note - hopefully more to come! #birdingscotland

Nearly stepping on this Grey Phalarope was a nice bonus on the last day. A shame I left my camera in the car! #irishbirding

Great birding in Western Ireland this week. Largely focused on waders but the seawatching was pretty good too. Highlights of Laughing and Sabine’s Gulls, Semipalmated and White-rumped Sandpiper, 2 American Golden Plovers, Glossy Ibis, Wilson’s Petrel, Long-tailed Skua and Great Shears. #irishbirding

AGPs viewed from Doonshean maps.app.goo.gl/trC4cSZSCmiR... @birdguides.bsky.social

Trabeg estuary: 2 ad AGP, 1 Glossy Ibis W end, Laughing Gull still E end. #irishbirding

Orkney has a sawfly recorder so by the sounds of it I don’t think NBN will be up to date. I assume some of the off islands will be sparsley recorded though as we had the first sawfly records for North Ronaldsay last summer.

After a fantastic season at Cemlyn, it was a welcome surprise to come home and see 2 Death’s-head Hawkmoth caterpillars devouring the garden potatoes this afternoon! (VC49) #teammoth

The season is over! Had an amazing time at Cemlyn with @zspaull.bsky.social this summer. This video I made covers some of the highlights along with a blog we wrote which is more in depth.

Really excited about the future of the Roseate Terns at Cemlyn after the two pairs attempting this season 🐦

It’s a super early season. They started leaving early July and now they’re all gone. They were generally a week ahead for most of the season but increased gull pressure at the end of June/early July may have pushed many them of out prematurely.

@n-richards.bsky.social and I had a very nice evening on The Skerries last night. #birdingwales

Thanks Julian! @n-richards.bsky.social is on here, he just hasn’t posted yet :)

It’s an adult - whoops!

Yeah. We’ve been getting a lot of early waders through here for the last few weeks. Joel got some nice pics I can send you later.

Nice day out away from Cemlyn yesterday, visiting Joel at Gronant. We did pretty well, picking up 2cy Caspian Gull, juv Little Stint, Yellow Wag plus loads of waders including 220+ Blackwit. Dune Robberflies everywhere and Little Terns of course! #birdingwales

black-billed Arctic Tern On Sunday 31 July 2016 I was checking a group of 8 terns on the rocks on the lower coast, Trepassey when I came across a tern that stopped ...

Possibly but I think if it was malnutrition then there would evidence away from the bill e.g a moult limit in the flight feathers.

This is the only bird online that looks similar. Aged as a 3cy (which ours could well be). brucemactavish1.blogspot.com/2016/08/blac...

Steve Culley and I had this nice black-billed Arctic Tern at Cemlyn this morning. Cool looking bird! Any comments on origin appreciated. #birdingwales #rarebirdsuk

A surreal evening here at Cemlyn - at least 7 Roseate Terns. Our 2 pairs still present plus an additional 3 birds tonight. Incredible to see so many at once after no breeding records for over 30 years. #birdingwales #rarebirdsuk

Pic - Nick Richards

Exciting times at Cemlyn currently. Whilst watching our long standing pair of Roseate Terns yesterday, another 2 birds dropped in nearby and lingered for the afternoon, displaying constantly! Two pairs would be pretty amazing… #birdingwales

Thanks Steve. Hope Westray delivers for you this season!