Pallid Harrier chasing Meadow Pipits at Nybster this afternoon #CaithnessBirds

Purple Heron flew north past Nybster yesterday evening with a Grey Heron. First Swift and Bonxie of the year too. A Common Tern is back at St John’s Pool this morning #CaithnessBirds

Distant canditate for Black Kite picked up whilst on a long boring phone call in a Caithness layby last night... Pleased to have successfully tracked it down after hanging up 1hr later to confirm. Lovely views of it feeding in fields this morning @caithnessbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

Black Kite roosting at Brawlbin this evening #CaithnessBirds

First Wheatear was reported back in the county today at John O’Groats #CaithnessBirds

Putting birds first, pt1 YouTube video by Rare Breeding Birds Panel

It’s the time of year to be out finding, recording and enjoying rare breeding birds, but it’s vital to put their welfare first. Here’s some advice from @markaeaton.bsky.social, and there’s a blog here tinyurl.com/RBBPsafe [1/2] youtu.be/5xXc9Dl7vwk?...

First Sand Martins of the year were at Nybster and Sinclair’s Bay today. Also Woodpigeons on the move north #CaithnessBirds

Great article featuring Caithness - East coast patches #CaithnessBirds

Still a few White-fronted Geese scattered through the county today. Lots of Pink-footed Geese new in and the first Lesser Black-backed Gulls are back #CaithnessBirds

Merlin on a fence post

Smart dark faced, white collared, and heavily streaked Merlin (presumably a 2cy) landed briefly at Nybster this morning #CaithnessBirds

Green-winged Teal at Loch of Wester, 2 Snow Buntings in Sinclair’s Bay and 2 Great White Egrets at Scarmclate today #CaithnessBirds

Kumlien’s Gull in flight

Kumlien’s Gull on the sea with Herring Gulls, Common Gulls and an Oystercatcher

Looks like a Juv Kumlien’s Gull in Dunnet Bay this morning with @ninaohanlon.bsky.social
#CaithnessBirds

White-billed Diver

White-billed Diver showing very well at Gill’s Bay this afternoon with @ninaohanlon.bsky.social
Nice find by A. Branch
#CaithnessBirds

Three White-fronted Geese in a mixed Greylag and Pink-footed Goose flock

Three Euro White-fronted Geese at Huna this afternoon. Nice #PWC2026 birds #CaithnessBirds

We are receiving increased reports of dead auks, including Puffins, particularly in North East Scotland. It's quick and easy to report any dead or sick birds you find through the 'Deceased bird' function on the home page of the BirdTrack app

Photo: Puffin by Richard Selman / BTO

#ukbirding

Juvenile Iceland Gull flying over a choppy sea.

Third juvenile Iceland Gull from our house in two days. Today’s was a particularly dark individual #PWC2026 #CaithnessBirds

Drake Green-winged Teal sleeping at St John’s Pool - photo by J. Smith

Green-winged Teal at St John’s Pool this morning, and two juvenile Iceland Gulls at Nybster #CaithnessBirds

GPS tracked Icelandic Greylag Goose movements tracker link below. Greylags ‘Alastair’ and ‘Willem’ are currently in Caithness arcgis.stofa.is/portal/apps/... #CaithnessBirds

Juvenile Glaucous Gull in flight about to come in to land on Dunnet Bay

Four of the six Tundra Bean Geese in a muddy field at Huna

6 Tundra Bean Geese at Huna, Water Pipit and Glaucous Gull in Dunnet Bay, Iceland Gull in Scrabster/Thurso today. Also a few Barnacle Geese are new in #CaithnessBirds

Juv Glaucous Gull still in Dunnet Bay and Juv Iceland Gull at Harrow Harbour today #CaithnessBirds

Water Pipit in sand dunes standing side on.

Water Pipit in Dunnet Dunes/outflow this weekend #CaithnessBirds

A bearded man looking down at a slice of cheesecake in his hands by the side of the road with green fields and blue sky in the background.

64 species on our 25 km cycle around NE Cairthness yesterday, with Great-spotted Woodpecker and Tree Sparrow good additions to the 10 km #PWC2026 list.
The only photo I took was @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social admiring his cake!
#CaithnessBirds

A small group of gulls standing in shallow sea water, in the centre are a juvenile and second winter Glaucous Gull.

A very enjoyable @webs-gsmp.bsky.social count at Dunnet Bay this morning with my first Glaucous Gulls of the year - plus a smart Water Pipit was a great bonus! #CaithnessBirds

Water Pipit (2nd Caithness record), 2 Glaucous Gulls and 3 Velvet Scoters in Dunnet Bay; 3 Taiga Bean Geese Loch Heilen/Greenland; 2 GW Egrets and 90+ Greenland WF Geese on Loch of Mey today #CaithnessBirds

Juvenile Iceland Gull on the sea in a harbour

Juv Iceland Gulls in Wick harbour and south past Nybster today. Also a Great White Egret still on St John’s Loch #CaithnessBirds

Adult Little Gull in flight over the sea

Juvenile Iceland Gull lifting off the sea

Juv Iceland Gull and three Little Gulls in Freswick Bay at lunchtime today #PWC2026 #CaithnessBirds

9 Snow Buntings and 2 Black-throated Divers at Nybster today #CaithnessBirds

White-tailed Eagle in flight

After an absence last year, White-tailed Eagle flying past our house was a welcome #PWC2026 tick #CaithnessBirds with @ninaohanlon.bsky.social

PWC 2026 scores.xls

Happy New Year and good luck to everyone who is out #birding, making a start to their #PWC2026 totals this morning!

If you have not yet signed up then use this link to do so! - docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

Remember to keep us updated on your finds by using the #Patchbirding and #PWC2026 tags!

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.