Had this flick out in front of me while on census this morning and immediately had the feeling it was something out of the ordinary. Some panicked shots that I quickly sent to @alex-penn.bsky.social confirmed my suspicions that it was something different, a short-toed lark!

Twite are returning to @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social with some signs of early spring movement in recent days. This bird was 'chortling' away happily in the sunshine today 🔊🎶

Still a wintry theme @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social, with Iceland Gull and two Russian Whitefronts the recent highlights.

Signs of spring are beginning to appear though, with the first Mistle Thrush, Stonechat and Pied Wagtail in the last week, and numbers of Ringed Plover and Skylark building

Sure, that’d be great thanks

A drake Long-tailed Duck soaking in the last rays of the sun on the Peedie Sea in Kirkwall - there can't be many town 'duck ponds' with displaying Long-tailed Ducks a regular feature! #OrkneyBirds

It's been a quiet winter for Short-eared Owls in Orkney, perhaps unsurprising after such poor autumn passage through
@fairislebirdobs.bsky.social. Extra special then to bump into a roadside group of three birds - hunting, chasing and occasionally bickering with a passing Hen Harrier

A handful of 'borealis' Eiders were present in a several-hundred-strong flock near Kirkwall this morning, looking that bit more flamboyant than the locals, with their brighter bills and pointed 'sails' #orkneybirds

Purple Sandpipers were living up to their name for once in Orkney today - their mantles, wings and even crown feathers gleaming iridescent purple in the low winter sun

Cheers Steve!

Thanks Alex!

Delighted to be heading back to the magic isle alongside Jonnie in these permanent roles - a very exciting few years coming up, and can’t wait to be able to welcome visitors back to a brand new Obs!

Fair Isle Bird Observatory on LinkedIn: We are hiring seasonal hospitality staff! These are exciting… We are hiring seasonal hospitality staff! These are exciting opportunities to relocate seasonally to Shetland, working with a close-knit hospitality team to…

We are hiring seasonal hospitality staff!

These are exciting opportunities to relocate seasonally to Shetland, working with a close-knit hospitality team at our guesthouse on the UK’s most remote inhabited island.
More here: linkedin.com/feed/update/...
#Shetland #FairIsle

A well-timed visit to the Loons this morning resulted in another brief view of the Bittern that’s currently in residence, as it crept across an open channel in the reeds #OrkneyBirds