Why do these always turn up when I’m off island 🤔 Quality if not brief find for George Gay and an epic addition to the year list!

As usual, top and tailing BB this month are the excellent News & comment and Recent reports. Thanks Russ Malin Maddy Hine Barry Nightingale and Harry Hussey for your continued contributions ➡️bit.ly/4bivr0w 📷David Tipling

Pretty epic first day back North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory. Started the day by getting in on the Icterine Warbler ringing action, and went on to find Ortolan Bunting and Stone Curlew! Can’t wait for the rest of the year!

A few of our highlights from a fantastic day on North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory are now on the blog. Icterine Warbler, Stone Curlew (top find Maddy Hine !), Nightjar in the hand, lots of summery Arctic-bound waders, Arctic Skuas and more oriolebirding.com/birding-diary-…

Long-tailed Skua past on a sea watch this afternoon was a very enjoyable surprise! Also seen were 4 Storm Petrel, 76 Manx Shearwater, and over 1000 auks North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory

Blyth’s Reed Warbler trapped by Rob Duncan this morning! A nice surprise migrant after a day of thick fog here North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory

Can anyone ID this call? Recorded in thick fog with no bins North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory. Initial impression was that it was a wader, but lark has since been suggested. Any help much appreciated! The Sound Approach

Great Skua chick ringing today North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory 🦕

Off island for a few days for graduation, and the ferry into Kirkwall made for a great start to the trip! Fully spooned Pom Skua with North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory still just in sight, and Manx Shearwaters really close in to the boat 😀

Red-necked Phalaropes on Ancum loch today continue to put in a good show. They certainly brightened up a rather drizzly day here North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory

Finally a break in the bad weather has allowed us to get out and ring some seabirds! Adult Tysties early morning and Arctic Tern colony monitoring for the rest of the day. It’s nice to be out in the sun for a change! ☀️☀️

Its that time of year again…. Storm Petrel ringing into the small hours.

Purple Sandpipers and Goose Barnacles on a coastal Fulmar nesting survey, with far fewer of the latter counted than in previous years North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory

What a lovely day for photographing Oystercatchers ☀️

Wood Sandpiper today North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory. Autumn creeps ever closer… 👀

Bit of a shock when Maddy Hine called this Gyr (which was then mobbed by 3 Arctic Skua 🤯) this am. Shame it’s plastic but at least we knew beforehand! Also great to see a Twite pr with 4 juv North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory

The American Golden Plover found its way onto the Links today North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory, giving some insane views!

Absolutely incredible views of Craig’s White-winged Tern today North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory!

Tried a new sea watching location this afternoon North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory thanks to DS ‘s predictions on where large shears would be passing based on Shetland passage today. Four Great Shears, two Cory’s and a Leach’s Petrel not bad for a couple of hours!

Flushing a Great Snipe in Loch Park was not what I had in mind today North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory 😆 We only just had our first Willow Warbler of the Autumn 20 minutes before!