📖 Merry Christmas

This past year has felt like two distinct halves, and I think that, on odd occasions, the birding gods—usually so generous to me over the years—have both abandoned and favoured me!

Earlier this year, I took my usual trip to Spain in March, staying at my friend’s villa in Mijas. Unfortunately, during my two-week visit, the weather was a real problem, with flooding causing chaos across much of Andalusia and forcing me to cancel several planned outings. Still, I think I got off lightly compared to the devastation in Valencia!

Guadalhorce River, Malaga

In May, I enjoyed ten days in Poland with Dazza, where we visited the stunning Białowieża Forest and Biebrza Marshes National Park. Unfortunately, we did not experience the park at its best. The region was affected by unusually dry weather, resulting in record-low water levels in the Biebrza River and a severe drought. Unlike the typical spring floods in the park, the water levels in the Biebrza River dropped by 30 cm, turning the wetlands into tinderboxes.

The amazing Bailoweiza Forset 

This drought, combined with the severe dryness of the marshes from the previous year, contributed to a devastating fire in Biebrza National Park in April 2025. The fire spread rapidly, fueled by dry reeds and sedge meadows exacerbated by the drought conditions. It caused extensive damage to the park's natural habitats, including reed beds, sedge meadows, and even forested areas. However, we made the most of our stay and created many memorable moments walking over 85 miles in 10 days.

Shortly after returning from Poland, I began experiencing significant issues with my left ankle, which resulted in a diagnosis of a stress fracture. As I write this on December 30th, I am still dealing with ongoing issues and, in fact, had yet another scan this morning. Because of these issues, my annual October trip to Shetland was quite different from past visits. Most of my birdwatching ended up being frustratingly done from the car, and I only managed a few short walks. Suffice it to say, my birding during the latter half of the year has been rather limited.

So, as the year comes to an end, it’s time to reflect on the past 12 months, and I thought I'd highlight some of my favourite photographic moments from 2025. I'm sure you'll agree it wasn't all doom and gloom!

Additions to my Scottish Life List for 2025 included: American Golden Plover, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Eastern Nightingale, Ortolan Bunting, Cory's Shearwater, Bridled Tern, Roseate Tern and Siberian Thrush.

Spain, 14th March - During my visit to Spain in March, I made one of my regular trips to a somewhat flooded Guadalhorce. Despite seeing them regularly during my visits to Spain. This Black-eared Wheatear was my first sighting at this particular site in over 10 years.

Spain, 15th March - A fantastic visit to Fuente de Piedra revealed the lagoon brimming with water after the recent storms. While usually native to sub-Saharan Africa, the Lesser Flamingo has steadily increased its presence in Europe over recent decades, with small numbers seen in Spain year-round and breeding regularly since the early 2000s. The species is now listed in Category A of the Spanish bird list.

Spain, 16th March - During a local visit to the quarry at Mijas, I was amazed to see this Golden Eagle, probably a second-year bird, hovering over an Iberian Ibex. Could it really have been thinking of taking it on?

Spain, 19th March - One of six Little Bustards (1st image) during a visit to Huétor Tájar, a municipality and town located in the province of Granada. I had some of the closest views I've ever had, with a total of six sightings recorded. At one point, two males had a brief skirmish, which worked in my favour as they startled a very surprised Stone Curlew.

Spain, 19th March - During the same visit to Huétor Tájar, this pair of Great Spotted Cuckoos from the car window feeding on hairy caterpillars. Two of fourteen seen today! Quite a remarkable total.

Poland, 17th May - Penduline Tit at Dojlady Fish Ponds, such a treat to see one so close. Their colouration closely resembles that of a miniature Red-backed Shrike!

Poland, May 19th - A 4:30 AM start to see this Pygmy Owl. It was a lifer for both Dazza and me.

Poland, May 20th - A Black Woodpecker at its nesting hole deep inside the Bailowieza Forest.

Poland, May 21st - A Great Snipe during a lek at a secret location.

Poland, May 21st - This European Bison took us by surprise while walking through the forests. It's amazing how stealthy Europe's largest land mammal can be.

Poland, May 22nd - Middle Spotted Woodpecker. One of the seven species of Woodpecker seen during our stay in Poland.

Musselburgh Lagoons, September 6th - This Marsh Sandpiper was seen while away for a weekend with the RSPB Aberdeen & District Local Group. Another 2025 lifer for me.

Shetland, October 3rd - Thanks to Andy Hale for this image of the long-staying Siberian Thrush (lifer) at Loch of Asta. Although I saw the bird many times over my week on Shetland, I failed miserably to get any decent photos. 

Aberdeenshire, October 21st - This Eastern Nightingale (golzii) was discovered by Andy Carroll at Rattray and fortunately remained for a few days, showing exceptionally well.

These are just a few photographic highlights from 2025. While it’s not always possible to capture every amazing moment out in the wild, I think I did pretty well, all things considered. My final total for the year was 212 species for Scotland. Here’s to 2026—remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint—but like you, I’ll be out there in the new year, ready to start growing my 2026 list!

📖 Winter Hawfinch - 27/11/25

Thursday, 26th November 2025, ☁️ 5C ~ Wind SSW @ 16 mph ~ Since my last post on the 15th, we’ve had our first snow of the season, with a thick blanket falling on the night of the 19th, followed by heavy snow showers over the following few days. As I write this, it’s a mild 14°C with southerly winds, yet just yesterday began with frost covering snow—a real swing in the weather!

View from the bedroom window

Yesterday, the 25th, I was delighted to join our RSPB Aberdeen and District Local Group for a walk through my local woodlands at Fetternear in search of Hawfinch. Even better, I managed to complete the entire route—the first time in several months I've been able to walk a reasonable distance.

The RSPB group at Bishops Palace, Fetternear, searching the tree tops for Hawfinch. 

Rob Leslie was leading today, and it was thanks to Rob that we spotted our first Hawfinches at the site during our inaugural walk here in 2023, which I co-led with another local, Bob Conder. Robs find kicked off lots more sightings, with as many as fifty birds recorded in the early months of 2024. A full report from yesterday's outing can be found HERE on the group's website.

Record shot in the gloom of one of the three Hawfinch seen yesterday.

As you'll see, we managed to spot at least three Hawfinches in the surrounding treetops, and it’s great to know they’re back for the winter here for another year and right on my patch. I was happy to see that the two houses in the northeast corner of the woodlands had put their feeders back up, and we got to enjoy sightings of Brambling and Tree Sparrows. Including the two photographed below. 

Cute!

In news from my extended patch (35 Miles): A possible Northern Bottlenose Whale on the 21st was seen moving slowly north past Old Portlethen. A Black Redstart was seen at Cove Bay Coastal Path on the 22nd. On the 23rd, a late Sooty Shearwater flew south past Newtonhill. A  Ross's Goose was seen in the roost with Pinkies at Loch of Skene over several days, and likely the same bird was at Fraserburgh on the 24th in a field off Boothby Road on the 24th. The long-staying Waxwings in Aberdeen were last reported on the 23rd.

As the month comes to a close, the garden feeders are bustling right now, with a large House Sparrow population joined by frequent gatherings of Chaffinches, sometimes hitting double figures. Blue Tits, Great Tits, and Coal Tits are regular visitors too, along with the occasional Goldfinch, Greenfinch, and Siskin. Still no sign of Fieldfares or Redwings, though Blackbirds often number seven or eight. I’m still waiting for our first Brambling, but with a productive beech mast this year, several were feeding at Fetternear yesterday.

As I was writing, Dazza called me to the window, and we were happy to see our first Blackcap of the season feeding on the apples. It might well be one of last year's pair that resided with us for the winter. 

 

Female Blackcap

📖 Waxwings Ahoy! - 15/11/25

Friday, 14th November 2025, ❄️🌦️ 5C ~ Wind NE @ 10 mph ~ In the last few days, we've experienced the first frosts of autumn, and the garden feeders have become a focal point for our large population of House Sparrows. However, the Sparrows struggle to compete with the Coal Tits, which seem to be able to grab sunflower seeds with remarkable stealth.

I was supposed to lead this Sunday's local RSPB group outing to Forfar and Kinnordy Loch, but my ankle has unfortunately ruled me out. My thanks to Mark Sullivan for stepping in. 

Coal Tit - Waiting to nip in.

In news: The Cattle Egret at Udny Station continues to be reported since my last update. Additionally, several other scarcities have been noted in the area. Snow Buntings were reported in the dunes along the River Ythan on the 13th, and a redhead Smew was still present at Kirkton of Logie Buchan, further along the river on the 12th. Mark Sullivan spotted a Pallas's Warbler at Rattray on the 8th, but the bird did not stay for long. A few Little Auks have been seen sporadically off the coasts of Girdleness and Peterhead. Additionally, a pair of Hen Harriers were observed at Strathbeg, and a Velvet Scoter has been hanging around at the southern end of the loch.

The highlight of the week for me has been hearing about several flocks of Waxwings spotted around Aberdeen City Centre by local birders on their way to work or school @birderboy. No doubt brought in by the recent strong norteasterlies. Today was the first time they were found feeding, and my friend Ruth found them right outside her workplace, so I headed into town after breakfast for a look.

One of at least 30 Waxwings feeding on Yew berries.

At least 30 birds were coming down from the treetops and feeding on a large Yew Tree. I spent an hour watching and photographing them in the company of two other photographers, dodging a few heavy hail showers. Also noted were several Redwing, Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush and a single Blackcap, the latter likely a new arrival for the winter from Central Europe.

Ruth joined for a little while but somehow forgot the coffee & cake!! Excellent Find.

📖 Comfort Birding - 04/11/25

Although my ankle issues persist, I’ve been making the most of local birding from the comfort of my car. There are plenty of nearby spots ideal for sea watching, allowing me to enjoy my time in any weather. On October 24th, I even joined our latest RSPB group outing to Loch of Strathbeg. While I spent most of the time seated on a stool in the nature centre, which luckily provides excellent views of the reserve, I was still able to drive to the southern end of the loch with the group. A full report is available on our local group website. HERE.

Group members overlooking the south end of Strathbeg (David  Leslie)

Great Egret just below the Nature Centre at Strathbeg

On the 29th, I decided to join Mark, David, and Rob on a trip to Montrose Basin, just over the Aberdeenshire border into Angus. I decided to meet them there as I was unsure as to how much walking would be involved. Our two target species for the day were Long-billed Dowitcher and White-rumped Sandpiper, which had been reported daily for several days and would be a couple of Scottish ticks for me.

It was an enjoyable morning with minimal walking. We parked at Tayock at the North East of the basin and headed along to look at the channel for the Long-billed Dowitcher. We couldn’t immediately see it, and a bit of confusion with the BirdGuides app meant we actually started to head away before realising we were in the right place. Thankfully, Mark spotted the Dowitcher feeding out on the mudflats near a Black-tailed Godwit. The size and structure were obviously different, and it was good to get a good comparison.

Mark's image of the Long-billed Dowitcher feeding on the mudflats.

After our success, we drove round to the Lurgies and had lunch in the pleasant sunshine. Luckily, we almost immediately had good scoped views of a White-rumped Sandpiper on the opposite bank. A couple of Grey Plover were nearby, Lapwing and Redshank were numerous, and a few Greenshank were also feeding in the vicinity. At least 6 Little Grebes were in the channel, and they were joined by a Long-tailed Duck, with a Canada Goose downstream beside a couple of Goldeneye. We also added to the Egret list, with a Great Egret towards the visitor centre and a fly-by Little Egret. A lovely few hours in great company, with just over 50 species seen. David has put a full report on his Facebook page: Aberdeenshire Bird Tours. 

Things are calming down a bit as we move into the latter part of autumn, but there have been a few noteworthy sightings across the extended patch. A Surf Scoter was spotted at Collieston on the 26th, a Velvet Scoter was seen at Loch of Strathbeg, and a Redhead Smew was noted on the River Ythan at Logie Buchan. Additionally, on October 30th, five Waxwings were observed on Abbey Road in Aberdeen, which piqued my curiosity and warranted some investigation. So on the 31st, I decided to drive over to Abbey Road to see if the Waxwings from yesterday were still around. 

Redwing new arrival.

It’s just around the corner from Girdleness, so I could easily make a morning of it. While I was at Abbey Road, I noticed a large number of Redwings, Fieldfares, and Blackbirds, all taking advantage of the berry trees scattered around the neighbourhood. It was clear that there had been an influx of these birds overnight. Andy Carroll also messaged me, saying that birds were arriving off the sea further up the coast at Kinnaird Head, including a Ring Ouzel. I spent an hour watching the thrushes, but there was no sign of any Waxwings, so I moved around to Girdleness.

A likely newly arrived  Blackbird taking advantage of the bumper berry stocks around Abbey Road.

It was a delightful 90 minutes, with countless thrushes arriving from the sea. Witnessing migration up close was truly amazing. There were other sightings too: several Bottlenose Dolphins were active just below the foghorn, eleven Common Scoters headed south, along with three Red-throated Divers and five Red-breasted Mergansers. But the real highlight was watching the thrushes complete their journey from Scandinavia, looking remarkably unfazed by their travels and disappearing swiftly into the many gorse bushes for cover.

As I looked over the rocks at Greyhope Bay, I noticed many resting Kittiwakes and several species of waders, including Redshank, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Curlew, Turnstone, and Purple Sandpipers, beginning to increase as the birds return for winter.

Purple Sandpipers at Girdleness.

Another highlight of the past couple of weeks was seeing a remarkably approachable Cattle Egret, a rare visitor in this area and only a short 30-minute drive from home at Udny Station. I saw the bird yesterday without even leaving the car—an effortless twitch and just my second sighting in Aberdeenshire.

Cattle Egret near Udny Station, Aberdeenshire, taken from the car window.

Subnote: A slight adjustment to my Shetland list for 2025. The long-staying Western Subalpine Warbler at Lavenwick, Mainland, has now been confirmed through DNA analysis by Martin Collinson and his lab in Aberdeen to be a nominate Eastern Subalpine Warbler (S.c.cantillans). Thanks to Paul Cashmore for the update.

📖 Eastern Common Nightingale- 21/10/25

Since getting back from Shetland over a week ago, I've been stuck at home. My consultant was not pleased that I had gone to Shetland in the first place and insisted that I stay home, wearing my weight-bearing boot. Now, I'm waiting for an appointment with an ankle surgeon.

It’s not as bad as it seems to be at home right now. The constant movement of thousands of Pink-footed Geese migrating overhead and a few winter visitors already arriving at the garden feeders adds some excitement. Over the past few days, several autumn migrants have been spotted locally too: a male Bluethroat and a Smew at Donmouth, a Firecrest at Longhaven, Yellow-browed Warblers at Forvie and Girdleness, and, most enticing of all, an Eastern Common Nightingale at Rattray! 

Eastern Common Nightingale, Rattray.

Despite having a bucket list, A Nightingale in Scotland, especially locally, was not even on my radar when I moved here five years ago. So I knew that the temptation might be too strong for me, but I remained patient, hoping the bird would stay for a second day. This morning, I checked for updates, and as soon as I learned that the bird had appeared, I set out to find it. I knew it was close to the parking area at Rattray, so I was optimistic that I wouldn't have to walk far, if at all. Driving an automatic car made things easier as well. I really needn't have worried, as within twenty minutes of arriving, the bird was beautifully perched on the fence adjacent to the car park! I spent an hour with David Capon, hunched down just yards from the car, along with a dozen other birders who were watching the bird occasionally pop onto the fence. One chap even drove overnight from Felixstowe! 

Eastern Common Nightingale, Rattray.

A great result for me, along with another excellent find by Andy Carroll, who consistently keeps me updated with his discoveries, which, to be honest, occur quite frequently!

Eastern Common Nightingale, Rattray.

Eastern Common Nightingale, Rattray.

📖 Shetland 2025 Conclusion

After three days without any issues, on the morning of Tuesday the 7th, I noticed that my ankle was flaring up again, making it difficult for me to walk for extended periods. To prevent aggravating my injury and to handle the situation sensibly, I decided to take it easy for the rest of the week. I scaled back my activities and planned to do most of my birding from the car, which has always been my backup plan in case I encountered any challenges. It was either that or head home!

Dazza arrived, as usual, on Wednesday afternoon, the 8th. However, her flight was quite a nightmare; it was nearly three hours late, and by the time it finally landed, it was dark outside. Are the gods conspiring against us this year? To make matters worse, the weather for the remainder of the week was grim, with constant gales and heavy showers. This is not unusual for Shetland, but when combined with Storm Amy earlier, it felt never-ending. Typically, we would go on a few long walks while Dazza was here, and search for birds, but the poor conditions, along with my ankle injury, kept us from doing so. 

We spent our time exploring the various harbours and inlets, taking Dazza to see a few birds I had seen earlier in the week. Notably, the rare Siberian Thrush was still present, along with other species such as Rustic Bunting, Barred Warbler, and Yellow-browed Warbler. However, the lack of easterly winds this autumn has created an unusually calm period for rarities, and indeed many common migrant species as well. I don’t think I’ve taken fewer photos on any of my trips.

My biggest disappointment was missing the Blackpoll Warbler on Unst, which we were unable to see. Nevertheless, we made the most of our time exploring this amazing island. In the five years I’ve been visiting during this same week, this trip was by far the quietest and, understandably, the most challenging. However, I plan to return next year at the same time as usual. For now, it's time to focus on dealing with this ankle stress fracture.

Now that I'm home, I've compiled a list of the species seen on this visit below and added or enhanced a few more photos.

Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Greylag Goose, Pink-Footed Goose, Barnacle Goose, Mallard, Gadwall, Pintail, Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal, Greater Scaup, Tufted Duck, Eider, Long-tailed Duck, Goosander, Red-breasted Merganser, Red Grouse, Red-legged Partridge (heard-only), Red-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Little Grebe, Fulmar, European Storm Petrel, Gannet, Cormorant, Shag, Grey Heron, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Merlin, Greenshank, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Purple Sandpiper, Sanderling, Dunlin, Turnstone, Curlew Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Gowit, Curlew, Snipe, Arctic Skua, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Black Guillemot, Guillemot, Rock Dove, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Skylark, Swallow, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Redwing, Blackbird, SIBERIAN THRUSH!!, Robin, Northern Wheatear, Barred Warbler, Western Subalpine Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Yellow-browed Warbler, Goldcrest, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Carrion Crow, Hooded Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Brambling, Redpoll, Twite, Siskin, Ortolan Bunting, Rustic Bunting.

New for Shetland - LIFER!!

Ortolan Bunting

Red-breasted Flycatcher

Red-throated Diver

Juvenile Red-throated Diver

Northern Wheatear

Common Rosefinch

Guillemot

Sanderling

Northern Wheatear

Sanderling

Dunlin

Northern Wheatear

Brambling

Long-tailed Duck