iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 10h

I hear the fen speaks highly of you as well 😜

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Large numbers of Pink-footed Geese were sortieing over Aberdeen yesterday morning in the bright clear autumn light. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

Three Pink-footed Geese are flying right to left against bright blue skies.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

A quiet place for Teal. They're starting to gather for the winter on the new pools at St Fittick's, which are quite open to give clear views. The males haven't moved to their bright plumage yet but the flash of emerald speculum still breaks the grey-brown. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

Three Teal are standing at the edge of a reed fringed pool, one stretching its wing out. They are reflected in the water.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

A lone Golden Plover crouching furtively on the golf course at Girdle Ness today. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

A Golden Plover is crouching down low on a short grassy golf course.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Part of a flock of 70 Barnacle Geese that flew south through Girdle Ness this afternoon, accompanied by a small group of Wigeon. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

A large number of Barnacle Geese are flying left to right over a rough, grey sea. A smaller group of Wigeon are at the bottom of the photo.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Delighted to get good views of the Sykes's Warbler at Girdle Ness today. I saw it only briefly yesterday morning, realised it was something significant but was unable to pin it down. Later, I scoped the bushes from home and got it on the house list🙃 #Birds #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK #PatchBirding

A Sykes's Warbler is perched on a thin branch among gorse and whitebeam.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

My morning trudge round Girdle Ness wasn't a total waste of time, as I found this lovely Rustic Bunting near the Battery. My first record here. #Birds #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK #PatchBirding #UKWildlife

A Rustic Bunting is standing on the short dewy grass of a golf course.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

A classic view of Knot is of huge flocks swirling over mudflats but at Girdle Ness we enjoy them in smaller numbers, often perching on shoreline rock outcrops that set off the juveniles' scalloped, peach-tinted charm. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

A juvenile Red Knot is standing on a dark rock outcrop, facing right.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

It's the time of year when Yellow-browed Warblers find their way to lonely coastal sycamores. This was one of two along the north side of Girdle Ness today. #Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #UKWildlife #SixStripedSprite

A Yellow-browed Warbler is perched on a horizontal twig, with its back to us and looking upwards. Some browning sycamore leaves are in the background.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

And surely Girdle Ness's latest ever - incredible scenes.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Surely finding Wood Sandpiper cements your legendary status?

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

All Godwits together, with a Bar-tailed Godwit joining a group of three Black-tailed Godwits as they flew south through Girdle Ness today. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

A group of three Black-tailed Godwits are joined by a Bar-tailed Godwit (bottom left) as they fly past a tower at the end of a concrete breakwater.

A Bar-tailed Godwit (bottom right) is flying left to right with three Black-tailed Godwits against a grey sky.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Ducks are moving through Girdle Ness at the moment, with this small group of Teal dropping in for a short time before continuing south. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

A group of four Teal are flying over a grey turbulent sea, next to a seaweed covered concrete pier.

A group of three Teal are coming in to land on a frothing, grey sea, among seaweed covered rocks.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The highlight of seawatching at Girdle Ness today was my first Black Tern of the year, but this 'close enough for record shots' Sooty Shearwater was just as enjoyable. Also, 2 Little Gulls, 4 Arctic Skuas, 2 Manx Shearwaters and a Great Skua. #Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #UKWildlife

A Sooty Shearwater is flying left to right against a grey, turbulent sea.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

A nice mix at Girdle Ness today: two Pale-bellied Brent Geese along the harbour shore, a juvenile Little Gull in the same area, a Lesser Whitethroat peering from the hawthorn, and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull in the south harbour. #Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #UKWildlife

Two Pale-bellied Brent Geese are swimming left to right in silvery waters.

A Pale-bellied Brent Goose is swimming amongst seaweed.

A Lesser Whitethroat is peering forwards through some leaves and twigs.

A juvenile Mediterranean Gull is standing on a pointed, seaweed covered rock with silver waters in the background.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

New Guinea is easily the hardest birding trip I've ever done. I must have lost a stone in weight there. Gruelling.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

The Gannets were really close in at Girdle Ness today. Always a pleasure. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife #Seabirds #SuperSeabirdSunday

A Gannet is flying against a dark blue sea. A flag on a buoy is visible.

A Gannet is flying against a dark blue sea.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Good luck! Might be a bit on the late side for local birds to still be around.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I wasn't really trying for migrants today so was pleased to find this Spotted Flycatcher lurking in a sheltered spot at St Fittick's Park. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

A Spotted Flycatcher is perched on a branch of a Whitebeam tree, facing forward.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The wind ran through Girdle Ness today and birds were seeking respite. A Whimbrel hunkered with Curlews on the rocks. A Ruff, my first of the year, and a Bar-tailed Godwit found the golf course meadow facsimile appealing. #Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #UKWildlife

A Whimbrel is standing on some seaweed covered rocks with three sleeping Curlew.

A Ruff is standing facing left, in the short grass of a golf course.

A Bar-tailed Godwit is walking over the short grass of a golf course.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

You can put 'Iberian' in front of three of them to make a distinct species or subspecies. Not sure about Tawny Owl though (although maybe Maghreb Tawny Owl)? Maybe the link is species or subspecies endemic to the west Mediterranean?

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

It's a bit colder and wetter than we expected but they do at least speak English and drive on the left.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

This juvenile Bar-tailed Godwit dropped into Greyhope Bay, Girdle Ness this evening. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

A Bar-tailed Godwit is standing on a seaweed covered rocky shore by a grey sea. It has its back to us and is looking left.

A Bar-tailed Godwit is standing on a seaweed covered rocky shore, facing right.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

I was pleased to see this male Stonechat on the wall of St Fittick's Church today, my first in the area for a while. Seasonal shifts were demonstrated by a few skeins of Pink-footed Geese overhead, while a late Swift flew south. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife #PatchBirding

A male Stonechat is perched on a grey stone wall with a pointed top. Some rosehips and leaves are in the foreground.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

The last one is an eclipse male Red-crested Pochard, which also appear behind the Tufted Duck. I saw lots of them when I was in Lucerne a few years ago.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

A tentative guess is that the first British record is from Orkney.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Thanks! Will have a think about it. Probably almost impossible to narrow it down to 10!

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

It felt like the first day of autumn at Girdle Ness in a strong southerly wind. Two Great Shearwaters went through, the second lingering to feed for 20 minutes. Also, 15 Sooty Shearwaters, 42 Manx Shearwaters, 11 Arctic Skuas, 5 Great Skuas. #Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #Seabirds

A rocky, shingly shoreline alongside a grey sea. The sky is a mix of grey and white clouds. A grassy bank is in the foreground.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

There seemed to be a few Buzzards wandering about today, including this juvenile over St Fittick's Park. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

A Buzzard is soaring with wings outstretched against a grey sky.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

A Common Blue butterfly today at St Fittick's Park. This is one of the only butterflies that seems to have declined locally in recent years. Interestingly, this week I saw my first ever Holly Blue in the area, a species spreading north. #Butterflies #UKWildlife

A Common Blue butterfly is standing on a down covered flower head.

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Reposted by Andrew Whitehouse

Damien Droney @ddroney.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

My colleague Nimisha Thakur and I wrote a piece for the Society for Cultural Anthropology website. Check it out if you've ever been curious about using digital apps like iNaturalist or Merlin Bird ID in the classroom. We have lesson plans for you! www.culanth.org/fieldsights/...

A world map, with pixelated dots. The dots in North America are orange while the dots in Europe are purple.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

My old friend Caspian Gull Y-OT was back on the breakwater at Girdle Ness this afternoon, having gone missing for a few weeks. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

A juvenile Caspian Gull is standing on a concrete breakwater covered in copious bird droppings. It has a yellow leg ring with the letters 'OT' on it.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Gathering Kittiwakes are definitely a late summer feature here, although numbers have been lower in recent years. The allotments are one of the classic migrant spots at Girdle Ness.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Kittiwakes are gathering in good numbers on the harbour breakwater at Girdle Ness. A Redstart in the allotments lingered from the weekend's migrant arrivals. #Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

Lots of Kittiwakes are standing on a concrete breakwater, with grey seas behind. Most are preening.

A female Redstart is perched in the midst of a bush with flowers in the foreground.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Definitely a mega. My second record in the last thirteen years, although the other one was two years ago. Think @inchgarthbirding.bsky.social had one last year so that's three years in a row. Maybe they're making a comeback!

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

There were a few migrants at Girdle Ness today, including a briefly seen Barred Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, and a Spotted Flycatcher. This Pied Flycatcher was the only one that I got half decent photos of though. #Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding

A Pied Flycatcher is perched on a barbed wire fence, with flowers and grass in the background.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

A stripy juvenile Great Crested Grebe was a surprise on the sea off Girdle Ness this afternoon. A less than annual species here these days. #Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding

A stripy juvenile Great Crested Grebe is swimming on a grey sea.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Probably the best photos of Marsh Harrier ever taken at Girdle Ness, not because they're any good but because this seems to be the first record for the area. It flew south along the coast this morning. #Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #UKWildlife

A brown Marsh Harrier is flying left to right against a grey sky.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Sorry to hear you missed the phalaropes. I did indeed stay at Tsunami's house, which was quite an interesting experience. Ian MacKaye came round. I enjoyed listening to this programme, so thanks for recommending. Interesting to hear about the musical influences moving across the Atlantic.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Thanks! Will have a listen. Hope you saw the phalaropes too.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

I was pleased to see Caspian Gull Y O-T again yesterday. After heading out to sea to feed, it returned to the breakwater at Girdle Ness where it was viewed by an appreciative audience.

A juvenile Caspian Gull is standing on the edge of a concrete breakwater. It's surrounded by Herring Gulls of various ages with some Cormorants in the background.

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Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Happy to say that Dutch ringers have confirmed that the parents of this bird are both pure Caspian Gulls. Only the second site record and there are still just a handful of accepted sightings from northeast Scotland. #Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding

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