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George Gay

@georgenorthron.bsky.social
962 followers 105 following 64 posts

30- Principal Ornithological Warden at North Ronaldsay Bird Obs, Bristol City fan.

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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
A good few days of finds for me, this smart Baird’s Sand on Sandsheen was my personal highlight, but a Red-throated Pipit at Westness was a close second! #OrkneyBirding
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Steve Dudley @stevedudley.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Orkney Bird Report 2025 - out now! As well as the usual species accounts we have @northronbirdobs.bsky.social report, articles and a full list of birds recorded in Orkney (as at 31 Dec 2025) - see contents page image attached for full details and how to order a copy via Jim Williams. #OrkneyBirds
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater becomes my 300th island bird after dropping back to 296 with the AviList update! What a bird to do it with! Was a nice surprise to see it hunting for bees as we drove past the fence at Burray! Not where Id of predicted it’d turn up! #OrkneyBirding
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North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory @northronbirdobs.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
@maddyhine.bsky.social with the 200th Tystie ringed this season! #OrkneyBirding #BTO #Ringing
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
A nice little video of the bird just before it went into roost. #OrkneyBirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
A brilliant day trip twitch to Papa Westray for the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. Bonus Reed Warbler in a geo that @papaybirder.bsky.social was telling us he never sees anything in (apart from a Greenish), the Reed got a good laugh when it popped out! Massive thank you to all the Papay community
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
@gavnorthron.bsky.social in at the back post with a late spring (it might be summer) mega with this very smart Oriental Turtle Dove (ssp. meena) at Westness #OrkneyBirding
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North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory @northronbirdobs.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
The newly ploughed observatory crop has played host to a colour-ringed Knot in the past few days. Initially seen in poor weather and post submission we discovered it’s also carrying a geo-locator from @globalflyway.bsky.social you can follow Arenicola’s progress on the globalflyways network website
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
The three Dotterels remain at Sandar for their 13th day. Showing very well despite occasionally disappearing. #OrkneyBirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Bright and blustery days are often unproductive on North Ron but today proved the total opposite! A very smart Subalpine Warbler in Ancum just before lunchtime was joined on the yearlist by three Dotterel in the afternoon at Sandar.
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
A quick trip to Filey with @maddyhine.bsky.social for the Eastern Black Redstart. Very nice indeed
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
King Eider still at Dornoch after we were fogged off on Christmas Eve. Still two Surf Scoter but no sign of Black Scoter sadly. #HighlandBirding #Ukbirding #KingEider #BoxingDayBirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
Warra week. Black-throated Thrush and Sibe Rubythroat! #OrkneyBirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
Always nice to find a Red-breasted Flycatcher, this bird appeared to drop onto a wall and feed in the garden at Dennishill. #OrkneyBirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
Another day, another bird. This Black-headed Bunting found by @maddyhine.bsky.social is our 9th island record and first since 2012. Needless to say, another island tick! #OrkneyBirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
A bit of video of todays White-rumped Sandpiper on Sandsheen. First on here since two birds in 2015. Amazed it was able to predate the Great Black-backed Gull, or thats what I assume from the evidence 🫣 #OrkneyBirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
Always good to see Curlew Sandpipers, this bird was one of four on Bewan today. #OrkneyBirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
Some great birding today, with plenty of migrants making landfall throughout the day. Personal highlights included 2 Barred Warblers, 2 Rosefinch, a Wryneck, Black and Common Redstart, 7 Garden Warblers and nearly 20 Willow Warblers! Four Convolvulus Hawkmoth and two Bat sp in the evening at nets.
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
Another Long-tailed Skua summer? Yes please!
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
Bonaparte’s Gull at Bewan today, it certainly made the blow of missing a very brief American Wigeon land a bit softer. Both would be island ticks so 1 out of 2 isn’t bad. Now on 295 for the island! #OrkneyBirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 08/06/2025
Some good birds caught over the last few days. Obvious highlight was the Eastern Subalp but Crossbill and some Curlew chicks a close second. #OrkneyBirding #Ringing
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
Costa del North Ronaldsay strikes again! Black Kite today, Little Ringed Plover yesterday and a Glossy Ibis Tuesday. Not the usual mix for the Northern Isles.
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
Who doesn’t love a contextually significant rubbish bird. A nice pair of Mandarin on Gretchen this morning, only the second time I’ve seen Mandarin in North Ronaldsay #OrkneyBirding #NotPlasticStillFantastic
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 16/03/2025
Some highly enjoyable but very cold birding in Finland and Norway with @heatherleabirds.bsky.social in the past 48hrs!
Siberian TitSiberian JayPine GrosbeakSteller’s Eider
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 17/02/2025
A few processed pics from mine and @maddyhine.bsky.social week on Fuerteventura. African Houbara an obvious highlight but Eastern Yellow Wag and African Blue Tit were great too. Common Sand on a Hippo (at the zoo 🙈) was good fun.
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
A few days in Kruger NP post flock to marion has treated us well! Leopard at death today, Ground Hornbill both today and yesterday, Lions yesterday and Elephants seemingly everywhere!
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 26/01/2025
A very long but very enjoyable day of birding on board the Flock to Marion ship. Wandering Albatrosses, Sooty Albatrosses, White-chinned Petrels and another Barau’s Petrel! #FlocktoMarion #BirdingSouthAfrica #BirdLifeSouthAfrica
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
Day two: Burchell’s Coursers just outside Piketberg in lovely evening light was the highlight of the day…. although Ostriches were pretty good too, even when photographed through windscreen. #birdingsouthafrica
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 12/01/2025
African Penguins, Orange-bellied Sunbirds and Cape Sugarbird the highlights from a great first day in South Africa. #birds #birdingsouthafrica
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North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory @northronbirdobs.bsky.social · 01/01/2025
Happy New Year from all of us at NRBO. We’re looking forward to seeing you in 2025!
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
Some fun with Ptarmigan this afternoon. Never get tired of Snow Chickens! #ScottishBirds
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Maddy Hine @maddyhine.bsky.social · 07/12/2024
What a year it has been @northronbirdobs.bsky.social ! Personal highlights include Ortolan Bunting, Great Snipe, Black-faced Bunting, Long-tailed Skua, Stone-curlew (island mega!), and a pterdroma now in the hands of the BBRC powers that be as a Zino’s Petrel! #UKbirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
Thats me and Maddy off island for 2024! Its been an incredible season but now time for some down time and extra curricular birding 😅
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North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory @northronbirdobs.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
The 2024 season is coming to a close! Its been an incredible year of birds. It appears we may have beaten last years yearlist total, but still need to wait on various rarities making the grade! A big thank you from me, Maddy and Alison to all the volunteers and guests this year!
Eyebrowed ThrushLanceolated Warbler Brown ShrikeBooted Warbler
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 08/11/2024
Not the November bird I had mind, but the first Brown Booby for Orkney was a very welcome find after a dry spell. Not quite as smart as yesterdays Eyebrowed Thrush, Craig seems to attract bright orange birds! #scottishbirds #OrkneyBirds #UKbirding @northronbirdobs.bsky.social
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 22/10/2024
All the lovely habitat we have here on the island and the Black-faced Bunting chooses a cattle pen full of litter… #scottishbirding #orkneybirds @northronbirdobs.bsky.social
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 17/10/2024
Born in the USA. This very obliging American Robin was a first for the island this afternoon, not what we thought the easterly winds had in store for us! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 #UKbirding #scottishbirds #orkney #birds
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 03/10/2024
A locustella double of the highest order! Lancey and Pallas’s Gropper in the same day 😍 #scottishbirding #ukbirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 28/09/2024
Everyone down to Brown (shrike) town! #ukbirding #scottishbirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 20/09/2024
I was late getting to the moth trap this morning, good things come to those who are late apparently! North Ronaldsay’s first Death’s-head Hawkmoth! #UKmoths
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 09/09/2024
Booted Warbler enjoying the last of the afternoon sun. Seriously underrated birds
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 08/09/2024
A great couple of days of birding here! RB Fly found by Maddy, a smart male Bluethroat and this Booted Warbler found by @cgunnnat.bsky.social this morning.
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 07/09/2024
This Dusky Warbler was a wholly unexpected find this morning while showing new volunteer @cgunnnat.bsky.social around D. Im told the earliest Autumn record by some distance!
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 25/08/2024
Moth traps have been an unmitigated disaster this year so far! Not sure we’ve ever had so few trapping nights! That said Double Dart is a first for the island so it’s not all bad!
White-line DartDouble-Dart
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 07/08/2024
Cracking White-winged Black Tern on Gretchen this morning! Only the fourth island record and the first juvenile.
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 27/04/2024
I seem to be doing alright for birds of prey this year, surprised and quite chuffed to find this Pallid Harrier as it disappeared off north! #NRBO #orkneybirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 09/04/2024
A good day in the field yesterday, immature White-tailed Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Arctic Tern and two Iceland Gulls were all new for the island year list putting us on a healthy 125. This Sparrowhawk was a retrap from last April! #NRBO #OrkneyBirding
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 23/03/2024
Good few days guiding around the Highlands, nice to catch up with the Green-winged Teal at Tain and see a few birds I otherwise don’t get to see!
Green-winged Teal asleep on a rock
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 10/03/2024
Back on North Ron now and its been fairly sluggish start but Stock Dove, White-fronted Goose and a few other regulars have got the island year list off to a strong start. 227 to beat! #ornithology #lowcarbonbirding #birds #orkney
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George Gay @georgenorthron.bsky.social · 10/03/2024
Early this year I did a little trip to Sweden, it was a bit cold and the first few days were hard work for little reward, the last three days however were amazing and we were rewarded with Hawk Owl, Pygmy Owl and Ural Owl. Not to mention the mental Long-tailed Tits! #sweden #ornithology #birds
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