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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

A pleasant evening session working through the waders on the rising tide. #Achnahaird #Waders #Highlandbirds

Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Always a distant speck amongst the waves but another quality seabird from the ferry- a Leach's petrel. #Highlandbirds #Seabirds #TheMinch

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Long-tailed Skua in the Minch- a scarce bird in the west and my first sighting of this species since 2019. #Highlandbirds #Seabirds #TheMinch

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Quiet in the Minch today- No Sooties, 3 Manx, 5 Arctic skua, 1 Minke- but it only takes one bird to make my day so I was delighted to pick up a single Great Shearwater on the return sailing with the bird heading NW. Always distant but a super bird. #Highlandbirds #seabirds #TheMinch

Great shearwater heading NW through the Minch, Highland Scotland

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Some fine weather at last gave me the opportunity to enjoy some Red Kite action in good light conditions. #Highlandbirds

Red Kite with wing tag on the right wing.

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Day return on the Ullapool-Stornoway ferry: 15 Sooty shears, 10 Manx, 7 Arctic skua and one Storm petrel the best. Several flying Minke whales enjoying the blustery, white water conditions on my return. #TheMinch #CetaceansUK #Seabirds #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

First person to grip me off with eclipse photos is getting unfollowed 😁😉🤦‍♂️🙄 #Ullapool #Solareclipse

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Quite possibly the last Swift I will see this year as they move off south in droves. #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

1st day return pelagic this autumn on the Ullapool- Stornoway crossing: Circa 10 Minkes, 8-10 Risso's Dolphins, c120 Common Dolphins, 1 Storm petrel, 5 Sooty shears, 1 Pom skua, 5 Arctic skuas. #Highlandbirds #Cetaceans #Seabirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

That peachy birding moment when a distant soaring raptor comes ever closer and lower and you realise it's a cracking Honey Buzzard! #Highlandbirds

A high and distant soaring Honey Buzzard.

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

I rarely botanise - mostly due to looking at birds but I saw my first Scottish Primrose this week. I had no idea they are so wee. Grass of Parnassus was also a good find. #wildflower #Scotland

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Hardly been any suitable weather for #Butterflies for weeks, so it was nice to see my first of the year Small PB Fritillaries on the wing today.

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Crested Tit- lovely wee birds and full of character. #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Wonderfully cryptic Ringed Plover chick- my eyes and the camera struggled to focus on it. #Waders #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

The moment you feel that you are part of the menu. #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Totally cream crackered driving home today so took an hour out to sit in the sun and watch the world fly past. #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

Golden Plover - very handsome birds (Chick photo through windscreen so no photo awards incoming 😁). #Highlandbirds #Waders

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Driving home today took me past the Brora Woodchat Shrike- it would have been rude not to! Only my second in Highland. A super bird found by a visiting birder. Many thanks to @deanmacaskill.bsky.social for getting me onto the bird with ease- there was a lot of habitat to cover! #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Harsh light and heat haze but I saw my first ever LRP in Highland today- scarce birds up here and a long overdue county tick. #Waders #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

I always enjoy hearing calling Whimbrel on passage. #Highlandbirds #Waders

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

Nice to have a few more migrants showing up on the patch. #Ullapool #Highlandbirds

House Martin collecting mud for nest building.

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Wonderful encounter with this confiding Mountain hare earlier today. #Mammals #ScottishHighlands

Mountain hare slowly moulting out its' winter coat

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

A couple of upland beauties showing well in fine conditions. #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Still very cold in the hills but nice to see some waders slowly returning to the uplands- plus a bonus Mountain hare still in a winter coat. #Highlandbirds #Waders #Mammals

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Last few days has seen arrivals of Ospreys with a few Wheatears and 1 singing Willow Warbler. Today I also saw 3 Common Sandpipers and several Sandwich Terns. Plenty of Pinkfeet are still loitering in the cold, damp conditions. Spring continues to arrive with a whimper. #Highlandbirds

A fishing Osprey- recently returned to the Scottish Highlands.

Common Sandpiper- a migrant recently returned from a more southerly location.

Pink footed Geese- grazing before heading further North on their annual migration.

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

Harsh winter birding conditions continue in the NW Highlands. A couple of LBBG's, a few Meadow pipits and Pied wagtails the only birds obviously fresh in. Checked through the flock of c50 Common Eiders and can report #NoKings - IYKYK. 😉 #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

Family visit in Cornwall so a chance to visit an old patch. Great to see Firecrests on/setting up territory with several males chasing each other around and giving occasional bursts of song whilst watched by two females. #Cornwallbirds #Kernow #Helston

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

Decided to do a count of the Scaup flock (80) at Alturlie bay near Inverness with @almcnee52.bsky.social and noticed a Great Crested grebe amongst them- still a good, scarce bird up here. #Highlandbirds

Great Crested Grebe (left of picture) with Scaup in the inner Moray Firth.

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

Distant grubby photo of my first Egyptian goose in Scotland. Bonus Marsh Harrier in baltic, breezy conditions and a superb adult drake Smew made for a good birding day. #BirdingScotland

Marsh Harrier hunting in breezy conditions.

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

In the gloaming but still a lovely bird on the patch. #Highlandbirds #Ullapool

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Context is everything in birding- I barely broke my stride observing 4 White-tailed Eagles today- then frantically grabbed my camera for this Magpie- still a very scarce bird in the NW Highlands and a real treat to see one! #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

Low light, distant photo that doesn't do the Gairloch Bonaparte's gull justice. (My first in the Highland recording area). Scope views were fine, with a bonus Iceland gull in the melee. With @skyebirdsbob.bsky.social #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

4th consecutive day of birding the frozen patch - few birds as expected with only a year total of 45 Spp. including Great northern diver, drake Goosander and a Black guillemot- pleasant enough for yomping about in the snow between blizzards though 🥶. #Ullapool #Lochbroom #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Nice scope views of a Ross's goose this morning amongst the Pinkies and a few Barnies. #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

Cold n dry- so perfect for a long walk. Fly past, year tick Kingfisher my bird of the day, plus a festive, assumed plastic, Mandarin🍊 #Highlandbirds #Garve

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

East coast birding in beautiful light. Couldn't locate the Black Scoter amongst the Common scoter flock but enjoyed lovely scope views of King Eider, two Surf Scoters, 4 Velvet Scoters, Scaup, Slav grebes, Long-tailed ducks and a bonus Great white Egret at Loch Eye. #Dornoch #Embo #Highlandbirds

High tide roost consisting of Dunlin (mostly) and a few Purple Sandpipers and Ringed Plover.

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

Out in a wee boat trying to collect whale DNA- no success but great to see the Kittiwakes and Herring gulls getting photobombed by a Humpback and a Minke! 😄 #Ullapool #Highlandbirds #CetaceansUK

Humpback whale lunge feeding under Kittiwakes

Minke whale lunge feeding - probably on Sprats or juvenile Herring

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Lovely conditions for checking high tide gull roosts but no sign of the adult Med gull. Had to console myself with lovely views of the Humpback whale instead 😁 #Ullapool #Highlandbirds #CetaceansUK

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

Braved the gale for distant, low light views of the Humpback whale showing off the village. Also views of what could be a female/ immature LF Pilot whale? - A rather bulky cetacean swimming ahead of the Common Dolphins. #CetaceansUK #LochBroom #Ullapool

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 07/12/2025

Part of the flock of 196 Barnacle geese on the coast near Gruinard Island and a twilight feeding frenzy of gulls on Loch Broom. #Mungasdale #LochBroom #Highlandbirds

Barnacle geese at Mungasdale, NW Scottish Highlands.

Mixed flock of Herring, Common and Black-headed gulls in a feeding frenzy.

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

The local Med gull remains wary, always distant and uncooperative with regard to photo opportunities, but it's a lovely bird and very welcome up here. #Gulls #Ardmair #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

'Winter' warblers on the patch are very few and far between so even a Chiffchaff is welcome. #Highlandbirds #Ullapool

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

Birding in the Cairgorm National Park - Common Crossbills, Crested tits, distant Ptarmigan - and a not so distant Capercaillie! #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

East coast birding with @almcnee52.bsky.social @skyebirdsbob.bsky.social & @deanmacaskill.bsky.social 7 little Gulls, Velvet Scoter & showy Purps. at Brora, 2 late Arctic Skuas at Embo, GW teal and four Slavs at Tain the best, plus LTD, GND and RTD's - all in gorgeous weather. #Highlandbirds

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Andy Williams @pelagicbirder.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

Daily graft on my local patches for a couple of chiffchaffs and a couple of Blackcaps. A chance to enjoy the local birds. #Highlandbirds #Ullapool #Ardmair

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