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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Six Yellow-browed Warblers today (5 at John O’Groats, 1 at Noss Head). Garden Warbler, Whinchat and Ruff were #PWC2026 ticks #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Richard’s Pipit, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers and a Redstart were the best of a wet and windy day at John O’Groats today #PWC2026 #CaithnessBirds

Common Redstart - probably a 1st winter male with a pale wing panel.

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Reposted by Rob Hughes

Nina O'Hanlon @ninaohanlon.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

A few weekends ago we had an amazing trip to Ouessant, birding and cycling in the sun - and so easy to get to by train and ferry! A little early in the autumn but still some great birds ➜ ebird.org/tripreport/5... @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social

A Wryneck standing in the middle of a brown dirt path with its back to the camera

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Smart Long-tailed Duck in Freswick Bay this afternoon #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Hummingbird Hawk-moth at Nybster this morning. Just the second I’ve seen in Caithness.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth feeding on Red Campion

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Red-backed Shrike at John O’Groats this morning. Glad I stopped as we nearly cycled past it #CaithnessBirds #PWC2026

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

White-billed Diver still at John O’Groats this morning and added to my #PWC2026 list #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Cracking American Wigeon at St John’s Pool this morning found by J. Smith #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Garganey at Loch of Mey this morning. Terrible photo but being just about annual, it was worth trying a photo #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Smart, dark mantled 'intermedius' looking Lesser Black-backed Gull at John O'Groats this morning with the 'graellsii's' #CaithnessBirds #PatchBirding

Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull in a ploughed field.

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

170 breeding plumage Dunlin in Dunnet Bay this afternoon (including a colour ringed bird), though just one non-breeding plumaged bird with a longer bill and chunkier body. Wonder where that one is off to! #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Pallid Harrier added to the house list, thanks to @ninaohanlon.bsky.social Hot on the heels of Purple Heron last week #PWC2026 #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Amazing views of Spanish Eagles in Portugal last week! #BirdingPortugal

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Smart dark faced, white collared, and heavily streaked Merlin (presumably a 2cy) landed briefly at Nybster this morning #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

8 Euro White-fronted Geese near our house today plus a nice Green-winged Teal on Loch of Wester #PWC2026 #CaithnessBirds

Two European White-fronted Geese with a Greylag Goose

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Looks like a Juv Kumlien’s Gull in Dunnet Bay this morning with @ninaohanlon.bsky.social #CaithnessBirds

Kumlien’s Gull on the sea with Herring Gulls, Common Gulls and an Oystercatcher

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

White-billed Diver showing very well at Gill’s Bay this afternoon with @ninaohanlon.bsky.social Nice find by A. Branch #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 08/02/2026

Three Euro White-fronted Geese at Huna this afternoon. Nice #PWC2026 birds #CaithnessBirds

Three White-fronted Geese in a mixed Greylag and Pink-footed Goose flock

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Third juvenile Iceland Gull from our house in two days. Today’s was a particularly dark individual #PWC2026 #CaithnessBirds

Juvenile Iceland Gull flying over a choppy sea.

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

Was watching two Humpback Whales cruise up the coast from our house, when a pod of Orca went through between the Whales and land this morning @ninaohanlon.bsky.social

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Juv Iceland Gull and three Little Gulls in Freswick Bay at lunchtime today #PWC2026 #CaithnessBirds

Adult Little Gull in flight over the sea

Juvenile Iceland Gull lifting off the sea

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

After an absence last year, White-tailed Eagle flying past our house was a welcome #PWC2026 tick #CaithnessBirds with @ninaohanlon.bsky.social

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

Lovely to see the Bufflehead at Foryd Bay this morning whilst back for the holidays. Great company and nice to catch up with a few N.Wales birders #birdingWales

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

The Taiga Bean Goose at Loch Heilen was ringed in E. Finland in July 2020. Usually wintering in S. Sweden, it was sighted in Norway (26th Sept) before Caithness. Full details can be found here submit.cr-birding.org/animals/1417... #CaithnessBirds

Red neck collared Taiga Bean Goose in a field

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 07/12/2025

16 Taiga Bean Geese at Loch Heilen on my @webs-gsmp.bsky.social count today. One of which looks to have been neck collared in Finland! Will share its history when it comes through #CaithnessBirds

Taiga Bean Goose flock standing in a field

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

Spotted a fin whilst making a cup of tea from our house this afternoon. They made a kill too! @ninaohanlon.bsky.social

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Reposted by Rob Hughes

Nick Littlewood @blackdogbirder.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Another brilliant Flow Country Research Conference. Big 🏆 for Roxane and team at UHI Thurso. Great to see @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social's PhD crammed into 30 mins. Loved the Icelandic word for Meadow Pipit and check out those German bog restoration lagoons. @theflowcountry.bsky.social

Roxane Andersen in front of screen showing conference welcome slide.

Rob Hughes in front of screen with photo of a female Common Scoter.

Slide showing trends in birds at sites in Iceland, featuring Icelandic bird names

Slide showing bog restoration in Germany, including grids of rectangular flooded cells.

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Reposted by Rob Hughes

Nina O'Hanlon @ninaohanlon.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

Gorgeous Firecrest at John O'Groats this morning 🧡 🔥 #CaithnessBirds 📸 @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social

Firecrest looking at the camera in the centre of the image, surrounded my pine tree branches

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

This Treecreeper at John O’Groats this morning was #PWC2025 #patchgold Looked a bit frosty in the dull light #CaithnessBirds

Treecreeper head coming around a tree trunk

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

Nicely marked Ring Ouzel at John O’Groats football pitch this morning. Also Hawfinch, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, 2 Siberian Chiffchaffs, Woodcock and 3 Crossbills. Quite a few commoner migrants too #CaithnessBirds #PWC2025

Ring Ouzel in the sun on a football pitch

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

Three Bonaparte’s Gulls still in Dunnet Bay today, also a new Ring-necked Duck on Wester Loch #CaithnessBirds

1st winter Bonaparte’s Gull flying over the sea

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 12/10/2025

We had three Bonaparte’s Gulls (ad and two 1st w’s) in Dunnet Bay this morning!!! Also a Juv Sabine’s Gull, Juv Little Gull, 1st w Mediterranean Gull and a Curlew Sandpiper with @ninaohanlon.bsky.social #CaithnessBirds

Bonaparte’s Gull flying over a Black-headed Gull

Bonaparte’s Gull in flight with a Black-headed Gull

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

Woodpigeon and its chick managed to cling on through Storm Amy, in Wick #CaithnessBirds

Woodpigeon on a nest with its chick popping its head up

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Red-breasted Flycatcher still around, near John O’Groats this morning #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

Red-flanked Bluetail, Red-breasted Flycatcher, 2 Yellow-browed Warbler and a Long-eared Owl from a quick run around JOG this morning, though nothing at Freswick or Noss #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Glossy Ibis flew down the Wick river this morning and landed near the just outside town. 10th record for Caithness. Also prob American Wigeon, Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper on the river #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Coal Tit in John O’Groats quarry is a good sign of birds being on the move. Fresh in this morning, occasionally sticking its crest up #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Leach’s Petrel and Black Tern still in Dunnet Bay this morning #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

Terrible photo of a Wryneck at John O’Groats this morning but a useful #PWC2025 tick with @ninaohanlon.bsky.social #CaithnessBirds

Blurry photo of a Wryneck in flight, in a quarry

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

Back from a relaxing 9 days on Shetland Mainland (and Mousa) with @ninaohanlon.bsky.social Nice bumping into the odd scarce migrant as well as quite a few Pied Flycatchers and Garden Warblers ebird.org/tripreport/4...

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Reposted by Rob Hughes

Nina O'Hanlon @ninaohanlon.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Whoop 🎉 @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social submitting his PhD thesis after 3.5 years 🦆 Much more chilled than I was, and he has already published most of it 🌟

Bearded guy happily looking at his computer

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

Amazing views of the hawking Black-winged Pratincole at Brawlbin this afternoon. Great find by @anguscroudace.bsky.social #CaithnessBirds

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

Juv Curlew Sandpiper on Freswick beach this morning #CaithnessBirds

Curlew Sandpiper on a beach with some Dunlin

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 23/08/2025

That’s Fea’s type Petrel, Barolo type Shearwater and Cory’s Shearwater past our house in the last 7 days. All from the same archipelago perhaps? Madeira or Azores maybe. #CaithnessBirds #PWC2025

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

Fea’s type Petrel flew north past Nybster at 17:50, just three days after a Barolo’s type Shearwater went through, with @ninaohanlon.bsky.social #CaithnessBirds #PWC2025

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Reposted by Rob Hughes

Graham Appleton @wadertales.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

Restoring peatland to capture carbon and provide breeding habitat for Dunlin and Golden Plover. When do the waders return and how can you speed things up? WaderTales blog #149, based on paper by @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social and Chris Bingham: wadertales.wordpress.com/2025/08/16/p... #ornithology

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Cracking ‘blue’ Fulmar off Nybster this evening #CaithnessBirds

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Reposted by Rob Hughes

RSPB Science @rspbscience.bsky.social · 27/07/2025

Its #BogDay! Let's celebrate by getting BOGged down in some papers 😉 Peatlands are key to carbon storage and flood management, but in the UK, many are in poor condition Read on to hear about the nature benefits of bog restoration in Scotland’s Flow Country 🧪 🌍 📷 Ben Andrew

A single round leaved sundew plant (Drosera rotundifolia) sits in a bed of squishy looking moss.

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Rob Hughes @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social · 27/07/2025

Nice to see a migrant Red Kite whilst birding today along Sinclair’s Bay this morning #PWC2025 #CaithnessBirds

Red Kite flying along the coast being mobbed by Terns

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