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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

OPTICS DAY! Saturday 17 October | 10:30am - 3pm | Free event Save the date for our next optics day at Waterston House, Aberlady. As well as the usual wide range of binoculars, telescopes and tripods, there will also be thermal imagers to try out: www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/event/... #BirdingGear

Optics day poster with the text "Optics day! / Sat 17 October, 10:30am - 3pm / SOC Scotland's Bird Club with experts from Viking Optical and Thomas Jacks" and a photo of various optics including binoculars and telescopes laid out on tables and tripods for visitors to try as part of the optics demo.

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Alan Knox @alanknox.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

What's the point of a nest? Recent insights into this important and at times extraordinary part of birds' lives, by Dr Catherine Sheard, Aberdeen Uni. A talk to @scottishbirding.bsky.social next Mon 5 Oct @7:30, Duncan Rice Library, Bedford Rd, Aberdeen AB24 3AA All welcome. Small £ #scottishbirding

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BTO Scotland @btoscotland.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Have you seen a ringed Ptarmigan? Volunteer ringers from Tay and Grampian Ringing Groups are now fitting small colour rings (under license) to Ptarmigan in the hills of Perthshire and Aberdeenshire. 1/3 #BirdingScotland

A Ptarmigan in the hand, about to be released after being fitted with a uniquely coded ring. Image: Jacob Davies

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

SOC x MCS BEACH CLEAN Sunday 4 October | 2pm-3.30pm | Musselburgh Join our SOC x Marine Conservation Society (MCS) beach clean to help stop harmful litter from reaching the ocean & to assist in collecting vital data that MCS can use to bring about positive change for our seas tinyurl.com/yu38p44r

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

The Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme 2024 report has been published. Thanks to the efforts of 361 contributors, 5,975 records were received from raptor home ranges. The report summarising the results of the 2024 breeding season is available at raptormonitoring.org/annual-report #RaptorResearch

Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme Annual Report 2024 cover

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Most reports are stocked in our shop at Waterston House, Aberlady, so why not call in between 10am and 4:30pm Tuesday to Sunday to pick up your copy. For more information about bird reports, including how to buy postal copies, see: www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/local-...

the-soc.org.uk

Local Recorders' Network

The network of recording birds in Scotland (called the Local Recorders’ Network) was established by the SOC in 1968. The Club acts as the umbrella organisation for ornithological recording in Scotland...

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

New local bird reports - out now! It's been a busy few months for bird report editors with a number of new reports hot off the press, including: Lothian Bird Report 2023 Isle of May Bird Observatory Annual Report 2024 Dumfries and Galloway Bird Report 2024 Orkney Bird Report 2025

Lothian Bird Report 2023 cover featuring a photo of a Little Ringed Plover in flight

Dumfries and Galloway Bird Report 2024 cover featuring artwork of two Peregrines in flight

Isle of May Bird Observatory Annual Report 2024 cover featuring a photo of a Brambling

Orkney Bird Report 2025 cover featuring a photo of a Firecrest

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Steve Dudley @stevedudley.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

The Orkney Bird Report 2025 is out! 160pp inc accounts for all species recorded in 2025; accounts of county 2nd Franklin’s Gull and Rose-breasted Grosbeak; articles on phenology and Firecrests; also @northronbirdobs.bsky.social and Meteorological reports. £12. DM me for sales. #OrkneyBirding 1/2

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

That's brilliant and thank you so much for your support! We look forward to welcoming you along for what promises to be a fantastic and interesting evening! :)

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Annual Conference plans are in full swing and we're delighted to have added: a bird ringing demo; quiz hosted by Ian Thomson & screen printing demo to the day's line-up. See tinyurl.com/bd6jvp9f for programme and booking & join us for a day of talks, discussion & celebration of our wonderful birds!

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Delighted to share the latest projects to receive funding from SOC's Endowment Fund tinyurl.com/4aakkzhv. The Fund supports research that improves understanding of Scotland's birds & contributes to their conservation. Awards are made annually, thanks to income from membership, donations & legacies

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Will Smith @willjsmith.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Thanks @bou.org.uk for the opportunity to write a bit about our ongoing PIGEON SCIENCE 🕊️ including work funded by @btobirds.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social @britishbirds.bsky.social 🐦

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Woodland Trust Scotland @wtscotsocial.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

🐦‍⬛ A group from @scottishbirding.bsky.social Lothian branch encountered 25 species when they visited our #Pressmennan Wood on Saturday, including mandarin duck, moorhen, little grebe, nuthatch, tree creeper, bullfinch, house martin, long-tailed tit and yellowhammer.👏 Great to see you folks!🙂

A small brown duck with a white eye ring gliding near tall green reeds, its body and the reeds reflected in rippling green water.

Eurasian blue tit perched on a lichen-covered branch amid dense green foliage, facing slightly to the right.

Two geese glide across a calm pond near a dense leafy shoreline, their bodies and ripples reflected in the deep green water.

Group of smiling walkers gathered around a wooden "WELCOME • WOODLAND TRUST SCOTLAND • Pressmennan Wood" sign at the edge of a shaded forest, many holding binoculars, walking poles and packs after a nature walk.

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

A new Buzzard colour-ringing project has started in Central Scotland to better understand the local population and dispersal. The project is using red ring with a three letter code. If you spot a ringed bird, please report your sighting to buzzardcolourringing@gmail.com #ClydeBirding

Buzzard in flight viewed from below against a blue sky © Bob Hamilton

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RSPB Science @rspbscience.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Latest survey reveals that Dotterel have declined by 89% since monitoring began in 1987/88 Dotterel's resilience to climate change could be supported through limiting disturbance by people and dogs, and managing grazing Read a summary: www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen... 🪶 🧪 @naturescot.bsky.social

caption: Juvenile Dotterel

Alt text: Speckled wading bird standing on short grass, facing right against a soft pastel pink-and-lavender sky at dusk.

credit: RSPB / Ben Andrew

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

AYR SWIFT SURVEY | SOC Ayrshire Branch will be carrying out a survey of Swifts (and, hopefully, their nests) in Ayr town centre this coming Sunday 5 July. Meet at Horizon Hotel car park, off the Esplanade, at 8am & help record sightings of this declining species #SwiftAwarenessWeek #birdingscotland

Swift on the wing, copyright photographer Angus Hogg

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Alan Knox @alanknox.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Long-eared Owl and Tawny Owl last night in the forest in Aberdeenshire. Don't seem to be as many LEOs this year. #birdingscotland @scottishbirding.bsky.social @btoscotland.bsky.social @ukrbbp.bsky.social

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

** Last chance to apply** - Application deadline is tomorrow at 5pm!

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Ross @rossmc10.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Fabulous visit to the @scottishbirding.bsky.social centre in #Aberlady today. Stunning garden with unbelievable scent! Worth a visit. #EastLothian

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

SOC has a long-standing commitment to encouraging young people to take part in Conference, recognising the valuable networking and learning opportunities it provides.Thanks to SOC Lothian Branch & an anonymous donor, 15 subsidised Conference places are available tinyurl.com/ykjh7s67 #birdingscotland

tinyurl.com

Supporting young birdwatchers to attend the SOC’s Annual Conference

This year, the Club's Lothian Branch and an anonymous donor, are offering support to help young birder enthusiasts attend the SOC's Annual Conference. The Conference, which takes place on Saturday 3 O...

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Visited @speyside-wildlife.bsky.social on Friday with some friends I met at @btoscotland.bsky.social & @scottishbirding.bsky.social Bird Camp. We had amazing views of badger. #UKWildlife #NaturePhotography #Wildlife #Nature #Badgers

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

On Sat 20 June (10.30am-3.00pm), we'll be hosting an Optics Day, with Viking Optical, at SOC HQ, Aberlady. It's a great opportunity to test the latest models under field conditions & take advantage of free, expert, impartial advice to help you select the right equipment for you tinyurl.com/5ux2e282

Image of a range of optical equipment displayed at SOC Headquarters in Aberlady, in preparation for the Club's Optics Days event.

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

SOC Annual Conference, 3 Oct 2026, Musselburgh. Booking essential."Celebrating 90 Years of Scottish Birdwatcher's Contributions to Ornithology",explores the diverse ways birdwatchers contribute to Scottish ornithology, such as through ringing, recording, research, arts & birding tinyurl.com/bd6jvp9f

Osprey perching on a branch with fish © www.LaurieCampbell.com

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

This #VolunteersWeek we're celebrating the contributions of our extraordinary volunteers. From helping at Waterston House to running local branches, recording birds and editing publications, volunteers underpin everything we do. So a big ‘thank you’ to all our volunteers across the country!

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

To mark 90 years of SOC and raise funds for our charity, we've launched a new pin badge! The Peregrine was chosen in recognition of SOC’s role in the celebrated Glasgow Peregrine Project. Badges are £2 and available from SOC Headquarters, at Glasgow Peregrine Watches, or contact us to arrange p&p

Peregrine Falcon pin badge on backing card © Glasgow Peregrine Project

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

This is a great opportunity to coordinate the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme and work with scheme partners including SOC.

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

We have an Optics Loan Scheme! Open to members & non-members, the scheme offers the chance to borrow optical & acoustic monitoring kit from HQ: www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/gettin.... Why not try out binoculars, telescopes, a tripod or even an AudioMoth for your next birding trip? #opticsloanscheme

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BirdTrack @birdtrack.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

We've reached 100,000 registered users on BirdTrack! Thank you to everyone who has taken part. Data submitted to this partnership project allows us to look at migration, movements and distributions of birds throughout Britain and Ireland. Sign up to take part at www.birdtrack.net

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goodmovesjobs.bsky.social @goodmovesjobs.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

@scottishbirding.bsky.social is seeking a motivated and organised individual to join their team as Assistant Development Officer (ADO) tinyurl.com/2h97a9b5 £26,793 – £28,031 pro-rata Aberlady #charityjob

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

JOB OPPORTUNITY - Assistant Development Officer We're seeking an ADO to lead on our bird camp youth initiative, our winter talks programme and support our Scotland-wide network of local branches and volunteers. Details of the vacancy and how to apply can be found at goodmoves.org/vacancy/a4sP...

Photo of Waterston House and below is the text: "We're Hiring! / ASSISTANT DEVELOPMENT OFFICER / To apply by 10 May at 5pm and learn more about the position, visit the link in our bio!"

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Joanie McNaughton @joaniemcnaughton.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Looking forward to Hamza Yassin’s talk tonight, celebrating the SOC’s 90th anniversary, in Kirkcaldy. @scottishbirding.bsky.social

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

It's been a busy week for spring migrants with a flurry of Swallows, House Martins & Willow Warblers, as well as the first records of returning Swifts, Tree Pipits, Yellow Wagtails, Sedge Warblers & Pied Flycatchers. Keep up to date with all the spring arrivals at www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/spring...

House Martin (small dark blue bird with a forked tail and white rump and underparts) in flight with some mud that it has collected in its bill. There is some mud and wetland vegetation in the background. © John N Chapman

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Where to Watch Birds in Scotland launched on this day in 2019 With 1.75 million site views since then, our free app helps beginner & experienced birders alike discover the best places to see birds across Scotland. If you haven't downloaded it yet, you can do so here www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/app

A hand holding a phone displaying the Where to Watch Birds in Scotland app. Aberlady Bay (one of the sites featured in the app) can be seen in the background. It has a grassy/saltmarsh edge and the bay beyond is filled with water at high tide with a wooden bridge crossing it.

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

To mark our 90th anniversary and raise vital funds for the charity, we've collaborated with artist Chris Rose #swla to produce an exclusive SOC limited edition print of his popular Crested Tit painting. Only 100 Crested Tit prints have been produced. Now available at £120 (+p&p) tinyurl.com/2r4apt58

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Fair Isle Bird Observatory @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

We are pleased to announce that copies of ‘The Birds of Fair Isle’ are now on sale at The SOC, Waterston House, Aberlady, East Lothian at £85. @scottishbirding.bsky.social

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Alan Knox @alanknox.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

Monday 7:30: Dr Mark Bolton talking about the changing fortunes of Scotland's 2 small breeding petrels. @scottishbirding.bsky.social MR1 in University Library, Bedford Road, Aberdeen AB24 3AA. All welcome. #petrelheads Added Bonus: (brief) branch AGM!!

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

Anyone can take part, no matter your level of bird knowledge. All you need to do is keep an eye out for broods of Mallard ducklings this spring and take a note of how many you saw, when, where and their approximate age. Find out more and submit your sightings at citsci.org/projects/ducklingwatch

Four Mallard ducklings swimming © Bob Hamilton

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

DucklingWatch The DucklingWatch citizen science project, led by Hannah Coburn at the University of Essex, returns for its second year. Submitting your records of Mallard ducklings will help improve understanding of duckling survival rates and drivers of population trends.

DucklingWatch poster. The information displayed on the poster can be found at citsci.org/projects/ducklingwatch

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Alister Clunas @alcatorda.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

Make your records count by submittimg them on @birdtrack.bsky.social

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

LAST CHANCE TO APPLY! SOC/BTO Scottish Bird Camp applications close at 11:59pm on Sunday 29th March. Open to young people aged 12-16, Camp is a fully-funded, unforgettable weekend celebrating Scotland's magnificent birdlife on the Isle of Colonsay! Apply now at www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/event/...

Photo of Colonsay's coastline and cliffs with BTO and SOC logos and the text "Scottish Bird Camp / Application deadline Sunday 29th March at 11:59pm". Photo © Steve Willis

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

The latest addition to our Spring Migrants Table is the first Swallow of the year; a single bird seen at Auchenmalg Bay in Dumfries and Galloway on 17th March. You can view the full table and sign up for updates at www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/spring...

Swallow (small bird predominantly white below with a blue head, red throat and a long forked tail) in flight photographed from below against a blue sky with some white cloud. © Angus Hogg

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

New local bird reports out now: Angus & Dundee 2020 Arran 2025 North-East Scotland 2024 These reports are filled with detailed records of their area's birdlife, interesting birding articles and stunning photos. For more info on how to get hold of copies, see: www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/local-...

Angus & Dundee Bird Report 2020 cover featuring a photo of a Rose-coloured Starling

Arran Bird Report 2025 cover featuring a photo of a colour-ringed Whimbrel (yellow flag A2)

North-East Scotland Bird Report + 2024 cover featuring a photo of a Bufflehead

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

SOC/BTO SCOTTISH BIRD CAMP Q&A Thursday 19th March | 6:30pm | Free | Booking essential Interested in bird camp but have questions before you apply? Join us for an informal Q&A session on Zoom to learn more about camp & ask any questions you may have. Book at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1982434183...

Photos of the Colonsay coastline showing sea and cliffs with the text 'Scottish Bird Camp Q&A / Thursday 19th March 6:30pm - 7:30pm Free online event Booking essential

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

When you're out birding this spring, don't forget to add your sightings to @birdtrack.bsky.social to help keep track of our spring migrants. You can view the full Spring Migrants Arrivals Table and sign up to the mailing list to hear about new arrivals at www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/spring...

Male Wheatear on a dry stane dyke © Bob Hamilton

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

Reports of Chiffchaff and Sand Martin have continued to increase, with Chiffchaff now appearing to be widespread. A Sand Martin in North-East Scotland on 4th March and another in Highland on 6th March were the earliest ever records for their respective recording areas.

Sand Martin (small bird brown above and pale below) in flight © Richard Whitson

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

Spring migrants update Arrivals have been gathering pace over the last week, with the first returning Wheatears, Sandwich Terns and Manx Shearwaters being sighted. In Highland, a pair of Ospreys have made a remarkably early return to their nest site.

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

When you're out birding this spring, don't forget to add your sightings to @birdtrack.bsky.social to help keep track of our spring migrants.

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

The Spring Migrants Table is now live for 2026! A sunny start to March has certainly made it feel like spring along with the return of the first Chiffchaffs and Sand Martins. You can view the full table & sign up to the mailing list to hear about new arrivals at www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/spring...

Chiffchaff (small olive-coloured warbler) singing from a tree branch which is bare apart from a few green buds © Bob Hamilton

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