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David Steel

@steelyseabirder.bsky.social
2.7K followers 124 following 912 posts

Manager of Isle of May National Nature Reserve since 2015 having been on Farne Island 2001-2014. Also Scottish Birds Records Committee (SBRC) Chair

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David Steel @steelyseabirder.bsky.social · 12h
Not complaining about today on the island as we welcomed plenty of migrant birds as the blog explains: isleofmaynnr.wordpress.com
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David Steel @steelyseabirder.bsky.social · 14h
Red-flanked Bluetail now on the Isle of May with long staying White-throated Sparrow, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers and Little Bunting
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David Steel @steelyseabirder.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Always a joy! The first Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn has just arrived on the Isle of May
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Steve Jackson @atcherleyons.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Me, part way through looking at several hundred photos of Gannets taken at @rspb.bsky.social Bempton Cliffs today. #Birds #BirdPhotography #UKWildlife #ECK 🌿
Photo of the head and the upper part of the nack of a Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) who is almost looking towards us and slightly to our right. The head is rounded, wider than it is tall, and a pale yellowish-brown in colour, with that colour extending down the sides of the otherwise white neck. The eyes, on either side of the base of the upper part of the beak, are pale grey with black pupils and thick, sky-blue rims. The beak, though longish, is foreshortened in this view as the Gannet is looking almost directly at us. It is battleship grey in colour, with black lines around the base, and a black line on each side of the upper part of the bill, running from the base, almost to the hooked tip.
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Steve Jackson @atcherleyons.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
With their mutual preening complete, one of the Gannets started sky-pointing and swaying from side to side – a signal that bird was likely to take flight. (One more pic to come in this thread within a thread.) #SuperSeabirdSunday #Birds #UKWildlife #WildlifePhotography 🌿 #BirdOfTheDay – #Seabirds
Photo of the pair of Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) who featured in the previous post in this thread,  standing on a sandy ledge on a cliff. The bird on the left has begun swaying their body from left to right; at the moment this photo was taken their body is touching that of the bird on the right, while the legs and the oustretched neck are angled towards our left and the bird's right, and the head is raised so that the bird is pointing their beak towards the sky. Gannets are mostly white, with yellow-brown colouring on the tops of their heads which runs part way down the backs and sides of their necks, and black wing-tips. Their long beaks are grey, with black lines around the edges, a further black line running along each side of the top part of the each beak, from the base almost to to the tip. In the case of the sky=pointing bird, we can also see another black line, running along the underside of the beak from base to tip. The Gannets' eyes are blue-grey, with black pupils and thick blue rims. Their legs and webbed feet are black, with a pale green line running along the top of each toe. The background is a blue-grey colour - the sea, out of focus.
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Steve Jackson @atcherleyons.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
The Gannet took a few steps towards the edge and crouched down, with wings partly open and at an angle. Then, lift off! Immediately after getting #airborne (today’s #BirdOfTheDay alt theme) the Gannet takes on a wonderful shape, with head up and tail down. #SuperSeabirdSunday #Birds #UKWildlife 🌿
Photo of a Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) just after taking off from a sandy ledge on a cliff. We see this large seabird from the side, heading towards the left edge of the picture. The head is pointing slightly upward, the chest down, the rump up, and the fanned out tail down; the wings are held upwards. The Gannet is mostly white, with yellow-brown colouring on the top of the head which runs part way down the back and sides of the neck, and black wing-tips. The long beak is grey, with black lines around the edges, and a further black line running along each side of the top part of the beak, from the base almost to the tip. The Gannet's eyes are blue-grey, with black pupils and thick blue rims. The legs and webbed feet are black, with a pale green line running along the top of each toe. The background is a blue-grey colour - the sea, out of focus. A second Gannet can be seen on the cliff a little further back, watching the one in flight with a look that almost appears to be critical, or mildly cantankerous!
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Patrice 🇺🇦 @patricebrost.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #Seabirds; any bird found at sea or the coast
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JB | Native Plant Gardener (WI) @jbtheexplorer.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Seabirds. Here are a couple of American white pelicans along the Point Beach State Forest a few years ago. #birds #wildlife #Wisconsin
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naomi @skuaenjoyer.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
a Caspian Tern and a Parasitic Jaeger for #superseabirdsunday and #birdoftheday theme seabirds.
a Caspian Tern (largest tern in the world) flies right while a juvenile Parasitic Jaeger flies left just beyond. they’re pictured against a cloudy sky in the Pacific NW
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Photoguy556🇨🇦 @photoguy556.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Atlantic Birding's @atlanticbirding.bsky.social #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #Seabirds; any bird found at sea or the coast, and the Alt. is #Airborne; any bird in flight. Here's both, #Double-CreastedCormorant's and flying. #Birds #Photography #ECK #Wildlife #CanonR7 #JustDownTheRoad #Sigma150-600
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kevguttridge.bsky.social @kevguttridge.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Puffin with a beak full. #BirdOfTheDay #Seabirds #Birds
A Puffin flying with a beak full of Sandeels.
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Devlyn Angel, ETQ 😈😇 @devlynangel.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Seagulls over the ocean #BirdOfTheDay 🪶🪶 #Seabirds #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #naturephotography #SuperSeaBirdSunday #Stunday
An adult seagull (top) flies directly forward with its long, white-and-gray wings fully extended against a solid white background. It has a stark white body, an orange-yellow beak, and dark gray upper wings. Below it, a juvenile seagull (bottom) flies in the same direction with its large wings spread wide. It features mottled brown, gray, and white feathers across its entire body and wings, characteristic of a younger bird.
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Jack Maynard(he/him) @jhmsparky.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
#Seabirds are #BirdoftheDay so I'll share this Black-footed Albatross from off the coast of Newport, Oregon. K and I are off to the mountains today to look for raptors and Snowy-finches. stay tuned!
Albatross on water
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Declan Troy @troydeclan.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Incoming Pelagic Cormorant, the most widespread shag of coastal #Alaska. This one retaining some of the white flank patch more typical of the breeding season. Alaska Maritime NWR #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶🦑
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ME/CFS warrior @justjones43.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
#BirdOfTheDay is #SeaBirds Brown Pelican #NaturePhotography #BirdLife #BirdsOfBluesky #SuperSeaBirdSunday @robcrank68.bsky.social @atlanticbirding.bsky.social
A close-up, eye-level photograph of a Brown Pelican perched on a weathered wooden railing against a backdrop of a choppy blue ocean and a partly cloudy sky. The pelican has a yellowish head crown, a long grey and pinkish bill, greyish-brown textured wing feathers, dark legs, and webbed feet.
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Ross @rossmc10.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
#superseabirdsunday
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Jacqui @jacquinotmybag.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Might need to zoom in to see the the gannets on the Bass Rock #Superseabirdsunday
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Steve Jackson @atcherleyons.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Adding to this #Gannets thread again, for #Seabirds (today’s main #BirdOfTheDay theme) and #SuperSeabirdSunday. This pair of Gannets, at Bempton Cliffs last Monday, were engaged in mutual preening. #Birds #UKWildlife #EastCoastKin #NaturePhotography 🌿
Photo of a pair of Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) standing on a sandy ledge on a cliff, and engaged in mutual preening - the Gannet on the left is using his or her bill to preen the feathers on the top of the other Gannet's head, while that Gannet preens the feathers on the neck of the first one. The birds are mostly white, with yellow-brown colouring on the tops of their heads which runs part way down the backs and sides of their necks. Their long beaks are grey, with black lines around the edges and a further black line running along each side of the top part of the each beak, from the base almost to to the tip. Their eyes are blue-grey, with black pupils and thick blue rims. Their legs and webbed feet are black, with a pale green line running along the top of each toe. The background is a blue-grey colour - the sea, out of focus.
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Sandra Aamodt @sandra-aamodt.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Brown booby in flight at Île Fourchue in the French West Indies (another twofer) #BirdOfTheDay #Seabirds #Airborne #SuperSeabirdSunday #birds #photography
Bird in flight with its wings spread diagonally against blue sky. Its face and feet are yellow, and its beak is white, with a small blue patch around its eye. Its head and shoulders are brown. Its belly and the base of its wings are white, and the edges of its wings and its tail are brown. Its scientific name is Sula leucogaster.
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Kate Boyce-Miles @kateboycemiles.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
@atlanticbirding.bsky.social #BirdOfTheDay #Seabirds #Airborne Inca terns in flight. #SuperSeaBirdSunday #birds #birdphotography #photography #EastCoastKin #ECK #wildlife #flight #Inca #terns
Archive photo of a captive Inca tern (Larosterna inca) in flight just above the water. This species is classed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List with a decreasing population trend. They are naturally found along the Pacific coast of Peru down to central Chile. Archive photo of a captive Inca tern (Larosterna inca) in flight.  This species is classed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List with a decreasing population trend. They are naturally found along the Pacific coast of Peru down to central Chile.
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Kari Maaren @angrykem.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Seabirds. This young #DoubleCrestedCormorant is not in the sea, but it's making the most of its solitude. #birds #photography #BirdPhotography #cormorants #wildlife #WildlifePhotography #nature #NaturePhotography
A young Double-crested Cormorant, an awkward dark grey seabird with a bright yellow beak and grey eyes, floats in reflective green water.
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diddlydog.bsky.social @diddlydog.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Gannet with his breakfast for today’s #BirdOfTheDay .The theme is: #Seabirds; any bird found at sea or the coast #birds #ECK #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #naturephotography #SuperSeaBirdSunday #Stunday
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allanwithll 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 @allanwithll.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
AB’s #BirdOfTheDay themes today are #Seabirds and #Airborne and it’s also #SuperSeabirdSunday so I‘ve gone for a 3fer with this Puffin in flight at @rspbbemptoncliffs.bsky.social in July. My wife thinks it looks like it’s moonwalking! 🤷‍♂️ #Birds #BirdTherapy #UKwildlife #wildlifephotography #ECK
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BevP *I Dissent!*🇺🇦🇨🇦🇸🇪🇲🇽🇪🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🌃🐳🦭🐧🦒🦊🦋🎶 @bevporegon.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Great Blue Heron caught a very small snack in a tide pool at minus tide, Oregon Coast. #SuperSeabirdSunday
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Nick @rookman.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
My favorite fulmar for today's #birdoftheday #SuperSeabirdSunday #seabirds #birds🪶 #AirBourne #NatureTherapy🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
Northen fulmar in flight.
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Peter Howlett @cardiffbirder.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Rather like this water level photo of a Black-headed Gull taken in Cardiff Bay a few days ago. They really are very smart birds #SuperSeabirdSunday #BirdingWales
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Kate Anderson 🏳️‍⚧️ 🏳️‍🌈 @wadingboid.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Trust me, it's ospreys. Fish Hook Bay, Wajemup, Western Australia. #SuperSeabirdSunday
Blurred, distant picture of Ospreys on a 80-plus year old nest, Fish Hook Bay, Wajemup / Rottnest Island. The nest is a chaotic stack of sticks at least 2.5m high, on a pale grey rocky outcrop with choppy deep blue sea behind.
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Jim @jammyjimm.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Just a couple of the many Cory's Shearwater seen last week during a family trip to Tenerife #SuperSeabirdSunday
A Cory's Shearwater, with long, narrow wings glides above deep blue ocean water. Its body is pale gray and white, with dark wing edges and a yellow bill.A Cory's Shearwater (a dark gray-and-white seabird with very long, slender wings) flies low over bright blue ocean waves, with white spray breaking behind it.
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graceyy @aceyy03.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
an angel 🪽 #birdoftheday #seabirds #birds #blackheadedgull #ukbirding #photography #birdphotography #birdwatching #canon
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Ian Ebbage @ianebbage.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
A Razorbill off the sea-wall at Musselburgh #SuperSeabirdSunday
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Nick Robinson @nickerobinson.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
An adult Ross's gull (Rhodostethia rosea) at #Radipole, #Weymouth, #Dorset on the 4th March 2018. #DirtyTwitching #Seabirds #Wildlfe #Photography Please check out all submissions at #SuperSeabirdSunday and give this a like and repost. Thank you. @steelyseabirder.bsky.social
An adult Ross's gull (Rhodostethia rosea) at Radipole, Weymouth, Dorset on the 4th March 2018.
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Tom Cadwallender @tomcadwallender.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
#SuperSeabirdSunday David, The wonderfully named Belcher’s Gull off the coast of Chile in the Pacific Ocean. @steelyseabirder.bsky.social
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John Lyons @jlyons1991.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Gull auditions for #Halloween slot! #BirdOfTheDay #Seabirds #Birds #ECK #BirdPhotography #BirdsOfBluesky #NaturePhotography #SuperSeaBirdSunday #Stunday #Nature #Wildlife
Gull is landing on path, wings outstretched and high. Beak is wide open in scary face as crows on ground scatter. Background is water.
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@s4r4h-l @s4r4h-l.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #Seabirds; any bird found at sea or the coast Alt. is #Airborne; any bird in flight. - A trio of cuteness... #IsleOfMay #Puffins #birds #ECK #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #naturephotography #SuperSeaBirdSunday #Stunday @steelyseabirder.bsky.social
A trio of beautiful puffins from May this year
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@s4r4h-l @s4r4h-l.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
A trio of #IsleOfMay #puffin. Today's #BirdOfTheDay from @atlanticbirding.bsky.social is #SuperSeabirdSunday too. 😁
Isle of May posing puffins in May
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Leo @leo-in-merimbula.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Campbell Albatross. #BirdOfTheDay #SuperSeabirdSunday #seabirds #WildOz
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Fishburgler (Andy) @fishburgler.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #Seabirds; any bird found at sea or the coast Alt. is #Airborne; any bird in flight. Kittiwakes for both categories... #birds #ECK #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #naturephotography #SuperSeaBirdSunday #Stunday
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UK Seabird Monitoring Programme @smp-seabirds.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Aren't Black Guillemots striking birds at all times of year?! This year, we've had one of the largest non-census year site coverages throughout SMP's time! If you've got Black Guillemot data to submit, please do so by October 31st. #Seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social
Images of Black Guillemots in summer and winter/juvenile plumage.
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Colin Holter @bostalbirder.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
For me an Arctic Skua in full on pursuit mode is one of the most exciting sights in birding - such breathtaking effortless agility at speed - they are often very persistent in quite prolonged chases, though by no means always successful. Off Dungeness last week. #seabirds #UKBirding
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Dr Sjúrður Hammer @sjurdur.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
The best thing about studying great skua diet is that you end up studying other seabirds too. It suits my undiagnosed magpiebrain very well! #seabirds 🧪🌍
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Nutcracker @nucifraga.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Rather crappy pic (250 m range across the Tyne) of an odd graellsii Lesser Black-back Gull (unless it's something else!) with definitely pink legs (no hint of yellow!) at Elswick on Saturday morning for #SuperSeabirdSunday #LowCarbonBirding #NEBirding @patchbirding.bsky.social
Scraggy Seagull
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Atlantic Birding @atlanticbirding.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
🪶 Good Morning Everybody and Happy Sunday! Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #Seabirds; any bird found at sea or the coast Alt. is #Airborne; any bird in flight. - A Northern Gannet in flight #birds #ECK #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #naturephotography #SuperSeaBirdSunday #Stunday
A Nothern Gannet in flight across the sky. The bird is centre of the shot, to the right slightly and flying from right to left. 
It has a long pointed bill which is blue-grey in colour. Its black skin can be seen around the bill and eye. It has a yellowish colouration around the head and neck and a snowy white body. The outer half of its wings, which are in a downbeat, are black. 
The sky is a blend of blue and white, out of focus and featureless
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Rob Crank Photography @robcrank68.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
It's time for @atlanticbirding.bsky.social to post today's #BirdOfTheDay. His themes are #Seabirds, any bird found at sea or the coast. The Alt theme is #Airborne, any bird in flight. #birds #ECK #Photography #CanonR5mkii @rspb.bsky.social #naturephotography #ukbirding #birdphotography #BirdLife
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David Steel @steelyseabirder.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Welcome to Super Seabird Sunday where we ask you to share photos, videos & artwork of seabirds. Here is my contribution; a stunning European Shag on the Isle of May #SuperSeabirdSunday
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James Gryboski @jgryboski.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Gull drama
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Psheltona 🖖🏻🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇦🇨🇦🇩🇰🇬🇱🇪🇺📚⚽️@psheltona.bsky.social @psheltona.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
For #SuperSeabirdSunday I have to return to my favourite Razorbills from Farne and an Arctic Tern from Iceland
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@s4r4h-l @s4r4h-l.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
#Puffin #SuperSeabirdSunday
A puffin having a little flap
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BevP *I Dissent!*🇺🇦🇨🇦🇸🇪🇲🇽🇪🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🌃🐳🦭🐧🦒🦊🦋🎶 @bevporegon.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Tufted Puffin portrait :-) #SuperSeabirdSunday
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Stephanie Peters @spetersartist.com · 13/09/2026
Id love to Fly around the world Like an arctic tern, where everywhere is home. But I’ll skip the cold spots A little Arctic Tern painting for #superseabirdsunday #birdpaintingoftheday
Arctic tern painting
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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.A Gannet is flying against a dark blue sea.A Gannet is flying against a dark blue sea.
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