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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Haha yeah, will be running out of yank waders to find at this rate!

Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Moved to Barra on Monday but with the weather worsening I headed back to South Uist today for more wader action. Good views of presumably the same Long-billed Dowitcher from last month on The Range. Had a look at Balgarva this evening and picked up this juv White-rumped Sandpiper! #birdingscotland

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Thanks Geoff! Be great to catch up, need to get back to Cornwall again!

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Turning into a pretty good week in South Uist. Found this juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper at Penninerine this afternoon. #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Nice to find this juvenile American Golden Plover on The Range this evening at the Nearctic wader vortex. #birdingscotland

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Thanks Bruce! Yes definitely more in today, several large focks around the NW of South Uist plus more further south at sites I hadn’t seen many at previously. Hopefully see you soon, should be heading your way at some point next week!

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Madness at The Range this afternoon finding Pectoral Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and this juv Long-billed Dowitcher all in the same Golden Plover flock! #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Have been keen to find an American Wigeon for ages now, so pretty happy to come across a new drake alongside the long stayer at Loch Bee, South Uist today. Good views of Lesser Yellowlegs on The Range too. #birdingscotland

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Routine check of Shawbost beach this afternoon, wasn’t expecting the only duck in the bay to be a Surf Scoter. #birdingscotland

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Wader passage has been a bit slow over the last 2 weeks on Lewis, so quite happy to find this Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Steinis this evening! #birdingscotland

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Icky/melod fresh in along arable field margins near Slains Castle, Cruden Bay this evening. @birdguides.bsky.social #birdingscotland

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

2 Pom Skua & 18 Long-tailed Skua N past Neist Point, Skye 10:45 - 13:55 #birdingscotland

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

A relatively slow Winter season for scoters locally so far. Three Surfies over the last month, a 2w drake staying faithful to Porth Eirias and a drake+female pair initially off Llandulas before moving to the Old Colwyn flocks. Very few Velvets, no LTDs and poor numbers of large gulls! #birdingwales

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Thanks Sarah. Yes managed some digiscope pics in the wind.

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

A day looking at ducks down the Lleyn. This 1cy Sabine’s Gull at the Afon Dwyfor mouth wasn’t on my radar for 10th Dec! Yet another ‘why did I leave my camera in the car’ situation… #birdingwales

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

I had pretty much given up on passerines and switched to Winter birding early, so wasn’t really expecting to bump into this Red-breasted Flycatcher whilst checking the scoters in Lunan Bay. A Red-necked Grebe was offshore and the Tundra Bean Goose remains at St Cyrus. #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk

A classic record shot! Don’t worry, field views ruled out Taiga :)

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Nice start to the day. Just found this Tundra Bean Goose along approach road to St Cyrus NNR. #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

Cracking flock of ‘trumpeting’ Northern Bullfinches along Tayock side of Montrose basin just now. At least 3 males and a female. #birdingscotland

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

Awesome, nice one Bruce. That’s a random loch!

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

As was initially suspected, they are actually both Oriental Turtle Doves.

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

Great views of European & Oriental Turtle Dove side by side at Hillwell, Shetland this evening. #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

The easterlies looked good so I headed up to Shetland last weekend. So far slightly dissapointing but enjoyable birding nonetheless, with lots of common migrants to keep the interest. Cool to see Northern Bullfinch and always nice bumping into YBWs and Sibe Chiffs. #birdingscotland

Blackcaps everywhere! 40+ in the iris beds of Quendale yesterday morning alone!

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

Good numbers of migrants over last couple days on Barra after a quiet week. Pleased to find this Red-breasted Flycatcher at Glen this morning (1 of 2 on the island). My first Yellow-browed Warbler of the year was a nice surprise in North Bay plantation yesterday. #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

First full day on Barra. Fantastic place and great to be on a new island. Common Rosefinch at Scurravel this afternoon the only find of note - hopefully more to come! #birdingscotland

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

Nearly stepping on this Grey Phalarope was a nice bonus on the last day. A shame I left my camera in the car! #irishbirding

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

Great birding in Western Ireland this week. Largely focused on waders but the seawatching was pretty good too. Highlights of Laughing and Sabine’s Gulls, Semipalmated and White-rumped Sandpiper, 2 American Golden Plovers, Glossy Ibis, Wilson’s Petrel, Long-tailed Skua and Great Shears. #irishbirding

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

AGPs viewed from Doonshean maps.app.goo.gl/trC4cSZSCmiR... @birdguides.bsky.social

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

Trabeg estuary: 2 ad AGP, 1 Glossy Ibis W end, Laughing Gull still E end. #irishbirding

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

Orkney has a sawfly recorder so by the sounds of it I don’t think NBN will be up to date. I assume some of the off islands will be sparsley recorded though as we had the first sawfly records for North Ronaldsay last summer.

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

After a fantastic season at Cemlyn, it was a welcome surprise to come home and see 2 Death’s-head Hawkmoth caterpillars devouring the garden potatoes this afternoon! (VC49) #teammoth

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Reposted by Zak Spaull

Nick Richards @n-richards.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

The season is over! Had an amazing time at Cemlyn with @zspaull.bsky.social this summer. This video I made covers some of the highlights along with a blog we wrote which is more in depth. Really excited about the future of the Roseate Terns at Cemlyn after the two pairs attempting this season 🐦

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 28/07/2025

It’s a super early season. They started leaving early July and now they’re all gone. They were generally a week ahead for most of the season but increased gull pressure at the end of June/early July may have pushed many them of out prematurely.

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

@n-richards.bsky.social and I had a very nice evening on The Skerries last night. #birdingwales

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

Thanks Julian! @n-richards.bsky.social is on here, he just hasn’t posted yet :)

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

It’s an adult - whoops!

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

Yeah. We’ve been getting a lot of early waders through here for the last few weeks. Joel got some nice pics I can send you later.

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

Nice day out away from Cemlyn yesterday, visiting Joel at Gronant. We did pretty well, picking up 2cy Caspian Gull, juv Little Stint, Yellow Wag plus loads of waders including 220+ Blackwit. Dune Robberflies everywhere and Little Terns of course! #birdingwales

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

Possibly but I think if it was malnutrition then there would evidence away from the bill e.g a moult limit in the flight feathers. This is the only bird online that looks similar. Aged as a 3cy (which ours could well be). brucemactavish1.blogspot.com/2016/08/blac...

brucemactavish1.blogspot.com

black-billed Arctic Tern

On Sunday 31 July 2016 I was checking a group of 8 terns on the rocks on the lower coast, Trepassey when I came across a tern that stopped ...

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

Steve Culley and I had this nice black-billed Arctic Tern at Cemlyn this morning. Cool looking bird! Any comments on origin appreciated. #birdingwales #rarebirdsuk

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

A surreal evening here at Cemlyn - at least 7 Roseate Terns. Our 2 pairs still present plus an additional 3 birds tonight. Incredible to see so many at once after no breeding records for over 30 years. #birdingwales #rarebirdsuk

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

Exciting times at Cemlyn currently. Whilst watching our long standing pair of Roseate Terns yesterday, another 2 birds dropped in nearby and lingered for the afternoon, displaying constantly! Two pairs would be pretty amazing… #birdingwales

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

Thanks Steve. Hope Westray delivers for you this season!

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

Good first few days settling in as @northwaleswt.bsky.social Cemlyn Warden 2025. First 2 Common Terns back today plus Tree Pipit over and 3 Groppers yesterday. Looking forward to the next 4 months! #birdingwales

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

Spring picking up here marks the end of my near daily checks of the Scoters between Colwyn Bay and Llandulas. A great year for Surfies with one female, two 2w drakes and potentially three adult drakes. Also 20+ Velvets, 2 Long-tailed Ducks, 1w Caspian Gull and a January Sandwich Tern. #birdingwales

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

Anglesey today: 4 Black Redstarts, 8+ Wheatear, 7 Twite, 100+ Mipit, 3 Puffin at South Stack first thing. 4 Swallows + Hooded Crow on The Range. 2 Slavs off Penrhos, 1w drk LTD + 4 Scaup at Inland Sea. Lap Bunt, LRP, 4 Ruff, 2 Bitterns at Cors Ddyga. Kumlien’s Gull on the way back too. #birdingwales

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

Good birding in Somerset this weekend with @reuben-veal.bsky.social and Craig. Least Sandpiper, Little Stint, Kentish Plover, 2 Glossy Ibis, Cattle Egret, 10+ Bittern, 11 Scaup, 2 BNG, Dartford Warblers and Green Woodpecker. #somersetbirding #rarebirdsuk

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Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Stunning couple of days in the Swiss Alps. Plenty of Nutcrackers and Alpine Choughs! #switzerland #birding

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