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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 15h

Hot on the heals of last week's Coconut, another transatlantic vagrant drift seed on Barra today, a Grey Nickarnut, the seed of a Caribbean leguminous shrub. #Beachcombing

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 16h

A few years ago we had a wintering bird that made it through to spring, helped no doubt by its ability to seek out bird feeders!

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 16h

It's a bold move for it coming out here!

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 16h

Coal Tit at Northbay today, our first on Barra for nearly 2 years and the rarest bird on the island so far this week! #BirdingScotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 1d

It's still top of my wish list for future finds! Oh for another...

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 1d

Congratulations to all involved in finding the White-throated Needletail in Yorkshire today. It brings back memories of 2 adrenaline-filled hours on Barra in June 2017. Still the best bird on the British List in my opinion. #BirdingScotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 2d

A Portuguese Man O' War on the west side of Vatersay today, slightly deflated and weather-beaten. It's the first we've seen for 3 years. #Beachcombing

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 4d

Yes, very smart birds!

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 4d

A freshly stranded By-The-Wind Sailor, one of many pushed ashore by strong winds on the west coast of Barra today. Lots of obvious specimens of 6-8cm scattered over the beaches but also masses of tiny ones down to 5mm in length spread along the strandline. #Beachcombing

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 4d

Our first pulse of Icelandic Redwings on Barra today, though other migrant passerines remain in very short supply. #BirdingScotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 6d

Yes indeed. That was a wild few hours!

Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 8d

Congratulations! You guys are on a roll. Weather looks promising for a mega from the west in the coming days...

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 8d

Freshly ashore today and covered in barnacles, this Coconut on the west side of Vatersay is the only transatlantic vagrant we've found so far this week. #Beachcombing

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 11d

Pintail is a barely annual visitor on Barra. Pleased to see one flying over Garrygall this morning , but surprised when it came back and landed in the road just in front of us! We stared at each other for a moment before it flew again, settling in the bay. #BirdingScotland #Birds

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 14d

Thanks Mark. It's a trick of the morning light giving the underside that sprawk orange glow! Here's another shot from the sequence showing it in more obvious Kestrel mode (though you'll need to zoom in!)

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 14d

It was a fabulous few minutes watching them tumble about the sky!

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 14d

Busy skies over Barra: Kestrel, Hen Harrier and Hooded Crow taking it in turns to mob a White-tailed Eagle over Eoligarry. #BirdingScotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 15d

Nice find Colin! The video came out remarkably well considering how far away it was. The last Black Tern on Barra was in September 2011.

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 16d

Scores of Common Dolphins from the Oban-Barra ferry this afternoon plus a Minke and c40 Storm Petrels. Yesterday morning's crossing produced a juv Sabine's Gull, 24 Stormies, a Minke and Bluefin Tuna. Surprisingly few shearwaters out there today or yesterday. #BirdingScotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 18d

The Swainson's Thrush was still present at Cuithir today. Though it's not getting any easier to see, we had the briefest of views late afternoon on our third visit of the day. #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 19d

Barra's 4th Swainson's Thrush was still at Cuithir late afternoon, though elusive in the blustery conditions: two five-second views in the couple of hours I was there. #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 19d

Red-eyed Vireo with at least 8 records.

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 19d

Thanks Paul!

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 19d

Swainson's Thrush at Cuithir this morning, a well deserved find by Stuart Beeby, incredibly the 4th Barra record, making it our second most frequent North American vagrant passerine. #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 20d

Black-throated Divers are starting to return to their wintering area off Vatersay. This one still in summer plumage was close in today. What an absolute stunner! #BirdingScotland

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