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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 4h

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

Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 4h

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 · 1d

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 · 3d

Yes, very smart birds!

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 3d

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 · 3d

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 · 4d

Yes indeed. That was a wild few hours!

Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 7d

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 · 7d

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 · 10d

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 · 13d

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 · 13d

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

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 13d

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 · 14d

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 · 15d

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 · 17d

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 · 18d

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 · 18d

Red-eyed Vireo with at least 8 records.

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 18d

Thanks Paul!

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 18d

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 · 19d

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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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 20d

A day behind the Pink-feet, our first Whooper Swans of the autumn touched down on Barra. This family of 3 were resting in the bay when we got home this afternoon. #BirdingScotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 20d

The fine adult American Golden Plover still hanging out with the Goldies north of Barra airport today. I finally got in on the Sabine's Gull fest when a 2 hour seawatch off Vatersay produced 4 Sabs heading south alongside a steady passage of Red-throated Divers. #BirdingScotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 21d

Our first migrating Pink-footed Geese of the autumn over Barra this afternoon battling high winds and rain, looking tired and disorientated after a long hard day on the wing. #BirdingScotland

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Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 22d

Pleased to find a handsome American Golden Plover this afternoon on my way up to Eoligarry to lead another walk for Barra and Vatersay Ranger Service. Hopefully a sign of more Nearctic birds to come. #BirdingScotland #Birds

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