David Roche
@papaybirder
Patch birder based on Papa Westray, Orkney
Finally got around to painting the Bee eater. If anybody is interested in a print (or even the original) drop me a message #RareBirdsUK #BirdArt #BirdingScotland
The other highlight from Golspie was the wealth of flowering plants, found in the dunes opposite Loch Fleet. An incredibly species rich site #WildFlowerHour
Black throated Divers Golspie, 23rd July. I challenge anyone to name a better looking British breeding species #BirdingScotland Simplistic elegance at its finest
Finishing a week exploring around Cannich and Glen Affric. Quiet for Dragonflies but still two Golden and one WTEagle, several Crested Tits, numerous Tree Pipits and plenty of Spot Flys plus a loose flock of 32 Mistle Thrush! #BirdingScotland
The ingenuity of the Papay fun weekend carties never ceases to amaze... @birdguides.bsky.social #BirdingOrkney #PWC2026
A very fresh juvenile Common Rosefinch around the school this morning #BirdingOrkney #PWC2026
Bee eater roosted again tonight in Hundland Willows, showing at point blank range. This bird knows no fear! #BirdingOrkney
Orkneys first Blue cheeked Bee eater, first found by Paul and Jakey around Clestrain whilst out on the quadbike. A nervous wait, but relieved to find it again around around Hundland where still present this evening #BirdingOrkney #RareBirdsUK
A couple of Arctic Skua chicks from this afternoon for #SuperSeabirdSunday Hopefully the first of many, in what looks like it could be a decent year for them, here on Papay #BirdingOrkney
Good to confirm the presence of several Blue tailed Damselfly, just above the North Wick this afternoon. The first record for Papay. A vigil over the airfield went exactly as planned, with the departing plane once again flushing the Quail! #PWC2026
Quail, videoed by island resident Anne Hourston outside Cott, early Monday morning #BirdingOrkney Would have probably been my bird of the year so far, had I been lucky enough to see it! @patchbirding.bsky.social
Marsh Warbler above the South Wick this afternoon, including a brief rendition of Nightingale amongst its few bursts of song #PWC2026 #BirdingOrkney My fourth here, but only giving itself up for a few brief views
A delight to refind and spend time with yesterday's Bluethroat, having previously been so brief and elusive #PWC2026 Of the eleven birds, recorded here since 2017, this is the first to stay for longer than a single day! #BirdingOrkney
A couple of nice surprises this afternoon with these two Curlew Sandpipers in the North Wick, followed by a (frustratingly elusive) male Bluethroat around Cott #PWC2026 #BirdingOrkney
And a bit of video, capturing the song (Nikon P900 hand held) Only my fourth spring bird here after one in 2016 and two in 2019, one of which was also singing #BirdingOrkney
First summer male Rosefinch singing along the east road of Papay this morning @patchbirding.bsky.social #BirdingOrkney
Was beginning to think I had missed my chance for Tree Sparrow this year, so a welcome addition to find this group of four today #PWC2026 139 for the island year list. Not bad considering the overall quiet spring with Garden Warbler, Redstart and Pied Fly still to fall (again!) #BirdingOrkney
Icterine Warbler, skulking in the quarry garden of Holland this morning @patchbirding.bsky.social plus another Little Stint in the North Wick #BirdingOrkney Calm conditions the next few days - and the time of year when anything could happen...
A day off the isle for Papay's away match against Holm. Back in the pub... "Dave, we've had this weird bird around the green..." gives description "Aaagh, that sounds like a Bee Eater, when did you last see it?" "About 20 minutes ago" "I'll be back!" 15 minutes later... #BirdingOrkney
Rustic present for its fifth day but otherwise rather disappointing, given the change in winds. Female Blackcaps on Sunday and Monday plus single Willow and Sedge Warblers today, the only other obvious new migrants seen this week #BirdingOrkney Osprey south on Monday, only my fourth here #PWC2026
With the endless North winds finally abaiting over the weekend, I was hopeful that spring might finally be kicked into action. As it turned out, my wish came earlier than expected when this Rustic Bunting appeared outside Cott this afternoon! @patchbirding.bsky.social #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK
A highly unseasonal Tundra Bean Goose in the fields around Tredwell Loch today @patchbirding.bsky.social Only my second Papay record #BirdingScotland
A weekend camping around Golspie and Brora for some midge free spring breeding activity. Exactly 100 species inc 4 BTDiver, Golden and WTEagle, singing Redstarts, good nos of Cuckoo and an abundance of Willow Warblers plus a close evening encounter with a Tawny Owl #BirdingScotland
Not much of a day to do anything outside so a good chance to finish these. Destined for @northronbirdobs.bsky.social #BirdArt #BirdingScotland
Having had a fly through bird last week it was nice to find this Yellowhammer (my fifth on Papay) around Holland this morning. A scarce Orkney bird, with the vast majority of records coming from the North Isles #BirdingOrkney #PWC2026 Fly through Buzzard yesterday, my first here since Oct 2022
Black throated Diver in the South Wick this morning #PWC2026 Only my third here, away from the southern end of Papa Sound #BirdingOrkney A couple of nice littoralis in the North Wick plus Shelduck and Goldfinch new for the year