Thomas Byars

Scientific Officer at the CRUK Scotland Institute. Chairperson of the Paisley Natural History Society. Researching the Lesser Whitethroat.

[Mark Wilkinson @NijmegenBirder]

Before all the Long-tailed Shrike excitement kicked off on Sunday afternoon, I was photographing White-letter Hairstreaks in Dundee. Probably the most northerly population in the UK? The distribution maps certainly need updating!

[Thomas Byars @tigrina77]

Lesser Whitethroat returns to Renfrewshire after 18 year absence https://t.co/9IYoddcTP2

[Ashley Howe @Ashley_Howe1990]

Stood next to Adrian Webb whose infamous twitch to see Britain’s first Long-tailed Shrike on the Hebrides almost cost him his life.

To say he’s over the moon to have got this one back (without the need of a boat) is an under statement.

[Paul Hackett @PaulHdigiman]

Phonescoped Adult Summer plumaged White Rumped Sandpiper, Cairnbulg, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #kowascoping #digiscoping #iphone15promax @KowaOptics

[Joe @gninwoDeoJ]

It's helpful when down South friends (@GibsonTomgibo) visit North Wales, they manage to find cool things like this wood warbler nest! I had to visit myself and was amazed how close it was to a busy path, parents feeding the 5 chicks well nonetheless

[Rathlin Stickybeak @_Stickybeak]

Check out this all-brown beauty we spotted today! In all the squillions of Common Guillemots on Rathlin, we've never seen one like this before #SuperSeabirdSunday

[NestingUpNorth @NestingUpNorth]

One of Britain's scarcest and most localised breeding waders, the Wood Sandpiper, with recently hatched young in a remote Highland peatland.

(Young photographed briefly for record purposes only. Located alongside a Schedule 1 licence holder and @BirderSouth.)

[Joe @gninwoDeoJ]

Had the all clear to share details. I photographed this male at Woolbeding in 24, close enough to read it's ring (code AT). This bird broke the age record for a UK HB, previously 12yo, this male was 18yo in 2024! Hopefully someone can get a photo this season to show he's returned

[NestingUpNorth @NestingUpNorth]

A pair of Red-necked Phalaropes, thought extinct as a breeding bird on mainland Britain, copulating on a small pool in the Scottish Highlands.

(Observed with an S1 Licence holder)

Located with @BirderSouth.

[Brian Martin @BrianSmrtyr1]

A male Montagu's Harrier protecting its territory.
@teesbirds1 @DurhamBirdclub
@teeswildlife @Natures_Voice
@NatureUK @WildlifeMag
#birdwatching #wildlifephotography #bird
@nybirdnews

[Luke Marriner @LukeMarriner_1]

Pleased to bump into this bonny male Rustic Bunting feeding on bugs in the Walli burn @FI_Obs this morning. Top class birds !

[AndyBloomfield @NHarnser]

Spent most of my adult life photographing Pinkfeet, but never expected to see some in a Norfolk poppy field at the end of May.

[Matt Eade @_MattEade]

Something of a nothing day turned into a beauty! First an unexpected female Honey-buzzard showed well (only phone shots), and then, a singing male Red-breasted Flycatcher near Inverness!

[Joe @gninwoDeoJ]

Another lifer for me this evening, a small, weird, bubble sound making quail. I was under the impression they were skulky, this one flew a few times and even sung in view for a few minutes! Corn bunts, yellow wags, marsh harrier, grey parts also at Rixton Moss @CAWOSBirding

[Aidan Brown @aidanjb118]

Red-footed falcon hunting Emperor moths on Holt heath this evening. @DorsetBirdClub

[Raptor Persecution UK @RaptorPersUK]

New research from University of Leeds & the RSPB shows that burning on grouse moors is exposing millions of people to unsafe air pollution levels.

Yet another reason to ban this 'sport'.

Press release & link to the paper ⬇️

https://t.co/jKqxk8PlfY

[Ashley Howe @Ashley_Howe1990]

Unusual for the south coast this time of year and in this plumage, this Long-tailed Duck was extremely tame, preferring to feed in the shallow margins of the Meander Pool at Cuckmere Haven, East Sussex

[Alan Brown @Alan_Brown71]

Trip down to Gait Barrows in Lancs on Friday for Duke of Burgundy after dipping there last year. Borderline temperature and intermittent sunny periods made it not a gimme but perseverance paid off eventually with good looks of three. Some pics attached #Butterflies

[NatureFinder12 @NFinder12]

Another first for me- Nightingale nest. The eggs are as beautiful and unique as the song of the adults. Details forwarded to the BTO NRS as always 👍🏻

[Brad Balliett @BalliettBrad]

Magnolia Warbler bathing in Central Park 💙🖤💛