Papay ranger - Jonathan Ford
@papayranger.bsky.social
Artist, island ranger, curator of feathers.
November 11, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Reposted by Papay ranger - Jonathan Ford
Marwick suggests this #PlaceName derives from ON Jǫtunn ‘giant’. The same word is in Yettna Geo (Sandwick) & in a Rousay standing stone of which it ‘is said that in the early hours of every New Year’s Day the Yetnasteen takes 2 giant strides down to the nearby loch for a drink!' (Rousay Remembered)
November 9, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Marwick suggests this #PlaceName derives from ON Jǫtunn ‘giant’. The same word is in Yettna Geo (Sandwick) & in a Rousay standing stone of which it ‘is said that in the early hours of every New Year’s Day the Yetnasteen takes 2 giant strides down to the nearby loch for a drink!' (Rousay Remembered)
It's time for the 2026 Papay calendar.
A4 folding out to an A3, a mix of Papay landcapes and birds.
Price is £17.50 inc UK postage.
Orders being taken, for fine year long view of Papay.
Papay Calendar 2026 — Jonathan Ford
www.jonathanford.org/products.../...
A4 folding out to an A3, a mix of Papay landcapes and birds.
Price is £17.50 inc UK postage.
Orders being taken, for fine year long view of Papay.
Papay Calendar 2026 — Jonathan Ford
www.jonathanford.org/products.../...
November 8, 2025 at 4:32 PM
It's time for the 2026 Papay calendar.
A4 folding out to an A3, a mix of Papay landcapes and birds.
Price is £17.50 inc UK postage.
Orders being taken, for fine year long view of Papay.
Papay Calendar 2026 — Jonathan Ford
www.jonathanford.org/products.../...
A4 folding out to an A3, a mix of Papay landcapes and birds.
Price is £17.50 inc UK postage.
Orders being taken, for fine year long view of Papay.
Papay Calendar 2026 — Jonathan Ford
www.jonathanford.org/products.../...
All the colours aligned for the arrival of the stone.
Sea, land, tractor, and ship.
Stone for the resurfacing of Papay runway one, arriving at the New pier yesterday.
Sea, land, tractor, and ship.
Stone for the resurfacing of Papay runway one, arriving at the New pier yesterday.
November 8, 2025 at 9:19 AM
All the colours aligned for the arrival of the stone.
Sea, land, tractor, and ship.
Stone for the resurfacing of Papay runway one, arriving at the New pier yesterday.
Sea, land, tractor, and ship.
Stone for the resurfacing of Papay runway one, arriving at the New pier yesterday.
As the year moves on, the birds get smaller.
Pallas's leaf warbler at Quoys today, looking for leaves on a day of haar and drizzle. Found by @papaybirder.bsky.social who has finally seen one in Papay!
#orkneybirding #papay
Pallas's leaf warbler at Quoys today, looking for leaves on a day of haar and drizzle. Found by @papaybirder.bsky.social who has finally seen one in Papay!
#orkneybirding #papay
November 6, 2025 at 3:39 PM
As the year moves on, the birds get smaller.
Pallas's leaf warbler at Quoys today, looking for leaves on a day of haar and drizzle. Found by @papaybirder.bsky.social who has finally seen one in Papay!
#orkneybirding #papay
Pallas's leaf warbler at Quoys today, looking for leaves on a day of haar and drizzle. Found by @papaybirder.bsky.social who has finally seen one in Papay!
#orkneybirding #papay
The Shell Holm, the southern most outcrop of the Holm of Aikerness yesterday.
Selkies litter the north, on their own desert island.
#holmsweetholm
#papayatoll
#orkney
#westray
#papawestray
#desertisland
Selkies litter the north, on their own desert island.
#holmsweetholm
#papayatoll
#orkney
#westray
#papawestray
#desertisland
November 6, 2025 at 11:33 AM
The Shell Holm, the southern most outcrop of the Holm of Aikerness yesterday.
Selkies litter the north, on their own desert island.
#holmsweetholm
#papayatoll
#orkney
#westray
#papawestray
#desertisland
Selkies litter the north, on their own desert island.
#holmsweetholm
#papayatoll
#orkney
#westray
#papawestray
#desertisland
Reposted by Papay ranger - Jonathan Ford
Had all but given up hope of a Papay Firecrest until @papayranger.bsky.social came to the rescue with this bird at Shorehouse. An Island tick and only the 2nd Papay record. Now 13 birds found within Orkney this autumn, there had only been 35 records prior to this year! #BirdingOrkney #PWC2025
November 5, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Had all but given up hope of a Papay Firecrest until @papayranger.bsky.social came to the rescue with this bird at Shorehouse. An Island tick and only the 2nd Papay record. Now 13 birds found within Orkney this autumn, there had only been 35 records prior to this year! #BirdingOrkney #PWC2025
Nice to get a lifer only a hundred yards from home, after a hour in the drizzle the Firecrest actually sat still for a second. Only the second record for Papay too. Other image equals reality most of the time, an almost ijmperceptible bird.
#Papay #orkney #islandofbirds
#Papay #orkney #islandofbirds
November 5, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Nice to get a lifer only a hundred yards from home, after a hour in the drizzle the Firecrest actually sat still for a second. Only the second record for Papay too. Other image equals reality most of the time, an almost ijmperceptible bird.
#Papay #orkney #islandofbirds
#Papay #orkney #islandofbirds
For the early birds.
Still.
Papay - Orkney - Windless
Still.
Papay - Orkney - Windless
November 5, 2025 at 8:19 AM
For the early birds.
Still.
Papay - Orkney - Windless
Still.
Papay - Orkney - Windless
Hen harrier over St Boniface this morning.
Papay - Orkney - Raptor
Papay - Orkney - Raptor
November 4, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Hen harrier over St Boniface this morning.
Papay - Orkney - Raptor
Papay - Orkney - Raptor
For #tombtuesday - Holm of Papay South Chambered cairn, and the path of the dead.
November 4, 2025 at 7:20 AM
For #tombtuesday - Holm of Papay South Chambered cairn, and the path of the dead.
In the gaps.
A blue sky respite.
Papay
A blue sky respite.
Papay
November 3, 2025 at 1:36 PM
In the gaps.
A blue sky respite.
Papay
A blue sky respite.
Papay
A sky burial for a house.
Picked to the bones.
Gayfield - Papay - Orkney
Picked to the bones.
Gayfield - Papay - Orkney
November 2, 2025 at 7:45 PM
A sky burial for a house.
Picked to the bones.
Gayfield - Papay - Orkney
Picked to the bones.
Gayfield - Papay - Orkney
Midnight moonlight, and the Papay high street.
November 2, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Midnight moonlight, and the Papay high street.
Just me on the plane this morning.. and the pilot!!
Papay - Orkney - island taxi
Papay - Orkney - island taxi
November 1, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Just me on the plane this morning.. and the pilot!!
Papay - Orkney - island taxi
Papay - Orkney - island taxi
An Auk, which stays for the winter, a first winter for this one.
Papay and the King of the Auks.
Papay and the King of the Auks.
October 31, 2025 at 3:57 PM
An Auk, which stays for the winter, a first winter for this one.
Papay and the King of the Auks.
Papay and the King of the Auks.
Nestled in the corner of the walled garden at Holland. A Long-eared owl on passage waits out the day.
Papay - Orkney - Owl stopover.
Papay - Orkney - Owl stopover.
October 30, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Nestled in the corner of the walled garden at Holland. A Long-eared owl on passage waits out the day.
Papay - Orkney - Owl stopover.
Papay - Orkney - Owl stopover.
For the early birds, a subtle start.
October 30, 2025 at 7:05 AM
For the early birds, a subtle start.
Where the Kestrel becomes a cat, and the Starlings become Pigeons.
Papay - Orkney - Bird vs Birds
Papay - Orkney - Bird vs Birds
October 29, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Where the Kestrel becomes a cat, and the Starlings become Pigeons.
Papay - Orkney - Bird vs Birds
Papay - Orkney - Bird vs Birds
Day turns into night, waiting for the steamer to unload.
Papay - Orkney - Boat day
Papay - Orkney - Boat day
October 28, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Day turns into night, waiting for the steamer to unload.
Papay - Orkney - Boat day
Papay - Orkney - Boat day
Looking south, straight through the showers.
Papay - Orkney - Top road
Papay - Orkney - Top road
October 28, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Looking south, straight through the showers.
Papay - Orkney - Top road
Papay - Orkney - Top road
Bothican before the hail.
Papay - Orkney - today.
Papay - Orkney - today.
October 27, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Bothican before the hail.
Papay - Orkney - today.
Papay - Orkney - today.
As befits the day.
Grey plover.
Papay - Orkney
Grey plover.
Papay - Orkney
October 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
As befits the day.
Grey plover.
Papay - Orkney
Grey plover.
Papay - Orkney
The shadow pyramids of Holland and a settlement that has been watching the sea since the pyramids. Holland farm and the Knap of Howar on a blustery bright Papay Tour today.
Papay - Orkney - Island Tours.
Papay - Orkney - Island Tours.
October 25, 2025 at 6:10 PM
The shadow pyramids of Holland and a settlement that has been watching the sea since the pyramids. Holland farm and the Knap of Howar on a blustery bright Papay Tour today.
Papay - Orkney - Island Tours.
Papay - Orkney - Island Tours.