St Kilda World Heritage Site NTS
@stkildawhs.bsky.social
News and stories from the NTS team on St Kilda, a dual UNESCO World Heritage Site.
#landscape, #31daysofgraves. The small graveyard on the remote St Kilda archipelago now only echoes to the sounds of birds and bleats of sheep
October 22, 2025 at 10:13 AM
#landscape, #31daysofgraves. The small graveyard on the remote St Kilda archipelago now only echoes to the sounds of birds and bleats of sheep
We miss these views over winter! That's the last of the
@n-t-s.bsky.social #StKilda team off the island now, after a fabulous last couple of days birding to cap off an excellent autumn and an excellent season. Thanks to all that enjoyed it with us and helped make 2025 a special year! 🙏
@n-t-s.bsky.social #StKilda team off the island now, after a fabulous last couple of days birding to cap off an excellent autumn and an excellent season. Thanks to all that enjoyed it with us and helped make 2025 a special year! 🙏
October 16, 2025 at 7:37 PM
We miss these views over winter! That's the last of the
@n-t-s.bsky.social #StKilda team off the island now, after a fabulous last couple of days birding to cap off an excellent autumn and an excellent season. Thanks to all that enjoyed it with us and helped make 2025 a special year! 🙏
@n-t-s.bsky.social #StKilda team off the island now, after a fabulous last couple of days birding to cap off an excellent autumn and an excellent season. Thanks to all that enjoyed it with us and helped make 2025 a special year! 🙏
A cruise ship made the most of this fine calm autumn weather to make a late season visit to #StKilda yesterday. Grateful to them for their understanding as I was running around in search of that wagtail 😅 🙏
October 16, 2025 at 7:27 PM
A cruise ship made the most of this fine calm autumn weather to make a late season visit to #StKilda yesterday. Grateful to them for their understanding as I was running around in search of that wagtail 😅 🙏
Two firsts for #StKilda in one day is pretty special for a last day on island! A Cattle Egret flew over as the wagtail was being searched for, landed briefly, then appeared to head straight back out of Village Bay!
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October 15, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Two firsts for #StKilda in one day is pretty special for a last day on island! A Cattle Egret flew over as the wagtail was being searched for, landed briefly, then appeared to head straight back out of Village Bay!
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Eastern Yellow Wagtail on St Kilda today! Sound recording on a phone isn't easy, but the bird had a short raspy call, not dissimilar to a Citrine Wag.
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October 15, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Eastern Yellow Wagtail on St Kilda today! Sound recording on a phone isn't easy, but the bird had a short raspy call, not dissimilar to a Citrine Wag.
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@birdguides.bsky.social
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The rarest bird of the day was this Curlew Sandpiper. There have been lots in the country this year, but this is just the 3rd #StKilda record, and the first since 1993! Frustratingly flighty with its Ringed Plover companions...
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October 14, 2025 at 7:01 PM
The rarest bird of the day was this Curlew Sandpiper. There have been lots in the country this year, but this is just the 3rd #StKilda record, and the first since 1993! Frustratingly flighty with its Ringed Plover companions...
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@birdguides.bsky.social
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@birdguides.bsky.social
7 species added to the #StKilda yearlist today, including a least 90 Fieldfare, 1 Song and 2 Mistle Thrush, Water Rail, Reed Warbler and Grey Wagtail.
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@hebridesbirds.bsky.social
October 14, 2025 at 6:56 PM
7 species added to the #StKilda yearlist today, including a least 90 Fieldfare, 1 Song and 2 Mistle Thrush, Water Rail, Reed Warbler and Grey Wagtail.
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@hebridesbirds.bsky.social
A fantastic day's #birding today on #StKilda, one of the highlights being a significant arrival of Jack Snipe- 21 counted, but could've been more. They were popping up everywhere!
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October 14, 2025 at 6:50 PM
A fantastic day's #birding today on #StKilda, one of the highlights being a significant arrival of Jack Snipe- 21 counted, but could've been more. They were popping up everywhere!
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@birdguides.bsky.social
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A flurry of 'common' migrants today, including a Robin (first since early April), 4 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff (first of the autumn!) as well as a Chaffinch yesterday (new for year). Our Tree Pipit is still showing very well, and the Starlings are looking splendid!
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October 13, 2025 at 6:22 PM
A flurry of 'common' migrants today, including a Robin (first since early April), 4 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff (first of the autumn!) as well as a Chaffinch yesterday (new for year). Our Tree Pipit is still showing very well, and the Starlings are looking splendid!
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@hebridesbirds.bsky.social
Our two most common buntings were on Hirta yesterday, with a single Lapland on the hill and a flock of 9 Snow down in the village.
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October 13, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Our two most common buntings were on Hirta yesterday, with a single Lapland on the hill and a flock of 9 Snow down in the village.
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A 1st winter Iceland Gull was in among the seals on the rocks at Dùn today. Always nice to see those white wings 🙂
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October 11, 2025 at 6:46 PM
A 1st winter Iceland Gull was in among the seals on the rocks at Dùn today. Always nice to see those white wings 🙂
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Presumably the same Corncrake that we found a few days ago is still scurrying around near the cemetery on #StKilda.
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October 9, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Presumably the same Corncrake that we found a few days ago is still scurrying around near the cemetery on #StKilda.
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Delighted that our visiting European White-fronted Goose from Netherlands has found some Pink-footed friends to graze with in the Village over the last couple of days.
October 9, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Delighted that our visiting European White-fronted Goose from Netherlands has found some Pink-footed friends to graze with in the Village over the last couple of days.
Our second Pectoral Sandpiper of season was much more obliging than the first, even coming to the helipad to say farewell to Will after another great autumn with him here!
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October 9, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Our second Pectoral Sandpiper of season was much more obliging than the first, even coming to the helipad to say farewell to Will after another great autumn with him here!
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@hebridesbirds.bsky.social
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This collar-ringed European White-fronted Goose (T7Z) was ringed in Netherlands in Nov 2024 and had previously been reported at 2 other sites in Netherlands before turning up on #SKilda today. Reported to cr-birding.org. Incredible what we can learn about birds' movements from ringing projects!
October 7, 2025 at 2:18 PM
This collar-ringed European White-fronted Goose (T7Z) was ringed in Netherlands in Nov 2024 and had previously been reported at 2 other sites in Netherlands before turning up on #SKilda today. Reported to cr-birding.org. Incredible what we can learn about birds' movements from ringing projects!
This makes you wonder how many times we actually miss Short-eared Owls on the scree slope on Conachair. There were two tucked away in there today.
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October 1, 2025 at 7:49 PM
This makes you wonder how many times we actually miss Short-eared Owls on the scree slope on Conachair. There were two tucked away in there today.
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This morning's Corncrake was eclipsed by the Brown Shrike today, but they're always a smart bird to see out here. Pretty good start to October!
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October 1, 2025 at 7:43 PM
This morning's Corncrake was eclipsed by the Brown Shrike today, but they're always a smart bird to see out here. Pretty good start to October!
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Brown Shrike today! 1st for #StKilda and only the 4th for the Outer Hebs! Flighty and elusive, but combination of features confirmed ID, including uniform dark brown head and mantle, very dark mask, short wings, and very long, slim, reddish tail.
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October 1, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Brown Shrike today! 1st for #StKilda and only the 4th for the Outer Hebs! Flighty and elusive, but combination of features confirmed ID, including uniform dark brown head and mantle, very dark mask, short wings, and very long, slim, reddish tail.
@birdguides.bsky.social
@hebridesbirds.bsky.social
@birdguides.bsky.social
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There's always a chance that a flock of Pink-footed Geese might pick up a straggler of another species. This Greenland White-fronted Goose was with a small flock in Gleann Mor a couple of days ago.
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September 30, 2025 at 3:43 PM
There's always a chance that a flock of Pink-footed Geese might pick up a straggler of another species. This Greenland White-fronted Goose was with a small flock in Gleann Mor a couple of days ago.
@scottishbirding.bsky.social
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@scottishbirding.bsky.social
@hebridesbirds.bsky.social
It's not often that you sit down for a cuppa on #StKilda and a Turtle Dove lands in front of a rainy window! Disappeared on us as soon as we got to the door too. A second record of the year for this irregular visitor, after a single spring record.
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September 30, 2025 at 3:39 PM
It's not often that you sit down for a cuppa on #StKilda and a Turtle Dove lands in front of a rainy window! Disappeared on us as soon as we got to the door too. A second record of the year for this irregular visitor, after a single spring record.
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Tree Pipits are occasional visitors to #StKilda, but picking one out in among the hundreds of breeding and migrant Meadow Pipits can be challenging! Fortunately this one has given us some fantastic views over the last couple of days.
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September 30, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Tree Pipits are occasional visitors to #StKilda, but picking one out in among the hundreds of breeding and migrant Meadow Pipits can be challenging! Fortunately this one has given us some fantastic views over the last couple of days.
@scottishbirding.bsky.social
@hebridesbirds.bsky.social
@scottishbirding.bsky.social
@hebridesbirds.bsky.social
Just the one Baird's Sandpiper today on #StKilda, but the first Pectoral Sandpiper (second pic) of the year was also up on the hills this evening. Usually the much more expected of these two Nearctic waders.
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September 27, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Just the one Baird's Sandpiper today on #StKilda, but the first Pectoral Sandpiper (second pic) of the year was also up on the hills this evening. Usually the much more expected of these two Nearctic waders.
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The last of the 4 previous #StKilda Baird's Sandpiper records was in 1999, and finding a 2nd bird on 16th was a surprise in itself. That 2nd bird was neither of these two though, meaning that Will found a 3rd of the year this morning. Madness! @birdguides.bsky.social
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@hebridesbirds.bsky.social
September 23, 2025 at 4:24 PM
The last of the 4 previous #StKilda Baird's Sandpiper records was in 1999, and finding a 2nd bird on 16th was a surprise in itself. That 2nd bird was neither of these two though, meaning that Will found a 3rd of the year this morning. Madness! @birdguides.bsky.social
@hebridesbirds.bsky.social
@hebridesbirds.bsky.social
This week we've seen many hundreds of Pink-footed Geese flying in over #StKilda from their breeding grounds in Iceland as they return to their UK wintering grounds. Some will no doubt rest a while before continuing their journey. A lone Whooper Swan joined them in the Village on Thursday.
September 20, 2025 at 7:59 AM
This week we've seen many hundreds of Pink-footed Geese flying in over #StKilda from their breeding grounds in Iceland as they return to their UK wintering grounds. Some will no doubt rest a while before continuing their journey. A lone Whooper Swan joined them in the Village on Thursday.