Allan Russell
@arnaturegeek.bsky.social
Scottish birding and nature liking person plus B.Sc and M.Res ecology graduate. Have found my way here after abandoning Twitter. All views expressed are my own. He/him 🐦⬛🐺🐋🐍🦋🌱🍄🏴
Surprised to see this tame Shag during my Clyde Estuary @webs-gsmp.bsky.social count on Sunday. Seemed alert and active so hopefully not afflicted with avian flu. Slavonian Grebes, Great Northern and Red-throated Divers and Greenshanks among the best of the rest noted #birdingscotland #clydebirding
November 12, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Surprised to see this tame Shag during my Clyde Estuary @webs-gsmp.bsky.social count on Sunday. Seemed alert and active so hopefully not afflicted with avian flu. Slavonian Grebes, Great Northern and Red-throated Divers and Greenshanks among the best of the rest noted #birdingscotland #clydebirding
Short video of it flying in
October 29, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Short video of it flying in
Fair to say I was surprised when this Glossy Ibis appeared today at Castle Semple Loch when I was about to head home #birdingscotland #clydebirding
October 29, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Fair to say I was surprised when this Glossy Ibis appeared today at Castle Semple Loch when I was about to head home #birdingscotland #clydebirding
A decent few days on North Ronaldsay last week. Sunshine was welcome but gusty south winds made it tough going at times. Some good birds seen, including Quail, Barred Warbler, Black Redstart, Snow Buntings, Pied Flycatchers plus Hen Harriers and plenty of waders #birdingscotland #orkneybirding
September 29, 2025 at 6:00 PM
A decent few days on North Ronaldsay last week. Sunshine was welcome but gusty south winds made it tough going at times. Some good birds seen, including Quail, Barred Warbler, Black Redstart, Snow Buntings, Pied Flycatchers plus Hen Harriers and plenty of waders #birdingscotland #orkneybirding
It's been a really strong autumn so far on the local patch. This Willow Warbler at Newshot Island recently was one of good numbers noted across the local patch within the last month, along with large nos of common warblers and small nos of Whinchats, Tree Pipits and Spotted Flycatchers #ClydeBirding
September 3, 2025 at 3:49 PM
It's been a really strong autumn so far on the local patch. This Willow Warbler at Newshot Island recently was one of good numbers noted across the local patch within the last month, along with large nos of common warblers and small nos of Whinchats, Tree Pipits and Spotted Flycatchers #ClydeBirding
Local patch birding recently has been all about return passage waders, but there's also plenty of butterflies to keep me distracted. This was one of about a dozen Commas on the local patch on Sunday (a recent colonist), plus found a couple of new colonies of Purple Hairstreaks recently
July 22, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Local patch birding recently has been all about return passage waders, but there's also plenty of butterflies to keep me distracted. This was one of about a dozen Commas on the local patch on Sunday (a recent colonist), plus found a couple of new colonies of Purple Hairstreaks recently
Pleased to finally confirm my 1st Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet moth on the local patch yesterday! Plenty of 2nd gen Small Tortoiseshells, Meadow Browns and 1 very fresh looking Comma also noted
June 30, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Pleased to finally confirm my 1st Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet moth on the local patch yesterday! Plenty of 2nd gen Small Tortoiseshells, Meadow Browns and 1 very fresh looking Comma also noted
One of 135 flowering spikes of Greater Butterfly-orchid I counted in a local grassy patch today. I had previously thought there were only a handful there! @bsbibotany.bsky.social
June 22, 2025 at 6:18 PM
One of 135 flowering spikes of Greater Butterfly-orchid I counted in a local grassy patch today. I had previously thought there were only a handful there! @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Visit to Lochwinnoch RSPB in the pouring rain this morning, likely my final visit before the visitor centre closes later this month. Little Ringed Plovers, Redshanks, Lapwing, Mandarin Ducks, Shovelers, Wigeon, Teal and Spotted Flycatcher among the birds noted #clydebirding
June 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Visit to Lochwinnoch RSPB in the pouring rain this morning, likely my final visit before the visitor centre closes later this month. Little Ringed Plovers, Redshanks, Lapwing, Mandarin Ducks, Shovelers, Wigeon, Teal and Spotted Flycatcher among the birds noted #clydebirding
Nice but damp trip to Inversnaid today. Pied Flycatchers and Redstarts showed well despite the midge hordes, plus plenty of breeding songbirds and common migrants. Gladdened the heart to see lots of dead rhododendron there, hopefully the clearance work will be successful!
June 7, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Nice but damp trip to Inversnaid today. Pied Flycatchers and Redstarts showed well despite the midge hordes, plus plenty of breeding songbirds and common migrants. Gladdened the heart to see lots of dead rhododendron there, hopefully the clearance work will be successful!
Lovely views of a pair of Whinchats (record photo of male) at Muirshiel CP on Saturday. Multiple Cuckoos and Spotted Flycatchers about there plus good numbers of butterflies, which included some frighteningly early Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries #clydebirding
May 19, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Lovely views of a pair of Whinchats (record photo of male) at Muirshiel CP on Saturday. Multiple Cuckoos and Spotted Flycatchers about there plus good numbers of butterflies, which included some frighteningly early Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries #clydebirding
An overall decent bank holiday weekend of birding. East Loch Lomond-side on Saturday produced my 1st Pied and Spotted Flycatchers and Wood Warblers of the year, but bird numbers fairly low there (Wood Warbler/Tree Pipit nos worryingly so)
May 5, 2025 at 6:25 PM
An overall decent bank holiday weekend of birding. East Loch Lomond-side on Saturday produced my 1st Pied and Spotted Flycatchers and Wood Warblers of the year, but bird numbers fairly low there (Wood Warbler/Tree Pipit nos worryingly so)
Good if dreich day at the Crom Mhin and Loch Lomond RSPB. An injured Greenland White-fronted Goose was unexpected, otherwise good numbers of the common warblers, a few Tree Pipits, Redstarts, loads of displaying Snipe and still 130+ Pink-footed Geese present #clydebirding
April 26, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Good if dreich day at the Crom Mhin and Loch Lomond RSPB. An injured Greenland White-fronted Goose was unexpected, otherwise good numbers of the common warblers, a few Tree Pipits, Redstarts, loads of displaying Snipe and still 130+ Pink-footed Geese present #clydebirding
Nice to catch up with the male Ring-necked Duck in Glasgow yesterday in Victoria Park, 1st time I've seen him in a few years #BirdingScotland
February 3, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Nice to catch up with the male Ring-necked Duck in Glasgow yesterday in Victoria Park, 1st time I've seen him in a few years #BirdingScotland
Today's @rspb.bsky.social Big Garden Birdwatch totals. Good variety and a Song Thrush was a real highlight, but just 1 Chaffinch was poor and a continuing worrying lack of House Sparrows
January 26, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Today's @rspb.bsky.social Big Garden Birdwatch totals. Good variety and a Song Thrush was a real highlight, but just 1 Chaffinch was poor and a continuing worrying lack of House Sparrows
A decent @btobirds.bsky.social WeBS count on Sunday on the Clyde Estuary. A drake Scaup and a Slavonian Grebe were welcome highlights, while these Wigeon and a Redshank friend showed well at Parklea #birdingscotland
January 14, 2025 at 1:26 PM
A decent @btobirds.bsky.social WeBS count on Sunday on the Clyde Estuary. A drake Scaup and a Slavonian Grebe were welcome highlights, while these Wigeon and a Redshank friend showed well at Parklea #birdingscotland
Clown car government about to crash the economy www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
January 13, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Clown car government about to crash the economy www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
View over a frozen Lochwinnoch RSPB today. Todays birding highlights included the American Wigeon back at Newshot Island, a varied wildfowl selection at Lochwinnoch, and good numbers of Skylarks, Linnets and other songbirds at the Linwood rhubarb fields plus Woodcock nearby there #birdingscotland
January 11, 2025 at 8:19 PM
View over a frozen Lochwinnoch RSPB today. Todays birding highlights included the American Wigeon back at Newshot Island, a varied wildfowl selection at Lochwinnoch, and good numbers of Skylarks, Linnets and other songbirds at the Linwood rhubarb fields plus Woodcock nearby there #birdingscotland
Nice to see plenty of hair ice patches today. Birding year list ticking along nicely, nothing particularly unusual but the local patch American Wigeon was annoyingly AWOL this afternoon
January 3, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Nice to see plenty of hair ice patches today. Birding year list ticking along nicely, nothing particularly unusual but the local patch American Wigeon was annoyingly AWOL this afternoon
Another great birding year ends! Highlights included a fabulous birding trip around Extremadura and some phenomenal auroras. Local patch highlights included Grey Phalarope, American Wigeon, Wood Warbler, Wood Sandpiper and some very showy Waxwings. Wishing a great nature-filled 2025 for you all!
December 31, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Another great birding year ends! Highlights included a fabulous birding trip around Extremadura and some phenomenal auroras. Local patch highlights included Grey Phalarope, American Wigeon, Wood Warbler, Wood Sandpiper and some very showy Waxwings. Wishing a great nature-filled 2025 for you all!
A nice wander around Hamiltonhill Claypits on Saturday morning with the local SOC group, with Kingfisher and Water Rail among the highlights. In contrast Sunday's WeBS count was pretty miserable with high winds, poor visibility and rain: 4 Pintail and only 1 Greenshank were the most notable birds
December 16, 2024 at 6:15 PM
A nice wander around Hamiltonhill Claypits on Saturday morning with the local SOC group, with Kingfisher and Water Rail among the highlights. In contrast Sunday's WeBS count was pretty miserable with high winds, poor visibility and rain: 4 Pintail and only 1 Greenshank were the most notable birds
Looking over the Linwood rhubarb fields towards the distant snow-capped Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps. Some 1500+ mixed birds in these fields here this morning, mainly Linnets, Chaffinches, Skylarks and Fieldfare
December 8, 2024 at 4:32 PM
Looking over the Linwood rhubarb fields towards the distant snow-capped Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps. Some 1500+ mixed birds in these fields here this morning, mainly Linnets, Chaffinches, Skylarks and Fieldfare
A lovely clear night yesterday for stargazing up at Muirshiel Country Park. Jupiter showed very clearly (brightest dot on the photo) plus saw several shooting stars
December 3, 2024 at 6:29 PM
A lovely clear night yesterday for stargazing up at Muirshiel Country Park. Jupiter showed very clearly (brightest dot on the photo) plus saw several shooting stars