✨ Rathlin Bird Report 2025 ✨ Our 8th annual report, as usual jam-packed with everything you wanted to know about the island's birds in 2025... and no doubt lots more that you never realised you wanted to know! Read it here - rathlinstickybeak.wordpress.…

This seasonal wetland has flooded again after all the recent rain, and it's already attracting waterfowl - lovely to see this family of 3 Whooper Swans visiting today, along with 40 Teals and a good few Mallards

Another Yellow-browed Warbler present at Kinramer this morning - our second of the week! Calling a lot but mostly stayed hidden in the foliage. Other newly arrived migrants seen today included Snow Bunting, Merlin, 2 Blackcaps, Woodcock, lots of thrushes and 3 Whooper Swans

A short clip of Saturday's delightful but elusive Yellow-browed Warbler - no sign of it or any others elsewhere since then, but instead 3 Chiffchaffs were new on the scene today, our 1st Woodcock of autumn burst out of the undergrowth and a Hen Harrier briefly soared overhead

Finches, thrushes and corvids were on the move this morning - magic to watch the flocks of Siskins, Blackbirds, Redwings, Fieldfares and Jackdaws travelling over the island just after sunrise. Great to see our first Bramblings of the autumn making a pitstop in the treetops

Also some more unseasonal wildflowers enjoying a final flourish - Common Dog-violet, Foxglove, Great Mullein and Common Field-speedwell #WildflowerHour

Some late bloomers still flowering on Rathlin over the weekend - Common Ragwort, Devil's-bit Scabious, Autumn Hawkbit and Gorse #WildflowerHour

Great Spotted Woodpecker showed again in two places today - first getting up to its tricks on a power pole at Kebble, then hiding in trees at Kinramer. Got to assume this is the same female that arrived earlier in the month but it has been very good at hiding for the last 9 days

A tour of some local landmarks with this evening's White-tailed Eagle, viewed from Ballyconagan on Rathlin

Just had crazy views of a young White-tailed Eagle casually touring the sights of Rathlin! What a day 🤯

Yellow-browed Warbler dropped in on Rathlin today, showing nicely at Ballyconagan before giving us the slip. Hen Harrier, Snow Bunting and a few Siskins and Redwings also travelling through... all making us think there ought to be more visitors out there to find this afternoon!

Redwings have been arriving on Rathlin but so far have been incredibly shy - saw a flock of 30 harassed by a Peregrine this morning, so that might explain why! Meanwhile the Grey Plover has become increasingly bold and was strutting around on the harbour beach this afternoon

Speaking of Islay, we had remarkably clear views from Rathlin across to various landmarks today - Rinns of Islay lighthouse (27 miles), the American Monument at the Oa (20 miles) and Carraig Fhada lighthouse (22 miles)

Today was definitely a day for flocks of Whooper Swans and Barnacle Geese to be on the move over Rathlin - the Whoopers were generally heading south but Barnacles were going every which way and probably trying to find their way back to Islay

More moths found attracted to building lights this week - Dark Chestnut today (only our 5th ever), Feathered Ranunculus on Tuesday (our 5th so far this autumn), and numerous Green-brindled Crescents including a particularly shiny green example

Our marvel of the day - Merveille du Jour is a new moth species for Rathlin, and what a beauty it is too! Attracted to building lights overnight, and luckily still there on the wall for us to discover in the morning

Yet another vintage crisp packet - this one's from last century! Makes us Wonder alright... how many packets of crisps did we eat in 1999 and all the years since, and where are they all now? #WashedUpOnRathlin #2minutebeachclean

Most random beach find of late - an empty 40kg barrel of Papa Sweet Mango Chutney, best before Jan 2017 #WashedUpOnRathlin

Found quite a few of these Beroe cucumis comb jellies on the strandline last week - they looked like blobs of transparent jelly but all had a similar shape. Once floating in water some of them were still able to beat their combs and swim around #WashedUpOnRathlin

Accidentally photographed some thrips, wonder if you can possibly tell us what they are @Thrips_iD? Sad not to notice them at the time, was too focused on checking out this impressively large Meadow Buttercup growing right on the cliff

Amazing camouflage by this micro-moth Acleris emargana - happened to spot it while walking past but very nearly dismissed it as just a weird mark on the willow leaf 🧐😆