Two nature nerds on Rathlin Island. Authors of the annual Rathlin Bird Report and avid recorders of the island's biodiversity - well over 2,400 species so far!
Rathlin Island
Joined May 2015
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✨ 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.…
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
Also recently found another surprisingly old knotted crisp packet - this one is over 20 years old! #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 🧐😆
This Orange Ladybird emerged on 2nd October, after only 12 days in the pupa... such a transformation always seems like a little miracle
The Buff-bellied Pipit continued to show well yesterday, and briefly again this morning although mostly staying hunkered down out of the wind. Also present around Church Bay yesterday were 6 Twites, a Grey Plover, and 4 Rooks which were our first since mid-May
