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Tom Beckett

@tombeckett02.bsky.social

220 followers 200 following 33 posts

Birder and keen hillwalker from Edinburgh. Durham University Master's Student. University of St Andrews BSc Ecology and Conservation graduate.

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Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Dec 31

A real highlight of 2024 was spending the summer mapping and monitoring Fife's Corn Buntings for my 4th year dissertation research. During this time, I was lucky to find a couple of rarities, with Nightjar at Boarhills and Lesser Yellowlegs on my local St Andrews patch the standouts!
#birdingFife

Corn Bunting on drystone wall at Boarhills, Fife.

Corn Bunting in winter wheat field at Kilrenny Plain, Fife.

Nightjar on drystone wall at Boarhills, Fife.

Lesser Yellowlegs on the shore at St Andrews, Fife. This was the second Fife record after a bird on the Eden Estuary in 2008.

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Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · 20d

Good numbers of Minke Whales, Common Dolphins, and porpoises were seen from the various ferry crossings. Birding highlights from these crossings included many Storm Petrels, one Leach's Petrel, 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Little Gulls, and a Black Tern. 4/4 #BirdingScotland

ebird.org/tripreport/4...

View towards Barra from the Oban-Castlebay ferry.

View towards the Paps of Jura from the Oban-Colonsay ferry.

Great Skua seen from the Oban-Castlebay ferry near Ardnamurchan. Photo taken by Louis Backstrom.

Common Dolphins seen from the Oban-Castlebay ferry. Photos taken by Louis Backstrom.

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · 20d

A day and a half scouring Colonsay and Oronsay failed to turn up any of the hoped-for rare waders, but the stunning scenery and excellent views of the resident Choughs and raptors more than made up for it! 3/4 #BirdingScotland

Flight shot of a Chough from Colonsay. This was one of a flock of eight we saw. Photo taken by Louis Backstrom.

Pair of White-tailed Eagles perched in a conifer on Colonsay. Photo taken by Louis Backstrom.

Great Northern Divers in Kiloran Bay, Colonsay.

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Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · 20d

Aside from the star rarity, Barra also provided excellent views of some Hebridean specialities, with both eagles, Merlin, and Hen Harrier seen. 19 Black-throated Divers (most still in summer-plumage) and a Bottlenose Dolphin were also seen off Vatersay. 2/4 #BirdingScotland

Looking out to sea from the east beach on Vatersay.

Raft of Black-throated Divers seen from the east beach on Vatersay.

Bottlenose Dolphin seen from the east beach on Vatersay. Photo taken by Louis Backstrom.

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Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · 20d

Brilliant trip to Barra and Colonsay (19th-23rd Sep) with @birdingscot.bsky.social, @louisbackstrom.bsky.social, and James Weeks. Some great birds over the course of the trip, with Stuart Beeby's Swainson's Thrush at Cuithir the undeniable highlight, and a lifer for all of us! 1/4
#BirdingScotland

Swainson's Thrush perched in a tree at Cuithir, Barra. Photo taken by Louis Backstrom.

View over the small patch of woodland where we saw the Swainson's Thrush at Cuithir, Barra.

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Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Jul 10

The stuff of dreams! Hope someone bought you a pint or two after 😂

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Jul 8

Cheers, Barry. Will be keeping an eye on your Dundee birding efforts from afar!

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Jul 8

Cheers, Jared. Very excited to be moving down to Durham this Autumn, but it's got a lot to live up to bird-wise after a fantastic few years in Fife!

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Jul 8

Singing male Corn Bunting from this morning. I'll miss having these beauties on the doorstep!

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Jul 8

Looking for Corn Buntings felt like a fitting way to spend my last morning before moving away from St Andrews. 2 pairs near Strathkinness/Kincaple, with a couple of Osprey sightings nearby as well. Missed the Spoonbills on the Eden, but a smart Little Gull was nice consolation! #birdingFife

Pair of Corn Buntings on a wire near Kincaple, Fife.

Osprey on a post, with a fish, near Kincaple, Fife.

Zoomed-in image of summer-plumage Little Gull at Balgove Bay, Fife.

Little Gull sigh mixed gull flock at Balgove Bay, Fife.

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Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Jun 27

Cheers, George. Couldn't believe my luck with the Corncrake as I normally only hear them. Hope the summer is treating you well, and I look forward to hearing about your own birding travels!

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Jun 27

This 2cy Little Gull at Northton (Harris) on Wednesday was a nice surprise. Not often that I get such good views of this species!

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Jun 27

Back home after a fantastic week in the Outer Hebrides. Wildlife highlights included both eagles, all three divers, Hen Harrier, SEO, Little Tern, and lots of seabirds and cetaceans on the ferry crossings. Best of all was a showy Corncrake on North Uist! #birdingScotland

View across the Sound of Taransay and Luskentyre towards Beinn Dubh and the hills of North Harris.

Corncrake at RSPB Balranald, North Uist.

Golden Eagle soaring over the hills of Harris.

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Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Jun 15

A few years since I last saw one in summer plumage, so I couldn't resist going along to see the Spotted Redshank at Angle Park (found yesterday by @simonpinder5.bsky.social). Jay, Redpoll, and Crossbill also present nearby #birdingFife

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Jun 2

Absolute nightmare twitch, but good company! At least we got the Little Gull and some nice Arctic Terns. We'll laugh about it someday...

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · May 11

Nice to get out birding at Boarhills with the uni bird club this morning. This ringtail Hen Harrier, which briefly circled over the fields near the church before heading off Northwest, was a real surprise! Lots of singing Corn Buntings and common spring migrants also around #birdingFife

Ringtail Hen Harrier briefly at Boarhills, Fife, this morning. Photo by Ian Gair.

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · May 4

Back from a fantastic couple of days walking and camping in the Perthshire/Aberdeenshire hills. Birding highlights included Golden Eagle, Ring Ouzel, Osprey, Golden Plover, and lots of Ptarmigan! #birdingScotland

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Apr 27

Cracking day out birding in Perthshire with @birdingscot.bsky.social and a few friends from uni. Great Egret a very nice surprise, with other highlights including Whinchat, Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Red Kite, and Redstart! #birdingScotland

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Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Apr 8

Fantastic weather over the weekend for a hillwalking trip to the Northwest Highlands. Lucky to get close views of Ptarmigan #birdingScotland

Ptarmigan on a Munro in the Northwest Highlands.

Sgurr Fiona and the Corrag Buidhe pinnacles from Bidean a' Ghlas Thuill (An Teallach).

View along the ridge of Beinn Eighe towards Liathach and the hills of Torridon.

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Apr 3

Very lucky to get the opportunity, and it was a fantastic learning experience!

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Apr 2

Spent the last few days on a university field trip, visiting and learning about rewilding and nature conservation projects in the Scottish Highlands. #birdingScotland highlights included Osprey, Crossbill, and Crested Tit in the Cairngorms, along with heaps of Red Kites @argatyredkites.bsky.social

Crested Tit in Glen Feshie, Cairngorms National Park.

View over Uath Lochans, Cairngorms National Park.

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Reposted by Tom Beckett

RSPB Scotland @rspbscotland.bsky.social · Mar 26

We are working with farmers to help threatened farmland birds like Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer and Linnet. In our latest video Senior Conservation Advisor Dan Brown sees an amazing flock of birds in Fife.

Watch the video here: youtu.be/-0NiLNEUucA

📷 Ben Andrew

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Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Mar 16

Nice to take a break from uni work with a day of birding. Started off with a uni bird club walk from St Andrews to Balgove Bay. 60 species seen/heard, with good views of Pintail and Brent Geese. Quiet WeBS count in St Andrews this afternoon, but still 52 Purple Sandpipers in the roost #birdingFife

Small group of Pintail on the Eden Estuary at Balgove Bay this morning.

Purple Sandpiper with Redshank and Dunlin in one of the St Andrews wader roosts this afternoon.

Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Mar 4

Back from a fantastic weekend trip to the Highlands with @tomrosas.bsky.social and friends from the University of St Andrews birding and hillwalking clubs. Highlights from the trip included Ptarmigan, Golden Eagle, Great Northern Diver, Black Guillemot, and Crossbill. #birdingScotland

Winter-plumage Ptarmigan on a Munro in the Monadh Liath.

Great Northern Diver on the sea off Port na Murrach, Arisaig.

Landscape shot looking out to sea over Rhu beach, Arisaig.

View of the Monadh Liath from Garva Bridge, near Laggan.

Reposted by Tom Beckett

Tom Rosas @tomrosas.bsky.social · Mar 3

Just wrapped up a uni hill walking and bird club trip in the west coast and highlands with @tombeckett02.bsky.social and friends. Black Guillemot and Great Northern Divers, both year ticks, gave great views. On the Munros, Golden Eagle and Ptarmigan were incredible to see as always #BirdingScotland

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Tom Beckett @tombeckett02.bsky.social · Feb 27

Cracking afternoon birding on the Eden Estuary. The Avocet found earlier by Angus Duncan was the highlight, and the first I've seen since one here in 2022. Short-eared Owl, Brent Geese, and lots of wildfowl and waders were very nice to see, too #birdingFife

Short-eared Owl perched on a post by Balgove Bay, Fife, this afternoon.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese feeding in a stubble field next to Balgove Bay, Fife, this afternoon.

Avocet on the Eden Estuary this afternoon.