Local birding: Yellow-legged & Med Gulls - Fishmoor Res, Lancs - 30th Aug 2011.

Above & below: 2cy Yellow-legged Gull. Videograbs taken at c20:00.

Below: Juv Med Gull.

Local Patch: Ruff & Osprey - Brockholes NR LWT, Lancs - 28th-30th Aug 2011.

Above & below: Juv Ruff, Brockholes NR LWT - 30th Aug 2011. Two were also briefly present on 29th Aug. Incredibly, the first site records since 2006!

Below: Osprey, Brockholes NR LWT - 28th Aug 2011. This darvic ringed bird flew North-South over the site at 09:55.

Local patch: Grey Plover - Brockholes NR LWT, Lancs - 16th Aug 2011.

This stunning Grey Plover is the third site record this year: 1 in spring and 2 in autumn thus far.

'Blue' Fulmar - Western Isles, UK - 6th Aug 2011.

Pomerine Skuas: UK, July & Aug 2011.

Imm Pomerine Skua's - Above: 22nd July 2011. Below: 24th Aug 2011.

Above & below: Grey Seal with probable Angler Fish prey - 23rd Aug 2011.

Above & below: Water Spout - 25th Aug 2011.

Basking Sharks - Western Isles, Scotland - 16th July 2011.

Orkney - 8th-11th July 2011.

A few more images.

Above : Whooper Swan. Below : Twite - Orkney, Scotland, 11th July 2011.

Above & Below: Two of several Short-eared Owls seen. Hen Harrier sightings numbered the mid-teens.

Above: Marsh Harrier, The Shunan, Orkney, 11th July 2011. The furthest north I have personally seen one in the UK.

Above: A distant Osprey with fish, The Shunan, Orkney, 9th July 2011. Again, the furthest north I have seen one in the UK.

Above: Guillemot with chick. Below Black Guillemot, Orkney July 2011.

A summer plumaged Slavonian Grebe was also seen on a Loch and it was nice to see 'islandica' Black-tailed Godwit on breeding territory. A second pod of Orca was watched distantly from Stromness Golf Course on 11th July.