Day 6 on Shetland and another odd one. A kick about our Burn of Sound patch produced nothing then a dash down to Sumburgh Head to just miss an orca pod - one I still desperately need. Then a sprint up to Loch of Asta for multiple views of my 2nd Siberian Thrush of the week in this clump over 4 hours

Day 5 on Shetland + another cliche - "challenging weather". Common Rosefinch on the beach at Grutness + an unperturbed Glossy Ibis feeding in the incongruous setting of a peat bog at Eshaness, a bit different to my last views on Mallorca. Corncrake + Wryneck dipped in wind + rain.

Day 4 in Shetland and time to deploy the first autumn birding cliche - "hard work". Sites in north + central Mainland yielded 3 YBW, Willow W, Merlin, Water Rail, Wheatear, 2 Purple Sand + Red Grouse; highlight was a Hedgehog at Busta House. Not seen so much angst and woe on Shetland since ...

Day 3 on Shetland was an odd one. Started with the inevitable dip on Black-faced Bunting followed by slow birding with migrant numbers down; Red Kite the highlight (plus migrant insects - Painted Lady, Hummingbird Hawkmoth + Rush Veneer). Rounded off with flight views of a lifer, Siberian Thrush

Day 2 on Shetland and 2 seconds for me with a distant Blue-winged Teal on Loch of Spiggie + Rustic Bunting at Maywick, found by our crew. Also showy Bluethroat at Geosetter, several Yellow-browed Warbler, Slav Grebes, Great Northern Divers, Curlew Sand, Whooper Swans.

First day on Shetland started with a drake Ring-necked Duck on Loch of Tingwall. Then a trip over to Yell for an elusive Brown Shrike (seen twice in flight) + a skulking Barred Warbler before dipping a Short-toed Lark. Kicking around a few sites in north Mainland produced nowt of note.

After Musselburgh it was on the Lunan Bay - another White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Ducks, Arctic Skua and my first Pink-footed Geese of the autumn but no sign of the Surf Scoter

First port of call on the way up to Aberdeen was Musselburgh - headliners of a close Marsh Sandpiper on the lagoons (only my second) + White-winged Scoter offshore. Also Red-necked Grebe, 2 Spotshank, 6+ Ruff, RT Divers, auks, Barwits, RB Mergansers + Tree Sparrows

In amongst the monotony of Large, Lesser and Lunar Underwings (can you have a monotony of 3 species??) the last moth out of the trap was a NFG in Barred Sallow B74 VC38 SK10 @ruthnewby.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social @ecorecord.bsky.social

Well, I didn't expect to see one of these today - Pechora Pipit at South Shields this afternoon. A very tough bird to see, and showed mainly in flight, but it did show well on a couple of occasions... a proper mainland mega, and a lifer for me. #UKBirding #NEBirding

Good morning at Blithfield. Blithe Bay - 3 Curlew Sand (5 as per GJM), 5 Ruff, Blackwit, c115 Ringed Plover, c10 Dunlin, 2 Ruddy Shelduck, 2 Curlew, Common Sand, 4 Wheatear, notable increase in Mipits. Tad Bay - Barwit, 2 Greenshank, 3 Redshank, 9 Ruff, Spot Fly @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social

Just back from a pelagic trip out to the Whittard Canyon area on the continental shelf edge with @scillypelagics.bsky.social @scottinscilly.bsky.social @nomadbirder.bsky.social Madeiran Storm Petrel reclassified from MEGA!!! to scarce summer visitor in one evening with 84 counted last night! 😂

Finally some moths overnight - Brindled Green was NFG whilst Lunar Underwing was an expected NFY. Also Pale Mottled Willow, Dusky Thorn, Silver Y, SBV, Copper Underwing agg, C-B Sallow + Double-striped Tabby. We go again tonight.. B74 VC38 SK10 @ruthnewby.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social

Mega estuary watch from Severn Beach today. Personal totals: Sooty Shearwater (1st on Severnside for 51 years!), juv Sabine's Gull, 2 Grey Phalarope, 2 Leach's Petrel, 4 Storm Petrel, Black Tern, 3 Common Tern, distant Skua sp, 10+ Manxies, 8 Kittiwake, Med Gull, Hobby and 4 Curlew Sandpiper. Insane

One of the @ldvnnr.bsky.social reintroduced Corncrakes has pinged our MOTUS Tower! On 24th August at 21:32 it was picked up migrating over Spurn for 6 minutes! Amazingly, the same bird was detected just 90 minutes later at Weybourne, Norfolk! More info here www.facebook.com/share/p/1Arw...

The low water levels at Blithfield Reservoir since early August has meant a prolonged and varied wader passage with good numbers present daily (although perhaps just lacking a headline bird). Peak counts to date are as follows:

Camera recovered from Blithe Bay, Blithfield Reservoir this morning (13/09/25) ahead of the rain later today. DM me details to claim.

Amazingly my first visit of return passage to Belvide. First winter Grey Phalarope showing well off the dam in the northeast corner; also 9 Great White Egret, Hobby, Peregrine, Siskin, 4 Common Sand on dam wall + hundreds of hirundines @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social

Another productive visit to Blithfield with Bar-tailed Godwit new into Blithe Bay. Also Wood Sand, 7+ Curlew Sand, 2+ Black Tern, 6+ Dunlin, Greenshank, 2 Blackwit, 2 Common Sand, c50 Ringed Plover, GW Egret, Peregrine, impressive hirudine numbers, Yellow Wags @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social

The last hour of daylight in Blithe Bay, Blithfield - Wood Sand, 9+ Curlew Sand, 13+ Black Tern, 11 Blackwit, 3 Greenshank, 2 Redshank, 1 Curlew, 3 Common Sand, 50+ Ringed Plover, c10 Dunlin, Yellow-legged Gull, Goosnders, Yellow Wagtails @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social

Fantastic last hour of light at Blithfield in Blithe Bay - 13 Curlew Sand, 15 Common Sand, 4 Ruff, 2 Greenshank, c25 Dunlin, 10 LRP, 2 Snipe, upwards of 100 Ringed Plover, 1 Redshank, female Pintail, GWE, 12 Goosander, GBBG, 5 Wheatear, Tawny Owl @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social

Many thanks to the 20 sites who participated in yesterday's #westmidsalldayer - 4 sites managed to break the 100 mark with Blithfield narrowly pipping Belvide to the post. I'll pull together a list of all the species seen across the sites (usually c140 species). Well done all 👏

A flock of 34 Glossy Ibises flying over a family party of Zitting Cisticolas on the Suffolk coast is pretty indicative of the direction of future UK avifaunal community shifts under #ClimateChange #UKBirding #Ornithology

Calling it quits for now after 6+ hours in Tad Bay; hopefully back later for more. Unable to add wildebeest or zebra to day list on the sweeping savannahs. Team Blithfield now on 96 (level with Belvide) - latest additions incl Spot Fly, Wheatear + Whitethroat #WestMidsAllDayer

10am update from Team Blithfield - now on 91 species with latest additions of Tree Pipit and Crossbill #westmidsalldayer

8am update from Team Blithfield - out of the blocks faster than Usain Bolt! 83 species including Marsh Harrier, Osprey, Hobby, Greenshank, Ruff, GW Egret, Blackwit, Caspian Gull, 3 species of Owl with plenty of holes still left. #WestMidsAllDayer

Morning from Blithfield - good luck to all sites participating in today's #WestMidsAllDayer

Don't forget it's the West Mids all dayer tomorrow!! A chance to see how many bird species can be spotted at different sites in one day, across the region. Use #WestMidsAllDayer and tag @pmandrews1973.bsky.social to share updates from your local patch tomorrow! 🐦

Ahead of tomorrow's #WestMidsAllDayer I remembered I hadn't posted the final final final scores from the 23 sites which participated in the Spring event on the 3rd May.

A post work local twitch to Shustoke Reservoir for the juvenile Spotted Redshank - still present at the eastern end of the north shore at 7:40pm. No terns but Common Sandpiper and Little Egret.

The current forecast for Saturday's #WestMidsAllDayer- could be better but could be worse; just a shame its clear overnight with no rain during the day. Sunday still looking good for some inland movement with overnight southeasterlies then rain during the day #AllWeekender

Wasnt expecting much moth action on cold clear night so pleased with a NFG (Rusty Dot Pearl) & a NFY (Epinotia nisella). Also Ypsolopha sequella, Centre-barred Sallow, Angle Shades, Brimstone & Garden Rose Trtrx B74 VC38 SK10 @ruthnewby.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social @ecorecord.bsky.social

2 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper giving excellent views at Middleton Lakes on West Scrape from the path. Also 2 Ruff, 4 Blackwits, 2 Green Sand, 6+ Snipe, 14 LRP, 2 Garganey (West Scrape), GW Egret, 4 Swift, Hobby. 67 species in 3.5 hours @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social @mercianbirding.bsky.social

A reminder that the autumn edition of the West Midlands All-Day Birdwatch will be on the traditional date of the first Saturday in September (6th). Here's hoping for a good day and lots of sites (new and old) to be participating #westmidsalldayer

2 juv Curlew Sand at Middleton Lakes RSPB on West Scrape at 7:25am; also 2 Ruff and 7 LRP so far @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirdalertuk.bsky.social

Final moth trap from Carmarthen - cool and damp overnight. 3 Rush Veneer, Engrailed, 2 Small Wainscot, 2 Rosy Rustic, Straw Dot, Copper Underwing agg, Frosted Orange, Acleris laterana and Heart+Dart amongst c110 LaYU and c70 SHC. VC44 #teammoth

Ropey pic of the juvenile Marsh Sandpiper found yesterday at Standlake Pit 60 by Jeremy Dexter but not confirmed until this morning. In the pouring rain! #ukbirding

Penultimate moth trap in Carmarthen and a new species for me in Palpita vitrealis. Also Burnished Brass, 2 Frosted Orange, Angled Shades, Tawny-barred Angle, 3 Small Wainscot, Early Thorn and Common Wave VC44 #teammoth

Heavy overnight rain but still some interest in the Carmarthen holiday moth trap - Buff Ermine, Oak Hook-tip, Small Wainscot, Small Rufous, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrix, 3 Early Thorn, Rosy Rustic VC44 #teammoth

Overnight wind and rain meant for a disappointing trap in Carmarthen - Common Lutestring, 2 Straw Dot, 2 Rosy Rustic, 2 Small Wainscot and 2 Bright-line Brown-eye of note VC44

A visit to Llansteffan yesterday evening - castle and fish & chips by the shore. Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gull on the estuary.

Overnight cloud and rain resulted in my best trap so far in Carmarthen - Small Mottled Willow was new for me. Also Burnished Brass, Orange Swift, Small Wainscot, 3 Straw Dot, 4 Angled Shades, Pebble Prominent, 2 Early Thorn, Bright-line Brown-eye VC44

A glorious day in Tenby on South Beach with the boys enjoying themselves in the sea with their cousins. More than a bit of nature thrown in with Red Kite over and Lesser Emperor, Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady all moving west to east along the undercliff.

An influx of c80 House Martins on the roof of #salopobs this morning included this juvenile apparent hybrid Swallow x House Martin 🧐 #ukbirding #birdhybrids

Birding has been predictably slow in Carmarthen - Red Kite over garden with parties of Chiffchaff moving through + a showy GSW. Typical waders on estuary at Laugharne plus Rock Pipit + Grey Wagtail. Adjacent property to the house has a pond with RC Pochard, White-cheeked Pintail + Ferruginous Duck 😲

Highlights of this morning's Carmarthen moth trap were Dark Sword-grass, 3 Straw Dot, Early Thorn, Small Rufus, Acleris laterana and Iron Prominent VC44

Highlights of Sunday morning's Carmarthen moth trap were only my second Small Wainscot, Early Thorn, Straw Dot, Silver Y, 2 Rosy Rustic, Rush Veneer, Chinese Character, Dark-barred Twin-spotted Carpet and this lovely marked Common Marbled Carpet VC44 #TeamMoth

Spending the week just outside Carmarthen with the inlaw clan and the moth trap has followed me. Amazing the difference in trap composition - over here its all Brimstone, Dusky Thorn, Light Emerald, Square-spot Rustic, Flame Shoulder, Snout and Green Carpets. VC44 #TeamMoth

Zitting Cisticola Breeds in Britain for the First Time Family party in Suffolk confirms long-anticipated arrival of a new breeding species on the British mainland www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Z...

Early morning visit to Blithe Bay, Blithfield - 16 Ruff (probably my best count in the West Mids), 2 Greenshank, 2 Dunlin, 4 Blackwits, Wheatear, Yellow Wags, Ringed Plovers, LRP, adult Yellow-legged Gull. 2 Ruddy Shelduck still in Tad Bay. Also Small Copper. @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social