Hadn't been out for 3 days (winter slump!), so was pleased it was a lovely day. Walked Cogden to West Bexington. Fab to see a good flock of Yammers, with a few Cirl Buntings in the mix. Then a gd Green Finch flock (about 3 dozen), which eventually mixed with Linnets. Lots of Stonechats. #UKBirding

I loved this post! It's the little things. My pet TV & film bugbear is vixens screaming........ Day or night, all year round, in every thriller or murder-mystery.......🙄🙄🤣

The GOOD news today was that I saw my first-ever Firecrest AND it was in my garden!! 😮 The BAD news was that it was 30 secs b4 I had to start a 3 hour Zoom workshop.....so no pics or following. It wasn't there when I came out, of course. 🥺🥺 But I shall be keeping 👀👀 open!! 😃#UKBirding

Even consummate migrants like Corncrakes can end up being ship-assisted, although presumably being adopted by a family and fed prawns is a rarer occurrence.... #UKBirding #Ornithology www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/2563328...

Standing in my Lyme Regis garden & there are still very large flocks of Wood Pigeons heading south....thousands.... #UKBirding

Gd walk betwn Cogden & Swyre today. Fairly quiet, birdwise, but a cpl of Cirls, Redwings, plenty of Stonechats, Mipits and a few skylarks. Major movement of Wood Pigeons. Many insects, including dragonflies, my latest Clouded Yellow, hornets etc. Plenty of fungi & Robin's Pincushions. #UKBirding

I thought that the flocks of small birds I was seeing on Exmoor yesterday were probably Linnets, but they were actually Reed Buntings. Haven't seen them like that b4. Also 5 Red Kites & male Hen Harrier #UKBirding

Yester a.m turned grey, but I was thrilled to see this male Hen Harrier up on an Exmoor ridge! I was half a mile away as I watched it soar over my parked car. 😂 Gr8 to see tho. Also 5 Red Kite, 5 Buzzards & small flocks of birds that turned out to be Reed Buntings, surprisingly! #UKBirding

I'm enjoying strolling around my old haunts. Greenwich Park has always been a favourite. Yesterday I got gr8 views of 3 foxes, many Parakeets, a few Fallow Deer, Gt Spot Woodies, Egyptian Geese & a surprising Red Kite. 😃 #UKBirding #UKMammals

Cat-sitting in London, so had a trip to Bushy Park yester to wildlife watch. Exhausted stags, both Fallow and Red, Green Woodpeckers, Parakeets, Stonechats & Jays mainly. #Wildlife #Mammals #Birds All deer pics from at least 50m - they're very dangerous at this time of year!

Dartmoor in showery rain today, so the light was rather low. Large influx of thrush types - Fieldfares (about 70), Redwings (7), Ring Ouzels (@ 12), Blackbirds and Mistles. All VERY flighty. Also Tawny Owl calling in p.m, Greenfinches, Linnets, Stonechats, Goldcrests, Bullfinches. #UKBirding

It was a dark grey morn, but I had a stroll on the South Dorset Ridgeway, after a Tip run. Small pulse of Swallows heading E, Stonechats, Cirl buntings, a single Wheatear, a few Skylarks and many Chiffs and Chaffs. Dreadful pics because there was a total lack of light or contrast! 🙁 #UKBirding

A slightly better shot of the Mourning Dove yesterday on St Agnes. Thanks to the landowner and birders for allowing and arranging access. This was not only a first for the Scillies but also a first for England! #UKBirding #RareBirdsUK #IoSBirding #IslesofScillyBirding

Up on Exmoor yesterday and I was surprised how few birds I was seeing. Plenty of holly and haw berries, but I didn't see a single Blackbird or thrush, but on Dartmoor a few days ago were plenty. A Red Kite, Linnets & Stonechats were evident. Other than that? Pheasants & Partridge. 🙁#UKBirding

Up on Dartmoor for dawn, hoping for a Ring Ouzel. None seen, but there was a lge flock of Meadow Pipits (@200) swirling around, that quickly dispersed. Lots of Blackbirds, Stonechats, Jays, Chiffs & a few Gt Spot Woodies. Beautiful day, but very chilly first thing! #UKBirding

Gd to see a cpl of Wheatears in the churchyard, Lyme Regis, this morn and also a lge pulse of hirundines swirling along the coast. The beach was almost devoid of birds, apart from Rock Pipits & Wags - but there was a solitary juv Dunlin! Also Turnstones on the rock armour. #UKBirding

I had a fantastic 3 hrs at #SeatonMarsh today. 2hr 58mins was spent chatting to birding mates - @dhelliar.bsky.social, Nick & Bob - and 2 mins was spent watching my favourite woodpecker - the Wryneck 😀. So glad it finally showed itself. Also gr8 views of a Sparrowhawk & Curlew. #UKBirding

I was hoping that the strong winds yesterday might have blown a choice morsel onto the Lyme Regis beaches, but I could only find the usual suspects and they were in fewer numbers that in the past few days! Turnstones, Ringos and Sanderlings. Where are the Dunlin? #UKBirding

Interesting trip to Cheddar Reservoir today. Water is so low! Maybe 30%. 5 Glossy Ibis, 20+ Gt White Egret, 12+ Curlew Sandpipers, Dunlin, Ringos, Grey Phalarope etc. I cldn't see Lesser Scaup or Black Tern, but I believe that they were there! #UKBirding

Very high tide this morn, which meant a shortage of waders. Plenty of warblers around though - Blackcaps, Cettis, Willow and Chiffchaff mainly. Ringos, Dunlin, Redshank and Godwits. Kingfishers & Stonechats.Nice to see a few Cattle Egrets around the cattle (surprisingly). 😀#UKBirding

It's come to something when you look at a post on Bird Guides and see 'Glossy Ibis', click again for more info and say 'What?? Only ONE??!" 😮 #UKBirding

Spent a good couple of hours wandering around Seaton Wetlands this morning. A couple of Wheatears at Seaton Marsh; 8 Little Grebe at Borrow Pit; a Curlew Sandpiper, 3 Common Sands, 9 Ringos, 3 Dunlin, Kingfisher, Redshanks, Blackwits, a very damaged Tern at Black Hole Marsh. #UKBirding

Very windy on Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis today. No Grey Phal, but still a lot of small birds. More than a dozen Sanderling, 17 Turnstone, 7 Ringos. Many Rock Pipits and Pied Wags. Quite a few Cormorants offshore. #UKBirding

It was a wonderful morn in Lyme Regis. Not the spectacular sunrise that I'd hoped for, but very beautiful. The sea was flat calm, the beach was full of birds and I had a great chat with a fellow birder. Interesting to see the weed, after all of the stormy bluster......Looks like a hairdressers.

Fab a.m in Lyme Regis. Went for dawn & found that the recent blowy weather had brought weed onto the beach & also small waders. Found a Grey Phalarope tucked in by the Cobb - watched it on & off for 3 hours. Chatted to a birder. Calm sea, blue sky. Gorgeous!! Off for a sea swim now! #UKBirding

Grey Phalarope tucked in beside Cobb, Lyme Regis, also Sanderling. 6.51am. #UKBirding #dorsetbirds

Took a bus a little way along the Jurassic Coast this morning. Very pleased to find some Dorset Cirl Buntings, as soon as I started walking. Also Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnets, Stonechats seemed quite plentiful. Everywhere is so parched though.... #UKBirding

Any ideas? @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social

Are there any Ringers out there who might know what this Kingfisher's ring says? I don't know where to start.... #UKBirding

I've seen a couple of Spotted Redshanks before, but never quite so close. The light was fading a bit when I took this and I've had to slow it down because the bird is frantic! Seaton Wetlands this evening. #UKBirding

I went for the Marsh Sandpiper at Seaton Wetlands this evening, but also had amazing Kingfisher views. What an absolute stunner of a bird! #UKBirding

Marsh Sandpiper at Seaton Wetlands this evening, with some Common Sandpipers thinking that they were in a Benny Hill sketch behind.....😆 Also Redshank and Black-Tailed Godwit. #UKBirding

Fabulous trip to Seaton Wetlands this evening. Gd (slightly distant) views of Marsh Sandpiper (a lifer), some amazing Kingfisher action and then great views of a Spotted Redshank! Dunlin, Greenshank, Little Stint etc. 😀 As I left, the Red Arrows went over! Missed a Temmincks Stint!! #UKBirding

Had a good trip to Seaton Wetlands yesterday on the bus. Water is VERY low, so perfect for gulls, but also saw Greenshank, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Blackwits, Redshank, Common Sandpiper and then, the icing on the cake, I managed to see the Osprey that's been there for a few days! #UKBirding

UK Government's Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Christine Middlemiss claims: "Strong biosecurity is our best defence". It isn't. Not releasing 60 million gamebirds is. #AvianFlu #Ornithology raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/08/21/d...

Fairly quiet at RSPB Lodmoor today, but had good chat with a friend. Gr8 to see Bearded Tits, as I was on my way out.... Plenty of Gr8 White Egrets, some Blackwits, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Redshanks, Gulls & a single Common Tern. I.D on the gull with the black bill please? #UKBirding

Blackberrying a.m & thought I saw a Spot Flycatcher, but didn't have bins. Went back this p.m. No bird, but the butterflies were gr8!! 😀Clouded Yellow (1st of yr!), Common & Holly blues, Fritillaries, Jersey Tiger moth, Small Copper, Painted Lady etc. Also an Emperor Dragonfly! #UKButterflies

I'm sorry, but we really need to start separating wildlife and dogs! I love dogs, but if some owners can't be responsible, then we have to target all. Dogs shouldn't be allowed on NRs & should be on leads in countryside.

A case of bird flu in pheasants near Winsford. These will be culled - but what about the other millions?? #UKBirding

One last Beaver kit video (for the time being)! Out last night and I had some really good views of a pair of kits. Keep the sound up - the gnawing sound is what I often use to locate the animals. Hear them before seeing them. Noisy eaters.....😂 #UKWildlife

I've spent some time watching the Beaver kits on the River Otter recently. It's gr8 to see them, even if I find their parents a bit 'stodgy'! 😁I miss seeing the Otters - I used to see them regularly, but not now. Lucky to have so much wildlife to watch on this beautiful river though. #UKMammals

I'm weak willed. I went to the River Otter again this eve, intending to try & re-find the Black-Crowned Night Heron. Instead I got side-tracked watching a Beaver Mum & kits.... Oh dear! Also Kingfisher, Buzzard, Tawny etc. #DevonWildlife

After a cple of gr8 hours on the bank of the River Otter this a.m (4.30am-6.30), I was starting to walk back to the car when I found THIS!! So excited to spot a Black-Crowned Night Heron!! Not often the finder😃 Also Goosander, Kingfisher, Jays, Green Woodpecker #UKBirding @birdguides.bsky.social

Quick bus trip to Seaton Wetlands to see the Wood Sandpiper. Good to see @dhelliar.bsky.social & discuss camera-focus problems! Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Blackwits, Redshanks, Lapwings, Black-headed gulls, Sandmartins. #UKBirding

Four adult breeding Hen Harriers 'vanished' from nest sites in Cumbria & Lancashire in May 2025 - silence from police, valiant conservation efforts from RSPB staff & volunteers. RSPB press release & some questions from me 🔽 #RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/07/24/h...

Good trip to RSPB Lodmoor this evening. Plenty of Terns (Common, Sandwich, Little), Gt White Egrets, Dunlin, Common Sandpipers, Godwits, Gulls, Kingfisher, Oystercatchers. The rain cleared and it was lovely. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social #UKBirding

There is no need to ship ecological consultants hundreds of miles when there are qualified people locally. Skopeo has just paid a surveyor £3.60 in mileage for travel to four bird survey visits - less than a mile each way. Join the directory here - skopeo.co.uk #lowcarbonbirding

Spent the weekend on Exmoor, helping a friend with a Riverfly Survey as part of the Riverfly Monitoring Initiative. Very disappointing results - extremely low numbers. Also had time to take a couple of walks and a couple of fabulous wild swims.... #Exmoor #TheRiverflyPartnership