Back out on the bike today after a bit of a break. Not much but a couple of juvenile Black-necked Grebes were at Woolston while the ride also had a few Goldcrests, Grey Wagtail & a sparrowhawk. Also helped improve fitness levels ready for the Autumn rush of birds! #UKBirding #BirdingByBike

@mothiduk.bsky.social I know there are a few very similar species, but is this Argyresthia semifusca? Thanks for any help as ever.

@mothiduk.bsky.social Could this be an Ocherous Pug? Never seen one before if it is! Thanks.

Caught this weird looking Brimstone Moth last week. Never come across one like it before. #Teammoth

@mothiduk.bsky.social A couple of moths from today which I think are Clouded Brindle & Large Twin-spot Carpet. Both scarce in our area so could do with a second opinion! Thanks.

@mothiduk.bsky.social Still struggle with pugs but I'm going with Wormwood? Really helps having confirmation (or not!) in the learning process. Thanks as ever.

@mothiduk.bsky.social A couple of micros from today. I'm going with Pyrausta purpuralis and Phycita roborella. Thanks for any help as always.

Managed to cycle over to Daresbury today to add the Woodchat Shrike to my #BirdingByBike year list. The best bird on it and a great way to bring up the 150! #LowCarbonBriding #UKBirding

@mothiduk.bsky.social A couple of micros from today's trap. I'm going with Hedya nubiferana and Ancylis achatana. Thanks as usual for your help.

@mothiduk.bsky.social A few I was stuck on from last weekend. Not sure about the pug or micros, but do you think the other is Vine's Rustic? We've never had one here in the spring so it would be good to confirm. Thanks as ever for your help.

@mothiduk.bsky.social A few moths from today. I think these are Broken-barred Carpet & Ingrailed Clay. Not sure about the micro though. Any help much appreciated as usual.

@mothiduk.bsky.social Do you think this is Hedya pruniana? Caught yesterday.

A great start to the weekend yesterday with a quick ride over to Newchurch Common after work. The Hoopoe eventually showed well, feeding & singing from the tree-tops! Don't remember ever hearing one singing in the UK before. Probably my best bike tick of the year so far. #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding

Had a ride up to Woolston Eyes today where at least 18 Black-necked Grebes showed well on No4 Bed. Also managed to add Hobby, Whimbrel & Wood Sandpiper to the bike year list #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding

@mothiduk.bsky.social Two pugs I'm struggling with from today. Photos not that good either- my camera always struggles when they rest on the wall at the back of the trap. Any help greatly appreciated as ever.

A 30 mile circuit today around Delamere Forest & Abbott's Moss. No sign of yesterday's Wood Warbler but Pied Flycatcher & Redstart were good additions to the #BirdingByBike yearlist (even though they didn't show for long) Now up to 141 for the year. #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding

A 60 mile ride over to Burton Mere Wetlands today. Added some tricky birds to my #BirdingByBike yearlist including Little Owl, Spotted Redshank, Grasshopper Warbler & Cattle Egret. Also my 1st Sedge Warbler & Whitethroat of the year. Currently at home having a sit down! #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding

Bit of a slog in the wind today but still clocked up 37 miles with a ride over to Frodsham. Highlights were the 8+ Water Pipits (some in full summer plumage). Also added LRP & Wheatear to my #BirdingByBike year list. #UKBirding #LowCarbonBirding

Rode up to Woolston Eyes today but it was pretty quiet. Most of the highlights came from my half way stopping point at Whitley Reed. Managed to add Mandarin to my #BirdingByBike year list here as well as enjoying good views of Tree Sparrows, Nuthatch & Yellowhammers. #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding

@mothiduk.bsky.social Could this be a Lead-coloured Drab? It was smaller than the Clouded I caught today and was more grey than the photo shows. Couldn't see the antennae though!

Best trap of the year so far at Marbury CP, Cheshire. Highlights included Oak & Brindled Beauties, Pine Beauty, Engrailed & Early Thorn. #teammoth

Only a short ride today, down to Marbury but it was enough to find my earliest ever singing Blackcap & a nice 1stW Little Gull. Reed Buntings by the hide were looking pretty good too. #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding

Only a short ride today down to Marbury but it was enough to add Mediterranean Gull to my #BirdingByBike year list. Takes the total to 115 now- just ready for the migrants next! #UKBirding

Clocked up 38 miles on the bike today but did manage to add some good birds to my #BirdingByBike yearlist. Best of these were Ring-necked Parakeet at Dunham and Willow Tit at Woolston Eyes. A nice Brambling here too. #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding

Had a trip up to Hoylake yesterday and managed to see the Black Scoter which was a decent Cheshire lifer. Too far to photograph but gave good scope views. Picked up a Wheatear nearby too which was my personal earliest, beating my previous early record from 1990! #UKBirding

Finally got round to twitching the Cley Church window while in Norfolk this week! Can't believe it was 2008 that the real White-crowned Sparrow was there! #UKBirding

10 years since the Laughing Gull at New Brighton! Not seen one since so it would be very nice to get another some time soon! (preferably in Cheshire!) #UKBirding

Was over to see my parents in Barnsley this weekend and managed a detour to Swillington on the way back. Always a good day when you see a Firecrest! The Slavonian Grebe wasn't bad either. #UkBirding

Clocked up 76 miles this weekend with rides over to Oglet & Frodsham. My #BirdingByBike list is now up to 110 which isn't bad going. Best birds added included Kumlien's Gull, Shorelark, Short-eared Owl, Ruddy Shelduck, Scaup, Rock Pipit & Whooper Swan. #LowcarbonBirding

Finally got started on my #BirdingByBike year list today. A nip round the fields near home, ending at Marbury CP. Some good year ticks including Grey Partridge, Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, Peregrine, Kingfisher & Bittern. Flipping cold though! #LowCarbonBirding

Marbury CP at dusk today: a male Goosander dropped in while around 6K Starlings came in to roost. No sign of the Bittern however. #UKBirding

Managed a couple of visits to Marbury on the bike today. Some nice sightings including at least 3 Hawfinches, Kingfisher, 8 Goldeneyes & a Common Scoter. #UKBirding #BirdingByBike

Bit of a slog over to Frodsham in the cold wind today, but I managed to add Hawfinch & Grey Plover to my #BirdingByBike list for the year (pity I dipped the WF Goose!). That brings up the 150 which will be a nice target to aim for next year! #LowCarbonBirding #UKBirding

Sea watching off New Brighton in pretty challenging conditions this afternoon. Not much to show for the effort, the highlights being single Little Gull, Kittiwake, 2 great Crested Grebes, 18 Common Scoters & a Shelduck as well as some pretty impressive waves! #UKBirding

A very obliging Robin by the hide at Marbury today. Much easier to photograph than the 4 Hawfinches present! #UKBirding

@mrbedford.bsky.social Here is the new account I've set up to post about the wildlife (mostly birds) we see in our school grounds. This site feels like a much nicer place to do that! #UKBirding

Around 10k Starlings came in to roost at Marbury today frantically trying to avoid the two Sparrowhawks present! Also 2 Kingfishers, a Goldeneye & 2 goosanders. #UKBirding

Spent some time in the hide at Marbury CP over the wet and windy weekend. A couple of showy Jays certainly brightened things up a bit though! Always great birds to see. #UKBirding

Bike fixed so decided to head up to Woolston again today. Not the best views by the time I arrived, but still managed to add the Penduline Tit to my #BirdingbyBike year list. Definitely the best of the 145 species on it! #UKBirding #LowCarbonBirding

Patience paid off when the Penduline Tit finally showed itself at Woolston Eyes this afternoon. It was calling and showing well although never stayed still for long (hence the poor photos!). Still, a long overdue UK tick for me and good to see it in Cheshire too. #UKBirding

@mothiduk.bsky.social Two from the trap today here in Cheshire. I'm going with Spruce Carpet and Brick? Any help much appreciated as usual. (Also good to see you on here as I'm done with the other place!) #teammoth

Glad I put the trap on at Marbury last night- had our first ever Delicate in it this morning! Not many Cheshire records either. #teammoth

Set out to try and see a local Yellow-browed warbler today & I actually found one! Decided to ride along the ship canal, stopping to check each tit flock. Finally, picked a YBW out at Moore NR. It called a couple of times, showed well at close range then was off! #UKBirding

Looking at some notes from a late May weekend in Norfolk 1994. Birds seen included Golden Orioles, Nightingales, Honey Buzzard, Montagu's Harrier, BW Stilt, RF Falcon, GR Warbler & Turtle Doves everywhere! However, no egrets or Spoonbills and only saw a couple of Marsh Harriers! #UkBirding

Been looking at some old notebooks. Can't believe it's been 30 years since the Song Sparrow at Seaforth! I went on Sat 16/10/94 and watched it with 100s of others while standing on the mound next to a mountain of scrap metal! It's still one of the biggest twitches I've been at.

A Yellow-browed Warbler enjoying some tasty treats @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social on Sunday. #UkBirding

Had some good birds on the east coast over the weekend but the highlight had to be this Arctic Warbler. Standing on my own watching it at close range in the sunshine takes some beating! Seen half way down Spurn Point in pretty much the exact spot I saw my 1st one back in 1996! #UkBirding #spurnbirds

Couldn't find any Pink-footed (or Snow) Geese on my ride to Frodsham today. On arrival, the Ravens were enjoying the windy conditions at Marsh Farm even if I wasn't on the way back! A Spoonbill on the Score was a nice addition to my #BirdingByBike list though. #UkBirding

A link to my YouTube channel for anyone interested. A few wildlife videos I made to show to the children in my class. www.youtube.com/channel/UC0y...

Got there just in time to see the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler at a very foggy Flamborough on Sunday! (Didn't manage any photos though). Birding was hard going in poor conditions but a Red-breasted Flycatcher by the Lighthouse Car park showed pretty well at times. #UkBirding