I ❤️ Leach’s Petrel

Well done @penrhynbirder.bsky.social 👏

Rewarding seawatch at Point of Ayr this morning, with a single Leach’s Petrel and 3 Arctic Skuas including these two very dark chocolate brown juveniles. Beautiful markings. Glad I had my camera at the ready when they flew along the beach. #birdingwales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Fantastic day on the Wirral watching wind blown Leach's Petrels leaving the river Mersey. The last couple of birds passed within metres over the beach on the ebbing tide!

👌

This is fantastic. Well worth a watch. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

💚 #Waders #Shorebirds

😍

The long-awaited first proven nesting of Great White Egrets in #Wales, with young fledging from nests on an #Anglesey wetland. Read all about it in this week's @northwaleslive.bsky.social BirdNotes. 📷 @rspbcymru.bsky.social and Bob Garrett. #BirdingWales www.birdnotes.wales/blog/first-f...

Good news from Wim Van den Bossche: "decree published, no Curlew and Black-tailed Godwit hunting allowed in #france till (at least) 1 july 2026 🙏" legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORF... #ornithology Hunting bans can make a difference - see what happened in GB: wadertales.wordpress.com/2022/04/21/c...

Wonderful news this evening! A pair of Montagu's Harrier has bred at a secret location in England this summer, the RSPB has announced:

First 'autumn' Little Stints and Curlew Sandpipers are being reported in UK. Will the first (Siberian) Pectoral Sandpipers be far behind? Blog about autumn migration: wadertales.wordpress.com/2017/07/20/w... Graphs from 2023 - @birdtrack.bsky.social #ornithology

Have you heard Swift screaming parties? ✋😀Our historical @birdtrack.bsky.social data shows in July we reach peak Swift records! Come August, birds will begin their migration to their non-breeding grounds in Africa. 🌍 📷 Swift by Graham Catley/BTO

Good news Friday! 🌞 Even with a super dry spring at RSPB Ynys-hir we kept water levels high in two swampy spots, and guess what? FOUR singing male Spotted Crakes showed up! 🎶 That’s a reserve record AND the first ones we’ve heard in years. 📸 : Andy Hay

GOOD NEWS: Lead shot will be banned! RESULT! After years of campaigning, the use of toxic lead ammunition by the shooting industry will be banned. This is excellent news for people's health and for wildlife. Read the Defra press release here: wildjustice.org.uk/general/toxi...

Reading this now. It’s a great book. Somehow slipped under my book-radar when it was first published. Recommended reading for all wader-philes

New digital publication available for free on our website! A checklist of the Lepidoptera of the British Isles (2nd Edition): covering all British macro-moths, micro-moths and butterflies, this is an indispensable reference for any serious lepidopterist. www.benhs.org.uk/publications...

The Roseate Tern continues it's stay at Seaforth NR and showing well, we can only hope it brings a mate back and join the Common Terns on the island, ringed on Couquet Island in 2021 as a chick so it's 4yrs old and ready to breed. #Lancsbirding #UKBirding #Terns

Wet at RSPB Burton Mere 1st thing but great birding @gnature.bsky.social @britbirdweather.bsky.social @whitbynats.bsky.social gropper, reed warbler, whitethroat. Plus LRP, common sand. Spotted red., barwit, blackwit, knot. 4 song thrushes singing

This is what roadside verges should look like in April. These are not weeds - they are wildflowers essential to the survival of early Spring bees.

Further to various comments from eg @markavery.bsky.social, @chrisgpackham.bsky.social and @raptorpersuk.bsky.social, about the decision by @privateeyenews.bsky.social not to take any more ££ from @wildjustice.bsky.social for their "pheasant" advert... I find myself at this week's letters page. 🧵1/8

Another good day at RSPB Burton Mere @gnature.bsky.social @whitbynats.bsky.social Med gull, main scrape, 5 whoopers, border pool, Waders galore centenary pool - blackwits, barwits, spot red, knot, dunlin, ruff. B’flies too, inc Orange-tip, brimstone, peacock

You’d think that after 366 days birding, my top birds would be better than a dodgy Cackling Goose and a Ruddy Duck. Must try harder this year @birdtrack.bsky.social

Top birding at RSPB Burton Mere today @whitbynats.bsky.social @gnature.bsky.social 200 blackwits c 40 knots, 91 avocets, herons getting ready and spot red. Cool day

Hung the MOL lure high up in oaks this morning at Burton Mere, Cheshire, and attracted 14 Pammene giganteana within 15 minutes.

Arctic Wave Dancer. Harder than most humans, and what a name. Who’s say insects are boring.

Been eagerly awaiting her return and today it happened. 🎉 Finnish-ringed #Curlew CJ6 back at #AlstonWetland for her 12th spring. Will likely hang around for a month fattening up on #Lancashire's finest earthworms before completing her migration back to Finland. #waders #shorebirds #LancsBirding

Blwyddyn newydd dda. Happy New Year. Wishing you all the best for 2025. 2024 report uploaded to: sites.google.com/view/anglese... If you enjoy, consider a small donation to the North Wales Wildlife Trust - link to the donation page within the report.

We are thrilled that our vice-chair Rob Adams has been recognised in the Kings New Years Honours List in recognition of his contributions to SBO & the local community. Congratulations Rob, very well deserved! ▶️ https://buff.ly/4gWecF5

Been good to have this female Brambling in the garden (Wirral) for the last 5 days. Only had them flying over in autumn previously. Minimum of 4 wintering Blackcap this year too. As bolshie as ever.

Wales Moth List now updated with 2023 records and downloadable here 👇 butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area... Includes a brief summary with Rob Hillier's excellent photo of Scarce Merveille du Jour from Haverfordwest, which was the first record for Wales. #MothsMatter #TeamMoth

Just set up a Feed for Lancashire birding news, discussion, site info etc. Please use #lancsbirding if you want to add to the feed bsky.app/profile/did:... #ukbirding

Just bought a Zoom F1 field recorder after reading Gavin's posts. Sound recording Water / Scandi Rock Pipit going to be my first project on the #DeeEstuary

Our Winter Newsletter is on its way this month. Join WOS today to receive it and our other publications. Mae Cylchlythyr y Gaeaf ar ei ffordd y mis yma. Ymunwch â WOS heddiw i’w dderbyn a derbyn ein cyhoeddiadau eraill #birdingwales t.co/zMta9yv3Au

Just watched #Nocturnes. Absolutely awesome 🤩. Soundtrack and soundscape marvellous too #teammoth @dogwoofdocs.bsky.social

All welcome at Butterfly Conservation’s free online UK Moth Recorders' Meeting (Saturday 25 January 2025 on Zoom). Reserve your place now bit.ly/3Z2MOzc There’s a fab line-up of speakers: bit.ly/3Z2MxfE #TeamMoth please repost to spread the word!

Wowzers!

Another contender for best moth book of the year arrived this morning. Plates of pinned specimens look perfect, clarity of gen.det. plates splendid, and text is refreshingly detailed, very informative and a delight to read. #teammoth #mothsmatter

Did you know the Glasswing Butterfly, native to Central and South America, has wings so clear that they almost disappear? 😱 These incredible butterflies need your help. Help us to safeguard their Ecuadorian home by donating to our Protecting the Ecuadorian Amazon Appeal 🌏

Apparently it is #BlackFlyDay (I think that's what it's called 😛) - here's a lovely velvety black hoverfly, Pipiza species (probably P. noctiluca) from Somerset last spring

The hoped for Striped Hawk failed to materialise (again) #MigrantMothUK. 28 of 7 of the usual suspects with a bonkers min temp of 13 deg C (Wirral) #TeamMoth

@gtalstonwader.bsky.social Alrite mate, it’s nice on ere innit.

Go on...

A shout out for my friend @stevenash71.bsky.social / @migrantmothuk.bsky.social and his feed #MigrantMothUK - a worthwhile follow, alongside #TeamMoth.