Was a bit quiet at @maplelodgereserve.bsky.social yesterday. This female sparrowhawk might be the reason! #ukbirding #hertsbirds

We are on applecross in west Scotland All day skeins of pink-footed geese have been flying over. They are migrating from Greenland and Iceland to their wintering grounds in the U.K. - perhaps north Norfolk! Winter is coming!!!

Fan-tailed warbler/ zitting cisticola showed well at Walberswick this morning. Called frequently with song flights. Always very distant but good scope views. #418 on my UK list. I at least managed to get a photo where you can see it's a bird!!! #ukbirding.

A wasp spider finishing off its meal at @maplelodgereserve.bsky.social this afternoon. #spider #wildlife #waspspider

We paid a visit to Rye Harbour in Sussex. Lots of terns around but only a few chicks. One in front of the hide was particularly sweet ,exploring the shingle and the water. Amazing to see it flattening itself onto the pebbles when spooked - it disappeared! #ukbirding #rye #birds #terns #sussex

A juvenile kingfisher learning its trade at Maple Lodge NR this morning. Hopefully it carries on being as successful as it was and can get its own territory. #ukbirding #hertsbirds #kingfisher #wildlife #birds

Don't annoy a badger when its having its dinner #foxoftheday

Black-tailed godwits from RSPB Frampton Marsh last week.

Red squirrels from Anglesey. Amazing to have an encounter with this now very rare native mammal. You get a real feeling for how much smaller they are compared to the imported greys. Big thanks to the people of Anglesey for aggressively protecting this isolated population. #wildlife #squirrels #wales

Terns from Cemlyn Bay. About 2500 pairs of sandwich terns with 150 of arctic and common terns plus one of roseate terns. The birds were flying in over your head loaded down with food for their youngsters! @rspbcymru.bsky.social #ukbirding #wales #wildlife

Pratincole still at frampton marsh from reedbed hide #ukbirding #rarebirdalert

Roseate tern showing well on large island at cemlyn bay #ukbirds

Pied flycatcher and wood warbler from Wyre Forest today. First time I've been here and won't be the last! Tree pipit, redstart, willow warbler as well but no dipper...Thanks to @robclipson.bsky.social for excellent directions. #ukbirds

I see you!

Just some cheetahs in Madikwe generally messing around. Ashia with her 5 juvenile bundles of trouble from April before she was sadly killed by a hyena pack. They enjoyed jumping on each other and chasing tails up trees. Playing or learning?? #madikwe #safari #Africa #wildlife #cheetah #bigcat

Just some cheetahs waking up after a hard nights sleep. This is Ashia (with the collar) and some of her family of 5 male cubs in Madikwe. Sadly a month after these were taken she was killed by hyenas and the cubs taken into care #wildlife #southafrica #madikwe #cheetah #safari #africa #nature

Wild dogs on the hunt in Madikwe reserve in SA. The pack of 9 dogs caught an impala in the deep bush. We were fortunate to be close by when the action happened but missed the actual kill #wildlife #madikwe #huntingdogs #wildlife #safari

The lions of Madikwe. We were fortunate to have some outstanding encounters especially with two families of different ages. The similarity to domestic cats is amazing in their behaviour and mannerisms, although you have to remember they are top predators. #wildlife #lion #safari #africa #cats

Three photos of the great reed warbler at Ouse Fen yesterday. Was very vocal but hard to see amongst the reeds. Shame its spending so much effort with so little chance of success #ukbirding #birds

Four studies of black and white rhinos from Madikwe in South Africa. The black rhino was the calmest we've ever come across, approaching to within a few metres but in a totally non-threatening way! The whites were more numerous but very characterful #madikwe #southafrica #safari #wildlife #rhino

Elephants from Madikwe reserve in South Africa. A great destination with some marvellous lodges and quite intimate game viewing. #safari #wildlife #elephants #madikwe #southafrica

Trip to Staines this afternoon. Lots of arctics still around plus a supporting cast of black and the odd common. Little gulls were hawking over the water and my first swifts of the year were also seen. Also garden, sedge, reed warbler and sand martin at Rickmansworth NFY #ukbirds #birds

A young lion practicing his roar in Madikwe park , South Africa

Spent a couple of hours this morning at @maplelodgersrve.bsky.social. Definitely the feeling of spring in the air. The gulls seemed like nesting is reaching top of mind for them! The long-tailed tit was part of a pair in an area we've had them nesting before so fingers crossed!!!

Had a stroll around my local nature reserve of @maplelodgersrve.bsky.social this afternoon. Spring doesn't really seem to have started quite yet but some of the usual suspects (critters not members) were showing well.

A snipe I took last year at lemsford springs in Herts. A lovely little reserve known mainly for its green sandpipers. I was fortunate enough to have this photo win first prize in the Herts bird club photo competition yesterday.

Kestrel hovering over a ditch in search of prey. Taken near Welney in Norfolk. #ukbirding #birds #norfolkbirds

Whooper swans in the fields near WWT Welney. They were clearly enjoying the sugar beet lifted by the farmer, or perhaps just mooching around waiting for the afternoon feed on the reserve #ukbirding #welney #norfolkbirding #swans

Cirl buntings still on camp road Weymouth in horse paddock and showing well #dorsetbirds

Our local little owl at Woodoaks farm has reclaimed its nest box after alosing it to squirrels over the early part of Winter. I would say it looks happy but little owls only ever look cross!! #ukbirding #owls #hertsbirds

Day trip to Norfolk year ticking. Not a day for photos but waders at Hunstanton were fun. Got glaucous gull, shore lark, snow bunting, common+velvet scoter, lt duck, water pipit merlin, hen harrier, barn owl plus loads of commoner waders. Up to 137 at the end of Jan so not bad #ukbirding #norfolk

Glucose still at old Hunstanton but distant on far spit . It’s in the photo trust me!!! @rarebirder.bsky.social

Not a bad record for #biggardenbirdwatch . Pretty cold and quiet although nuthatch on the feeder wasn’t guaranteed. #hertsbirds #birds

We have a pair of foxes who have taken up residence in/ near our garden. One of them is becoming very brave and showing itself during daylight hours! We are hoping for cubs later as they were mating last week! #ukwildlife #fox

A bird which can be hard to see let alone photograph - the treecreeper. This one was fairly obliging though, hunting for food amongst a moss-covered tree branch in St. Albans. Only hung around for a few seconds then flew off. #ukbirds #hertsbirds

Yellow-browed warbler at St. Albans feeding low-down on the edge of the lake. Its behaviour was unusual. Twice it stopped feeding and effectively froze for 4 or 5 minutes before moving off again, presumably digesting its food. #ukbirds #hertsbirds @hertsbirds.bsky.social

A few photos from my trip to Welney yesterday. Not many birds came close enough for photos but the Friends hide does let you get a bit closer. #ukbirds #welney #fens #birds

Trip out to the Fens yesterday. Welney had very few swans but the godwit flock was impressive. Quite a few year ticks (crane, cattle egret, pintail, marsh harrier etc). Eldernell was better - tawny, long- and short-eared owl were all present if not exactly showing well. Year going well so far.

Some short-eared owls are over-wintering near me so I thought it would be rude not to pay them a visit. Light wasn't the best but owls always bring a smile to peoples faces. #birds #ukbirding #owls

No great photographic merit as they are on feeders but was good to visit a lovely local nature reserve. The Watercress beds near St Albans is a gem in an urban setting. In the winter it always provides a good set of birds. Also had greenfinch, goldfinch, coal tit, water rail plus many more.

A rare sight in Hertfordshire - a red-necked grebe present for a second day on a local gravel pit. Caused quite a local twitch #ukbirds #birds #herts

A little video of the American yellow warbler in Kent today. Very happy in the sunshine of day after the gales of yesterday #ukbirds #birds

After Xmas I finally got to see the yellow warbler in Kent today. I lucked out only waiting a few minutes once the sun hit the hedgerow. After awful weather yesterday it spent a few minutes preening on full show to the assembled small crowd. A truly beautiful waif and stray #ukbirds #birds #lifer

A (Scottish?) crossbill devouring a pine cone in the Abernethy woods two days ago. They don’t seem to be around in any great numbers this year so it was nice to come across this smart male. We only found it because the of noise of bits of pine cone hitting the floor #ukbirding #birds #scotland

The cairngorm car park is normally pretty reliable for snow buntings. The flock this year was about 40 birds and seemed like they were having fun in the snow! Such confiding birds they are excellent subjects for photography #ukbirds #birds #scotland #cairngorms

I paid a visit to a very reliable crested tit in the Cairngorms today. In exchange for a handful of peanuts it posed for a few photos. It was still finding lots of grubs in the bushes as well #ukbirding #birds

Surf scoter still off the beach at Dornoch @rarebirder.bsky.social

Sooty shearwater past Cullen beach at 12.40 @rarebirder.bsky.social

4 little auk past sandend on the moray coast this morning @rarebirder.bsky.social

@timwootton.bsky.social welcome to Bluesky. Lots of birders on here already …