Lovely evening for a twitch! Purple Heron along the River Great Ouse near Earith 💜 Just 10 mins from home. Many thanks to Richard Bradbury and @Jeremylindsell.bsky.social @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social

@birdergirl.bsky.social your Wheatear Anxiety inspired my recent @vervalleysoc.bsky.social Bird Notes 🙏😃

Home from @naturetrek.bsky.social Spring Birding in Bulgaria. Wonderful trip taking in snowy mountains, lush green valleys, Black Sea coast, steppe and reedbed. 37 lifers, over 200 bird species seen! A few pics I haven't shared previously...

Excited to get a new Wheater today! Pied Wheatear at Kaliakra Cape, Bulgaria. Also an Eagle Owl on our 5th and final attempt! 😅

More great birds in Bulgaria. Calandra Lark, Long-legged Buzzard and Whiskered Tern were today's lifers, with Middle Spotted Woodpecker and Short-toed Treecreeper yesterday. This spanking Red-breasted Fly maybe bird of the day though. So good seeing everything in breeding plumage! 😍

Pygmy Cormorant and Booted Eagle were today's lifers, the latter around with 4 Lesser Spotted Eagle, a WTE and 4 Honey Buzzard! But the Collared Pratincoles stole the show, with 64 gathering on some rocks 😮 Point blank Purple Heron was superb too

One of my most wanted birds today: Blue Rock Thrush 💙😊 with Rock Buntings alongside and 2 Black Vultures over. Around 20 Lesser Kestrel in the afternoon made for another 4-lifer day in Bulgaria

Magnificent day of birding in Bulgaria. Beautiful scenery, weather & birds including 11 lifers! 🤯 Ls Grey Shrike, Ls Spotted Eagle, Olive-tree Warbler, Cirl Bunting, Sombre Tit, E Orphean Warbler, Syrian Woodpecker, Griffon & Egyptian Vultures, E Olivacious Warbler and Chuka!! 🤩

Photos not really happening but some great birds today and 4 lifers: Willow Tit, Wallcreeper, Crag Martin, Pallid Swift! 😁 Total lifers for trip so far: 8 Lifers seen at toilet service stops: 4 😂 #Bulgaria

Made it to Bulgaria! Last minute impulse trip with Nature Trek. Travel day today although still got 4 lifers: Short-toed Snake Eagle, Montague's Harrier (no pics of these), Black Stork and Spanish Sparrow (nesting on White Stork nest!). Proper birding starts tomorrow...

Not classic Ring Ouzel habitat but this one seemed happy enough and feeding in the Northstowe Secondary College car park! Great find by Ed King this lunchtime 😃👍 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

My annual bout of Wheatear Anxiety sets in around late March. They are an absolute fave & I can't see enough! After a poor year in Cambs last year it's a relief to hear of more sightings this spring. This one at LongstantonLagoons yesterday evening was a tonic 😍 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Eagle!! 🤩 I missed the Cambs April WT Eagle 4 and 5 years ago - but not this time. Thanks to the reports from others I intercepted it at Ouse Fen before it went north. Nice addition to my county list 😁 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Kittiwake! 😃 Not easy in Cambs - not that many and they don't stick long. Well worth an early lunch quick twitch. On Ferry Lagoon, Fen Drayton Lakes. Picked up by Richard Grimmett 👍 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

A fine afternoon at RSPB Ouse Washes. Conditions idyllic! 😎 Drake Smew still near Stockdales hide seemed happy in the spring sunshine @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

It takes something decent to get me out before breakfast but a Slav Grebe on my doorstep warranted the effort. Tricky conditions on a windy day but pleased to connect! 😁 Thanks @johnyspotter.bsky.social for the find. Ouse Washes, Fortrey's Hall @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

A very vocal Curlew on the Ouse Washes at Earith this afternoon was lovely to see. I thought I'd take a video to capture it's haunting call but all you can hear is the wind 😂😂 Very representative of being on the Washes! @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

I wouldn't want to be a fish in that channel! Hungry eyes at the Ouse Washes Earith today @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Unexpected Egyptian Goose nesting in the Rookery! It's a fair way up. I wonder what the rooks think! 😅 #ukbirding

Found this beautiful male Merlin on my patch this afternoon! 🥰 Absolutely delighted. I'm not confident with Merlin because I've seen so few, usually badly or only as 'possibles' in flight. Really great to get a good look! Patch tick ✅ Earith GPs @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

This is why I count birds! Two brown geese in a brown field which I hadn't seen until I ran the scope over it to count the Whoopers. Ka-ching! Two Tundra Bean Geese! 🤩 Find tick! 🎉 Behind Rickwood hide, RSPB Ouse Washes @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Nene Washes is hosting spectacular numbers of birds at the moment. Clouds of Lapwing and Pink-footed Geese plus Cranes, Bewick's, Whoopers, Blackwit, Ruff, Dunlin and the usual ducks. Outstanding 🤯 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Two Smew at Fen Drayton Lakes today. An easy lunchbreak twitch from work. Couldn't resist. Smew is a good duck! 🤩 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

County tick! 😁 Red-breasted Merganser is scarce in Cambs and a bit slippery! So I was pleased to connect at Fen Drayton Lakes with @JoeParham19.bsky.social's bird. Good find! And good team effort to get everyone on it, as it proved mobile & skulky at times @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

I wasn't expecting to see snow this Christmas..! 😄 Thank you finder Josh Jones. Deep into the Fens and over the border but worth extending my range for the Snow Goose, and it's selection of classy field mates (Whoopers, Bewick's, Tundra Bean and White-fronted) #ukbirding #lifer

Two good birds today: the relaxed Red-necked Grebe at Fen Drayton Lakes offering super views, and the frenetic Firecrest in Over offering a photographic challenge! Both lovely to see 😊 Thanks to finders Steve C and Richard T @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Had a look at the Ouse Washes at Fortrey's Hall this lunchbreak and was pleased to see the juv Red-throated Diver, some 9km NE of Earith where I saw it Friday, and it was still going. Hopefully it can get back to the sea! Only about 45km to go! @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

I wondered if the plunge to sub-zero temperatures would bring anything good inland. I was thinking a wader but I'll take a Diver!! Red-throated Diver on River Delph by Earith Ouse Washes this morning. Self-found county tick! 😃🎉 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Please keep an eye open for dead & dying Whooper Swans (and other waterbirds), see thread below on how to report for possible sampling & please also report to @birdtrack.bsky.social so we can start to build a comprehensive picture of the spread 👇🏻

96 Cranes at RSPB Ouse Washes today 😍 My highest ever total! Getting close to the big 💯 on the reserve! 11 juvs. Initially feeding between Stockdales and Cadbury hides, they later flew west towards Manea. Video of some of the flock departing @rspb.bsky.social @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

The squeal of 42 Pink-footed Geese over my house in Sutton caught my attention this morning as I worked from home. Nice to be on their flight path! 😁 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

The noisy neighbours are back! 😂 And I'm pleased they are. It's like welcoming home returning friends. At Ouse Washes this morning. Skein of Pink-footed Geese over my house tonight too! House tick! 🤩 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

On my way back south with a pitstop at Musselburgh. Managed a quick visit to the Lagoons where the Marsh Sandpiper was very obliging. Can't beat a wader lifer! 🥳 Will return tomorrow for a longer visit and to look for ducks! #ukbirding

Saw two absolutely cracking Black Grouse today having a face off through a fence! Another iconic Scottish bird, another lifer! 😊 #ukbirding #highlandbirds

Day 4, lifer number 4: Black-throated Diver! This one feels overdue so I'm pleased to have finally seen one! Tricky conditions so a sweet find #ukbirding #highlandbirds

More Eagles today! No Golden yet but 5 more White-tailed, with 4 together at one point! 😮 They look incredibly majestic in their highland setting 😍 #ukbirding

Day 2 and over to Lewis. We made straight for the Isabelline Wheatear. With thanks to some intel from @pelagicbirder.bsky.social it was an easy twitch to the delight of everyone, especially me 😁 Lifer! And I love Wheatear 😍 #ukbirding #highlandbirds

Day 1 of my Heatherlea Scotland tour delivered 2 of my top target lifers!! 🥳🥳 The cute (and very mobile) Crested Tit and (4) wonderful White-tailed Eagles, looking breathtaking soaring through the Scottish Highland scenery 😃 #ukbirding #highlandbirds

It was all getting quite artistic at Longstanton Lagoons after work today. Curlew Sands still present for their 5th day @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

RSPB Ouse Washes today. 88 Common Cranes, 19 Glossy Ibis & 50-60 Ruff seen from the Stockdale & Cadbury hides. Great to see @birdergirl.bsky.social @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

Peachy! First for site Curlew Sandpipers at Longstanton Lagoons. Found by @Laziobirder.bsky.social, hastily twitched by me! 😁 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Lovely buffy Wheatear on the banks of the Ouse Washes this afternoon. Been scarce this year, and I don't usually see many (any!) in autumn anyway. A very welcome sight @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Two nice birds after work today: Redstart found by @brickert.bsky.social then I found this Curlew Sand at Ouse Fen (cell 10) 🥳 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Sometimes everything seems rubbish and you feel rubbish. Then you go down the Ouse Washes and see 55 Cranes (right outside Cottier hide) and things feel a bit better 😊 5 juvs in the group @rspb.bsky.social @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Educational visit to Fen Drayton Lakes for the juv White-winged Black Tern. I've seen 3 adults before so it was good to observe juv plumage. Mainly flying but it's hard to capture a feeding marsh tern with a bridge camera! Here it is on a brief rest stop @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

59 Cattle Egret on the Ouse Washes at Stockdales hide today! Most I've ever seen, and close to the county record. Quite a few juvs in there too @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Some waders flying over 😅 @rspb.bsky.social Snettisham #ukbirding

Post-work twitch to try and pick out the drake Ring-necked Duck on Drayton Lagoon. Tricky, but helps when you know it's there! 😄 Great find by Richard Bradbury 👍 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social @deepseahugh.bsky.social #ukbirding

Thanks to some help...a butterfly lifer! 😊 Chalkhill Blue at Devil's Dyke, Cambs today @epollard.bsky.social @cycle4nature.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Definitely did not expect to get this one back!! Having missed the Grafham Spotted Sandpiper in May while in Italy, an absolute gift from the birding gods, and Steve Cooper this morning to get another Cambs bird, at Dernford Res! 🥳 #lifer Thank you Steve! @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding