Working my patch today up on the southern fringes of Dartmoor north of Plymouth. There are fragments of Atlantic rainforest even here. I saw single pairs of Redstart and Pied Flycatcher, which are always a privilege to spend time with. #birds

I am in Leicestershire for work at present, but to be woken by the sound of a Turtle Dove outside my accommodation this morning was special. A bird I have not seen in the UK for over a decade. (Sound up) #birds

Great day up in Somerset yesterday at RSPB Ham Wall, NNR Shapwick and RSPB Greylake. All the birds one might expect with over 75 species on the day list. The highlight at least 8 Hobby’s as well as one of the Knepp White Storks on Tealham and two Cranes a Greylake which gave great views #birds

Whimbrel day, today started with a single bird at Firestone Bay, Plymouth, before work this morning. Tonight I went to South Milton and despite their only being a single Whimbrel, Yellow Wagtail and Bar Tailed Godwit on the marsh, the vis-mig saw a further twenty seven Whimbrel flying over. #birds

On South West Coast Path tonight looking for fields with cows, hoping for yellow wagtails. Lots of singing white throats but with this landscape and seascape as company, come on….how lucky #birds

Whilst it was only 4 degrees on southern Dartmoor at dawn this morning, the sounds of spring where all around me. A reeling Grasshopper Warbler, Willow Warbler and a Cuckoo all adding to the chorus #birds

In Cornwall catching up with the long staying Lesser Yellow-Legs in Truro. Onto Hayle and saw the years 2nd Bonaparte’s Gull (the BOURC downgraded its status this week) It was good to find a Little Tern in amongst the Sandwich Tern too. Finally, Sennen to see that most Cornish of birds Chough #birds

Easter morning and whilst sat out enjoying the spring sunshine managed to add a new bird to my garden list. Heading into the blustery south westerly 3 Sand Martins heading west. #birds #patchbirding

For a bird of which there have been fewer than ten mainland UK records, which on average have a max stay of two days, I was at Chapel Amble at dawn this morning to see this Kildeer. Life ticks are harder to come by once you reach 300 so had to make the trip. ✅ #birds #cornwall

From Moor to shore this afternoon, despite the lack of spring like weather, it is here. Goshawk and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at Yarner after drawing blank last weekend. Onto Slapton and Beesands with 60+ Sand Martin over the Leys. Then this beauty showed well at Beesands #birds #devon #dartmoor

Bonaparte’s Gull on the Plym today at 17:00 this afternoon. Good to refind the bird after no reports for a few hours. Great to share the experience with @southdevonbirds.bsky.social. It has been over 35 years since my last Plymouth Bonaparte’s #birds

On my way back from some training in East Devon I took the opportunity to drop in on RSPB Aylesbere. I only had 30 minutes before sunset but struck lucky with good views of Dartford Warbler with a second scratching out it’s song in the distance. #birds @rspb.bsky.social

A weekend away in Somerset, not birding, but is really such a thing. Dawn walk at Chard Res. this morning, Firecrest, Marsh Tit and the increasingly ubiquitous GWE. On our way home into Seaton to see two Black Redstarts & one of the two Eastern Lesser Whitethroats that are overwintering there #birds

The brief lift in temperature at the weekend tempted the first queen bumblebees out from hibernation. This buff tail was refuelling on a spoon of sugar syrup as a wake up pick me up #spring #devon

Sat in the blustery rain on the end of Brixham Pier, to see the BT Diver in the bay. Up to 10 GND too. Purple Sandpiper and Med Gull moulting into summer plumage nice too. Despite much searching not able to find Caspian Gull. Finished with a brief visit to Broadsands to see Cirl Bunting #birds

Nice article on how pet flea & tick treatments end up in rivers: the-european.eu/story-57030/...

After weeks of rain and generally grotty weather in Devon, I wanted to remember moments like this, taken at dusk on Dartmoor last month. #photography #dartmoor #devon

A study of Ordnance Survey data has revealed a marked increase in the number of new road names inspired by bird species that have undergone severe population declines and continue to be pushed closer to the brink. Read more:

One of my favourite books is Wild America, the 1953 trip made by legendary naturalists Roger Tory Peterson (USA) and James Fisher (UK). Some of it was filmed and RTP took that on tour to theaters across the States. Until today, that was the only opportunity to see it (1/2) youtu.be/irjm8dxb0xA?...

Arrived at work this morning and despite the clouds from last nights storm having lifted, there is still a good swell and brisk onshore wind. Along the strand line, feeding l amongst the BH Gulls a Juv. Little Gull and a Mediterranean Gull. #birds

It’s January and the frogs 🐸 are back in my garden pond, smaller males arrive first, followed by females full of eggs and almost half as large again as the males, soon there will be spawn. #nature

Definitely the calm after the storm in SE Cornwall and took advantage of the glassy water to go looking for grebes at St John this afternoon. Not a five grebe day but Little, Great Creasted, Black Necked and Slavonian made it a four grebe day, is still a good day! #birds

If you get a chance, go to the Luminescence show @mancathedral.bsky.social. it's incredible and tells the story of Manchester and the cathedral beautifully through music and prose #proudmanc #proudcathedralcanon

After checking out the goose flock in the flooded fields at Modbury turning up 4 Green Sandpipers it was to the coast to see if I could catch up with the influx of Little Gulls. As @stuartgreen.bsky.social was watching an adult off Plymouth Barbican, I found a Juv. bird at sea off Mt.Batten #birds

I am travelling for work at present and the change of geography has seen a change in the quality and quantity of wildfowl. At Eyebrook Reservoir this morning to catch 6 Smew and a pair of Scaup. Yesterday a smart male American Wigeon at Lowick Lake NR. A great turbo charge to the year list. #birds

In the grotty weather yesterday kept busy with a trip to Plymouth Hoe. Apart from this guy feeding the gulls, I saw a smart male redstart and 3 Purple Sandpipers. A circuit of Saltram was wetter and less rewarding with even the duck pond barren. Highlight there were 4 Goodsander on the Plym. #birds

More 10km patch birding today and so many great birds to be seen. Today back at Efford Marsh LNR to see the YBW that was in the very top of the trees when I saw it on 31/12 today it was almost in the water feeding! 2 Water Rail, an added bonus. Also a Chiffchaff with Tristis characteristics #birds

That’s my 2025 list complete, sure there are birds missing from the list that I could have seen Hobby & Whooper Swan and if I had traveled today Bean Goose. But 2025 has been a great year with amazing wildlife experiences. It finished today as it started with a Yellow Browed Warbler on patch #birds

As we reach the final day of 2025. I was up early on patch to seek out Dipper (ironic I know) I have spent last few days now watching at various spots with no luck, but this morning, 2 sat on a log, below a bridge I have stood on many times this year. The last year ✅ of 2025, 365 days in! #birds

Spent a couple of hours sat abreast an Oif all pipe next to a 3ft deep bank of rotting kelp this afternoon in a quest to catch sight another year tick for 2025. Amongst the Rock and Meadow Pipits was a Water Pipit. Difficult to get onto the birds today with so many dogs on the beach. #birds #glamour

With nights drawing in and birding hours depleting, I watched this last night. I enjoyed watching new birders engaging in birdwatching in a tech enabled way. I also enjoyed how they weaved into the narrative, searching question around the ethics of what birders do #birds youtu.be/zl-wAqplQAo?...

Straight from the office to South Huish this evening. 2 Grey Phalaropes showed well along the waters edge. First time I have seen them being waders as all my other sightings have been on the sea First time I’ve seen legs! ✅209 #birds

In some pretty challenging conditions and a brief window in the rain this afternoon visited Bolt Tail Sabine’s Gull, a Great Shearwater and half a dozen Balearic Shearwaters the best of it. A Knot and 17 Barwits at South Milton before hand. #birds

Used my stay over in St Ives last night to make time to visit Ryan’s Field, Hayle. Good numbers of birds on the marsh today, escaping the high tide Spoonbill, Curlew Sand, Ruff & Knot the highlights amongst the regular species. Knot was a year tick and also to my surprise was Spoonbill. #birds

So, never give up, I used the opportunity of a black tie dinner in St Ives to try again at Siblyback. Pec. Sandpiper & Baird’s Sandpiper as well as Wheatear, Peregrine, Ruff and Curlew Sand #birds

Sometimes, it just doesn’t work. A race to Siblyback after work to arrive in time to find the wader flock that may of held Pectoral Sandpiper and Baird’s Sandpiper. No sooner had I got close enough to scope them then the heavens opened. It made impossible to positively id any small waders. #birds

A few weeks ago I arranged to take a friend to try and see Osprey. Then for the first bird we get bins onto, an Osprey! Flying down the Tavy to fish in the Tamar before heading off to eat the catch on a pylon behind the rail bridge. Sometimes the place, the tides and the dates make your luck #birds

Back from Spain this afternoon. Went out for bread and milk. Caught up with the Juv. Rose Coloured Starling in Wembury. The first time I have seen 200 species in a year and still 4 months left! #birds

Calling South West #birders The BTO South West Conference is coming up, and it looks like a really interesting day Talks about locally important species by local and @btobirds.bsky.social speakers - & I'll be there speaking about #Wildlife Gardening More here: www.bto.org/our-work/eve...

In the mountains of Andalucía, for my early walk. Booted Eagle, Crossbill, Crested Tit, Dartford Warbler & Hoopoe made for a change from the estuarine species of a few days ago. I was interested how vocal Booted Eagle was, their calls carrying across the wooded slopes was distinct. #birds

How gorgeous is the wryneck currently at Exeter? Lifer yesterday and what a little beauty! It was a lot smaller than I expected! #ukbirding

Early start to get to Guadlahore Marsh in Malaga. Well worth it for Gull Billed Tern at roost woke and left as soon as sun came up. Greater Flamingo, Temmicks Stint, Little Bittern and two very smart White-Headed Duck all really great to see, in total some 52 species recorded in 2 hours #birds#spain

After two days of being close to but not able to get to Turf Locks at Exminster. I made the dash this afternoon to catch the confiding Wryneck which showed well on the short grass either side of the lock gates. #birds ✅199🫣

Trip to Reading to pick up my son from Reading Festival. Stopped at Ham Wall which was so quiet, I was hoping for Hobby but local’s inform me this is now a scare passage bird. Better luck at RSPB Winterbourne Down, 8 Stone Curlew was ✅ 198 for 2025 #birds

Stint seeking this morning. Blaxton was a blank at dawn, but a race to South Milton to beat the beachgoers was rewarded by a brace of Little Stint a host of migrants also present; BT Godwit, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Wheatear, 3 Yellow Wags #birds

What’s not to like about a slow-mo Hummingbird Hawkmoth feeding on the Buddliea today. #moths

After dropping my son and his friends to the Reading Festival today, I took advantage on the way home to pop into Frensham Great Pool. It was pretty quiet but saw the juvenile Black Tern busy over the water. 196 ✅ #birds

South Milton car park was jammed packed when arrived just after 8pm this evening. Found the one free parking space and was rewarded with good views of the Wood Sandpiper that has been on site since yesterday After a quiet spell the year list ticks upwards once more 195 ✅ #birds

Had to head higher up in elevation and off patch this evening to track down ✅ 194 of 2025. A walk around Soussons on Dartmoor delivered with great views of Whinchat #birds

Spotted next to two recently dug ponds/mini lakes in Cambridge. Feels like the city council may have listened to @davegoulson.bsky.social 🙂