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 🙂

Off patch today in Lincolnshire. Change of biosphere brings different species. Lesser Whitethroat and a Marsh Harrier both additions to this years list. A Savi’s Warbler singing from the top of the reeds a lifer. Along with barn owl and tree sparrow a great pre breakfast walk. #rimacnnr #birds

I know it's hot, but please don't let your dog swim if you have treated it with a spot-on flea treatment in the last 28 days www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/v...

Berry Head: a few of the likely 7-10 Risso’s Dolphin very early this morning. There was also one large, almost complete white, probably adult individual in with what I’d estimate were mostly adolescence individuals

Never a dull moment #patchbirding finding a spotted flycatcher to keep me company whilst I mowed the outfield as flushed plenty of invertebrates into its waiting bill. #birds

Out #patchbirding tonight to see my 189th species of bird for 2025 Nightjar churring and flying around me for a couple of wonderful moments #birds

Dodging the showers today in Dorset and Wiltshire. The Little Tern colony on Chesil Beach was busy but based on the numbered nests only fewer than last year? It was pretty blustery at Martin Down NNR so most smaller birds deep in the scrub. Good to see Corn Buntings but other species elusive. #birds

Swifts are back! #birds #gardenlist

Moor and Shore this afternoon #patchbirding 3 Whimbrel and a near summer plumage Dunlin on Wembury Beach. Singing Cirl Buntings always a treat. Up to Lady Wood NR where Spotted Flycatchers and a singing Firecrest the highlights. #birds

Third day on patch trying to find Pied Flycatcher, in recent years this has not been difficult. This year it took a 3 mile circuit of suitable habitat to track down a single singing male. No redstarts to be heard territories occupied in previous years #patchbirding #birds #dartmoor

#patchbirding after my week in Scotland and despite not seeing the spring migrants I was expecting at Cadover woods, in amongst the Wheatear and Meadow Pipits on the moor a Little Ringed Plover feeding on the grass verge was a real surprise #birds

Last year the EU challenged the UK's closure of industrial sandeel fishing in its waters. These closures are a lifeline for the millions of seabirds which rely on sandeels for food. Reversing them would be a blow for hungry Puffins, Kittiwakes, and other birds.

Rob & I will be at Whitecross Local Produce Market near Bodinnick, #Cornwall (PL23 1NF) tomorrow -10am-1pm - with our plants for #pollinators All grown in peat-free compost with lots of love and no pesticides It's SUCH a lovely market... do come along if you can 🌿🐝🌼🪲

Hello—on Wed evening I’ll be at Ely Cathedral for the first event in a reading/speaking tour for Is A River Alive? Then around & about through May. Dates & places below in case you might make it. On the lives, loves, deaths & rights of rivers… Ely tickets here! www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/ely/r...

Looking forward to our AO Arena event later. SOLD OUT Chris Hawkins is the host, Helen O’Hara is our guest who’ll join me for a few songs 6pm - doors open 8pm - on stage I’ll be at the merch from doors open so come say hi - I’ll be there in the interval and afterwards too. Then DJing at the end

Was stuck in traffic on the A1 yesterday next to the Torness Power station. My passenger grabbed a photo, the power of this structure and what it meant and means was used back in 1997 for Teenage Fanclub’s single Ain’t That Enough the band worked at the time with Photographer Donald Milne #scotland

Early start to call in at RSPB St. Aidan’s on the way home from Scotland. Little Owl a given at this site. Bitterns, Groppers (which we have seen on most reserves on this trip) Black-Necked Grebe also Bearded Reedling made for a great visit. We already planning a trip back to Yorkshire #birds

Heading south after our Highland visit we stopped off at RSPB Coquet Island for Puffins, Terns and Seals. A quick visit to Hauxly NR for Tree Sparrow and it was onwards to our overnight stop in Wakefield…more birding in the morning before back to Devon #birds

Scotland Day 4. Started with male Hen Harrier quartering over moorland and a second group of lekking Black Grouse. Onto RSPB Insh Marshes for super summer plum RT Divers and reeling Groppers. Ended the day watching beautiful breeding display of Slavonian Grebe at RSPB Loch Ruthven. #birds

Scotland day 3; day started with summit of Cairngorm with Ring Ouzel, Ptarmigan and a very showy and vocal Snow Bunting. Onto Loch Garten for Crested Tit, Redstarts and displaying Tree Pipits.

Scotland day #2. Early start to catch local Black Grouse leck. Dawn rising with displaying Curlew, Cuckoo and Black Grouse. Onto Glenshee where we climbed Glas Mol. 3 Dottrel on the summit plateau the highlight there. Golden Eagle en route via the snow roads. #birds

Scotland Day#1 Around Methil on our way to Cairngorms; picking out White-Winged or Black Scoter among the hundreds of Common and Velvet Scoters in choppy seas, beyond me and my scope. Sum. plum. Surf Scoter, dozens of LT-Duck made detour worthwhile. A drop in Osprey in Moffat enroute a bonus. #birds

Unbelievable... "Despite these fragile gains, the European Commission has recommended resuming hunting in the Western Flyway for the 2025/2026 season, allowing hunters to kill up to 1.5% of the population." www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/E...

Triumphant lilies top this exuberant display of flowers from 1670 by Jan de Heem. It's his birthday.

Brimstone moth in our Plymouth garden last night, before the rain started. Nice when hanging out on the Fritillaria imperialis #moths