I'm at the end of three days in East Anglia visiting an old birding friend from our schooldays (we didn't call it birding in the Seventies). 97 species including Spotshank, Cattle Egret, Crane, Spoonbill and Hobby. We visited Fen Drayton Lakes, Welney WWT and Snettisham RSPB. #ukbirding

This is great. He's getting absolutely hammered on this and every answer he invents is worse than the one which preceded it

Londoners, there is a webpage for you to see where your nearest "cool spaces" are when the extreme heat hits - places with water, air-conditioning & shade. Have a look and spread the word, especially to those who may need this but might not think to look for it: apps.london.gov.uk/cool-spaces/

Well, it turns out all those Russian bots don't get a vote.

Andy Burnham is now MP for an important constituency of Willow Tits! Key areas of Amberswood Common and the Flashes of Wigan & Leigh NNR are in Makerfield, where our study was based. There's dozens of Willow Tit territories there, and likely hundreds in the wider area. doi.org/10.1080/0006...

The Major Oak has stood at the heart of Sherwood Forest for over a thousand years. This spring, it failed to come into leaf and experts now believe it has died. But its story isn’t over. Its ancient trunk & branches will continue to support life for years to come: www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

My first Hobby in the parish this year puts me on 84 species in this landlocked County parish with only a small brook and a couple of small ponds, mixed arable land and forestry. Best specialties include Nightjar, Woodcock, Lapwing. Still looking for a SpotFly for my parish year-list. #berksbirds

Really important that this story gets out there. Classic Kremlin disinfomation and smear campaign and lots of people even on this site fell for it. inews.co.uk/news/starmer...

Sign the open letter seeking an inquiry into Russian Interference in our politics and public discourse. I am fed up of Russian bots and hacked accounts spreading division and disinformation to destabilise society. secure.hopenothate.org.uk/page/193695/...

A recently finished woodland inspired drawing.

Available in my shop now if anybody’s interested. claireleach.com/shop

It's World Swift Day! ❤️ Swifts raise their chicks high in eaves or nestboxes, returning to the same site year after year. When the young fledge, they launch into open air... & just keep going! They’ll remain airborne for the next two or three years, until it’s time to breed themselves.

It's seven years today. I think of her every day and often think she would have something incisive to say about whatever noise is going on in the world. #bekind #bemorealice

We are a brand new start-up, funded by our members, & this one story underscores how woefully under scrutinised our political class are. Please consider being part of changing that. Thank you! 🙏 www.thenerve.news/membership

We saw the Unthanks at Reading Concert Hall last night. They didn't play this one but they were still exquisite. Seeing them perform Starless at Greenbelt Festival a few years back remains one of my all-time magic moments. youtube.com/watch?v=MTEq...

I was so pleased to see this Whiskered Tern on its brief visit to Berkshire this week. Found by Andy Merrick. This photo by Dave Rimes really shows it in all its glory. My 202nd Berkshire bird and what a cracker! #berksbirds

Immigration make Britain brilliant

In the run up to the 10th anniversary of Brexit I think we need to remember what was promised by the Brexiters and what threats they made about what would happen if we didn't leave. Here's Farage 10 years ago this month. www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-p...

One for the #birdinggear folks: I have a Leica Trima tripod on which the plastic shims have shattered on two of the legs, meaning they easily fall off, when unclipped. @leicacamera.bsky.social no longer support this model. Any suggestions on how to remedy?

The Red-headed Cardinal Beetle is a smart little critter.

"A conventional data center—... cloud storage... —draws as much electricity as 10,000 to 25,000 households, according to the International Energy Agency. But a newer, AI-focused 'hyperscale' data center can use as much power as 100,000 homes or more." www.lincolninst.edu/publications...

Took the plunge and bought a PhoneSkope Lollipop from @cleyspy ready for when I change phones and join @ecotalk next week. First used it this evening at Main Pit and got these record shots of a Black-winged Stilt some 500m away. It was very easy to use/fit onto my Opticron scope. #birdinggear.

On my way back to the studio to carry on refining this LTT woodcut, I stopped off for this Wood Sandpiper and Whimbrel, bringing my 2026 list to 151 (113 in Berkshire, 78 in my home village) #berksbirds #lowcarbonbirding

A 3 hour sea-watch at North Foreland this morning produced Black-throated Diver, 18 Common Scoter, Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2auk sp, lots of Gannets, Wheatear and hirundines. All in the company of very experienced local birders. #kentbirding

One of the two PurpleSands among the Turnstones at North Foreland this morning, thanks to @eastkentbirder.bsky.social for finding them. I risked my neck leaning over the railings but worth it for a year-tick. Several passing Gannets, Med Gulls and hirundines. A pleasant couple of hours. #kentbirding

It was an early bird. Three Wheatear on Kingsgate golf course, a busy Garden Warbler, singing Chiffchaff, and 3 Whitethroat on the walk to Foreness Point. Merlin suggested a Richard's Pipit but I could only hear a feisty House Sparrow. Not much out to sea. #kentbirding @kentishplover.bsky.social

A few days in Margate this weekend with time for some sea-watching off Foreness Point. Highlights so far include Fulmar, Sandwich Terns and 21 Little Gulls passing east at 7pm. Hoping some good passage birds will appear over the next 3 mornings. #kentbirding #ukbirding @kentishplover.bsky.social

A pair of Garganey yesterday at Welney @wwtworldwide.bsky.social Fortunately for her, the drake was pretty quick on the job. An elusive pair of Tree Sparrows finally showed up at 4.45 after the dominant House Sparrows had quietened down a bit. Cafe serves an excellent pastie too. #birdinguk

The village year total is creeping up with this week's addition of Swallow, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Woodlark bringing my to #76. #berksbirds #lowcarbonbirding

Climate change is driving Emperor Penguins to extinction in Antarctica. Bird conservation orgs are calling for govts to decarbonise while promoting ultra-high carbon tours to the same place to their members. It’s almost abusive. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

My 72nd bird in the village this year was Mandarin Duck. A pair flew along the hedgerow down the slope in this photo. I've been out daily looking for Wheatear or other migrants, without success so far. They're just down the road but I'm hoping they'll visit my patch. #ukbirding #lowcarbonbirding

A trip to the Fens today to collect Mum for her Easter hols was a good excuse to call in at Welney @wwtworldwide.bsky.social where I cut my birding teeth as a teenager. Highlights included 12 Common Crane, a Spoonbill, a couple of Ruff among the hundreds of Blackwits. #ukbirding

Caddis larvae from a pond-dip yesterday. #pondlife

Brown Hare, Yellowhammer (3 singing males) and a water louse from a pond dip in the village yesterday. A flock of c70 Fieldfare was a highlight of the day. #berksbirds #lowcarbonbirding

Actual headline: “Corruption and selling the UK out to foreign interests could be blocked in blow to Reform UK.”

Fine day out at Stanpit Marsh and Hengistbury Head on Monday with friends from NDOC and @berksbirdclub.bsky.social I noted 52 species and added Shag and Wheatear to my year list (127, of which 71 in my home village). The Stonechats, Dartford Warblers and Greenfinches were delightful. #ukbirding

The billionaires are not coming to save us. We're building a new news organisation from scratch supported by reader funding. We'd love you to be part of it. Your membership subscriptions enable us to do this kind of reporting. 🙏 www.thenerve.news/membership

If Britain and our allies help Trump get out of the mess he's in now, then he'll move on to Cuba... and Greenland, and God knows what else... and will demand we go along on that ride too.

I led a @berksbirdclub.bsky.social trip to Titchfield Haven today. Highlights included a gorgeous huddle of 90+ Sanderling on the beach, lots of Mediterranean Gulls, Marsh Marigold and a drake Goosander. Avocets, Blackwits and 2 pairs of Marsh Harriers were around all day. #ukbirding #hantsbirds

Digging up invasive Skunk Cabbage from a wet woodland in the village this week. Lots of progress but there's more to do. Scarlet Cup and Blackthorn noticed during the morning. #conservation #invasivespecies

Our next FREE meeting is on Wed 18 March, 7.30pm. Professor Jenny Gill, will talk about her research into godwit conservation. How do we know where and when we should target conservation actions to be most effective? Non-members welcome, in person or via Zoom: bit.ly/4lrQGl8. #ornithology

Winners in the 'Birds in Berkshire' category of the photo competition. 1st place: Great Crested Grebes, by Sue Truby 2nd place: Long-tailed Tit, by David Massie Commended: Crossbill, by John Absolon Thanks to Rob Still for being our judge and to the members who submitted their brilliant photos.

There were three Greylag in the mist this morning. The first I've seen in the parish this year (we don't have enough standing water to float a Goose).

Tommy Robinson visited the US State Department today at the invite of the Trump administration. He's Britain's most prominent far-right street thug with criminal convictions for assault, violence, fraud, stalking & harassment. He was jailed in 2012 for trying to enter the US with a false passport.

When soil structure becomes solid, rain can’t infiltrate. Instead, it runs off - taking topsoil from fields with it, affecting both productivity & water quality downstream. Our booklet explains how to improve infiltration. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/NFFN-Report In partnership with Dwr Cymru Welsh Water

A lovely afternoon to be out. This phone-scoped Treecreeper at Bottom Lane gravel pit sat motionless for a couple of minutes (perhaps hoping I hadn't spotted it). Lots of Siskin still around too. #berksbirds

The future of the Antarctic Peninsula depends upon the choices we make today. www.bas.ac.uk/media-post/s...

Our new paper on the future of the Antarctic Peninsula published today, showing how the various systems across the Peninsula will be impacted by different global warming scenarios. www.frontiersin.org/journals/env...

Enjoy it while you can I give the winter olympics another 20 years at most www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/f...

“A warming world is littered with their dead bodies” Seabird deaths happened around the same time last year too, following the severe storm Eowyn. We can all help by burning less carbon and by talking about the issues honestly and clearly. #ukbirding