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

***New** Latest wild bird trends in Europe: Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS) indicators 1980–2024. Data = 168 bird species, 30 countries⬇️ @rspb.bsky.social @birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @ebcc.info 🐦@rspbscience.bsky.social pecbms.info/european-wil... pecbms.info/trends-and-i...

After our talk about Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers at @berksbirdclub.bsky.social thrilled to be given this woodcut monoprint on vintage wallpaper by the artist @peterdriver.bsky.social - 'Lesser Spotted now seldom seen' highlighting their decline since the wallpaper was made. Thank you Peter

Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers – reasons for optimism! An in person talk by Ken Smith on 18 February for Berkshire Ornithological Club at University of Reading at 7:30. Also on Zoom - Details here berksoc.org.uk/events/lesse...

Anticipating Ken and Linda Smith's talk tonight at @berksbirdclub.bsky.social on Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. Here's my 2020 woodcut monoprint on vintage wallpaper, about their decline since the wallpaper was made - from a series shown in So'ton and Reading. @lesserspotnet.bsky.social #berksbirds

Brambling still around in the village yesterday. With the addition of Redpoll on my morning walk today, I'm now on 64 species within Stratfield Mortimer parish. Not bad for the first six weeks of the year.

Sparrowhawk (f) on Thursday's BOC trip to Otmoor RSPB. We observed 55+ species, including Tundra Bean Goose, Red-crested Pochard, Russian White-fronted Goose. As we walked back to the cars, we heard a Bittern booming from the reedbed. Thanks to Gray Burfoot for leading a wonderful trip. #ukbirding

A couple of hours at Warsash yesterday before a meeting put me into a small group of Knot among the Dunlin. My 120th species of the year. There were several Little Grebes and GCG on the water but no divers or other grebes in evidence. #hantsbirds

Brent Goose (dark-bellied) in a neighbouring parish this morning. My 201st bird species in Berkshire, 88th Berkshire bird this year. Found, as usual, by Andy Merrick. #berksbirds

A long way off but it'll do. Brambling in the village this morning - patch gold. #mortimerbigyear

Farmers from horticulture, arable and livestock systems share how IPM is less about reacting to pests and more about building healthy soils, diverse habitats and resilient farm businesses. Listen to the Farm Gate podcast 👉 https://8point9.com/insects-are-a-powerful-tool-for-food-production/

The village pond was looking wonderful in a rare spell of sunshine yesterday. My Mortimer parish boundary bird list for 2026 currently stands at 61. A lot more fieldwork to do to reach my 100 target for the year but it is just good to be out and exploring the woods, lanes and footpaths. #berksbirds

Great day out at Poole Harbour yeateday with @berksbirdclub.bsky.social This Little Gull was at Lytchett Fields RSPB. We saw a ringtail Hen Harrier there too, then a White-tailed Eagle from Jerry's Point. #dorsetbirds

This is not the best photo of Black-necked Grebes you're likely to see but they were over a kilometre away off Hurst spit, seen from Pennington today. #hantsbirds

The Willow Tit is one of the most endangered breeding birds in the UK (90% decline in the last 30 years); I was happy to see two at Garwnant in the Brecon Beacons yesterday, my first in a few years. #BirdingWales #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 @bannaubrycheiniog.bsky.social

And so it begins. First strokes of a new reduction woodcut for the proposed series of twelve red-listed birds from my home village. Part of an expansive year-long project of collaboration, fieldwork and writing about the natural history of Stratfield Mortimer. #mortimerbigyear, #woodcut #berksbirds

Last Saturday's Intro to Berkshire Birding walk explored Woolhampton gravel pit. The River Kennet had risen, closing off some of the route but the group still found interesting birds, including Pintail, Kingfisher and Mandarin. Join us on a future walk - programme on our website. #berksbirds

The UK version of “Project 2025” by the Reform party includes a British ICE, a concentration camp for 24,000 people, mass surveillance and withdrawing from refugee, anti-torture and anti-trafficking conventions. It’s on their website. That’s how comfortable fascists are in the UK today.

Record shot of two first-winter White-fronted geese among the Greylag flock just down the road from home. Found by Andy Merrick (as usual). Cattle Egret and Little Egret feeding the other side of the road. And a Great White Egret a few fields west. #berksbirds

Barwit playing 'where's Wally' among the Grey Plover and Dunlin at Hayling Oysterbeds today. And we stopped off for an amazing view of Slavonian Grebe on the small northern pond at Platinum Jubilee Country Lark, Chichester, on our way home. Great day out. #hantsbirds #westsussexbirds

Hen Harrier killing continues on England’s #grouse moors in 2025. A parliamentary debate back in June did not generate a step change. Blog: markavery.info/2026/01/20/r... Photo: Dynamo/Ivan Ellison @rspbinvestigations.bsky.social @northyorkmoors.org.uk @forestofbowlandnl.bsky.social #Defra

A distant male Stonechat and three evenly-spaced Brown Hares, from yesterday's nine mile walk round the south east quarter of the parish. Four additions brought my #MortimerBigYear tally to 57 bird species. I have yet to find Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker and Redpoll. #ukbirding #lowcarbonbirding

White-fronted Goose from Hogarth Hide at Slimbridge on Sunday. Just one highlight of a great day out with @berksbirdclub.bsky.social and the Wokingham & Bracknell RSPB group. A very good trip, despite incurring a head injury. The blood... #ukbirding

First Crossbills of the year quarter of a mile from my front door. #berksbirds #lowcarbonbirding #birdsofmortimer

My New Year walk around the village yesterday morning produced some early Hazel catkins and 44 bird species, including Kingfisher, Yellowhammer, Redwing and a flock of 50 Linnet. I didn't see Coal Tit, Mistle Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Chiffchaff or Firecrest but they're all there to be seen. #berksbirds

In this 2025 retrospective long-form piece, The Bear examines how cruelty, farce and institutional collapse became normalised. @eastangliabylines.co.uk @bearlypolitics.co.uk

My primary birding focus for 2026 is the civil parish of Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire, where I live. I'll look at other flora and fauna too but hope to find birds nobody else is likely to notice. I have a side-bet with myself on finding 100 bird species in the parish. #lowcarbonbirding #ukbirding

I ended the year at Abberton Reservoir, Essex (a diversion on my route home from the Fens). Lesser Scaup, Scaup, Slavonian Grebe and Smew were highlights. A quick stop-off at Queen Mother Reservoir on my way back into Berks produced not much more than this fine M'ipit. #ukbirding

My drawing for the June page of the Restless Beings calendar 2026, a project co-led by my friend Sophie T Lin. Each month features a pencil drawing by an independent artist. Funds will support projects in Bangladesh and Sudan. Get yours here: restlesscalendar2026.com #calendar #charitycalendar

Thank you to our members and followers for your support in 2025. We wish you a peaceful and successful New Year. Perhaps 2026 is your year to attend more field trips or indoor talks. You would be made very welcome. Image: pair of Pintail at Keyhaven by Elaine Charlson. #ukbirding #pintail

The Massive Marshian Stomp on Fobney Marsh this morning, opening up another area for winter wildfowl, enabling a variety of habitats at Fobney Marsh, Reading. Happy Solstice! 🦆 #masstrespass #berksbirds