The male Ring-necked Duck at Beesands Ley today and also on occasion, Slapton Ley, on his 9th returning year. He's a dude! #UKBirding #DevonBirds

Topsham. Bowling Green Marsh, usual array of waders and wildfowl plus a lone Black Swan. Topsham Recreation Ground, a Common Sandpiper wandering around the park looking very out of place #UKBirding #DevonBirds

Local birding at home around Torbay. Black Redstart and Kingfisher in Paignton, Purple Sandpiper and Med Gull Brixham Breakwater. #UKBirding #DevonBirds

The two Spoonbill at the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve, Budleigh. They got quite close until they spotted me then they were off! #UKBirding #DevonBirds

The Little Stint currently at the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve, Budleigh, decided to visit the patch in front of me! Result. Also close were the two Spoonbill and one of the resident Kingfisher. A very chilly but nice afternoon. #UKBirding #DevonBirds

A lovely Male and two female type Black Redstart in and around the palm trees and building site at the entrance to Roundham Gardens, Paignton. The two female type chasing each other about. #UKBirding #DevonBirds

Black-necked Grebe, Slapton. Nice find by Richie Moore #UKBirding #DevonBirds

Last birds of the year, Tundra Bean Geese in a field crammed full of Brent, White-fronted and Brent Geese, Barwits, Lapwing and Snipe at Topsham today. HAPPY NEW YEAR BLUESKY FOLKS ! #UKBirding

Wishing everyone on Bluesky a fabulous Christmas. #UKBirding

In case I get distracted by sparkly things and chocolate, I’m wishing you all a very Merry Christmas ! #UKBirding

Had a close flyby from the Lesser Crested Tern whilst on the Stuart Line River Cruise on Wednesday. The birding gods were on my side it seems! #UKBirding

The poor male Desert Wheatear on the coast path at Bolberry Down looked worse for wear after the persistant rain and gale force wind. Sea foam was being blown up and over the cliff it was that bad. I hope he survives. #UKBirding

A couple of views of the YBW at Broadsands, Torbay, during a 2 hour vigil, along with 3 Firecrest, Goldcrest, Chiffy, GS Woodpecker, a single DB Brent on the beach and an obviously injured and clingy Dunlin (crows persecuting it) #UKBirding

A visit over the border to Cornwall on a fine sunny day. Lesser Scaup on Helston Boating Lake, Greenland White-fronted Goose at Copperhouse Creek Hayle and the long staying Lesser Yellowlegs on the Truro River @cbwps.org.uk #UKBirding

The Snow Bunting at Portland. Just hopped up on a rock right in front of me. @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social @dorsetbirds.bsky.social #UKBirding

Snow Bunting feeding on the strand line at Dawlish Warren. Oblivious to people but should look out for that huge female Sparrowhawk I often see along there! @warrenbirding.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

The Steppe Grey Shrike, Gunwalloe, Cornwall. A beautiful, pale, agile bird, feasting on wasps and perching for us all to see. #UKBirding @cbwps.org.uk

The usual hide and seek game on Dartmoor with Ring Ouzel. Had a close encounter, then they vanished, then 5 flew over the van whilst we were sandwiching! Freezing cold up on Saddle Tor! At least I saw them. #UKBirding

Final day at Spurn today. We had a great week with 114 species seen. Spent today mostly at Easington Beach watching migrant thrush coming in off the sea. Had to rescue one and had to watch more getting munched :( It's such a great place for birding and we will be back next year #Spurnbirds

Another long, tiring but fruitfull day around Spurn and Skeffling. Those Yellow-browed Warblers!...How do they fly across the North Sea!!! A lovely surprise at the end of the day with a male Hen Harrier at Skeffling #UKBirding

First whole day in Yorkshire was spent around Spurn, with Yellow-browed Warbler, Little Owl, 2 Brambling, Tree Sparrow, Pink-footed Geese. Just need some sunshine now :) #UKBirding @yorkswildlife.bsky.social

The Pectoral Sandpiper at Easington Lagoons at Spurn walking right up to where I was lying. @yorkswildlife.bsky.social #UKBirding

A lovely Short-eared Owl that flew up onto this fence on a coastal walk today. #UKBirding

The Leach's Storm Petrel at Cheddar Reservoir came very close at one point after being bombed by a BH Gull #UKBirding @somersetbirds.bsky.social

The tiny Leach’s Storm Petrel at a very windy Cheddar Reservoir today. #UKBirding @somersetbirds.bsky.social

Garden Gold! As in Goldcrest. Calling away all around the firs and magnolia. Tricky little ninjas though! Regulus regulus. #UKBirding

We seem to have a lot of Firecrest here in the South West. I see more pairs of these than Goldcrest and my ears must be on Firecrest FM! They’re just so fast though. #UKBirding

A few fav pics from a great day at Seaton Wetlands, which included 3 Little Stint, 4 Curlew Sandpiper, 3 Ruff, 3 Wheatear and a Spotted Flycatcher. En route home we dropped into Bowling Green for the Pectoral Sandpiper. #UKBirding

8J2, from Tweed Valley, preening on a dead tree at the LORP, Budleigh Salterton. Good luck on your journey! #UKBirding

Firecrest still in our back garden, calling all day. We do well for them here as there is still a large area of fir, bay, ivy etc surrounding our garden, while houses around us have mostly chopped all their trees down. Loving those rictal bristles in pic 3 #UKBirding

A nice Devon Baird’s Sandpiper on the LORP at Budleigh Salterton. Top find by Sheffield Steve! #UKBirding @btobirds.bsky.social

Three Grey and the Red-necked Phalarope currently at Cheddar Reservoir, Somerset #UKBirding @somersetbirds.bsky.social

3 Buff-breasted Sandpiper still present at Colliford Lake, Cornwall today. Eventually coming close. Lovely looking, super coloured birds. @cbwps.org.uk #UKBirding

Baird’s Sandpiper at Siblyback Lake, Cornwall. The 2 Pectoral Sandpiper and Grey Phalarope also present. @cbwps.org.uk #UKBirding

First garden Firecrest calling in Torbay back garden. #UKBirding

Siblyback Lake, near Liskeard, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Pectoral Sandpiper, 3 Ruff and plenty of rain. No joy with Baird's Sandpiper even though I thought I had it :( @cbwps.org.uk #UKBirding

A lovely interlude in the hide at Seaton Wetlands featuring a pair of Kingfisher. Calling, fishing and eating #UKBirding

Maybe a Wryneck Xmas Card photo? Still there, at Turf Lock, still giving us the slip ! #UKBirding

Curlew Sandpiper (thigh rub), Ruff and Spotted Redshank from the scrape in front of Bowling Green Marsh hide, Topsham #UKBirding

The fire damage at Goldcliff Lagoons. RIP the seawall hide. More on my blog . www.thewildlifeoculus.com/2025/08/fire... #birdingwales #gwentbirds

Last one from me of the Wryneck. Third visit to see this special bird. It took most of the morning for it to show, but when the sun appeared, so did it. Fab! Wryneck, Turf Lock, River Exe #UKBirding

Back to Turf Lock Pub, on the Exe Estuary, to see if the Wryneck was still present from yesterday. After an hour it flew right in front of me. It proceeded to wow the birders present. What an amazing bird! Also present on the Exe were two Osprey. #UKBirding @rspb.bsky.social

Wryneck showed very well around the Turf Lock Pub on the Exe, even though it was very busy. A good 20 minutes with it before it flew to a nearby tree #UKBirding

Leucistic Ringed Plover, Dawlish Warren @warrenbirding.bsky.social

#Osprey can be like buses. None…and then two fishing at the same time on a short stretch of water. River Teign, dropping tide, seen from Coombe Cellars pub #UKBirding #DevonBirds

A timely visit to Seaton Wetlands as the Marsh Sandpiper had relocated there from Dawlish Warren. Great prolonged views as it fed almost continuously around the marsh. Also present two Little Stint, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Ruff, Wood Sand, Spotted Redshank plus an Osprey on the River Axe #UKBirding

Marsh Sandpiper at Black hole Marsh, Seaton Wetlands #UKBirding @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social

A windy, hazy, sunny trip up the Exe to Turf Lock came up trumps with a distant Osprey fishing by Lympstone. Also a Stork-on-a-lamppost at Matford. CV41 #UKBirding @rspb.bsky.social

A punch up at the seaside! Must be summer! Turnstone at Marine Parade, Paignton #UKBirding

A nice build up of Sanderling at Dawlish Warren, along with Dunlin and a family party of Cirl Bunting. Also reported was a Roseate Tern and Little Stint @warrenbirding.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social #UKBirding