A visit to #WestportLake this morning saw the drk Scaup still present, single Pochard, 5x Goosander. New for the year were 2x Chiffs in the back, a Heron over and two Pied Wags #Staffsbirds #ukbirding

First visit to #WestportLake since last weekend and first bird i saw was this. Rather surprising as the Tufted Duck count was rather low. Also Redpoll over, drk Pochard and five Goosander #Staffsbirds #ukbirding

Gambia Day 4 (5/1/25) and a visit to Brufut Woods. Plenty of lifers as we wandered around. Saw an amazing Didric Cuckoo but didn't get a photo. Story of the day though was two Nightjar sp on site. My guide kept this from me until I'd seen both, but both Long-tailed and Standard wing on show

Gambia Day 3 (4/1/25) Part 2 #GambiaBirding

Gambia Day 3 (4/1/25) and another trip to the Kotu Bridge area, visiting the Fajara Golf Club on our walk around. Another amazing mornings birding. Part 1

Gambia Day 2 (3/1/25) Part 2. Later we sat at the Calypso bar for beers and birds session. Bizarre sight of the day (amongst many many memorable sights) was the hotel Hornbill sat just outside the hotel reception, showing rather well

Day 2 in The Gambia (3/1/25) and we visited the Crocodile Pool, Monkey Forest and Senegambia Hotel for the Vulture feeding. Part 1

2/1/25 Late afternoon was spent at the Calypso bar, sitting in the shade, sipping beer, watching the crocodiles.... #Gambiabirding Part 1

Photos from my recent trip to Gambia. 2nd Jan was spent around Kotu Bridge #Gambiabirding Part 1

New year listing started a day late. Not a bad morning #Gambiabirds

Happy New Years day to one and all

Today at a cold, blowy #WestportLake saw one poch, 3x Goosander, 1x willow tit, one chiff with 2x Chiff yday. That's me done for the year. Three lifers, fantastic week on Scilly in October. Love to you all. No New Year Day count for me tomorrow so see you all on the 2nd #staffsbirds #ukbirding

Another morning visit to #WestportLake saw 30 Tufted, 9x Goosander, 1x Corm, an Skylark over, willow tit in the back. I thought there was a fem Shov on main lake, but it didn't look right for one. Took a few pics but it was always freaked out in the middle of the lake #staffsbirds #ukbirding

The fog finally lifted at #WestportLake this morning and I was able to see the far side of the lake for the first time in days. Very little change with the 5x Goosander still present, two Teal flying around, just one Poch and very little in the back #staffsbirds #ukbirding

Morning visit to ##WestportLake wasn't the best with a thick fog still lingering all day long and not lifting. Could just make out the ghostly shapes of 5x Goosander. In the back two coal tit and heard the willow tit #staffsbirds #ukbirding

#AmericanYellowWarbler New Hythe GPs, Kent #ukbirding

Drove thru the early morning fog on deserted motorways to Kent this morning where eventually the #AmericanYellowWarbler showed itself to the masses, calling away as it did. My first ever Boxing Day twitch. Good to chat to Richard, Christopher and Ian as always #ukbirding

Atmospheric wintery walk round #WestportLake saw one willow tit, two coal tit and 5x Goosander. Fog only just lifted as I was leaving #staffsbirds #ukbirding

Another fairly decent visit to ##WestportLake saw a drk Gadwall, 4x Goosander, 2x Poch, 3x Chiff in the back and a Willow Tit #staffsbirds #ukbirding

Fairly pleasant visit to ##WestportLake this morning. Dry with hardly any wind. Highlight were three overwintering Chiffchaff on site with the two birds still together top shore. Also 7x Goosander, 6x Poch #staffsbirds #ukbirding

Visits to #WestportLake recently have all nearly been grim and wintery and rather quiet. One Chiffchaff seen on 14th, 18th and 20th with two seen together on 21st fly catching. Pochard max 7, TD down to 14 today, 3x gcg on 17th - yes they now leave most winters. #staffsbirds #ukbirding

Aftermath of #StormDarragh at #WestportLake wasn't half as spectacular as the storm itself. Incredibly strong winds in North Staffs yday but only c3 trees down in thick hedgerow areas and water levels on the Fowlea Brook have dropped very quickly. Very quiet with 2x Poch and a Redwing #staffsbirds

Well #StormDarragh at #WestportLake was more unpleasant than wild, with constant driving rain with a NW bite. Water levels are incredibly high. First time in 42yr of visiting I've seen the Fowlea overflowing. Birds seen....well 3x Goosander were probably the best #Staffsbirds #ukbirding

A grim visit to #WestportLake in the early morning drizzle saw 5x Greylags, 29x Tufted, 2x Poch #staffsbirds #ukbirding

Late November visit to #WestportLake saw a fem Blackcap in the back, which was nice, plus 3x Goosander Inc one on the canal and 5m2f Teal displaying in the back. #Staffsbirds ##ukbirding

Another very wet visit to ##WestportLake saw very little again with three Goosander the only thing of note. Fowlea Brook is very high but still not overflowing in the back. One tree down after #StormBurt #staffsbird #ukbirding

A visit to #WestportLake during #StormBurt was slightly disappointing in several ways. I've certainly witnessed stronger winds and with a total lack of waves too, today would previously have been known as a wet day. Three Goosander and a willow tit in the back #staffsbirds #ukbirding

Quick car park check of #WestportLake saw 8 Wigeon on main lake. Very grim down there this morning but looking forward to #StormBert tomorrow. Yesterday, 21st Nov in better weather saw again very little new in, but a willow tit in the back is always appreciated #Staffsbirds #ukbirding

The snow didn't produce at #WestportLake this morning with 54 TD, three Poch and a few extra Redwing in the back #staffsbirds #ukbirding

A beautiful crisp cold moody Autumnal morning at #WestportLake saw 62 Pink feet over W at 0850, also 7x Poch, 3x Goosander, 2x Rook over and a few Jackdaw, 2x L Grebe #Staffsbirds #ukbirding

Red-throated Diver, East Staffs Nov 2024 #staffsbirds #ukbirding

At #WestportLake this morning 17th Nov 2024 - drk Gadwall, mf Shoveler, two Goosander, now five Poch, increase to 66 TD, 3m Teal in the back and one Little Grebe #staffbirds #ukbirding

Late afternoon and this Red-throated Diver was on the Millennium Pit viewable from the Millennium Bridge over the River Trent in the Croxall/Wychnor/Arboretum/Catholme area of East Staffs. Also 7x GWE over to roost #staffsbirds #ukbirding

Not an awful lot at #WestportLake this morning with two Poch, five Teal in the back and a Goldcrest. Not a lot during the week either but they were all late afternoon visits ##staffsbirds #ukbirding

Westport Lake this morning saw 12+ Teal on site, 3 Shov still, 3 Fieldfare over. In the week, upto 6 Poch on 6th and 7th, willow tit on 6th & 8th, Redpoll over 8th. Bits and bobs dropping in all week #WestportLake #staffsbirds #ukbirding

#WestportLake this morning saw a GWE circle over twice, 4x Wigeon, a few flocks of thrushes over, one Redpoll, one Rook, 13x Goosander, 1x L Grebe #staffsbirds #ukbirding

Trip down to Gillingham, Dorset today for the presumed Daurian Shrike which showed well once the fog lifted #ukbirding

12 Oct Last day on Scilly before catching the Scillonian back saw trip ticks with pfg and G N Diver off Pelistry plus the rather unwell RC Starling at Porth Hellick. Crossing back saw 110 Cory's, 2 Great Shear, 4 Manx, 1 Sooty, 2 Bonxie. Had a brilliant week. Thanks to everyone I met #ukbirding

Huge flock of Pink feet flying over Chester to roost tonight. #ukbirding

Last full day on Scilly for me. Headed out to Bryher and saw the Hoopoe, Osprey several times, added Whinchat for the trip. Frustrating time attempting to see the Black Kite at a huge distance over St Mary's listening to radio messages. Once back saw the Isabelline Wheatear on Garrison.

A quieter day today adding for trip ticks. Lovely walked around the North end of St Mary's seeing the 5 Whopper Swans on their tour of the island. Found a Firecrest, saw a few Jack Snipe but most of all enjoyed the island in gorgeous October sun....until the showers came #ukbirding

A showery day again with a howling N wind. Popped over to Bryher today where I manged to get another Scilly tick with the Whopper Swan on Great Pool. Also found a YBW and saw the 16 Barnacle Geese on Gweal. Amazing scenery tho despite the weather. Also added Coot finally to the trip list #ukbirding

A day spent in good company saw two Scilly ticks with a Dotterel on the Golf Course where we also had three Barnacle Geese superbly picked up heading over by Andrew. Then continuedwalking, adding Merlin and Redwing to the trip list before seeing the Ortolan again near the Airfield #Ukbirding

Day 3 maybe on the Isles of Scilly. Well after ydays deluge of rain today was hopefully going to be interesting. And it was with a nice variety of Scilly absolute megas (Little Tern - more Blackpoll Wrb records apparently), a British scarce with Tawny Pipit plus the ever reliable JSnipe. #ukbirding

Today was all about when would it start raining. I saw the S T Lark again on Peninnis plus I found a Black Redstart by the lighthouse, a Pied Fly in Old Town Churchyard, heard a YBW, a Scilly tick with two Cattle Egrets then got distracted by the hirundine sp before the rain came. #ukbirding

First day on Isles of Scilly today saw c46 Cory's between Wolf Rock and IOS plus one Stormie, one Bonxie, two Great Shear. First bird once landed was the Short-toed Lark where I also found an Ortolan Bunt. Next the R B Shrike in Standing Stone field then my lack of sleep took over #ukbirding

Finished work yesterday on Deeside knowing the Scillonian crossing for Saturday that I was booked on had been cancelled. A rather stressful few moments and an overnight car trip and relax... #Ukbirding

Finally ended up in rainy Chester tonight all set for another weeks work up here. Took a slight diversion on the way via Bempton where I had an enjoyable hour seeing PLLW using the stay still and watch the same area technique, plus YBW and an RBFly at Holmes Gut #ukbirding

Just sorting through photos I took at #BurtonMereWetlands during July. Yes I'm slightly behind but the GWE did show well on occasions. #ukbirding

The rain livened things up at #WestportLake this morning with 6x Wigeon, 4x Shov and 2x C Sandpiper fresh in. Place is dripping with Chiffs. One gcg still sitting on nest, and one young L Grebe still being fed. Yday saw an increasingly infrequent Willow Tit ##Staffsbirding #ukbirding