Exciting news! RSPB buys 'magical' 96-hectare landscape to reconnect habitats #birdingWales

Black-tailed Godwits on the Dee Estuary at Flint Castle this afternoon. Many still in stunning breeding plumage. With Knots, Redshanks and a few Dunlins at high tide. Hobby chasing Swallows too. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales @wadertales.bsky.social

Little Terns busy feeding chicks at Gronant this morning. Substantial protein-rich meals being delivered at regular intervals. Great work by all involved 👏. @birdsinwales.bsky.social @btocymru.bsky.social @denbighshirecc.bsky.social @rspbcymru.bsky.social #birdingWales

Four very dapper Spotted Redshanks on the Centenary Pool @rspbburtonmere.bsky.social this morning. @birdguides.bsky.social @waderstudy.bsky.social @wadertales.bsky.social

'Grub up' #Starling feeding a hungry chick - one of a second brood raised in the box we put up last year. Must be very close the fledging. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social @btocymru.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

#Hobby hunting over the Dee Estuary earlier in the week. Quite scarce locally and always a treat to see one. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

I don't often see juvenile #Wheatears so it was great to see a couple in the limestone hills of Bannau Brycheiniog NP on Sunday morning. Male Wheatears were in close attendance & I didn't linger for long. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales @nickydvs.bsky.social @bannaubrycheiniog.bsky.social

Enjoyed a great view of a female #Goosander and her brood of ducklings this morning - some hitching a ride on her back! Clwyd Estuary. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social #ducklings

A very welcome visitor to the garden next door yesterday afternoon - a Juvenile Tawny Owl. Cilcain. The local Blackbirds were not at all happy though and eventually it was moved-on by a couple of Magpies. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social #owls #gardenwildlife

Caught up with the fab Western Reef Heron at Y Foryd today - showing well in the sunshine. Feeding, preening, even managing a few naps. #birdingWales @birdguides.bsky.social @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Nice group of Bee Orchids at Point of Ayr today, with a good scattering of Early Marsh, Southern Marsh and Pyramidal. Beside the tarmac path south of the #RSPB hide. @cofnod.org.uk @ukorchids.bsky.social @plantlifeuk.bsky.social

Nice surprise at Point of Ayr #RSPB this morning. While I was chatting with Little Tern volunteers, a first summer Arctic Tern joined a small group of Little Terns preening on the shore. I've rarely seen this plumage before so nice to get some pics too. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Fab #Sanderling in breeding plumage at Gronant this morning, one of about 100 feeding along the beach. Well over 200 Little Terns around the colony & wardening team have found the first nests. 🤞for a successful season. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Eyarth Rocks @savebutterflies.bsky.social nature reserve, this morning. Patrolling a section of footpath and landing frequently. One of at least five on the wing. @cofnod.org.uk @northwaleswt.bsky.social

A (sadly) rare sighting this morning - two Lapwing chicks just about fledged. Small patch of suitable habitat near Cilcain with a fab muddy pool. Great job by this tenacious pair! @birdsinwales.bsky.social @rspbcymru.bsky.social @btocymru.bsky.social #birdingWales

A highlight of the week based in Strontian has been watching Great Northern Divers feeding close inshore, some in full breeding plumage 🤩. This one caught a crab and devoured it quickly and efficiently! #BirdingScotland

#Greenshank feeding at high tide on the shore of Loch Sunart at #Strontian this morning. #BirdingScotland

Fab visit to Cemlyn Bay today - lots of tern activity and chuffed to capture this shot of a Sandwich Tern returning to the colony with a very impressive offering! #birdingWales @northwaleswt.bsky.social @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Family of Stonechats in the dunes just behind the beach at Point of Ayr this morning. #birdingWales

male Yellow Wagtail in a field beside tidal River Dee near Saltney yesterday. Female collecting nesting material nearby. They have adapted to nest in monocultures of wheat, barley & potatoes - nearby pastures used for feeding. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social @btocymru.bsky.social

Magical moment - watching a pair of #Yellowhammers land on the road and start a courtship dance! Never seen that before. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Out looking for Yellowhammers this morning and made a nice discovery - a singing hedge 😊 #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Even more Sanderling at Point of Ayr today - I estimated about 1000! Very busy with dog walkers but the protective fences and brilliant RSPB folk made sure they had a safe place to roost. Also a big flock of Bar-tailed Godwits still, about 500. #birdingWales @rspbcymru.bsky.social

Hundreds of Sanderling at Point of Ayr over high tide today, feeding & roosting with Dunlin & Ringed Plover. I helped the #RSPB volunteer warden engage with dog walkers & together we managed to prevent significant disturbance today☺️. #birdingWales @rspbcymru.bsky.social @birdsinwales.bsky.social

#Re-wilding the lawn paid off this morning when a pair of #Bullfinches dropped by to feed on dandelion seeds. Cilcain. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social @gardenwildlifeuk.bsky.social

Majestic pair of #Ravens high in the Carneddau yesterday. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social @btocymru.bsky.social

A long hike up into the Carneddau in search of #Dotterel was a great experience yesterday, with a flock of five in flight near Foel Fach spooked by raptors, followed by a single bird feeding on the summit of Foel Grach. Fab views of the North Wales coast too. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Fab morning at RSPB Cors Ddyga, especially when three Wood Sandpipers dropped into the scrapes near the car park, with much calling! Stayed until a pair of Lapwings with very small chicks decided to chase them off. A real treat to see them on spring passage. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Whimbrel - one of three at the Clwyd Estuary yesterday morning, then flying off over Rhyl 😀. Very few waders left on the mudflats but good nos of Wheatears on passage, and a male Whinchat. Lesser and Common whitethroats singing. 49 species in total. #birdingWales @btocymru.bsky.social

Want to work for Curlew conservation in Wales? Two very exciting vacancies: beacons-npa.gov.uk/the-authorit... #birdingWales @btocymru.bsky.social @rspbcymru.bsky.social @birdsinwales.bsky.social @curlewaction.bsky.social

Fab final morning diver watching at Bow Fiddle Rock - four species showing very nicely. White-billed most numerous (!) - 4 moulting adults from east side of headland. Sleeping, preening & feeding with a very splashy dive. 3 Great Northern + single Black-throated and Red-throated. #BirdingScotland

Great to see at least 8 White-billed Divers at four sites along the coast from Portknockie to Portsoy, including five from Findlater Castle with @webbyabz.bsky.social Fab supporting cast of Long-tailed Ducks, Great Northern Divers and many seabirds. #BirdingScotland

White-billed Diver was the first bird I saw on the sea at Roseisle near Burghead, this afternoon. Hoping for more tomorrow 🤞. #birdingScotland

Amazing encounter with a #Pine #Marten this morning. Mobbed by Common Gulls, it walked down the hillside to the reservoir dam - up to about 2m away before I was spotted 😀. Loch Turret Reservoir, Perthshire.

Great start to my wee trip to Scotland this week, with both White-winged Scoter and Stejneger’s Scoter (pictured) located from the north side of the Firth of Forth in choppy seas! Both were new for me 😀. Lots of Velvet and Common scoters too. #birdingScotland

Always great to find and watch Ring Ouzels and after missing out last year it was wonderful to see them twice this week - singing males in Eryri on Monday and passage birds locally in the Clwydian Range on Weds. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

A few personal highlights on recent @oriolebirding.bsky.social trip to #Morocco, led by Dave Gosney. Really enjoyable holiday & great birding. Chuffed to spot a male Houbara Bustard mooching around a wadi 😀. Northern Bald Ibis crossing the road & feeding beside the minibus was fab too.

Flint Castle, Dee Estuary at high tide. Some of the Knot are just starting to grow some breeding plumage feathers. Most of the Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits are pretty much there already. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social @wadertales.bsky.social

Male Ringed Plover at Gronant yesterday - pairs evidently back on territory along the upper beach, where the Little Terns nest, & will benefit from protective fencing soon. Also small flocks feeding on the shoreline at high tide. 2000+ Oystercatchers still. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Lots of nest building activity today - this #Jackdaw (at the Great Orme) was particularly ambitious! #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Great news for Curlews in Powys 😀 www.fwi.co.uk/news/environ...

Spot the #Egyptian Nightjar Master of camouflage! Merzouga, Morocco, 17 March. @birdsoftheworld.bsky.social @britishbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @oriolebirding.bsky.social

Just returned from a superb trip to #Morocco with @oriolebirding.bsky.social. Coast, Desert and Mountains - some wonderful birding & many great opportunities for photography. Male African #Crimson-winged Finch, one of 16 feeding in the car park at Oukiameden ski centre on Saturday 21 March.

Crossbills are pretty scare at the moment, so especially nice to find a singing male in Clocaenog Forest earlier this week, plus my first sighting of a Red Squirrel in Wales, in the same area. #birdingWales @northwaleswt.bsky.social @birdsinwales.bsky.social

#Turnstone feeding on a Rayed Trough Shell at Gronant Beach yesterday. Hundreds of these shellfish had been washed up along the tideline providing a great seafood buffet for at least nine Turnstones. @birdsinwales.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk #birdingWales

A flock of c.63 Russian White-fronted Geese in the Clwyd Valley near Denbigh yesterday, with a single Barnacle. Part of the big influx from northern Europe in recent weeks. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

The drake Bufflehead at Llyn Coron, Ynys Môn this morning; gave some fab views feeding on its own in a sheltered bay. #birdingWales

Some great bird survey training opportunties availailable locally from BTO, and they are free! #birdingWales

So often we overlook Mallard, but just now the drakes are very splendid indeed, especially with a bit of sunshine to bring out the bottle-green. This drake at Big Pool Wood @northwaleswt.bsky.social Sunday pm. #birdingWales