Some of the #Natterjack Toad breeding pools at Gronant have been freshly scraped to rejuvenate them for the next breeding season. Nice to see them filled with water. @arc-trust.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk

My first Snow Bunting of the year feeding at the top of the beach at Gronant this morning. Gorgeous sunny weather - couple of Skylarks singing! @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

Worrying reports of bird flu (avian influenza) are coming in, including an outbreak in Whooper Swans in the Fens. Other waterbirds are also being affected, and cases are rising. 📷 Sick Whooper Swan by Kane Brides #UKBirding #BirdingWales #BirdingScotland

Grey Plover fly-past at Point of Ayr yesterday - in final stages of wing moult. Nice to capture those black 'arm-pit' feathers. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

An excellent crop of Yew berries this autumn is attracting plenty of thrushes, finches and Starlings. Cilcain. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

📣📸 2025 Photography Competition Winner - Dave Parry Enillydd Cystadleuaeth Ffotograffiaeth 2025 - Dave Parry 🎉 Llongyfarchiadau!

Two juvenile #Sanderlings at Point of Ayr yesterday, the one of the left still has most of the juvenile feathers, the one on the right has a nice fresh set of grey scapulars. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

This flock of Eider was the hightlight of a couple of hours at Point of Ayr over high tide in windy conditions. Also nice views of Sanderling and Rock Pipit on the beach. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

Spent some time looking at gulls on the Dee Estuary during the falling tide this pm and picked out a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull, still quite a scarce bird in these parts. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

Want to have a quick 'guesstimate' of the size of this Linnet flock at Flint Castle this morning? Just counted them up. Only part of the flock too! @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Huge flock of #Linnets at Flint Castle this morning, struggling to estimate how many - possibly c.500 - going to check photos in more detail. Also: 5 Great White Egrets, 100s Redshanks, 10s of Dunlins, Knots, Black-tailed Godwits; 2 Barwits and a Turnstone. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

#Porpoises from Point of Ayr this morning, Hilbre Island in the background. Two of three seen. Seeing them quite regularly along the coast of North Wales when the sea is nice and calm. @whalesorg.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk

Two Arctic Terns (adult and a first year) paused for a while on the beach at Point of Ayr this morning. Heavily cropped pic of the adult. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Upper Thames Curlew Partnership Crowdfunder has hatched! Target £25k in 6 weeks. Please support and share widely. Thank you. @birdguides.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social @curlewaction.bsky.social #Curlews @sheldonbirds.bsky.social @bbcoxford.bsky.social www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-us-sa...

Fab day on the Great Orme - autumnal feel with arrivals of Redwings and Fieldfares & a few Brambling. Best bird was a Lapland Bunting feeding on seeds in the short turf of the limestone pavement. A couple of Firecrests, found by @marcbuzzard.bsky.social, rounded off the day nicely! #birdsinwales

Another visit to Flint Castle on the Dee Estuary this afternoon. Very pleasantly surprised to find 14 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers. Some were feeding in a group of up to 7, others mixed in with Dunlin, Knot and Redshank. Really good autumn for them. #birdingwales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Three species of heron searching for food on the falling tide this afternoon, on the Dee Estuary near Flint Castle. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingwales

Rewarding seawatch at Point of Ayr this morning, with a single Leach’s Petrel and 3 Arctic Skuas including these two very dark chocolate brown juveniles. Beautiful markings. Glad I had my camera at the ready when they flew along the beach. #birdingwales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

A highlight of my recent trip to Scotland were huge numbers of newly arrived Pink-footed Geese and a Snow Goose near Loch of Strathbeg. Good numbers of Barnacle Geese too. Heavily cropped image!

Fungi season in the garden, including Parrot Waxcap. ID by Seek App. @cofnod.org.uk

Spending a few days birding in Scotland. Fab day at Musselburgh on Thursday with brill views of the juvenile Marsh Sandpiper and nice range of waders and sea duck. A couple of Roe Deer wandered across the pools too!

Sunrise on the Great Orme this morning ☀️ #northwales

Great light for photography this morning and a very large flock of #Goldfinches at Connah's Quay nature reserve were busy feeding on Burdock and Teasel seeds. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

Chuffed to find a Grey Phalarope at Point of Ayr this morning, feeding in shallow water along the shoreline at high tide. Also my first three Pink-footed Geese of autumn, a drake Eider, and juvenile Curlew Sandpiper. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper showing nicely at the Clwyd Estuary this morning, present for a few days now. Also a Black Tern, briefly, flying up the river. Other juvenile waders included two Bart-tailed Godwits and five Knot. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Exciting seawatch from Splash Point, Rhyl this morning produced my first 3 Leach's Petrels in NE Wales; supporting cast incl. Arctic Skuas. app.bto.org/birdtrack/pu... & nice to see an adult (top) and juvenile Greenshank feeding together @ Clwyd Estuary #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Seems to be good numbers of juvenile waders this autumn - noticeably more than last year- including Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits. This juvenile flew close by West Hide at Connah's Quay today.

Juvenile Sandwich Tern Yellow E98 at Rhos Point on Friday - has travelled down from Forvie NNR, Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire where it was ringed as a chick on 28 June. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales @btocymru.bsky.social

One of two juvenile Little Stints on the beach at Gronant Dunes this morning. Really nice to see the first tranche of young waders arriving along the North Wales coast in the past few days. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

A rare foray by a Grey Squirrel onto mudflats at the Dee Estuary earlier this week. Soon realised it's mistake!

Eleven Spoonbills feeding and roosting on the Dee Estuary at Parkgate this morning. Most appear to be young birds and one adult with a white Darvic ring NCCT - Ringed at Ventjagersplaten, just south of Rotterdam, Netherlands, in June 2022 as a chick (info: Dee Estuary Birding’s August newsletter).

Adult Knot moult at Connah's Quay nature reserve this morning - wing moult in progress whilst still retaining beautiful apricot breeding plumage on breast and belly. Many others have already mounted into grey winter plumage. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

Small Tortoiseshell butterflies are getting quite numerous this week, which is heartening to see. At least seven on a white Buddleia in the garden this morning. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @northwaleswt.bsky.social

Nice to see a juvenile Curlew feeding around the saltmarsh pools at Connah's Quay Nature Reserve this morning. Bill still quite short, and neat buffish feathers. #BirdingWales @curlewaction.bsky.social @birdsinwales.bsky.social

2024 NE Wales Bird Report now available to download from @cofnod.org.uk Big thank you to all contributors. Majority of records via @birdtrack.bsky.social. @birdsinwales.bsky.social @btocymru.bsky.social @rspbcymru.bsky.social

Pristine female Brimstone nectaring on Agapanthus today 😊. A new species for the garden. Seems to be scarce in NE Wales. Also first Gatekeepers of the year and 18 Peacocks on the Buddleia. @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Adult Common Sandpiper having a good preening session over high tide today. Perched on boulders just below the west hide at Connah's Quay. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

Recently back from NW Spain where I was delighted to see my first ever bears! The 'Cantabrian' Brown Bear in Someido Natural Park - a major stronghold. Current population c.300 & increasing. Extensive forest and mountain habitat is protected for them in 'restricted areas'. This is an adult male.

I'm in the chair for Wednesday's FREE Curlew webinar from @curlewaction.bsky.social. ** Tracking Curlews ** www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/webinar-tr... More info about tracking waders/shorebirds ⬇️ wadertales.wordpress.com/2025/05/06/m... #ornithology

#FlutterbyFriday I wonder what they were saying to each other? 🤭 Two tiny wonders silver studded blue caernesis and the fabulously camouflage grayling thyone, both subspecies that live exclusively on the Great Orme, #NorthWales @savebutterflies.bsky.social #butterflies @ukbutterflies.bsky.social

Juvenile #Stonechats are appearing all over the Clwydian Hills at the moment. The adults are very alert and try to draw you way from the youngsters, but sometimes you are allowed a quick photo opportunity! @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

Green Hairstreak on the slopes below Moel Famau yesterday - my first sighting in the local area & always lovely to see. @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Memorable encounter with a female #Cuckoo on the Clwydian Hills this morning - contantly mobbed by Meadow Pipits - then this male #Whinchat joined in 😀. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales @clwydianrange.bsky.social

Great to see a male Broad-bodied Chaser visiting the garden in Cilcain earlier today. Such a smart-looking dragonfly. @cofnod.org.uk

Front lawn meadow developing nicely in year 2. Heaps of Yellow Rattle sprouting up. Ragged Robin doing ok despite the very dry conditions.

150 or so Little Terns at Gronant this morning - very close to laying now. Such an important bird conservation project organised by @denbighshirecc.bsky.social and North Wales Little Tern Group. Great views of the birds from the hide. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

I searched all week for Purple Sandpipers on Ynys Enlli and finally spotted one at the bottom of the cliffs during the seabird survey on Friday 😀. This one is quite advanced towards breeding plumage. @bardseybirdobs.bsky.social @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

Assisted the bird observatory wardens with a seabird count (from boat) at Ynys Enlli yesterday. Main purpose was to count shag nests but some nice photo opportunities too, including this beautiful Puffin. @birdsinwales #birdingWales @bardseybirdobs

Fabulous views of #Turnstones on Ynys Enlli this morning, including this immaculate-looking male. @bardseybirdobs.bsky.social @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales