Our new website is 💥LIVE💥 Lots of new content & images and plenty more to come. Home banner image, Waxwing - Adam Bowley. sos.org.uk #sussexbirds

For today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme of #OddCouples. Last year we had a vagrant Least Sandpiper show up at Medmerry RSPB reserve. Here it is with an Avocet showing just how small it is.

When I rolled up to Chichester Marina for my Low Tide Count, conditions were a little unpromising! but it cleared up just enough to get a count in. Male Goldeneye the best sighting . No sign of yesterday’s BN Grebe but it could easily still be in the harbour somewhere in the mist!

We’ve had waterfowl attacked by teens with catapults locally so I fully support this.

It's such a tough choice! Vote for your favourite icon for our Birds in Greenspaces app. Cast your vote here ➡️ bit.ly/VoteBiGsIcon

I rarely post to #FirstBirdOfMyDay because 99% of the time it’s Woodpigeon, Magpie or Herring Gull, but today was a good one - a pair of Egyptian Geese flying past as I opened the blinds. A new one for the garden list. 🔥

This is really cool! Now I need to go and see all the birds that make up my name (checks distribution maps, ooh that’s gonna be expensive).

THANK YOU FOR THE SWIFT BRICK LOVE! Tickled pink by the support🪶Incase you missed the MEGA news (esp ⁦‪@SteveReedMP‬⁩ & ⁦‪@AngelaRayner‬⁩ ⁦‪@mtpennycook‬⁩) Scotland passed swift bricks into law in just a month proving how easy it could be for England to mandate too! Thank you MARK RUSKELL MSP!

It's arrived! Pan-species Listing: How to Become a Super-Naturalist published by @pelagicpublishing. My first book. I am so pleased with it. It looks amazing, all those photos of incredible British species really make this a very colourful book and a celebration of how fantastic our wildlife is.

The BirdGuides Photo of the Year competition is here – get voting!

I am doing a talk on the 4th March at Exeter Hall, just by the Chimney House pub not far from me in Brighton on pan-species listing and the book, I'll also be selling copies at a discounted price exeterstreethall.org/event/2-talk...

From a FB photography group I’m in. Very nice photo. Interesting translation!

Tears of joy! SCOTLAND HAS JUST PASSED SWIFT BRICKS INTO LAW unanimously! 4 years of asking England & Scotland sorts it in a month led by ACE ⁦‪ MARK RUSKELL MSP‬⁩ ♥️The RELIEF is unreal! Tell England to follow 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿by emailing [email protected] now!WOOP!

I had a couple of displaying Goshawks in West Sussex last week so worth seeking them out at the moment.

Fun Volunteer Thank You session from @sussexornitholo.bsky.social at Truleigh Hill. An interesting talk on the wildlife work the farm is doing & a very breezy walk on The Downs. 2 Peregrine & lots of Skylarks the highlights. Unusual hazard on the way back down - they know they rule the road!

Killdeer, Ripley #hantsbirding

Four different scenes, one shared idea: zig zags. Zig zag lines keep the eye moving and slow down how a photo is read. Less direct than straight leading lines, but often more interesting. Funny how often nature offers them once you start looking.

'Share' if you agree!

I’m hoping the Amberley Cranes stay for another few days. 🤞

It was cloudy but very mild, and the sky put on a little show at the end of the afternoon. A nice couple of hours doing Low Tide Counts for @webs-gsmp.bsky.social in #ChichesterHarbour.

@teodelanorte.bsky.social Indian Metal is probably a new genre for you as well. I think you’ll like this!

A redhead Goosander in heavy rain. Glad there are several hides at Langford Lakes reserve to shelter in - good job Wiltshire Wildlife Trust! Kingfisher, Great Egret and good numbers of Redwing amongst the other highlights. The cafe here is truly exceptional as well!

This is a magical shot!

A worthy winner of a fine wintry selection. 👏👏👏

@noahlugeons.bsky.social To say this sounds right up your street is an understatement! Hope you win the lottery in the next couple of days. 🤞

Luke Littler is not the only 18 year old doing pretty well in his chosen sport. When one game lasts 27 minutes that is proof of how fit the elite squash players are!

As of this morning, I am on 571 species for the year. Here's an update from an exciting spider trip to Stedham & Iping Commons on the 7th January where I found a spider that's not been seen there since 1969 @sussexwildlife.bsky.social analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2026/01/6000...

#theBeeAt3 Basic bee facts every day at 3pm. # 239 Over 75% of the 115 leading crop species are dependent upon/benefit from animal pollination. Only 28 of these 115 crop species are wind and/or self-pollinated. We need #bees, #insects, #birds, #animals. We need to realise this. Fast. #science

An excellent weekly round up as always by the County recorder. Still a good number of the rarer White Fronts and a few Tundra Bean Geese about. Weekly Report: 29 December-4 January www.sos.org.uk/recent-sight... #ukbirds #sussexbirds

The trip reports for our year end Bird-Photo-Tours to Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Fiji are now published on the link below. Feel free to review the various portraits of East Melanesian birds captured on these bird photography tours [https://www.bird-photo-tours.com/reports/].

A ‘refreshing’ wind made me glad I bought winter clothing when living in Wisconsin so I stayed nice and toasty. Two flocks of Golden Plover were new birds for my sector. Lots of nervous Dunlin with a Sparrowhawk cruising around. Any New Year cobwebs well and truly blown away now.

Without even trying I had my best ever NY’s day with 77 species from Selsey Bill, Pagham Harbour & WWT Arundel. Highlights included 30+ RT Divers, 3 Peregrines, Firecrest, Goosander, Marsh Tit & finishing it off in style - the male Hen Harrier into roost at WWT. And all under glorious skies. 🤞2026

As always, incredible work by the Selsey Blog team! 👏👏👏

Some of my favourite birds photos of 2025. (IDs in alt-text) #birds

Seven years ago I did an #ebird checklist on holiday at San Diego Zoo (Black Phoebe pic). That was No.1. Today I did Low Tide Counts in 7 sectors of Chichester Harbour to celebrate seven years of a checklist a day. (It was a lot colder this morning than 27th Dec 2018!) Go Citizen Science! 💪

#BirdOfTheDay theme today is #MostRecent so here are some Brent Geese from this morning. This little group flew in and were drinking for quite a while.

Up early to do a Low Tide Count in Chichester Harbour whilst it’s quiet. Rewarded with my first Avocet for the sector. Then a couple of treats with the c70 strong White-front flock at the North Wall and Black-necked Grebe on Pagham Lagoon - one of the glaring gaps on my county list filled in!

Nigel Kiteley's excellent Gadwall image wins the latest Photo of the Week:

More of these wonderful little Crested tits from my workshop with @PeteWalkden1973 in Scotlands ancient forrests last week. There are many photos to choose from, all equally to my eyes a pleasing result. Once again spending time with this magical species, I never tire of seeing them every year ☺️

Gorgeous photos Les!

Brilliant!

One for you @teodelanorte.bsky.social

What a superb shot!

#ArtAdventCalendar Dec. 13 A male common grackle in mid display trying to impress the females. I think he may have achieved peak iridescence! #Birds #photography #wildlife 🪶

True Talent!

A chilly morning at RSPB Pulborough Brooks where I led a walk for Chichester Natural History Society. Lots of birdlife with the flocks of Lapwings and the breeding plumage Ducks looking particularly stunning in the morning sun. A little flock of Redwing & Fieldfare a nice way to finish a fun stroll.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Bryant v Cardenas 🇲🇽 | Hong Kong Open 2025 | QUARTER FINAL HIGHLIGHTS #squash youtu.be/f1EJT2Qr5ik?...