Amazing to read that 30 Griffon Vultures were seen here last week on the Cherbourg Peninsula, only 100 miles or so from Dorset

Some of the birds that like to feed in very short grass mown in May: storks, waders, corvids, gulls, wagtails, pipits, warblers, chats, larks, finches & buntings, due to high seed abundance of short plants & easier access to insect prey. Also heavily used by urban Starlings feeding young. Pics 05/26

Lyme Bay pelagic from Portland @naturetrek.bsky.social moulting ad Balearic Shearwater, 2 Storm-petrel, 7 Puffin, Little Tern, 55 Manx Shearwater, 7 Mediterranean Gull, 60 Kittiwake, ca500 Guillemot, 40 Razorbill, 30 Gannet, Ocean Sunfish. Data to @marinelife1.bsky.social

Lots of interesting seabird sightings of late in Lyme Bay with early records of Sabines Gull, Balearic and Sooty Shearwater. Could be another good year for Risso's Dolphin. Full day @naturetrek.bsky.social boat trips details here www.naturetrek.co.uk/tours/seabir... Data to @marinelife1.bsky.social

Exciting MARINElife survey ahead covering Biscay and the shelf-edge of south west Ireland. Survey dates 25 May - 2 June. Surveyors Robin and @cardiffbirder.bsky.social Follow the action on the blog that will be here, once the survey is live marine-life.org.uk/survey-repor...

Great selection at a fish pond in Lithuania in May. 16 birds of 10 species! Little, 2 Common, Caspian & 2 Black Tern; 2 Black Headed, Little, 4 Caspian & Great Black-backed Gull; Wood Sandpiper & Ruff.

Phenomenal birding in Lithuania & Latvia 3-20 May with 203 species seen. Cuckoo, Wood Warbler, Tree Pipit, Tree Sparrow, Whinchat & Yellow Wagtail reassuringly abundant. Some massive flocks including 1100 Ruff, 1000 Wood Sandpiper, 5400 Little Gull & 8000 Long-tailed Duck.

Pre-breakfast birding in typical urban fringe habitat in Latvia. Grey-headed Woodpecker, 3♂️ Wood Warbler, 4♂️Thrush Nightingale, 2♂️ Black & 2♂️ Common Redstart., Pied Flycatcher , 5 Hawfinch, Whinchat, Tree Pipit, 2♂️ Great Reed Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Tree Sparrow, Willow & Sedge Warbler

Excellent general birding Latvia near Riga late pm. 3 Common Crane, 25 White Stork, 400 Tundra Bean Goose, Osprey, Marsh Harrier, 370 Ruff, 45 Wood Sandpiper, 5 Spotted Redshank, 20 Greenshank, Osprey, Redstart, Bluethroat, 6 Yellow Wagtail, Serin, Tree Sparrow, Black Redstart

A good few days off West Bay, including 2 Arctic Skua, some fabulous gull feeding frenzies (lacking quality though), plenty of Manxie, a few Kittiwakes and 10 species of waders

Smooth seas the last couple of days at West Bay has revealed there to be up to 12 Great Northern Divers around mostly well over a mile offshore, including a flock of 11 (10 visible here). Pic zoomed in, and unzoomed

Four Common Dolphin off Chesil Beach at Ferrybridge this morning. Appeared to be 2 adults and 2 young. Very poor record shot of one! @tombrereton.bsky.social @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social

Further migration at West Bay this evening included 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 40 Whimbrel, 49 Manx Shearwater, 44 Common Gull, 3 House Martin, Sand Martin and 8 Swallows

West Bay seawatch 21/4(22/4) Common Dolphin 2+, Red-throated Diver (1), Shelduck 2, Teal (1), Scoter 3, Whimbrel 2(23), Oystercatcher (1), Kittiwake 16(1), Sand.Tern 8(6), Med Gull (5), Gannet 12(24), Razorbill (1), Guillemot (1), Manxie 14(1). In-off: Sand Martin (3), Swallow 2(70), Swift (11)

West Bay seawatches 8/4-14/4, 20/4.Max counts included auks 97, Kittiwake 9, Sandwich Tern 17, Scoter 19, Great Northern Diver, Manxie 28.Also Sea Otter, 2 Purple Sandpiper lingering. Record shot of dark phase Pomarine Skua, showing spoons. 2 birds 18:10-1850, other light phase

Off the Cherbourg ferry to Rethoville pm 10 spp wader inc. 25 Black-winged Stilt, 70 Avocet, 7 Spot Redshank, 3 Ruff, 4 LRP, 5 Common Sand. 3 Yellow & 15 White Wagtail, 6 Wheatear,3 CirlB, 3Serin,2 Black Red, 20 Fan-tailed 10 Sedge & Reed Warbler, Lesser White, Cuckoo, spGN Diver,200 Sand&20 HMartin

Light passage over the sea at Easter at West Bay including Long-tailed Duck, 5 Arctic Tern, Whimbrel, 2 Red-throated Diver, 10 Shelduck, 60 Common Scoter, 80 Sandwich Tern, Razorbill

Cherbourg Peninsula 23/3. Additions included 8 Black-throated Diver, Black-necked Grebe, 6 Purple Sandpiper. Just over 3 days birding and 130 species logged. Most sites deserted, which was perhaps the highlight.

Cherbourg Peninsula 22/3 2 Black-shouldered Kite, 5♂️ Bluethroat, 5 Garganey, 3 Kentish Plover, 180 Ruff, 70 Glossy Ibis, 15 Spoonbill, 15 White Stork, 2 Little & Caspian Gull, 5 Black-necked & 2 Slavonian Grebe, 2 Water Pipit, Serin, F-t Warbler, Black Red, 3 spp Egret, (Whiskered Tern) Sedge Warblr

Cherbourg Peninsula 21/3/26 Middle Spot & Lesser Spot Woodpecker, 6 Little Gull, 22 Black-throated Diver, Fan-tailed Warblr, Serin, Black Redstart, 3 Crested Tit, 10 Hawfinch, 15 White Stork, 100 S Martin, 3 Firecrest, 3 S-t T.Creeper, 30 Sarnie Tern, Serin, Black Redstart, 2 Great & 70 Cattle Egret

What a difference crossing the Channel makes. Rethovile near Cherbourg yesterday. 3 Little Ringed & 2 Kentish Plover. 400 Sand Martin, Serin, Fan-tailed. 22 Avocet, Pintail, White Wagtail, 2 Wheatear

Before & after recreational disturbance by dogs at West Bay SSSI grassland 09:00 Before - Vital feeding 🌧️🌬️ for Wood Sandpiper, Dunlin, Cormorant, 49 Mallard, 250 Rooks, Crows, Jackdaws, 8 Pied Wagtail, 20 Black Headed Gull, 6 Herring Gull, Rock Pipit 09:25 after 3 Crow, 2 Mallard, 1 happy dog owner

MARINElife SURVEY OPPORTUNITY: CEFAS PELTIC RESEARCH CRUISE 2025 Cetic & Irish Seas, Western Channel 2-20 Oct From Falmouth Meals & cabin provided Requirements: ENG1 medical certificate & Personal Sea Survival Certificate email [email protected] if suitable @theseabirdgroup.bsky.social

Just joined @mobile.yup.io! Finally Bluesky and Twitter in one app.