Some of the dozen Glossy Ibis at Swineham yesterday @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

After 9 days spent mostly in bed with flu, I was well enough to get back out on the bike today to see a long-staying Pallas's Warbler found by James Leaver at Peveril Down near Swanage @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Brambling at Arne today was species no 212 on the non-motorised year list. Need another 12 to equal my 2021 record - Merlin, Woodcock, Scaup, Velvet Scoter the last 'easy' ones, any shrike would do, but can't see where the rest are coming from! @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social b

Swineham is the place to be for scarce herons at the moment with Bittern, Great White Egret, Cattle Egret and a small flock of Glossy Ibis seen on recent dusk visits @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Abbotsbury ducks: who doesn't like to see vermiculations up close, even if this drake Teal is in eclipse plumage (Pintail and Shoveler also pictured) @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

A couple of nice close waders from a wind-lashed hide at Abbotsbury Swannery yesterday: Common Sandpiper and Common Snipe @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

A bit out of shape after Shetland fine dining so a 50 mile ride to Abbotsbury for Baikal Teal (a Dorset tick and a bike tick) y'day was a tonic - many thanks @swannerysteve.bsky.social for relocating this v distant bird which was best photographed in flight @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Last supper on Shetland for @beardybirder.bsky.social @dbradnum.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social and I: being the Sabbath, it had to be slow-cooked leg of lamb, home-made Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and 3 veg. Birding has been slow in recent days but we dined well #bestfedbirders

‘Tough going’ on Shetland this morning with Nigella’s American breakfast pancakes, bacon and maple syrup (home cooked of course) #bestfedbirders @dbradnum.bsky.social @beardybirder.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social

A recently arrived Redwing at Burrafirth on Unst yesterday @jameslowenwild.bsky.social @beardybirder.bsky.social @dbradnum.bsky.social

Shortly before leaving for Shetland I saw a flock of Glossy Ibis on the south coast near home in Dorset - yesterday we watched a group of 3 at Norwick on Unst - about as far north as you can get and still be in the UK @beardybirder.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social @dbradnum.bsky.social

Some saying Shetland has been 'tough going' this week. Pah! We laughed in the face of 50mph westerlies, saw Glossy Ibises from bus stops, Short-toed Larks in the road and had to peel Redpolls off our lenses #pieceofpish @beardybirder.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social @dbradnum.bsky.social

A few more of the Siberian Thrush at Loch of Asta on Monday - a bit dark, but that's the way I'll remember it! @dbradnum.bsky.social @beardybirder.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social

Our accommodation has a slow cooker so @jameslowenwild.bsky.social was up early to prepare a mostly red wine casserole with a splash of venison and the last bit of vit C on Shetland (from the Tesco freezer aisle) served in a crater of mash #mostlywine @dbradnum.bsky.social @beardybirder.bsky.social

The trip north to Shetland usually involves a detour - this year we went via Suffolk to see this immaculate Red-tailed Shrike @beardybirder.bsky.social @dbradnum.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social

Shetland migrants today pondering their life choices: Blackcap and Spotted Flycatcher @dbradnum.bsky.social @beardybirder.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social

Redpoll at Bardister, Shetland today @dbradnum.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social @beardybirder.bsky.social

Yellow-browed Warbler at Trondavoe, Shetland - one of the commoner species on the islands at the moment @dbradnum.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social @beardybirder.bsky.social

Bird of the day on Shetland day 3 was a Great Tit - rare in these parts - at Gluss, to where we were spirited by @dbradnum.bsky.social so he could add it to his archipelago list @jameslowenwild.bsky.social @beardybirder.bsky.social

Reprising my ‘best fed birders’ theme of a few years ago, tonight’s Shetland home-cooked special was a turkey fricassee by yours truly - also featuring the only carrot left in Lerwick #sendveg @beardybirder.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social @dbradnum.bsky.social

Shetland bits and bobs from today: Shetland Wren, Raven, Golden Plover, Yellow-browed Warbler - with @beardybirder.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social @dbradnum.bsky.social

Lesser Whitethroat in our local plantation on Muckle Roe, Shetland today with @beardybirder.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social @dbradnum.bsky.social

Otter at Hillswick, Shetland today with @beardybirder.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social @dbradnum.bsky.social

Jack Snipe at Tangwick, Shetland today with @beardybirder.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social @dbradnum.bsky.social

Team find of Red-breasted Flycatcher today at Hamnavoe (nr Eshaness) was the highlight of day 2 on Shetland with @dbradnum.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social @beardybirder.bsky.social sky.social

Team find of Red-breasted Flycatcher today at Hamnavoe (nr Eshaness) was the highlight of day 2 on Shetland with @dbradnum.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social @beardybirder.bsky.social

Shetland 2025 trip off to a flyer: Siberian Thrush with @beardybirder.bsky.social @dbradnum.bsky.social and @jameslowenwild.bsky.social

Ruff, Little Stint and Little Stints x 2 with Dunlin at Swineham today @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

2 Curlew Sandpiper (with the white rumps) in flight (left hand pic) with 2 Dunlin and Little Stint (highest bird) with 2 Dunlin at Swineham this afternoon @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Curlew Sandpiper numbers up to 4 at Swineham today @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

A Ring Ouzel found by James Leaver this morning turned into 2 at Middlebere shortly after we relocated it, bringing the non-motorised year list to 210 @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

A trio of Curlew Sandpiper at Swineham were a patch tick this morning, while a Little Stint (one of 3 present) kept the non-motorised yearlist ticking over @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

I counted 320 Cormorant in or flying towards the Piddle Valley roost last week @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

I managed to catch up with the Glossy Ibis invasion last week with 5 birds a short distance from home in Wareham @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Spoonbill over the Lower Piddle Valley on a recent visit @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Spotted Flycatcher at Arne on Friday @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Have spent many hours failing to find a Pied Fly this autumn but some other migrants were at Arne on Friday - Spotted Flycatcher, Chiffchaff and Redstart @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Sandwich Tern, Med Gulls and Ringed Plover at Ferrybridge this morning @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Knot at Ferrybridge this morning - a belated addition to the non-motorised yearlist, now on 208 species @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Nice selection of waders at Ferrybridge this morning after an early start on the bike - Knot, Dunlin and Sanderling - but no Little Stint despite there being 6 yesterday @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Eclipse of the Moon from Slepe Heath, Dorset - taken between 20:09 and 21:09

A couple each of Whinchat, Wheatear (both pictured) and Redstart at St Aldhelm's Head this morning plus a Grasshopper Warbler which was too quick to be photographed @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Felt like a bit of a carpetbagger standing between St Aldhelm's Head's 2 most assiduous patch-watchers @staldhelmsbirder.bsky.social and @beardybirder.bsky.social and locating a Wryneck before they did - but we all got views in the end. Then Phil dug out a second bird! @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Adult and juvenile Grey Partridge seen at St Aldhelm's Head last weekend with @beardybirder.bsky.social - plus Redstart and Weasel @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

A good weekend for the non-motorised year list - now on 205 - with a belated Yellow Wagtail added at St Aldhelm's Head on Saturday, a Wryneck in nearby Wareham Forest on Saturday and a Black Tern after a 53-mile trek to a very hot Blashford Lakes on Monday @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Spotted Flycatcher, Chiffchaff and Sparrowhawk at Swineham last night @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

100+ Common Dolphin seen from yesterday's Scillonian III with @purbeckpilgrim.bsky.social and Rob Johnson

Things didn’t look good for this Cetti’s Warbler when I first saw it on the road from my bike last w/end (presumed vehicle strike) - but it perked up as I ushered it to the safety of the verge and eventually flew into a reedbed (iPhone pics) @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Day-by-trip reports on our recent holiday in the Picos de Europa - sailing home (11/11): petermooreblog.blogspot.com/2025/07/pico...

Day-by-trip reports on our recent holiday in the Picos de Europa - one last road trip (10/11): petermooreblog.blogspot.com/2025/07/pico...