First proper walk of the year around the patch this morning: a Barnacle Goose was on Wareham Common, a couple dozen Raven were in the Piddle Valley and a redhead Goosander was on the gravel pit @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Saddle up for a long read: a post about birding by bike in 2025 (219 species, 2,054 miles cycled) petermooreblog.blogspot.com/2026/01/2025... - many thanks to all the great birders who found the birds or otherwise helped out last year @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Glossy Ibis eluded me yesterday but the wintering flock of 10 dropped into Swineham this evening at dusk, picked up (along with a Bittern later) by the keen eyed lads from @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Bits and bobs for the 2026 non-motorised yearlist - Fieldfare, Crossbill, Greenshank, Slavonian Grebe - all seen on a bike ride to Studland @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Close flypasts by White-tailed Eagles from the local reintroduction scheme at Studland yesterday and today @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

The 2026 non-motorised yearlist got off to a good start with 6 species of Goose - White-fronted (1st pic), Tundra Bean and Egyptian (2nd pic), Barnacle, Greylag and Canada (3rd pic) plus 3 species of Egret (Little, Cattle and Great White) @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Waders past Redhorn Point today - Avocet, Curlew, Dunlin, Oysteratcher @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

A pair of Smew and a Scaup off Redhorn Point yesterday, preceded by a Woodcock the night before, represented a late burst for the 2025 non-motorised yearlist which ended on 219 - just shy of 2,000 miles cycled. Slavonian Grebes also pictured @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Greenshank at Redhorn Point yesterday @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

The drake Smew found y'day at Studland by @bikingbirder.bsky.social, and its redhead partner found shortly after by yours truly, flew directly overhead at Redhorn Point when flushed by a speedboat - unfortunately the pair had moved on overnight @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Congrats to the @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social team on an excellent 2024 Dorset Bird Report which landed on the mat today. Honoured to see my Waxwing photo on the back cover - original image below. Join and get your copy at dorsetbirds.co.uk/membership/

The recent cold snap brought a flock of 6 Tundra Bean Geese and 31 White-fronted Geese to the Arne Road yesterday, just a few miles from home by bike - White-fronts pictured here (3 in flight with Bean Goose on the right) @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

The recent cold snap brought a flock of 6 Tundra Bean Geese and 31 White-fronted Geese to the Arne Road yesterday, just a few miles from home by bike - Beans pictured here (2 in flight with a White-front on the right) @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

A breezy bike ride to Studland involved wet feet from cycling through a flooded ford - but it was ultimately successful with a 1st winter drake Velvet Scoter, 3 Great Northern Diver and a Slavonian Grebe (not pictured) all seen @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Desert Wheatear outside the fence of the Bridging Camp near Wyke Regis yesterday - species number 214 for the non-motorised year list @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

When this Desert Wheatear was found nr Wyke Regis last Sunday with an hour's daylight remaining I doubted I would get to see it. Fortunately it was still there y'day and after a 21 mile journey into the wind I enjoyed close views - a new bird for the bike list @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

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