If you're a keen house lister, keep 'em peeled for Curlew today. Much rarer than Whimbrel over Norwich, but at least 2 over the city this morning. Bbut more importantly, one of them was over my house! House tick number 98!

Wow! Popped into the garden to get on a 'Commic' Tern seen by @perilsofbirding.bsky.social over the Waterworks reservoir, only to see what I thought were two high Commic Terns. I rattled off a bunch of photos, only to realise they were Little Gulls!!! A real garden mega in Norwich!!! #Norfolkbirding

Announcing The Bird Guide: North America! This landmark field guide, published in association with @cornellbirds.bsky.social, will set a new standard for North American bird identification. Publishing in early 2027, the guide is now available for pre-order from booksellers everywhere. 🐦‍⬛ 📙

Incredible scenes at Sweetbriar NWT today when this female Sparrowhawk took a Jay and devoured it in front of me, much to the indignation of the local corvids!

Great to see the Norfolk Black-winged Kite at Sea Palling this morning. It's getting closer to my Waxham patch! #NorfolkBirding #UKBirding

At @earlhaminst.bsky.social it's always nice to get a brand new @nanoporetech.com flow cell, but in spring it's even better. You can recycle the woollen packaging by putting it into a bird feeder, which birds will use for nesting material. Here's a Blue Tit doing just that. youtu.be/r6b00j0PXRo

Made a rare trip 'up north' to North Norfolk today. Lovely flock of 13 Long-tailed Ducks (5 drakes) on the sea, plus Black-necked Grebe, Scaup, Raven, a showy Water Rail, plus lots of summer-plumaged Med Gulls and lots of waterfowl and waders

A neck-ringed White-fronted Goose that I had just west of Gt. Yarmouth on 14 Feb was ringed in north Holland on 12 Dec 23, and was seen in Salmorth, Denmark on 5 Dec 25 and then Haarzuilens, Holland on 18 Jan 26. Full details here (login needed) submit.cr-birding.org/animals/1744... #NorfolkBirding

As well as the Iceland Gull, there's plenty of other stuff at Sea Palling to see, such as 6 Purple Sands, lots of Turnstones, and 5 Caspian Gulls (4 2cy and 1 adult).

Had a great morning looking at gulls at Sea Palling today. Star of the show was this 2cy Iceland Gull #NorfolkBirding

Great to finish up the day with some lovely views of Short-eared Owls in east Norfolk today. Probably up to 10 birds at this one site.

Saw the New Year in at the same place I saw it out - Filby Broad. The female Ring-necked Duck showed quite closely, but always into the sun, and the drake Ferruginous Duck did the right thing and occasionally woke up.

Lovely to see 2025 out at Filby Broad on Wednesday. I was delighted when this Red-necked Grebe popped up out of nowhere, right next to the boardwalk, and then the 3 Eider (1 drake, 2 ducks) swam out into view.

After the run of easterlies we've had over the past week or so, you can now almost 'expect' to find Tundra Bean Geese in large flocks of Pink-footed Geese in Norfolk. Here are two of the five birds that I saw at Wickhampton today. Lots of Russian White-fronts in the flocks too. #NorfolkBirding

What a mega day!! Started by twitching Great Shearwater (Norfolk tick) off Winterton. Sooty Shearwater and Snow Buntings from there too. Then I found 8+ Tundra Bean Geese at Horsey. Then, at St. Benet's Abbey, I had great views of Black-winged Kite, Glossy Ibis, Short-eared Owl, and 7 cranes. Wow!

Now this is my idea of a Christmas Robin! Eastern Black Redstart at Sheringham this afternoon. It remained elusive in the cold easterly wind for most of the morning, but eventually did the decent thing and returned to the ornamental gardens.

A really nice day in the sun out in East Norfolk today. As well as the four Tundra Bean Geese, I also had 2 White-fronts, as well as 6 Bewick's and 29 Whooper Swans #NorfolkBirding #UKbirding

Tundra Bean Geese have been really thin on the ground this winter, so I was really pleased to find four at Horsey this afternoon (an adult, with two first-winters behind, shown here). #NorfolkBirding

Epic recovery report just received! ⚠️ A Turnstone I trapped using a homemade walk-in trap has been recaptured in the 🌍 world’s 🌎 northernmost continuously inhabited settlement. Ringed on 12 February 2024 in Southend-on-Sea, Essex 🇬🇧, it was re-trapped on 08 June 2025 in Alert, Nunavut… 🇨🇦 (🧵 1/2)

The last of three supermoons in 2025 occurred last night. December's full moon is also known as the 'Cold Moon', so you could describe last night's as a #SuperColdMoon. This uncropped image was taken at 6.30am today with a Nikon Coolpix P1100, using the moon mode.

Dusky Warbler! This morning's sunny and calm weather provided the perfect window of bird-finding opportunity. So my pre-work visit to Brancaster turned out to be a good call, when I found this little chap 'tuk'ing away in a hedgerow near the Branodunum Roman Fort. #ukbirding #norfolkbirding

Dawn to dusk birding at Horsey, from the village, out along the Nelson Head track, and south to the Winterton plantations. I never found that 'biggy', but Sibe Chiffy, a VERY late Willow Warbler, Hen Harrier, and fabulous Caspian Gull made it a very nice day ebird.org/checklist/S2... #ukbirding

There's been a really good influx of Firecrests into East Anglia this week, with double-figure counts on the north Suffolk coast. Here's one bird that put on a nice show at Horsey, Norfolk this morning.

I love finding Pallas's Warblers, so I was delighted to find this bird at Sidestrand, Norfolk today. There was also a really nice mix of birds along the coast today, including Firecrests, YBWs, Chiffs, Bramblings and other finches, thrushes, Skylarks, pipits, and more.

One of the most incredible WTF!! moments I have witnessed in 41 years birding Belvide. 8 White-rumped Sandpiper on the north shore between 4pm-5.30pm. Just short of a British Record of 11 on the outer Hebrides. Thought I'd lost the plot when I saw them. Still pinching myself. #UKbirding

Yellow-browed Bunting trapped, ringed and released at the Swannery. It's flown to the hedge which runs alongside the Swannery grounds and the bird may be viewable from the permissive path heading west from Grove Lane.

Wowzer! Now that's a Black-throated Blue Warbler. Back into Central Park for my last morning in the US. Lots of migrants around, including 11+ Swainson's and 1 Grey-cheaked Thrush, 2 Veery, Blue-headed Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Ovenbird, N. Waterthrush, Myrtle Warbler ebird.org/checklist/S2...

A small flurry of migrants in Central Park, New York on Friday. Palm, Black-throated Blue, and Chestnut-sided Warblers were new for the trip, plus a few other migrants such as Eastern Wood-Pewee, Red-eyed Vireos, Brown Thrasher, Parula, Magnolia Warbler, and lots of Redstarts.

Today's birding destination, Central Park, #NYC

Today's birding destination, Central Park, #NYC

Today, I've been on the fabled Monhegan Island. A great dawn flight included 8 Cape May, 6 Yellow, 3 Myrtle, 1 Black-throated Green, and 2 Black-and-White Warblers, 5 Parula, 2 American Redstarts, Dickcissel, Scarlet Tanager, 9 Red-eyed and 1 Philly Vireo, Clay-coloured Sparrow, and 50+ Flickers.

Although tame by their standards, the annual Maine Audubon Society Bar Harbor pelagic was still very enjoyable. Loads of Wilson's Petrels (500+), Pom Skua (8), Great Shearwater (20+), Cory's Shearwater (1), Red-necked (200) and Grey (2) Phalaropes, and Humpbacked, Minke, and Fin Whales were great.

We had the day in Acadia National Park, near Bar Harbor, Maine. Good diversity with passerines, waders, and gulls. Below is White-throated Sparrow, Solitary Sandpiper, a juvenile Ring-billed Gull, and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

My last morning in Lubec, Maine, was really good for warblers and vireos. In one bush alone, I had Black-and-White, Blackpoll, and Black-throated Green Warbler and Northern Parula. Also had both Red-eyed and Philadelphia Vireo, White-throated Sparrow, plus Yellow and Myrtle Warbler and Yellowthroat.

One of the great things about staying in Lubec, Maine, is that if you get up early enough, you get to be the first person in the USA to see the sun rise.

Lots of good video opportunities at Lubec Bay, Maine this morning. Here is a juvenile Least Sandpiper sheltering in the tide line.

Last photos from Lubec Bay, Maine, for today. Adult White-rumped Sandpiper, Adult and juvenile Semi-palmated Sandpiper, and juvenile Least Sandpiper.

Lots of good video opportunities at Lubec Bay, Maine this morning. Here, White-rumped Sandpipers feed with adult and juvenile Semi-palmated Sandpipers

Over 1,000 Semi-palmated Sandpipers on the falling tide at South Lubec Bay, Maine this evening, along with a good smattering of White-rumped Sands (last two photos), Least Sands, Sanderling, and others. Looking forward to doing it again on tomorrow's rising tide!

Today we travelled from Biddeford to Lubec, Maine, USA's most easterly point. On the way, stopped for Saltmarsh Sparrow (I think this is one, and not a hybrid), then birded the falling tide in South Lubec Bay. Other than the waders (see below), some nice views of raptors (Bald Eagle and Peregrine)

My favourite photos from around Bidderford Pool, Maine today. Black-and-White & Canada Warbler, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and White-rumped Sand with Semi-p Sands. Also Philadelphia Vireo, Eastern Kingbird, Bonaparte's Gulls, both Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitchers, Willets, plus lots of other goodies!

Fab start to my New England road trip, with a morning full of migrants at the N tip of Cape Cod. Red-eyed + Yellow-throated Vireo, Magnolia, Cape May, Prairie, Pine, and Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ovenbird, American Redstart, Dickcissel, and 2000+ Tree Swallows. Mega! ebird.org/checklist/S2...

Nice evening at Titchwell RSPB gull roost, which has really good numbers of Yellow-legged and Capian Gulls. Lots of adult Yellow-legged too, which I don't see many of. Curlew Sand, 3 Little Stints, and Wood Sand there too. Sadly no sign of the Pec Sand, even though I was there until dark.

I nice stop off at Ringland this afternoon to see the fairly showy Dotterel. It's been ages since I last saw one, so it was nice to spend some time watching it popping up and down furrows with a flock of Golden Plover.

I felt like going full Michael Douglas at #McDonald's today. The first image is how they advertise their Grilled Chicken Fajita. The second image is what it actually looks like when you buy one. No wonder it's only 361 calories - they only half fill it! #Whammyburger www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy5v...

In Liverpool for #ISMB2025 where the theme of science stretches across the city. This restaurant owner is obviously a Python programmer!

It's back for a second year! This heart-stopping aberrant Common Swift put in a nice show over the garden this morning. Thankfully, I didn't choke on my bagel when I first saw it this time.

Today was a great butterfly day! Buxton Heath and Foxley Wood produced White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary, Purple Emperor, Silver-studded Blue (photos in that order), along with Common Blue, Red Admiral, Comma, Green-veined White, Ringlet (loads), Small Copper, Essex, Large, and Small Skippers.

Final day of my Estonia trip today. I had 71 species at Ilmatsalu, before heading back to Tallinn. Finally managed to photograph a red Rosefinch, and Marsh Warbler, and this female Red-backed Shrike was also very nice to see. A bit left field was a Crested Tit feeding in a boggy deciduous wood!

Estonia - Day 6. Birded around Tartu, east to the Russian border today. Highlights were at least 6 Great Snipe at a lek in the evening, and just before that Booted Warbler nearby thanks to @debalmer.bsky.social, and 2 Middle-spotted Woodpeckers in Tartu...