What a memorable year, with so many amazing birding experience! My final count is 237 and my favourite is the red-flanked bluetail! A couple of my favourite experiences are: Nightjars with @andy-1963.bsky.social Ring necked parakeets in London Puffins in skomer Red-necked phalarope at spurn

Long tailed duck at Dornoch today!

King eider at Dornoch today!

Magical to have coal tits feeding out of our hands at RSBP loch garten today!

This beautiful crested tit was taken at RSBP loch garten, Scotland today!

My grandad said 'that's a funny looking robin' moments later is was looking at this magnificent red-flanked bluetail. Seen at nethy Bridge Scotland! The exact location is on birdguides!

First day in Scotland was a huge success! Already had 3 year ticks! Hooded crow, long tailed duck and this stunning snow goose with the greylag and pink footed goose! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Merry Christmas all, hope you’re having a great day. Nightingale Not a Christmassy pic but one of my favourites of the year and certainly my favourite song of any of the songbirds

Massive thank you too Andy! @andy-1963.bsky.social for getting me this woodcock in South glos today!! 228 for the year now!! Quite pleased to get this record shot as it flew away!

Walking up to Turf from Powderham this boat came past heading for the LC Tern, we quickly set up scope on tern as sure it would be spooked. And yes they did just that😡 in front of many birders. LCT flew off and boat headed back down past us. Here they are, well ****** done😡😡!

Royal/West African Crested Tern still in front of hide Dawlish Warren #ukbirding

While in Scotland this week, I lucked in on a small flock of Bohemian Waxwings in a stunning coastal location near Montrose. Any encounter with these Scandinavian wanderers is guaranteed to brighten your day. My 360th species in the British Isles this year. Pic: @lainy.bsky.social #ukbirding

Penduline tit at Aust Warth this morning. A great bird to see on a Monday morning in an hour before work. First Severnside record I believe !! #UKBirding #birds

Absolute belter of a patch tick in the form of this Penduline Tit! On the reedy pool at the north end of Northwick Warth. Very grateful to the finders! #ukbirding

Having dipped the Severnside patch penduline by literal minutes yesterday I was delighted to see it was still there this morning! Patch mega! #ukbirding #patchbirding

Excited to land a full-fat patch tick when this Penduline Tit reappeared on Severnside at the north end of Northwick Warth this morning. It showed well despite the chilly conditions. A quality bird for Avon! Pic: @matthall95.bsky.social #ukbirding

Red-Backed Shrike this evening at Portbury Wharf was nice to see. Always great to bump into a fellow birder. None more enthusiastic than @kidphotographer24.bsky.social 🪶🪶🪶

Buff-breasted Sandpiper still strutting its stuff distantly at Chew Valley! #ukbirding #avonbirding

Jammed into this superb White-winged Tern at Frampton-on-Severn sailing lake on my way home from work at the Cheltenham cricket festival. Nice when things come together like that #ukbirding

Popped into a Oxfordshire lake to see one of last remaining ruddy ducks.Unlike others this ones publicity is doing it a favor as it's attracting alot of birders to the site so at mo they say it can stay. !. Pics turned out crap as was in rush & hadn't focused properly. #UKBirding.

Blyth's Reed Warbler Berry Head 3rd June 2025 - my second self found on site - probably 3rd actually...!

Sometimes, you just get lucky. I was dipping a Buff-breasted Sandpiper on the Ythan estuary this afternoon when Ian Broadbent found an adult sum plum Pacific Golden Plover nearby. Pandemonium followed by decent views! Talk about right place, right time . . . #ukbirding

Honey Buzzard, Shapwick 02.06.25 @bristolbirding #birds

A perfect example of Distraction Display by a female mallard protecting her ducklings. The dog owners criticised the duck for getting in front of their dog. When my Dad explained to them the duck was distracting their dog to protect her young they didn't seem very appreciative.

Abbots Pool and Woodland this morning - so many species of birds feeding their young (including spotted flycatcher, wren, robin, song thrush, greater spotted woodpecker and more!) a sunbathing squirrel and a zillion tadpoles!

Abbots Pool and Woodland this morning - so many species of birds feeding their young (including spotted flycatcher, wren, robin, song thrush, greater spotted woodpecker and more!) a sunbathing squirrel and a zillion tadpoles!

Abbots Pool and Woodland this morning - so many species of birds feeding their young (including spotted flycatcher, wren, robin, song thrush, greater spotted woodpecker and more!) a sunbathing squirrel and a zillion tadpoles!

Abbots Pool and Woodland this morning - so many species of birds feeding their young (including spotted flycatcher, wren, robin, song thrush, greater spotted woodpecker and more!) a sunbathing squirrel and a zillion tadpoles!

In between enjoying superb views of the singing White-spotted Bluethroat at Slimbridge this week, I've spent time introducing the next generation to the wildlife of the Severn estuary aka 'welly boot land'. Lyra was suitably impressed! #ukbirding

It's been a great comfort to be back in the field after a tough few weeks for my family. Have loved seeing Broad-Billed Sandpiper, American Golden Plover, Temminck's Stint, Red-footed Falcon, Great Reed Warbler, Spotted Sandpiper, Purple Heron, Black-winged Stilt and Dotterel in the south #ukbirding

Glad I forced my dodgy knees up Cwm Cadlan y/day (5th May). Got fantastic views of the 4 Dotterel there, even in a cold NE wind…#UKBirds

Absolutely terrific, Matt 👌 Spring has certainly kicked off on the Levels!

Dipper and Wood Warbler BOC shots

Over to Pontneddfechan to look for Dippers and Grey Wagtails. Found a Wood Warbler too!

Back of camera photos

Visit to Wales today to see the 4 Dotterel. Beautiful birds showing really well and worth standing in the cold wind to see this Lifer!

Purple Heron flew over Meare Heath at 6.15am and headed off high towards Walton Heath on the other side of the road. Brief but exhilarating and third time lucky for me with this bird #ukbirding

An eventful morning on the Severnside patch with 4 additions to the year list; 5 Sanderling, Wood Warbler, 3 Little Terns and Hobby at Severn Beach. Other sightings of note at Severn Beach included 5 Little Gulls, Sandwich Tern, Common Terns, Bar-tailed Godwits, Whimbrel, 4 Greenshank, 2 Red Kites.

Pretty amazing watch with @oscardewhurst.bsky.social from the Severn Beach vismig spot this morning, highlights: Wood Warbler, 3 Little Tern, 6 Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, 5 Little Gull, 5 Sanderling, 50 Barwit, 4 Greenshank, 85 Whimbrel, Hobby, 2 Red Kite, 2 Yellow Wag, 7 Swift #ukbirding

Trip up the Brecon Beacons today: 2 Cuckoo, 4 Wood Warbler, 33 Willow Warbler, 3 Garden Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 6 Redstart, 1 Wheatear, 4 Dipper, 5 Tree Pipit, 2 Redpoll & 4 Siskin. #ukbirding

Decent local birding in the rain over Easter: 2xLesser Scaup, Hobby, Black Tern, Common Tern, Whimbrel at Chew Valley Lake, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat and Gropper at Sand Point plus Lesser Whitethroat and Whinchat (pic by @j-dunning.net) on the patch at Severnside #ukbirding

BOC shot of the spoonbill having a stretch at Slimbridge today!

Yay! I finally got a Bittern today! Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset.

Managed by the RSPB, Highnam Woods is the most reliable place to see/hear Nightingales in Gloucestershire. It did not disappoint today, a single songster giving excellent views. Equally pleasing were a pair of Pied Flycatchers in the Forest of Dean (pic by @kidphotographer24.bsky.social) #ukbirding

Somerset's Whiskered Tern still doing the business at Durleigh Reservoir today. These BOC shots from my young pal @kidphotographer24.bsky.social, for whom the bird was a lifer #ukbirding

Fabulous afternoon/evening's birding in Somerset. An out-of-the-blue Whiskered Tern hawking over Durleigh Reservoir was to die for, while Ham Wall RSPB served up a couple of overdue year-tick Bitterns and my first Reed Warblers of 2025. Single Glossy Ibis also proved obliging #ukbirding

Phone-scoped shot of first Pied Flycatcher of the year, Nagshead RSPB, Forest of Dean. 161 total for the year.

A short video of 1 of 4 male yellow wagtails at Northwick Warth (Bristol) also saw a water Pipit, 2 jack snipe and 3 avocet

Wagtail footprints? Severn Beach, Bristol