For the 1st time since we moved here in 2016 we have Starlings nesting in a box on our garage walk installed specifically for Little Owl but I don’t begrudge them that. They’re in their 2nd brood. I’ve ringed a few of the juvs but caught the adult male today #birdringing #birdbanding

I thought we’d lost Yellowhammers in the village due to destruction of one territory by Hynet CO2 pipeline project which is releasing more CO2 into atmosphere than it’s going to save. Y’day I heard singing bird in one of traditional territories for 1st time his year. Campions in local garden

Checking up on the single Lapwing chick in field opposite house to see if survived whilst I was in Norway. It’s almost ready to fledge. Amazing being able to follow its development from our study window.

Beautiful Plain Golden-Y one of only two moths in the trap this morning #teammoth

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From Hoylake to Arctic Norway. Knot flagged in 2024 and seen May 2026 in Borselv! It’s already made the journey back to its Canadian / Greenland breeding grounds twice since it was ringed #birdringing #birdbanding

Watering the plants in tubs on the patio & a Robin flew out of one of them. Found this beautiful nest with two eggs at the base of the plant growing in it!

Looks to be shaping up as a good year for local Barn Owls! Biggest brood today was 7 youngsters crammed into one smelly festering box! #birdringing #birdbanding

Lovely views of singing male Bluethroat in Norway this morning. I didn’t realise they were such astounding mimics! This one was going Greenfinch, Willow Warbler, Redstart & Oystercatcher

Today’s star bird in Arctic Norway was a…… Dunnock! 1st one of the trip. Arctic Skuas are arriving and we’ve seen several Long-tailed Skuas. A flock of 8Temminck’s Stints was a bonus. Many of the Knot leaving and heading towards Canada

Plenty of these huge beasts in Arctic Norway where we are based. Seen almost on a daily basis. White-tailed Eagles are truly enormous.

Saw an Otter whilst out surveying for Knot. Was downwind of it so it could see me but couldn’t smell me. After a bit of snorting and huffing & puffing it relaxed and enabled me to enjoy watching it hunt Spider Crabs

Elk & Reindeer common here in Arctic Norway. Seen almost daily

Privileged to see a Ruff lek so close today in Norway. These photos were taken from the car window as the males strutted their stuff and flashed their fancy hairdos alongside the road

Up in northern Norway monitoring migratory Knot and catching some to fit leg flags an honorary Norwegian ringing licence! Stunning birds in summer plumage #birdringing #birdbanding #waderstudygroup

The pair of Lapwings in field opposite house continue to chase off marauding Carrion Crows & Magpies getting near their single chick #ukbirding #cheshirebirding

A healthy brood of young Great Tits ringed in the garden today. 2 broods of Great Tits & 2 broods of Great Tits #birdringing #birdbanding

Local Greylags have managed to hatch 5 goslings despite the best efforts of local farmer to stop them by shooting at them to try & deter them #ukbirding #cheshirebirding

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A garden ringing first for me today. Adult male Barn Swallow. Stunning bird to see close up #birdringing #birdbanding #cheshirebirding

Wrens nest in a rather exposed position in a Yew in our garden #ukbirding #cheshirebirding

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Another singing Lesser Whitethroat on my morning walk around the village. Seems to be a good year for them & Common Whitethroat so far #ukbirding #cheshirebirding

Blackcap on my morning walk yesterday. They’re back in good numbers locally

Common Whitethroat numbers seem to be up locally this year. At least 4 singing males on my morning walk

Nice to hear Lesser Whitethroat singing along the lanes of my local village patch today

Scanning the edges of the rapidly drying pond in field opposite my study window and a slight movement caught my eye. Lapwing chick! Several pairs have been hanging around and I hoped they’d nest #ukbirding #pwc2026

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A real surprise @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today. Definitely not on my bird radar this morning. The 15th Cuckoo ringed at the Obs caught in the SK heligoland. Only the 3rd in the last 40 years. A 2nd calendar year female #birdringing #birdbanding

Patch gold here tonight in my part of rural Cheshire. Only my 2nd ever record of Whimbrel. Previous record of a bird calling in flight. Flock of 15 + 2 Curlew dropped into field opposite house this evening. 1st patch year record of L Whitethroat & Sandmartin today as well #pwc2026 #ukbirding #cawos

Great couple of days @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social. Classic fall today. 108 ringed. Mainly Willow Warblers (99) but male Redstart, 2 Whitethroats, Wheatear, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 2Linnets & Tree Pipit. Fem Redstart ringed y’day. Best spring for several years #birdbanding #birdringing

Blackcap scolding me from a hedge in our garden this afternoon whilst I jet washed the salt / sand off the Landrover after a trip to @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social

Noticed a pair of Robins carrying food this morning and sat quietly by the window to see where they went. 4 well grown young literally 2 m from our front door and 70 cm off the ground. Hopefully they’ll survive as very exposed

Two weeks away and home to see these Shelducks on pond opposite house. Not an annual species & 1st time there’s been a pair. Seen mating so hopefully local breeders #pwc2026 #ukbirding

Had a bbq at our rented villa in Florida last night. This Raccoon was attracted by the smell and climbed up onto the roof of the pool enclosure trying to get in!

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Another great Rock Pipit sighting from our @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social colour ringing project. CCH ringed as a juv in August 25 seen in Garlieston, Dumfries & Galloway this April. 176 km NNW! #birdringing #birdbanding

Another stunning bird commonly seen around the Florida theme parks. Northern Cardinal today at Disney’s Magic Kingdom

Another N American species seen regularly around Disneys theme parks. This Gray-catbird was in Animal Kingdom checking us out

Not a birding holiday as we’re in Florida doing all the theme parks with our grandchildren / children for our 40th wedding anniversary (June). Managed a brief walk around a wooded area & ‘pished’ in this Black-and-white Warbler. Nearly as many Grackles here as in UK! 🤣

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New blog post. Final day of our Thailand tour: #Thailand #birding wirralbirders.blogspot.com/2026/04/thai...

He’s at it again. Little Owl singing in trees behind house last night #littleowls #cheshirebirding #ukbirding #pwc2026

Female Northern Wheatear caught and ringed under licence @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social this morning. A very worn 2nd calendar year bird #birdringing #birdbanding

Retrapped this venerable old Meadow Pipit @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today. 1st ringed by @hilbre.bsky.social on 18/5/2018 making it nearly 8 years old #birdringing #birdbanding

It may be the last day of March but I’m pleased to see this Hare in field opposite house this evening. They’re still just about hanging on in this area.

Wader fest on pond opposite house this morning. Y’days Curlew still present, 2 Oystercatchers (1 limping) & 5 Lapwings #ukbirding #pwc2026 #cheshirebirding

Parasitic Purple Toothwort at Ness Botanic Gardens y’day. One of the few places this naturalised chlorophyll lacking plant can be found in the UK #botany #NessBotanicGardens

Checking the field opposite house this evening and found this Curlew! Patch year tick #pwc2026 #cheshirebirding #ukbirding

Definitely a finch day at our Ness Botanic Gardens ringing demo. Greenfinch, Redpoll, Goldfinch & Chaffinch all feeding with good fat scores.