Long drive but nice to get out birding today to St David’s to see lifer Brown Shrike. Not been out for many weeks due to illness and university visits.

Fantastic trip from Falmouth with @ak_cruises. Others have posted numbers and photos of birds. 1000’s of birds in changeable weather. Wilson’s Storm-Petrol, Euro Stormie, Cory’s, Great Shearwater, Scopoli’s Shear, Sooty Sheat, Fulmar, Manx, Balearic and Sunfish.

Some good times in Norway

Chips with Teen O while waiting for 3 nightjars to show. 5 ish woodcock also.

Desert Wheatear, Keynsham, already been and done at 530am. Back home to bed. iPhone photos, so showing well. @bristolbirding.bsky.social

Day off today. Managed two (!) quick visits to CVL. Barn Owl, Tawny Owl, Red Necked Grebe and Spotted Sandpiper plus commons. @bristolbirding

Long day out after v early start travelling to Hamps and Wilts after picking up LD. Then back to CVL. Stone Curlew, GBustard, CBunting, Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Woodlark, Redstart, Spotted Fly Cuckoo, RKite, YHammer, GWoody & Turtle Dove. Spotted Sand and Garganey pair.

The 4 Dotterel showed well at a chilly Cefn Cadlan early Monday #glambirds Helped a chap down off the hill who was severely struggling walking. I can’t remember his name though it may (or may not) be Steve. He was a lead south west wales birder. Was 70, Cardiff & recently widowed. Anyone know him?

Dotterel/Brecon Or Red F Falcon/ Ham Wall - you decide…

Trip out to Slimbridge yesterday to catch up again with the Bluethroat. Also Temmincks, Wood Sand and Glossy seen. Missed out on Garganey as it was hiding. Good to see friends up there. Nice clear shot of the Stint as you can see.

#glosbirds Mid morning today FoD Crabtree Female Pied Flycatcher 2 Wood Warbler Garden Warbler Tree Pipit Redstart Siskin 20 Willow Warbler 10 Blackcap 3 Buzzard Cannop Mandarin Nuthatch Red Kite

Aust-Pilning - surprised to see a SEO. Also 10 swifts, 5 house martin, 100 swallow, 5 wheatear, lesser Whitethroat, 6 greater whitethroat, 8 LRP, 2 RP, 1 Yellw Wag, 40 Dunlin, 5 Mipit, cacophony or reed and sedge warbs, Redshank, 3 Kestrel, Sprawk, 4 Stonechat & Buzzard. Distant scoped iPhone photos

Not sure which is worse real life or AI ?

Birds are meant to fly free, not fall victim to a disgraceful industry driven by greed and violence. Stand against bird shooting and fight for their freedom! SHARE if you agree!

Nice trip to Ham Wall today. Three bitterns heard, 2 marsh harrier, spotted redshank, glossy ibis, 3 treecreeper, blackwit, 2 gwe, 1 legret and some other stuff

The Marbled Duck was relocated by Ian and Lawrence Machin this pm at Longdon Marsh WWT Roadside pool. It is un-ringed and fully winged and can be elusive but was viewed from 5m inside entrance gate. The drake Ring-necked Duck was again at Hill Court Screen. Image by Andy Warr.

Brambling in with the Chaffinch at Hazleton today. 5 Red Kite but no Grey Partridge that I could find at Harnhill. 30-40 RC Pochard at Pit 44 at CWP. Today #GlosBirds

Finally a trip to Abberton today with @bri66thomp and saw Canvasback (LL), 14 BN Grebe, 2 Slav Grebe, 6 ish W Front Geese, Kingfisher, 5 Green Sand, 6 Scaup, T Owl, 100 Brent Geese (nearby) 200 Blackwit, male Smew, plus usual multitude of Red Kites enroute.

Nice day out in Cornwall with Brian. After painful wait we saw the Booted Eagle, new British bird for us both. Plus some decent sea birds & waders at Marazion. A couple of contenders for Pacific Diver but nothing 100% Obligatory Pasty. Little Bunting up the road in a field

1 Yammer, 4 Corn Bunting, 30 released RLPartridge, 700 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, 2 Red Kite, Mistle Thrush, 4 Stonechat, 4 Buzzard and 2 Kestrel Marshfield this morning

Wet and cold morning out seeing the equally damp Yellow-Browed Warbler (much nicer, in every way, than the more garish & show offy Yellow Warbler) at Frampton. Then off to Slimbridge - nfy L Stint, Whooper, Bewick, GW Teal, Skylark, GSW, G Plover, Barnacle & Spoony

Bloody bastard Yellow Warbler.

Quick jaunt to Greylake today to dip Baikal Teal. Did see a very nice male Merlin, f Hen Harrier, several Marsh Harrier, Water Rail and a few more year ticks. At Burnham a host of waders but no banana.

Started the year well with an iPhone photo. GN Diver at Barrow Tanks. 60 species seen this morning around the reservoirs in intense rain at times.

Strange birding year. Normally have a wobble in May but this year kept going till October. Didn’t bird in Nov/Dec. Still ended up with 252sp. Including only bad views of 4 new British birds - Little Crake, Pom Skua, Semi P & Stejneger’s Scoter. Life List still floundering on 379.

A very Merry Xmas to all my friends on here. I hope the last few days of 2024 are fun and happy for you. Have a great day today. I didn’t take many bird photos this year but here’s a Xmas Robin.

Birding or Chocolate Orange? Why are there these challenges in life?

Black Parrot

Portland today to try and catch up with Pallas’s Warbler and transatlantic Red-Necked Grebe. The double dip ensued. Here’s a photo from a few years back. Ahhh that’s better.

More Seychelles iPhone photos

Back from Seychelles via 20 hour return trip Great family holiday and some brilliant birds seen, will list later. Inc Black Parrot, Paradise Flycatcher, Magpie Robin, Sunbird, Fairy Tern, Frigatebird, White T Tropicbird and Noddies

Cute #Cousin

Stunning to wake up to #Praslin

Super great to catch the Little Crake at Bosherton, jumping from Lillypad to Lillypad. A full fat Lifer for me. Missed the Pallid Harrier at St David’s but hey ho we saw 2 or 3 Hen Harriers, 7 Red Kite, 2 Kestrel, 2 Buzzard and a plastic Peregrine.

Nice solo trip to Spurn/ Flamborough - Barred Warbler, Grey Phal, Yellow Brow, Caspian Gull, Daurian Shrike, American Widgeon and 92 sp, made up for the crummy accommodation and crappy photography.

Good to see the Lesser Yellowlegs (year tick) at Pilning today. Tagging along with Spotted Redshank. Great size comparison… but no photo… So here’s a photo of a dead dove instead, found near my car today 😔

On this day six years ago my Little O showing no fear.

I look at Bluesky on an iPad. It always shows up as a small phone size page. I can’t see how to enlarge it to be full screen size like X is. Is this possible? On my phone it fits full size.

Weather looks shit tomorrow 80/90% rain Zzzzzzz

Nice to see both the WWBlack Tern today (and loads of GCGrebe). Then nip up to Slimbridge for the Pect Sand (and loads of Ruff). Also a walk over the Narroways patch (but not a lot of anything).

Can u make Bluesky full screen on an iPad?

After my arranged Palegic was sadly cancelled this weekend, I decided still to head to Cornwall. Great times & birds and on way back home. 3 Pom skua Corys 50 Manx 3 Arctic Skua 3 Curlew sand 15 Ruff Whinchat 8 Chough RBshrike Willow Tit Wood Sand Little Stint

Didn’t get chance to see the Sabines at Burnham but did get to go to Chipping Sodbury Common. Alas no Winchat but upside 4 Redstarts and few other lesser migrants.

Next week..

@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social Arctic Skua and 30 Manx past the Bill this morning. Two Barwit at Ferrybridge .

Is this still going?

Early morning drive to a wave swept Portland Bill. Fulmar, C Scoter, L Owl, RN Diver Harbour. GN and BN Diver Lodmoor. Med Gulls galore. Wareham dip of GG Shrike, but Woodlark ticked. Excuse the owl Photo.