Ross Back Sands - a large diver went north at 2.30pm, high, with much head-lifting but too distant to confirm my White-billed suspicions. 12 Long-tailed Ducks, 3 Little Gulls, sea otherwise very quiet. 3 Slav Grebes and the regular male Pintail x Mallard hybrid (photo) in Lindisfarne bay #NEbirding

Here are my ropy photos of the small 'white cheeked' goose found by Dave Dack at Hauxley today. I find it a bit puzzling. It was small - about White-front size, although clearly a bit fatter and possibly a bit longer-boded. It was obviously short-necked #NEbirding #UKrarebirds 🧵

I was late for a meeting with @bou.org.uk colleagues this afternoon, but they were kind enough to accept my excuse of being delayed by a roadside Otter! This was hunting crabs below Warkworth weir, Northumberland today #UKmammals #UKwildlife

I missed a turning in the south of Northumberland this morning and had to drive the long way around… as a result, found a pair of Red Kites seeing an intruder off from their territory. A really thrilling encounter #NEbirding

After failing to find any Bean Geese around Whittle Dene this morning, delighted to catch up with two Tundra Beans on patch at Boulmer before dusk #NEbirding

Absolutely gobsmacked. One of the most amazing birding sights I’ve seen in Northumberland - here’s some of the 30 Cranes (up to 38 were reported by others) that spent the afternoon in a field next to the A1 just north of Alnwick. #NEbirding #UKbirding #birds

We're hiring Field Ornithologists and Surveyors! Apply now ➡️ www.bto.org/jobs 📝 Full and part time opportunities. 📆 Closing date: Tuesday 17 February. #Ornithology

Still loads of Kittiwakes along the beach at Seaton Point today (& 1 Little Gull). Also a Puffin fishing offshore, and a Woodcock flushed from the beach #NEbirding

The very last of the 39 Snipe pushed off the at Buston by the rising spring tide… this one really didn’t want to go! #NEbirding #WaderWednesday

Short-eared Owl, probably keeping an eye out for that eagle, at Buston today #NEbirding

More Little Gulls skipping over the waves - this adult was one of three just south of Alnmouth today #NEbirding

Some very flighty pipits at Buston Links Marsh this afternoon - including definitely one, probably two and possibly four Water Pipits. At one point seven birds were in flight, but likely to have included Rock Pipits pushed off the saltmarsh by a very high tide #NEbirding

Incredibly murky today, one of those days when the gloom never lifted. But a couple of Little Gulls dancing over the waves at East Chevington were a ray of light #NEbirding

So it may have looked a bit like a huge fluffed-up chicken in foul (fowl?) weather conditions at East Chevington this morning, but this unringed, untagged young White-tailed Eagle was absolute delight #UKbirding #NEbirding

Second great gig of the weekend - Midlake in Sunderland. If you don’t know them, listen to ’Roscoe’ on the streaming service of your choice and then come back and thank me 😉.

A magical evening… front row at the sold out Glasshouse for the Unthanks celebrating 20 years with a hometown gig. Musical perfection.

BLOG: Ian Woodward, senior research ecologist at @btobirds.bsky.social, describes how combining data from the RBBP and the BTO’s Heronries Census has improved our knowledge on the UK’s Little Egret population, as in new @britishbirds.bsky.social paper #birds #ornithology rbbp.org.uk/2026/01/30/l...

Always a pleasure when the @birdsinwales.bsky.social Welsh Bird Report arrives at RBBP Towers. I doubt there’s another report packed with this much info in the UK. Well done, as always, to @penrhynbirder.bsky.social and team for a fantastic job.

One of three first-winter Little Gulls at Seaton Point at dusk #NEbirding #birds

I rarely see more than one or two Kittiwakes when birding in the winter, so 70+ feeding close inshore at Seaton Point today was a surprise, a consequence of the recent big seas #NEbirding #birds

The recent rough seas have been hard on its occupants - there was a big dump of wrack, sea coal and lots of dead marine life at Buston today ☹️. 1000’s of crabs, plus dogfish, lobsters, Curled Octopus and a Cushion Star (a new one for me).

I'm in need of a new bridge camera. Don't suppose anyone has Canon SX70 tucked away in the cupboard they no longer use and looking to sell? Good working order. Thanks #birdinggear

A female Downy Woodpecker showcasing couture fashion by wearing a snowflake, a one-of-a-kind piece.

A surprise today - a Slow-worm curled on the path on Greensheen Hill, Northumberland. Torpid, and missing its tail (old injury) but, to my surprise, alive! After googling “Slow-worm hibernation habitat” I found it a sheltered new home for the winter 🤞 #UKwildlife #reptiles

From a drive-by ducking earlier - I had to go through Powburn this afternoon, so stopped at Hedgeley for about two minutes to admire the drake Ring-necked Duck #NEbirding #birds

The murk cleared just enough for an afternoon @webs-gsmp.bsky.social count at East Chevington. Eerily still and quiet, with very few ducks… only the occasional call from courting Goldeneyes, and splashes of a fishing Otter

Great to see RBBP data being used in work led by @btobirds.bsky.social that improves our knowledge on the status of Little Egrets in the UK… there are more than we thought!

Finally, all those Asian recipes have paid off and I get the recognition I deserve 🏆🥇🎖️🏅🍾. #soyboy

Nice Dunlin & Purple Sandpiper comparison at Boulmer today #NEbirding #birds

A grotty day, but pleased to find half a rarity at Longhoughton Steel - the male American x Eurasian Wigeon hybrid, present last winter, has returned. It’s proof that at least some Transatlantic cooperation is possible… #NEbirding #birds

Kestrel and Short-eared Owl having a rather animated debate over voling rights at Buston Links this evening #NEbirding

Quality dog walk at Buston Links at dusk… 2 Water Pipits (site first?), 2 Short-eared Owls, Merlin, 2 Water Rails & 3 Whooper Swans, and a Black-throated Diver offshore 🙂 #NEbirding

First gig of the year, a good start with Hector Gannet at the Cluny, Newcastle. Lots of new songs which suggested that the next album will be the best yet.

Here is a video of a frozen creek that had begun to thaw, and the water was flowing beneath the thin ice on top. I took this because it was soothing and wonderfully bloopy and I wanted to listen to it for hours. You are all welcome to enjoy it, too. Let your brain settle here and rest for a moment.

Voxpop request: Panurus biarmicus is the sole member of the family Panuridae, AviList uses Bearded Reedling (in use since the 19th century) as the English vernacular, BOURC maintains Bearded Tit even though they are more closely related to larks. Should we change the name? #Ornithology #UKBirding 🪶

🦋🌿Hiring 12 x Botanists or Entomologists for 2026 field surveys in England! 4-month, full-time roles from late April to early September. Field sites in Yorkshire, Devon, Warwickshire, Kent/Sussex, Lincolnshire/Cambridge, Essex/Suffolk. Apply now: ceh.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/CEH_Ca... 🧪

I had 3 interesting Bullfinches at Seaton Pt this pm. They seemed large and pale, in particular the females having the pastel tones of Northern, but the views were poor (esp. of the females) and it’s hard to judge size and shade without direct comparison to known British birds #NEbirding #birds

📢 DEADLINE APPROACHING... ...for the 2026 BOU Summer Placement Scheme Financially supporting undergraduate students to carry out summer #ornithology research placements 🪶 Application deadline: 30 January 2026 Guidelines & application form: bou.org.uk/funding/s...

Also at Boulmer, this Black-headed Gull was quite the looker - the photo doesn’t really do justice to how rosy it appeared. But not the pink gull I I had been hoping for! #NEbirding #birds

The male Black Redstart sticking it out at a snowy Boulmer this afternoon #NEbirding

Jack Snipe over the east edge of Alnwick Moor this afternoon #NEbirding

Some dog ballet (Rosie in pursuit of a flying snowball) in Alnwick today #dogs

The toughest winter bird race I’ve ever done, with frequent blizzards and treacherous roads - we got rear-ended by a Range Rover and had to limp home to change cars - but excellent company from @yolobirder.bsky.social @dlangstonbirder.bsky.social @shoremark.bsky.social & Sam 🐕.

📢 DEADLINE APPROACHING For BOU Member Conference Attendance Grants Now funding member attendance at any #ornithology conference 🪶 Low-carbon travel encouraged ⏰ Deadline: 5 January 2026 bou.org.uk/funding/m...

Green-winged Teal showing its diagnostic feature - and little else - at Druridge Pools this morning. It might not be there much longer if that ice continues to spread #NEbirding

Some big ol’ snow ❄️ showers moving down the Northumberland coast at dusk - photo doesn’t really convey how massive those clouds were!

A top visit to Druridge Pools this morning - 2 Little Auks scooted north offshore, Green-winged Teal, Long-tailed Duck, 4 White-fronted Geese, Ruff, 30-40 Twite. But pride of place goes to this pair of Smew - any day with a male Smew is a good day. #NEbirding

At the site of Stobswood opencast today. This excavator bucket remains from the ‘Ace of Spades’, Europe’s largest dragline excavator which weighed 4000 tonnes. It’s estimated that it shifted 300 million tonnes of soil and rock between 1992 and its retirement in 2003.

A head-clearing run round some local sites this morning, prepping for Saturday’s Northumberland bird race. Widdrington Moor Lake - 3 Smew (🙂 first I’ve found for years) Cambois - Whimbrel Castle Island - LBB Gull Stobswood - GW Egret, Jack Snipe, 150+ Redpolls #NEbirding

A tribute to Max, a lovely cat…