Great to present my talk and poster at #ICCB2025 in Brisbane today. Great to chat to so many people and appreciate all the lovely comments!

🦅 The new unified global #avian #taxonomy #AviList has just been released at www.avilist.org! Xmas for anyone interested in #birds & checklists... The first version will be followed by annual updates, with decisions and processes aimed to be more transparent than its predecessors'. 🪶🧪 🧵

Great to catch up with the Druridge Dotterel yesterday after dipping the Cinnamon Teal. American Wigeon, Garganey and Spoonbill decent supporting cast.

Lush to be back in Cambridge this week presenting my poster on predicting avian hybridisation at @sccs2025.bsky.social

I’m visiting Brisbane in June for a conference and staying out there for two months afterwards, wondering if anyone had any recommendations for possible ringing opportunities or just birding generally, planning on travelling about a bit and going to NZ as well.

Might be a bit preemptive stocking this in Durham.

New species discovered! 🐦✨ The Banda Myzomela was previously thought to be two subspecies, new research confirms they are in fact three distinct species—differing in plumage, size, and, most importantly, song. 🎶 🔍 Learn more: www.birdlife.org/news/2025/03... #Biodiversity #Nature

Great ringing session this morning. An 8-year old Blue Tit, a colour-ringed Bullfinch control, a leucistic Blackbird and 3 Nuthatches.

So Ross’s Gull becomes my 800th bird. I know it’s nothing in the grand scheme of things but v happy to get there.

First lifer of 2025. So glad it reappeared after my car was snowed in yesterday.

Absolute highlight of the year was getting back to Kenya, teaching on field course with Uni. Also spent a lot of time ringing at my own site since getting my C. Tripit, breeding spotfly and redstart the best. Plus 200 species exactly in the UK, 12 of them new.

That’s a wrap! Thanks so much to everyone that came!

Looking forward to presenting at #BES2024 tomorrow. Last talk of the conference again!

7 Little Auk on Holy Island today, 2 flew into the harbour calling and then carried on over the island. The other five hung around the castle for a bit. Plus a porpoise past its best.

Got a few ID mysteries from Kenya (Laikipia) in September if anyone has any ideas? Red-winged Larks? Pipits?

Wisdom's still alive, she's back at her breeding grounds! This season she'll turn at least 74 years old. 🎉🎊💃

Written in 1995. The kites and great reeds lagging behind the stilts slightly.

Following a new study, it has been recommended that Slender-billed Curlew be declared extinct, putting to bed any hopes that the wader may still exist and marking the first known global bird extinction from mainland Europe: bit.ly/4hMX9qh

Some really nice Blackbirds moving through atm. Along with plenty of Redwing and Fieldfare still. Although the Fieldfare are eluding the nets.

Plenty of thrushes passing through today.