The Smew and White-fronted Geese entertained at Abberton today. #essexbirding

A gentle start to the year with a bit of local birding followed by an hour at Abberton. Missed some of the highlights but it was a nice time out. #essexbirding

Red-necked Grebe from today. Great to catch up with one! Thanks to @esbr-essex.bsky.social #essexbirding

Couldn’t resist popping back to see the Abberton Smew yesterday. They were good enough to not only stick around, but come a little closer. #essexbirding

It was a wildfowl elite kind of morning at Abberton yesterday with 2 Smew! #wildfowlelite #essexbirding

A few shots from a very sunny Mersea Island this week. #essexbirding

Three firsts for me this week, Brown Shrike, Crossbills and Arctic Skua, the later of which was thanks to birding pals @stuttonsparrows.bsky.social, @swallowbirding.bsky.social and @esbr-essex.bsky.social from a super trip to Norfolk. Also pics of Firecrest & Kingfisher to round things out. #birding

Crossed the Strood onto Mersea Island today. Here’s a few of the sightings. #essexbirding

Hummingbird Hawk Moth from the garden this morning. #essex #Sphingidae

After a few distant views, the Black Terns at Abberton finally done the decent thing this morning. #essexbirding

Swallows in abundance at Abberton this week. In fact lots of things to see including Little Gulls and Little Stints - both too camera shy for me though! #essexbirding

Quick stop off to Abberton and Mersea this morning. Lovely sunrise 🌅 and then Greenshank, Ruff and Spot Fly were on offer. #essexbirding

First Pied Flycatcher for me for this year on Mersea. Cracker. #essexbirding

Crossed the strood for a visit to Mersea Island in Essex this morning. Lots about including Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Sparrowhawk. #essexbirding #birding

This mornings Wood Sandpiper at Abberton was a great find by @simonpatient1.bsky.social. A seemingly rather hungry Yellow Wagtail popped up too. #essexbirding #birding

Always look forward to seeing Wasp Spiders. There has been a few on my local patch this year. #nature #spider

Mandarin Duck from Abberton this week. What a smart bird #essexbirding #birding

Had a morning in the Brecks, and while I saw many things with wings, not all were birds. Nice to find a Turtle Dove though! #birding

Had an evening on the Suffolk heath yesterday. Saw Dartfords, Stonechats, Mistle Thrushes and the star of the evening, the Nightjar. Great to bump into @swallowbirding.bsky.social too #suffolkbirding

Turned up just as it was flying away, but just enough time to grab another life tick ✅ in the form of this Caspian Tern at Abberton this afternoon. #essexbirding #birdseenin2025

Super afternoon on the Suffolk heath where I saw one of my favourites, the Common Redstart. Great to spend time watching a pair doing their thing! #suffolkbirding

A few pics for the last week or so from sites in Essex and Suffolk. Always great to see Barn Owl! #essexbirding

One of my nest photos made it onto Springwatch’s Watchout programme this week, and birding gave me another win with swan knowledge helping me to answer a sequences question on Only Connect. A good week! 😀

Abberton’s Red Footed Falcon from today, and it looks like a dragonfly might have evaded capture in image 2. Also witnessed some aerial combat, Green Hairstreak style. #essexbirding #wildlifephotography

Black Tern from Abberton yesterday. Female Red Footed Falcon was present also, but far enough away to be in a different postcode. #essexbirding #birding

Witnessed some mid air battling between a Raven and Carrion Crow this afternoon in Essex! Once peace was restored, the Raven joined its mate for a chill out. Great to see Ravens so close to home. Safe to say the light wasn’t great for photos! #Essexbirding #Raven

Today was a good day to look up in north Essex! #essexbirding #flypast

Ring Ouzel from Landguard this morning. Also saw a lovely Black Redstart and some very smart Sanderlings too. #SuffolkBirding #spring

Early start looking for Turtle Doves today. While they didn’t put in an appearance, there was other good stuff about including Mistle Thrush, Yellowhammers and lots of Whitethroats. #essexbirding

Just back from a short break in Portugal where I saw a huge number of Swifts. However, there is nothing quite like seeing my first two over the garden this afternoon now I’m back home! Awesome sight #birding #Swift

Added a few new species to my year sightings at Abberton today including Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and Small Copper. #essexbirding

Black Tern from Abberton today. It was kind enough to hunt near the causeway this afternoon. #essexbirding #ukbirding

Green Hairstreak butterfly from Abberton today

Terns, Med Gull and Sand Martin from Abberton Res today. #essexbirding

Always great to see the return of the Sand Martins. This was one of many at Wrabness yesterday. #essexbirding

Little Gull at Abberton. #essexbirding #BCBW

Can’t complain with what Abberton dished up today. Spoonbill, LRP, Blackcaps, Cetti’s were amongst others including Green Sand, Marsh Harriers and Yellowhammers. Really hoping for Nightingale soon! #essexbirding

Tiptree offered up a cracking Willow Warbler for me today. What a beautiful tune they make. Lovely #essexbirding #spring

Skylark on its way back down to earth, taken at Fingeringhoe the other day. #essexbirding

So good to see them back! This was taken at Fingeringhoe today. #essexbirding

So nice to be out around the patch in north Essex today in glorious sunshine. Not overly busy but who wouldn’t enjoy the sound of Skylarks singing and Cormorants busily building nests. Spring is so nice. #essexbirding

More Redpoll goodness on the local patch today #essexbirding

Patched like crazy today and it was great with Redpoll, Linnet, Greenfinch, Coal Tit (patch ✅ ) and Fox the highlights. Weather was good too. Can’t beat a good day on patch. #essexbirding

Amazing to see so many finches locally this week including some really smart Brambling. I’ve never seen so many Linnet in one place. Alresford #essexbirding

A few Smew and one of the White Fronted Goose on the loose at Abberton this week! #essexbirding

Abberton continues to deliver with Lesser Scaup (thanks @swallowbirding.bsky.social), WF Goose, BN & Slav Grebes, and slightly closer views of the GG Shrike and Med Gulls at nearby Copt Hall. Brilliant day 😀 #essexbirding

Took a walk in Colchester Castle Park today and saw Siskin, Kingfisher, Redwing and this rather chilled out Fox. Then a Hen Harrier and an astounding (distant) view of a Great Grey Shrike (lifer) at Copt Hall ended the day. #essexbirding

Spent some time on patch on Wednesday. First time I’ve seen Brambling on patch, which is also the first I’ve ever seen in Essex! #ukbirding #essexbirding

One of the Black Necked Grebes from Abberton this week. #essexbirding

Smew pair at Abberton from Thursday. #essexbirding #ukbirding