‪ It's been down to -10C here this week. Even the garden Robin that hates me has been posing nicely with the seeds I put out each morning. For the #FoodFinds theme for #BirdoftheDay by @alan678.bsky.social #photography #birds

For the #BlackandWhite theme by @robcrank68.bsky.social for today's #BirdoftheDay, here's a Black-necked Stilt. It didn't move as I appeared and may have been guarding its eggs (photo taken in April). #photography #birds

"You want spots? I got spots". My favourite Northern Flicker puffs out its #speckles&spots for today's #BirdoftheDay theme by @alan678.bsky.social #photography #birds

It takes more than a blizzard to stop a little Downy woodpecker from pecking at wood... for the #snowy theme of today's #BirdoftheDay by @alan678.bsky.social #photography #birds

Not a lot of snow over our corner of France - but it's plenty cold enough (-7C today) for rock pools to perform their iced abstract magic #photography #winter

I'll go with the #birdsofprey theme by @alan678.bsky.social for today's #BirdoftheDay. Here's a beady-eyed Osprey trying to decide if an annoying photographer is worthwhile prey (he was perched on a mast next to a rough seas warning flag)... #photography #birds

The #BirdoftheDay themes by @robcrank68.bsky.social are #GoodLight or #Gulls. I was very tempted by a gull in good light for double points, but can't resist this Tufted Titmouse nicely backlit as it spreads for landing. #photography #birds

The first #FireHydrantFriday of the year deserves a special appliance. Here's a magnificent rural French specimen that has lost its cover, acquired some rust but is still functional... #photography

Some birds just seem somehow more noble in #B&W, the first theme of the year by @alan678.bsky.social for #BirdoftheDay. Here's a Bald Ibis showing off its imperial collar. #photography #birds

New Year's greetings to all on a gorgeous morning in the French Alps. #photography #winter

Here's a slightly different take on the #reflections theme by @robcrank68.bsky.social for today's #BirdoftheDay. I caught this cormorant against the reflected colours of a large marquee across the lagoon. I liked the way its eyes and beak matched the colours on the water. #photography #birds

I'm late to the #BirdoftheDay party today but luckily @alan678.bsky.social chose a theme that didn't need too much archive excavation. Here's a Green Heron #branchingout. #photography #birds

You won't see many #Birdbutts like this one - unless you happen to be a French chicken. For today's #BirdoftheDay theme by @robcrank68.bsky.social #photography #birds

The gates to (winter) paradise... #France #photography

A pair of swans glides effortlessly across a still pond for the #serenity theme by @alan678.bsky.social for #BirdoftheDay #photography #birds

I've seen a lot of Red Kites doubling up on Rob's #BirdoftheDay themes today so I'll join in the twofer fun with the #red legs and bill on an #outstretched Black-headed gull, preparing to dive on a tasty morsel below. #photography #birds

I don't know about you, but in the depths of winter, I dream of summer #BlueSkyArtShow #Holiday #photography #scape

My #mostrecent shot for #BirdoftheDay is, inevitably, our garden Robin. Sadly, unlike @alan678.bsky.social's perky little friend, ours hates me and hides if it sees my camera. My latest attempt was shot through kitchen window glass, so apologies for quality (or lack of it) #photography #birds

For the last #FireHydrantFriday of the year, I shall immodestly offer that rarest of selfies - a fire hydrant and me. Thanks to all my fellow hydrant watchers for their sterling efforts in documenting so vital yet unsung a feature of human civilisation. #photography

I rather suspected that @robcrank68.bsky.social might go with #HolidayRobin for his Christmas #BirdoftheDay. I was saving my only decent Robin shot... Happy Christmas everyone, and special thanks to Rob and all on BlueSky for making my online bird-watching such fun #Photography #Birds

Ooh, I've been waiting for a #faceoff theme for one of my favourite pics - a dainty Tufted Titmouse offering simply the most elegant pose at the feeder. Today's #BirdoftheDay by @alan678.bsky.social, to whom many thanks for his efforts on behalf of Bluesky's bird fans this year. #photography #birds

I'm going for the extra points again, doubling up on today's themes for #BirdoftheDay by @robcrank68.bsky.social. Here's a rather sinister-looking Black Vulture that fits both #Sideprofiles and #BlackBirds. #photography #birds

Alan's #BirdoftheDay theme today is #Christmasshopping. No wait, I've got that wrong - that's what he's reminded me I've got to get done today. He wants a #grounded bird. Here's a Red-tailed hawk from the badlands of South Dakota. #photography #birds

Today's theme for #BirdoftheDay is #AllAboutTheKids by @robcrank68.bsky.social. This may not be quite what he's after, but here's a kid with a pigeon on her head. #photography #birds

For today's #BirdoftheDay, @alan678.bsky.social seeks #quietmoments. Here's a Roseate spoonbill at peace on its log... #photography #birds

A cheery urban setting for this week's edition of #FirehydrantFriday. This one from Lyon. Don't get too close.... #photography #street

For Rob's #BirdoftheDay theme of #LongLegsandNeck, it has to be #FlamingoFriday. They don't come much longer than this (unless of course you happen to have seen a flying giraffe). Here's a flyer at full stretch above a Mediterranean lagoon last April. #photography #birds

I'm double-dipping on today's theme of #QuietObservers for #BirdoftheDay. This solitary egret surveying its pond in the evening light seemed to fit Alan's theme so nicely.... #photography #birds

In my constant quest for extra points from @alan678.bsky.social, I searched my files for pictures combining #quietobservers with #openwings - today's two themes for #BirdoftheDay. I found this pair of obliging cormorants... #photography #birds

I do apologise for White Stork number 3's poor positioning during last week's fly-past. I warned him he only just qualified for the #Groups theme for today's #BirdoftheDay by @robcrank68.bsky.social. Next time, he's off the elite stork formation flying squad. #photography #birds

Much of the fun of the #BirdoftheDay challenge by @robcrank68.bsky.social and @alan678.bsky.social has been digging around in my archives for birds that fit their themes. That's how I fell on this long-forgotten shot from New York City, originally captioned "She got rhythm". #photography #notabird

I'm out of birds with berries, alas, but here for @alan678.bsky.social's alternative theme of #WinterBirds is a Great Tit practicing for the ski season. #photography #Birdoftheday #birds

I've posted a Florida Anhinga (also known as a snake bird) before, but they rank among the most energetic of #scratchersandpruners. So here's another for today's #BirdoftheDay by @robcrank68.bsky.social. #photography #birds

I'm going for Alan's extra points for today's #BirdoftheDay - it's a Cattle egret that fits both themes: #heronsandegrets and #birdsandrocks #photography #birds

Getting my ducks in a row...luckily one of the White-faced whistling ducks below qualifies for today's #BirdoftheDay theme from @robcrank68.bsky.social - #DucksonOneLeg #photography #birds

There's been something of a heatwave in the valleys this week but on higher ground you can still find patches of snow, especially in corners of the forest that don't see much sun... #photography #LacGenin #France

For #SmallbirdSaturday (which I've failed to notice before), here's a Long-tailed tit enjoying the last colours of autumn in a Lyon city park this week. #photography #birds

Welcome back, @alan678.bsky.social, hope you had a great trip. For your #Birdoftheday theme of #splashes today, here's a Southern pochard having a right old shiver and shake.

Only two more goes at #FireHydrantFriday before Christmas! Here's a festive device outside the Elephant & Castle pub in Lyon (yes, even the French city of Lyon has English pubs). #photography #urbangaze

For #palacesandgardens this week, here's City Hall in Lyon, housed in a 17th century palace and bathed in #FestiveLights for the city's annual Fête des Lumières. Lyon's video-mapping projectors are state of the art and attract two million visitors every December. #photography

I'd somehow failed to notice the #ThursJay theme. I haven't got many jays in my files but this one flew past me in our village not long ago. It was a reflex shot - quick aim and fire - and I'm lucky I caught it. Thank God for auto-focus.... #photography #birds

After plenty of snow and cold around our French mountain home, I was surprised to find they're still having autumn in the city parks of Lyon, less than an hour away... #photography #trees

So today's #BirdoftheDay theme has been set by #AlansNemesis (akaRob) while @alan678.bsky.social flies home from Australia. Luckily I have obtained an exclusive shot of Alan in flight (below). Travel safely, birdman! #photography #birds

What the grey days of winter need most is a shocking burst of pinkness. And what's pinker than a pink flamingo? For the #sideviews theme of today's #BirdoftheDay by @robcrank68.bsky.social

For today's #BirdoftheDay theme by @alan678.bsky.social, here's a Diamond firetail finch in prime #NestBuilders mode. #photography #birds

Lots of lovely #BirdsonTwigs in my feed. Here for today's #BirdoftheDay by @robcrank68.bsky.social is a Little bee-eater perched up nicely on a twiglet. #photography #birds

A different start to the day for me: a post thanking the late #FrankGehry for being such a gift to photographers. His astonishing architecture was a joy, a challenge, a fabulous reward if the light was right. Here's his most famous work - the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao. #photography

The theme for today's #BlueSkyArtShow is #Sky. This one turned to orange and gold about 20 minutes after sunset in Clearwater, Florida. #photography

For today's #BirdoftheDay theme of #movement by @alan678.bsky.social, here's a female gangster Mallard making a speedy getaway after holding up the local bird bank. #photography #birds

I'm going to play a bit with today's #BirdoftheDay theme. Rob is asking for #Borbs - birds that look round. This Herring gull is looking around - with an unusual speckled eye. Experts say this amount of black speckles is quite rare, appearing mostly in male gulls. Who knew? #photography #birds