OK, so yesterday was a miserable grey-murk day in N.Wales. Spirits were low when🤫🤔 the birds in the sallows by Llyn Brenig were indeed 2 Willow Tits. This made for excitement! Haven't seen these guys for AGES. Let's hope they can hang on here with 100's (pristine) Coal Tits #birdingUK #birdingWales

Two days ago on the scars and pavements above Gt. Orme's Head this male N.Wheatear stood out not only for whopping size but exquisite pattern and deep colours: candidate for ssp. leucorhoa or W.Pal. tundra bird in mid-Oct. #BirdingUK #birdingwales

Golden Plover resting on The Longmynd, Shropshire today. 3/4 N.Wheatears passing through. Stonechats seem to have bred well but we found no Whinchats. Slopes facing the afternoon sun have been baked dry. Bilberry has coloured superbly #shropshirebirding #UKBirding

2+ Clouded Yellows in field with Lucerne and Chicory at midday. First field to left of public footpath running ENE from road by Rascals dog grooming towards church. Grimley, Worcs. Favouring area where slope increases downwards. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bc-westmids.bsky.social

Some of the 49 Cattle Egrets gathering in front of 1st screen Otmoor yesterday 17.00hrs.--> Joined by Gt. Egret, 3 L.Egrets, Grey Heron,(Bitterns doubtless in veg. nearby); Glossy Ibis turned up 17.30 #BirdingUK/IRE, @rspbotmoor.bsky.social

The subadult BC Night Heron still at Grimley CLPit midday. #WorcsBirds Bonus colony of 12+flower spikes of Broad-leaved Helleborine (?) amongst the Great Horsetails west end of south causeway @ukorchids.bsky.social

At Warks. helleborine site which includes 'Dune Helleborine' yesterday. Plants small and many flowers dessicated it seems. Nearby helleborines in fuller shade flowering more healthily, but even smaller at c. 10cm. @ukorchids.bsky.social

Tiddesley Wood, Worcs. p.m. SW Fritillaries, White Admirals and 2 Purple Emperors. Numerous L.Skippers, Commas, L.Whites, M.Browns, some Red Admirals and couple Scarlet Tigers. Hordes of Ringlets and a few Marbled Whites on approach to wood. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bc-westmids.bsky.social

Much of yesterday was spent at the very interesting Cothill Fen near Abingdon. We had a good look at specimens of Pugsley's Marsh-orchid in this unusual occurrence of its habitat (joined by Black Bog-rush, another indicator of same habitat) Identical to the Narrow-leaved Marsh-orchid of Europe?

A couple of hours in Oxfordshire yesterday afternoon showed considerable activity at a Black Hairstreak site. @ukbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

57 Greater Butterfly Orchids flowering in one small field this afternoon with crystal clear view across to the Malvern Hills, Bredon Hill and the city of Worcester. @ukorchids.bsky.social

It seems now is the time to look for developing Bird's-nest Orchids if you have access to suitable sites: 59 flower spikes on their way in very-approximately 7500m2. of mature Beech wood today, with others still to surface by the looks of it @ukorchids.bsky.social

Most of the Yellow Wagtails at Clifton are 'flavissima' type ('our' Yellow Wag.) as in pics 2,4. However, there are 1 or 2 that look like 'lutea' (Yellow-headed Wagtail from Volga eastwards) as in pic 1. Also, there is the hybrid flava x flaviss.? in pic.3 @birdingcentral.bsky.social #WorcsBirds

The fascinating mixed wagtail and pipit flock still at Clifton Pits. Today at least 8 Yellow W., 4 Pied W., 4 White W., 10 meadow pipits. Some individuals look identical to those present nearly a week ago. @birdingcentral.bsky.social #WorcsBirds

Titterstone Clee Hill 4-7 wheatears (mobile!) female type Black Redstart male Ring Ouzel @birdingcentral.bsky.social #ShropshireBirding

Ringed Adult Med Gull Upton Warren Flashes. Right leg HENE #WorcsBirds

Snow bunting still with Pied Wagtails Longdon Marsh at SO 831 355 looking north west in field from gate on Marsh Road #Worcsbirds #Ukbirding

Richard's Pipit eventually made itself known again in the company of 2 Skylarks at Awre, Gloucs. This afternoon in the tussocky floodplain grass but very close to public r.o.w. by Severn OS grid ref. SO 721086 #UKBirding

Our new 'Birding by silhouette' section! Flock of 19 Corn Buntings at SO850743 Stanklyn/Summerfield area of Worcestershire today late afternoon (with some Fieldfares and Wood Pigeons). Joined by 4 more at times=23 #WorcsBirds #UKBirds

The clear winner of an inter-rail dispute at #uptonwarren Moors midday railing at vanishing opponent. Pr. Stonechats in same area of reedmace. 3 Chiffchaffs nr. R.Salwarpe, Gt.Egret, male Peregrine through like a bullet etc. #WorcsBirds #UKBirding

Now THAT'S Christmassy! Local escapee Scarlet Ibis, nearly completing moult, with its chum Little Egret in birch tree on island in Pit 114 today (Cotswold Water Park east section) Also 74 Red-crested Pochards, pr. Goosanders, numbers of Pochards, Teals, Tufted Ducks etc @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social

Suddenly international/national migrants are here at Tardebigge Churchyard. At least 2 Hawfinches, 10 Greenfinches, 50 Redwings, 3 Song Thrushes (darker/greyer=Scandinavian?), 2 Blackbirds to waiting Yews 09.40hrs. #WorcsBirds @wheatearlp.bsky.social

Birding Holderness (2). Welwick Saltmarsh windswept but full of birds.Raptors incl. 3 Marsh Harriers, one distant male Hen Harrier, female Merlin, 2 Buzzards, Kestrels. Rock Pipit (Scandinavian type?) on fence with M. Pipits; nearby covey 22 Grey Partridge @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social #UKBirding

Birding in Holderness today in difficult conditions at times. Great to connect with pair of YB Warblers obviously enjoying themselves in Vicars Lane, Easington, chasing and feeding (how long and for how far have these 2 been together?) White Poplars were favourite and yielded good food

BOC shot of Barred Warbler opposite Bluebell at Spurn now

We believe this to be a caterpillar of Toadflax Brocade Moth found in our garden next to Purple Toadflax @wheatearlp.bsky.social @birdergwc.bsky.social

46 Egyptian Geese at Clifton Pits for a while this morning.... some kind of record? 4 Yellow Wagtails with 50+ Pied #worcsbirds @midlandsbirder.bsky.social

The juv. Pectoral Sandpiper eventually showed to view from the (adjacent) Chappell Hide this afternoon, joining the Black Tern, Osprey, Garganey, Lesser Scaup, Great Egret in an interesting day's birding (Roseate Terns waited until we got in the car!) #westmidsbirding @belvidebirding.bsky.social

Black Tern being harassed at Belvide this afternoon #westmidsbirds @belvidebirding.bsky.social