Stanford Reservoir - went back for seconds of the Slavonian Grebe. Cracking patch bird. @lrosbirds.bsky.social

Stanford Reservoir - incredible week on the patch. 3 self found patch ticks (2 of which were new for the site) - Glossy Ibis, Lesser Scaup & Slavonian Grebe this AM, the 1st since 2003. Garganey, BN Grebe & Bittern the supporting cast. @lrosbirds.bsky.social

Stanford Reservoir - having checked numerous Teal & Shoveler flocks this autumn I thought time had run out to dig out a Garganey but great to add to the 2025 patch list this AM. Also, 2 Glossy Ibis, 2 Great Egret, Dunlin. @lrosbirds.bsky.social

Just about ready for this talk to members of the Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society on the 3rd October. A bit about the site and its history, some highlights of 2024 along with some insights into patch watching this land locked reservoir. @lrosbirds.bsky.social

Stanford Reservoir - more #patchgold when I found this moulting eclipse drake Lesser Scaup, first for the site & for Northants. Also, 3 Glossy Ibis, Bittern, 2 Pintail, Common Tern, Common Sand & Great Egret. @lrosbirds.bsky.social

Stanford Reservoir - the 3 Glossy Ibis arrived from their roost at 06.30 and fed for 30 mins before flying off as they did yesterday. Such a great bird to have on the patch. @lrosbirds.bsky.social

Swainson's Thrush at Cuithir this morning, a well deserved find by Stuart Beeby, incredibly the 4th Barra record, making it our second most frequent North American vagrant passerine. #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK

A lovely film of Leicestershire’s first confirmed breeding by Goshawks, filmed under licence by county recorder Carl Baggott youtu.be/FhI39qG4pQo?...

Stanford Reservoir - another quality couple of hours on the patch. 3 Glossy Ibis briefly, Cattle Egret, Great Egret, 8 Little Egret & Black-necked Grebe. Poor record images of the Ibis through a hedge and fence! @lrosbirds.bsky.social

Stanford Reservoir - went back to the location where I had all 3 Glossy Ibis earlier and 1 was back. A few record shots here. @lrosbirds.bsky.social

Stanford Reservoir - #patchgold with 3 Glossy Ibis very briefly this morning on a tiny bit of flood (see arrow) behind the settling pond (out now trying to re-find) - first ever record for Stanford. Also, Cattle Egret in same field (new for year). @lrosbirds.bsky.social

Edgbaston res Matt Hadlington @thehairycrisp.bsky.social found a Polish ringed Caspian Gull this morning Many thanks for the help from @midlandsbirder.bsky.social & @belvidebirding.bsky.social with ID & origins He also found a Wheatear juv Med Gull still present #UKbirding @ecorecord.bsky.social

Stanford Reservoir - a decent couple of hours on the patch - juv Med & Little Gull, Wheatear, Ruddy Shelduck, Marsh Harrier, 5 Common Sandpiper. 16 Yellow Wagtails last night. #vc55birds

Stonking Oxon county Mega on Friday in the form of a Marsh Sandpiper. Write-up here: oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2025/09/oxon... Photos courtesy of @tmbirding.bsky.social

Stanford Reservoir - another cracking species delivered by the efforts of the ringing group this AM with this smart Wood Warbler. Only the 5th site record - birds ringed in 1977 & 1982 with 2 other non ringing group records in 1999 & 2020. Great work by the team & well deserved.

Stanford Reservoir - the ringing group deliver again. In crappy conditions with low bird numbers a 1st for the site & for Northants - BARRED WARBLER. Well deserved for the dedicated efforts of the group in their 50th year ringing at the site. Haven’t sweared so much for a while!!

Stanford Reservoir - a cracking couple of hours this evening. Ringed Plover dropped in (new for year), 2 Black Terns dropped in, Whinchat, Ruff, 5 Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper.#vc55birds

Stanford Reservoir - Ruff on the dam this evening. Recorded in 6 out of the last 10 years & often just a fly through so nice to enjoy this one actively feeding with 5 Common Sand. Also, 2 Whinchat (Northants), Osprey, Marsh Harrier, 6 Yellow Wag. #vc55birds

Stanford Reservoir - found these 3 Black-necked Grebes this evening which were new for the year. Not annual on the patch with records in 2024, 2023, 2022 & 2013. 2 Marsh Harriers, Goosander, Yellow Wag. Some scribing early doors for SRG who ringed 211 new birds. #vc55birds

Had my eye on the 1s Caspian Tern in Leics. I've seen 3 adults so far & this looked like a cracker. Pleased it paid Notts a visit! Absolutely entranced by the way it preens those wing tips! Stunning in flight too, before heading north. #UKBirding #Beast

I couldn't get to Eyebrook yesterday, so was very glad that the Caspian Tern decided to stay till this morning, even though it was mobile and never stayed in one place for long. Not an Eyebrook tick (I saw the last one there in 1991), but the first first-summer I've seen. #VC55Birds #UKBirding

Eyebrook Res, Leics - Caspian Tern found by Rod Baker yesterday. 10th record for L&R & the first since 2020. My third in the county but first on the deck and unusual for it to stick & still present this AM. What a cracker.

SCOPS OWL caught in the Gully Heligoland trap at around 21:00hrs last night! This is the Isle's third record, the last being 19 years ago in 2006. Keep up to date with all recent sightings here: www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sight... 📸A Penn

Stanford Reservoir - at last, terns on the patch yesterday. 2 Black, 4 Common & a min of 44 Arctics. My best ever views of Arctics on the patch - always an incredible experience when they pass through any inland site. #vc55birds @lrosbirds.bsky.social

Stanford Reservoir - surprisingly quiet y’day & this AM with only a single Common Tern, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and 3 Goldeneye of note. Quick revisit at lunch today produced the 5th Redshank of the week. #vc55birds

Stanford Reservoir - out on the patch early yesterday with the weather looking interesting - delivered the first Black-tailed Godwits (2) & Redshank (4) of the year before they all moved on very quickly just after 7am. Also, 3 Common Sandpiper & 3 Oystercatcher. #vc55birds #northantsbirds

Stanford Reservoir - spring activity on the patch. Red Kite nest building & several Yellow Wag around. First Sedge & Willow Warbler numbers increasing. SRG ringed first Redstart earlier.

Announcement: Bradgate Park Raptor Viewpoint becomes the first official raptor viewpoint in Leicestershire & Rutland. Located near the War Memorial, the new viewpoint offers a chance of seeing a special new addition to the breeding avifauna of Leicestershire & Rutland, the Eurasian Goshawk!

Stanford Reservoir - with only 1 record in 2024 Little Gull remains hit and miss on the patch. Pleased to find a first-winter this AM followed by 33 more (32 adults). Also, a few BH Gulls mixed in. Quite a spectacle. #vc55birds #northantsbirds

Full details of the colour-ringed Caspian Tern from my recent trip to The Gambia. Thanks to the Swedish Museum of Natural History for the info.

Stanford Reservoir - not much to post about from the patch recently but first Sand Martins during the week, White Wagtail yesterday and a smart Dunlin this AM livened things up a little. #vc55birds

Grey-headed Bush-shrike (seen in 1 location) and the stunning White Helmet Shrike (seen in 2 locations) - The Gambia, February 2025.

Caspian Tern flight Shots with the Sony bridge camera - The Gambia March 4th 2025.

Temminck’s and Bronze-winged Coursers were a fantastic ‘courser’ double in The Gambia (the latter at the third attempt) but impossible to get any decent images. Temminck’s also hard work in the heat of the savannah but great views of at least 6 birds.

Long-tailed Nightjar - The Gambia February 20th 2025. 1 of 2 birds found.

Northern White-faced Owl, The Gambia February 19th 2025

March 1st - Cracking piece of wetland behind the lodge where I am staying near Sanyang, The Gambia. Goliath, Purple, Black, c12 Squacco & Black-headed Heron, Osprey, M Harrier, Sacred Ibis, Black Crake, c40 African Jacana, BW Stilt, Shikra, Harrier Hawk. Back later for seconds!

Red-throated Bee-eater - The Gambia, 24th Feb 2025

2 beasts in Gambia yesterday - Goliath Heron and lots of Caspian Terns including this colour ringed individual, red RC13. Near to Kartong.

The Ring-billed Gull at Fitzgerald's Park showed well again yesterday. Seems to like waiting for scraps from people having a bite to eat there.

Stanford Reservoir - early WeBS due to not being around next Sunday & then away for 2 weeks. Jack Snipe, 2 Great Egret, 34 Cormo, 36 Pochard, 209 Wigeon, 85 Gadwall, 19 Goldeneye, 91 Tufted. #vc55birds #northantsbirds

Stanford Reservoir - decent 2 hours on the patch with Woodcock (new for year), Jack Snipe (3rd time this week), 2 Snipe, 2 Great Egret, Egyptian Goose, Cetti’s, Little Egret, 14 Goldeneye. #northantsbirds #vc55birds

Some excellent views of two Spoon-billed Sandpipers at Khok Kham (just 45 minutes from home!) early on Sunday morning. #birding

Stanford Reservoir - annual report now out from the ringing group at stanfordrg.blogspot.com/2025/01/rejo.... A fantastic effort by all concerned - 12,010 new birds ringed of 57 species is phenomenal for a land-locked Midlands site.

Stanford Reservoir - still really slow going on the patch, even the gull roost is smaller than in previous years. Nice count of c1200 Common Gull the other evening & a regular adult Caspian (image from when the res was partly iced over). Hopefully things will improve over the next few weeks.

I popped over this afternoon to the I54 to see the Black Redstart. It showed well along the west side of the unit. #UKBirding

Perhaps the easiest place to see the species right now is Texel: Spectacled Eider 🤩🤩🤩

Stanford Reservoir - C/R Black-headed Gull originally ringed on 25/6/22 at Kingfishers Bridge NR, Cambs. All 3 sightings post ringing at Stanford in Jan 23, Aug 24 & again y’day evening. Also, 1st-w Mediterranean Gull on the ice early AM. #vc55birds #northantsbirds

Brilliant year birding for me and wouldn't have been nearly as good without the great company throughout the year. Ive had 35 UK lifers! Would have been 36 but got Mealy Redpoll taken away. Here are some of my favourites from this year.

My first year patch birding Cliffe Pools. I started in March and have had some brilliant birds including 7 Species of Tern (managed photos of Casp, Comm, Sandwich, Black, WWBT and Little). Cant wait do it again in 2025!