Sandwich Tern at Greenhithe, Kent at 7pm this evening. Always a decent sight on the River Thames. #kentbirding

Half a dozen Yellow-legged Gulls on the River Thames in southeast London this morning, including this juvenile at Greenhaven Drive, Thamesmead - one of three of this age seen today.

1st-summer Caspian Gull enjoying the loaves at Erith Pier, London this morning. Extremely worn and in active moult.

One of two juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls on the River Thames in southeast London today - this one at Greenhaven Drive, Thamesmead and another was at Erith Pier. First double figure count of the species this year too.

drake Ruddy Shelduck again on the River Thames by the jetty at Crossness, London at high tide late a'noon. Lacking the collar from a couple of weeks ago but a bit of research revealed when in eclipse, drakes lose their collars. Every day is a school day!

Ruddy Shelduck at Sevenoaks KWT Reserve, Kent this morning. #kentbirding

2nd-summer Yellow-legged Gull at Crossness, London this a'noon. Predictably quiet on the Thames today.

drake Ruddy Shelduck showing well off Crossness Engines on the ebbing tide this a'noon. Most likely a Swiss/German bird overshooting its Dutch moulting grounds, like the c.15 seen around the country so far this month.

male Red-backed Shrike at Old Lodge, Ashdown Forest, East Sussex yesterday evening. A shame it wasn't about today, and nice to see on an English heathland where the species will have previously bred many years ago.

Langdon Cliffs to South Foreland, Kent 0710-1240 with JP: pale morph male Honey Buzzard came in off the sea at Fox Hill Down 1220, circled before heading northwest; also Crossbill west over South Foreland, 4 Swallow & 3 Swift #kentbirding

A brief soundtrack of yesterday’s Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler at Dungeness NNR, Kent. Despite getting there fairly promptly and 4 hours waiting, just a couple of very brief views. #kentbirding

Langdon Cliffs to South Foreland, Kent 0700-1200 with JP: 3 White Storks circling over Fox Hill Down 1125 to 1132 (one seen to come flapping in off the sea), 2 White Wagtail, 10 Swift, 56 Swallow & Whimbrel #kentbirding

female Blue-winged Teal showing well at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London/Essex this morning - been a while since I've seen the species so nice enough to see.

adult Purple Heron at Burham Marsh, Kent this a'noon. Distant and heat hazy, but one of the most colourful and smartest ones I've seen. And only half hour from home too. #kentbirding

Langdon Cliffs NT to South Foreland, Kent 0715-1150: 2 Ring Ouzels (1 Fox Hill Down, 1 Fan Bay), Black Redstart South Foreland, 5 Yellow Wag (one Blue-headed type) over, White Wag, 2 Sand Martin, 18 Swallow, 2 Wheatear, 2 Stonechat, Sedge Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat & 20 Whitethroat. #kentbirding

1st-winter Caspian Gull at Greenhaven Drive, Thamesmead, London this morning. Despite the wear this late in the season, nice silvery tones to this bird as it showed well in decent light.

Cuckoo, Whitethroat & 2 Wheatear Porthgwarra to Nanjizal this a’noon. Ring Ouzel, Sedge Warbler, 2 Whitethroat and 2 Wheatear Land’s End to Treave Moor this morning. Pleasant day for weather with some birding promise. #cornwallbirding

adult summer Azores Gull at Newlyn harbour, Cornwall this afternoon. Compare the upper mandible scarring with birdguides.com/gallery/bird... and P4 markings with birdguides.com/gallery/bird.... In the field, felt darker with more black in outer-wing than Thames Yellow-legged Gulls. #cornwallbirding

Purple Heron at Croft Pascoe Pool, Cornwall did a flyover before heading onto Goonhilly Downs early evening. Then distant but adequate views of the reeling Savi's Warbler at Marazion to round the evening off. #cornwallbirding

Ring Ouzel, reeling Grasshopper Warbler, 5 Wheatear and 2 Canada Geese between Tregiffian Farm and Nanquidno, Cornwall this morning. 5 Swallow, 3 Sand Martin and 3 Wheatear at Gwynver y’day evening. #cornwallbirding

Gertrude the Great Bustard showing very well at Stonehenge, Wiltshire today.

1st-winter Caspian Gull on the Thames foreshore off Chandler's Drive, Erith, London this morning. A nice beefy individual and likely one of the last I'll see this season. Also 5 Common Scoter on the river very distantly from here.

1st-winter Least Sandpiper on the Stilt Pool at Medmerry RSPB Reserve, West Sussex this a'noon. A little distant most of the time, but worth the trip as it's the first I've seen in Britain for 22 years!

Woodchat Shrike at West Beach, Newhaven, East Sussex this evening. One of the absolute best spring scarce migrants.

1st-winter Caspian Gull at Greenhaven Drive, Thamesmead, London y'day a'noon. The second bird of two present, affording some pretty close views with a high tide and decent wind.

1st-winter Caspian Gull at Greenhaven Drive, Thamesmead, London. One of two present in the sunshine, cruising around in the brisk wind this afternoon.

Dark-breasted Barn Owl (race guttata) at Bourne South Fen, Lincs this morning. A really enjoyable bird - first one I've seen since one at Welney WWT, Norfolk in 2003. Nice to see Ring-necked and Ferruginous Ducks nearby too.

2nd-winter Caspian Gull at Greenhaven Drive, Thamesmead this a'noon. Nice enough views, showing off its P10 mirrors, as it sailed about the loaves in the brisk northerly breeze.

Large Tortoiseshell at Orlestone Forest, Kent this a'noon. Managed to see a couple of these rare butterflies in the unseasonably warm sunshine.

1st-winter Caspian Gull at Erith Pier, London early evening - uncharacteristically showed disdain for the loaves before heading downriver. Another 1st-winter Caspian Gull flew over Crayford Recycling Centre mid a'noon.

One of two 1st-winter Caspian Gulls at Greenhaven Drive, Thamesmead, London this a'noon. Some nice intricate scapular markings on this bird.

One of ten or so Hawfinch at Penshurst, Kent this morning. Nice to see these clown-like beasts locally and in the beautiful Kent countryside.

1st-winter Caspian Gull at Erith Pier, London this a'noon. A distinctive, pale-billed individual that snouted about the loaves. Can't work out for sure whether bill colour is aberration or maturity.

1st-winter Caspian Gull at Greenhaven Drive, Thamesmead, London this a'noon. Picked it up on call as it came in, and subsequently enjoyed the loaves.

adult Iceland Gull on the Hayle Estuary, Cornwall from Tuesday - ghostly larid beauty. Enjoyed this along with Ring-billed and Glaucous Gulls at this site, all three species I see much more irregularly these days.

juvenile pale morph Booted Eagle at Marazion, Cornwall y'day. Saw it leave its roost in the morning and arrive back late a'noon. I've now seen three of both Booted and Short-toed Eagles in Britain - who was it who said that large raptors don't cross The Channel in the 90s?!

2nd-winter Caspian Gull at Erith Pier, London y'day - this and two 1st-winters at nearby Crayford Recycling Centre made the hat-trick. Couldn't muster a single one today though!

1st-winter Caspian Gull at Crayford Recycling Centre, London y'day - one of the two present. A bulbous billed bird, presumably a male, with fairly dark-centred scapulars.

One of two 1st-winter Caspian Gulls at Crayford Recycling Centre, London this a'noon. Somewhat nostalgic seeing it scrubbing about in the detritus, bringing me back to the golden age of gulling on rubbish dumps!

3rd-winter Yellow-legged Gull on the River Thames at Greenhithe, Kent last Sunday.

1st-winter Caspian Gull at Greenhaven Drive, Thamesmead, London this morning. A really showy, decent looking bird that loved the loaves.

2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull at Greenhaven Drive, Thamesmead this morning. Not much doing on a chilly and misty Thames today.

1st-winter Caspian Gull (Dutch-ringed HK) at Erith Pier, London early a'noon. Fairly battered/abraded plumage wise. Pleasant weather today, but always hard work for gulls in the sun and still conditions.

2nd-winter Caspian Gull at Greenhaven Drive, Thamesmead from last Sunday (26th January). The first of the four birds seen - indistinct but present P10 mirrors and retained scapulars with nice pencil line centres.

2nd-winter Caspian Gull at Erith Pier, London; the last of four seen on Sunday and another bird with good P10 mirrors. This is the 21st different Caspian Gull on my stretch of the Thames in southeast London this season (starting with a juvenile on 7th August 2024).

1st-winter Caspian Gull at Erith Pier, London this a'noon. A bruiser of a bird with its large size and long bill, so likely a male. The third of four Caspian Gulls seen on the River Thames today.

2nd-winter Caspian Gull at Princess Alice Way, Thamesmead this morning. A really crisp looking bird, with lovely P10 mirrors and clean underwing. One of four Caspian Gulls seen on the Thames in southeast London today.

1st-winter Mediterranean Gull on the beach in Folkestone harbour, Kent. One of half a dozen there this a'noon.

drake Spectacled Eider near Oost, Texel, The Netherlands yesterday - showed at close range, though a shame about the foggy conditions all day. Two Lesser White-fronted Geese, Tundra Bean Geese, loads of Euro Whitefronts, Scaup and Long-tailed Duck also seen on this day trip across The Channel.

Quiet (and foggy) on the Thames in southeast London today with just a couple of Yellow-legged Gulls and no Caspian Gulls. Did enjoy this large, open-faced and nicely moult retarded argentatus Herring Gull at Crayford though.