Finally after 7 weeks of watching and photographing this Lesser Whitethroat)halimodendri)? it gave me this look and I just knew it was going to do the deed 💩, safely collected into a moth pot. #UKBirding

I celebrated this Lesser Whitethroat(halimodendri)? 50th day in the garden just to get a poo sample, I put trays under the feeders to catch it, all to no avail. It fed avidly then would disappear into the bush for a few minutes, no doubt doing the deed. #UKBirding

A few bits fro around the area despite the miserable weather. 21 Cattle egrets in the Horse Paddock, Nadine the neck collared satellite tracked Bewick Swan keeping her distance, one of several Tree Sparrows and the lingering Lesser Whitethroat (halimodendri) still present. #UKBirding

A nice afternoon at Scotney where the drake American Wigeon was re-located at East Sussex end by @dungenessowen.bsky.social , the 4 Walland Marsh Tundra Bean and the 3 Pink-footed Geese finally found there way onto the local patch(Scotney Sward), also 3 White-fronted Geese. #UKBirding

The Scotney American Wigeon on the ARC from Hanson, re-found by Ray O'reilley late morning. At Dengemarsh late afternoon a 3w Polish ringed Caspian Gull P:6WL and a 1w Caspian Gull. #UKBirding

Spent an hour or so sitting in the garden clutching a moth pot hoping to collect a Poo sample from the Lesser Whitethroat (halimodendri) to no avail, it was quite vocal. A House Sparrow challenged it on the feeder but not a single feather flew.🥲 #UKBirding

My first local patch American Wigeon at Scotney today, many thanks to the finder Barrie Puttock for letting me know it was present when I met him in Dennis's Hide. The Lesser Whitethroat (halimodendri) still around the garden.

A long walk around the Scotney complex. 3 Whooper Swans had moved to Kent, Little Owl sunbathing, 1,000s each of Golden Plover and Lapwing, Avocet & Little Stint, Jack Snipe & the Lesser Whitethroat (halimodendri) still coming to my Sunflower chip feeder. #UKBirding

A gloomy day on Walland Marsh eventually found 4 Tundra Bean Geese, 3 Pink-footed Geese, 13 White-fronted Geese among a flock of feral Greylag Geese, all rather distant unfortunately. Thanks to @neilburt.bsky.social for alerting us to the presence of 7 Grey Geese yesterday in the rain. #UKBirding

2 adult and juvenile Whooper Swans (scarce in Sussex) at Jurys Gap East Sussex today. The garden Lesser Whitethroat(halimodendri)? has now survived January, despite regular visits from Sparrowhawks and the weather. #UKBirding

Dungeness. Some of the 4,000+ Cormorants from this mornings watch.

A very bedraggled Lesser Whitethroat (halimodendri) this morning, surviving the very cold SE gale and torrential rain last night and this morning.🤞

The Lesser Whitethroat (Halimodendri) still thriving in my small garden for its 26th day. #UKBirding

A Black Guillemot very rare at Dungeness came past the sea watch hide in a force 7 SSE with rain, despite mine & Richards best effort to get my camera on it I failed, but it lives in the memory, an itch well scratched. 5 Caspian Gulls at the fishing boats this afternoon with DW. #UKBirding

Dungeness: Grey Seal photobombing a Gannet at the fishing boats this afternoon. #UKBirding #Kentbirding

Dungeness: Some of the 1,000s of Auks past today. #UKBirding #KentBirding

Dungeness: The 2 Whooper Swans over the garden this morning. Another Jack Snipe with Owen & Richard. The Lesser Whitethroat (halimodendri)? still in the garden, now into its 4th week. #UKBirding #Kentbirding

Dungeness: My first Jack Snipe of 2026 in deep cover around the ARC and a posing Great White Egret at the Screen. #UKBirding #Kentbirding #Thermalimaging

The Lesser Whitethroat (halimodendri)? for its 16th day in the garden, surviving on Sunflower chips, Rowan Berries, Fruit Flies, caterpillars etc

Dungeness: The sea watch hide starting to look a little precarious after storm Goretti. A few Redwings around the lighthouse early morning. The lesser Whitethroat also survived the storm. #UKBirding #Kentbirding

Dunlin, Knot, Grey Plover and Turnstone on the receding tide at Greatstone Beach this afternoon. #UKBirding #Kentbirding

The Lesser Whitethroat still hanging on in the garden today despite the freezing temperatures. Taking advantage of the Rowan Berries. #UKBirding

A few bits from around the Dungeness area today #KentBirding #UKBirding

The Lesser Whitethroat sp. Reappeared in my garden today. It’s plumage changing in different light.

A few more of today’s Lesser Whitethroat sp. I’m my garden.

A big surprise in my garden today, a Lesser Whitethroat sp! As for separating it to a race, after spending time looking at images online and reading various papers, I've come to the conclusion that it's above my pay grade. Lots more images still to edit. #UKBirding #kentbirding

A bonus Dungeness year tick early afternoon thanks to a timely call from John Young, a Common Crane circling over Dengemarsh plainly visible from my house albeit a distantly. My 232 species this year in Dunge area. @dungenessowen.bsky.social will have the full year list. #UKBirding #Kentbirding

The guardians of the countryside have been busy again out on Walland Marsh, I have no idea why they have butchered the hedges, I can only think that some government incentive was offered, as we know the Guardians do nothing without a return.

Dungeness RSPB from Dennis's Hide this afternoon, 1w Caspian Gull, 1w Yellow-legged Gull, 3w Caspian Gull, 2w Caspian Gull. 3 Black-necked Grebes at the Kent end of Scotney GP late morning. #UKBirding #KentBirding

25? of the at least 32 Tundra Bean Geese present on Walland Marsh, Kent this afternoon viewed from Hook Wall, looking straight into the sun, they were quite distant. I can't recall seeing a larger group in the UK, there again I can barely recall yesterday.😃 #UKBirding #KentBirding

Dungeness: A bitterly cold 2hr watch from first light saw 11,000+ Auks mainly Guillemots, 5,000+ Cormorants, 800+ Gannets, 350+ R T Divers, 120+ G C Grebes all moving East. Not a single Duck & just a single Avocet of note. #UKBirding #Kentbirding

📉 Our new paper shows Bewick’s Swan numbers in NW/NE Europe have fallen to ~12,900 birds - a 56.7% decline since 1995, with further losses predicted by 2026 unless survival or breeding success improves. Flyway-wide conservation is urgent. 🦢 Download paper > tidsskrift.dk/Wildfowl/art... #Ornithology

Respect to the Selsey Litter Ninjas trying to deal with this mess-any chance the local authorities might pitch in??

Dungeness: Another thoroughly miserable day on the peninsula. After an uninspiring sea watch this morning, I visited Dennis's Hide where again there were double figure numbers of Caspian Gulls on the islands with a few Yellow-legged Gulls. #UKbirding #Kentbirding

Dungeness: Some of the at least 17 Caspian Gulls that came to roost on Burrowes Pits this afternoon including a German ringed bird, also 7 Yellow-legged Gulls. Poor images due to poor light and incompetence. What is it with Caspians and playing with pebbles? #UKBirding #Kentbirding

Dungeness: A few bits from Hanson Hide today despite the awful weather. I found the Jack Snipe in seconds with the thermal imager, it then took me 10 minutes to find it with the binoculars and camera. The female Kingfisher landed very briefly on a Bullrush. #UKBirding #Kentbirding #Birds

At the weekend @dungenessowen.bsky.social & myself came across this Polish ringed Gull at Scotney. It looked like a Caspian but had a pale iris and looked short legged. Ringing details came back as Caspian🤷🏻‍♂️ this is the first Caspian Gull with a pale Iris I have seen. #UKBirding

East Sussex: A cycle ride around the Scotney complex, saw the juvenile Greater Scaup, 2 Black-necked Grebes, 7 White-fronted Geese among 100s of Greylag, Canada & Egyptian Geese, a posing female Sparrowhawk, c2,000 Golden Plover along with 100s of Lapwing. #UKBirding #SussexBirding

Dungeness.: Late morning at the ARC 2 x 2w Caspian Gulls, the Right hand bird looks a bit mucky, may have some Yellow-leg in it. #UKBirding

A day out to Sandwich Bay yesterday in glorious warm and still conditions with the Wednesday Birders Club. Highlights of Shorelark, Hume's Warbler and the lovely cake made by our carer Owen. The Hume's was far too quick for my photographic efforts. #UKBirding #Kentbirding

A lone Bewick Swan at the old sand pit Jurys Gap was the best I could find of any cold weather influx in my bracing cycle ride around the Scotney complex, the 5 Barnacle Geese on the sward have now become 6. I couldn't resist snapping the Little Owl again. #UKBirding #Kentbirding #Sussexbirding

This male Sparrowhawk in my garden today brightened up a thoroughly miserable day. A sight I only dreamed of when I first started looking at birds 60 years ago. #UKBirding

A day out to Rye Harbour NR with Richard, Colin and Owen our carer, he got us around accident free, fed us tea and cake and even showed us some nice birds. The Grey Partridges were a treat as they are now probably extinct on the Dungeness peninsula.

Dungeness: Great White Egrets have been giving exceptionally good views at the ARC from the Axell Viewpoint. #UKbirding #Kentbirding

Scarce Bordered Straw, Delicate and 3 Ferrugalis were the only possible migrants in my VC15 trap last night. Tonight is probably the last chance for migrants here. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #KentMoths #Teammoth

The finale of the great TV comedy show Blackadder goes Forth. Back then I didn't expect one of the funniest programmes ever to end with a scene that makes me cry every time I see it. Every single time.

Dungeness: My 4th Pallas's Warbler of the autumn on the peninsula this year courtesy of the DBO ringing team. One of several Juvenile Little Gulls past The Point this morning. Black-necked Grebe at Scotney GP and Normandy rung GBBG. #UKBirding #Kentbirding

Dungeness: An excellent day for sprites on the peninsula, with lots of Goldcrests, a Firecrest, also many thanks to the Observatory Team for sharing the Yellow-browed and Pallas's Warbler they trapped and ringed this morning. Another Pallas's in the lighthouse garden found by Sean this afternoon 😀

I was very pleased to find this Crimson Speckled as wandered along beside the railway at Dungeness this afternoon. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social My VC15 trap was as expected very poor. #Teammoth #Kentmoths

A Stunning sunrise at the Dungeness fishing boats this morning.