Chris Toop
@birdingcyclist.bsky.social
📤 104
📥 59
📝 128
Birds, bicycles, hills, family (not necessarily in that order)
What's better than a Siskin on your feeders? Two Siskins! The species that kicked off my interest over four decades ago
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
@nybirdnews.bsky.social
#Acomb
#UKBirding
5 days ago
0
19
5
Chiffchaff singing in the garden this morning! Beckfield Ln
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
8 days ago
0
9
2
Short walk on the Ings today with dog and child. Busy herons, busy frogs and around 40-50 Redwings still. Male Sparrowhawk and then 2 Red Kites over Great North Way on the way home
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
14 days ago
0
15
2
Spring has sprung! Warm enough to take the dog out without a coat, birds singing everywhere, including full throated Skylarks drifting out from the fields to over Beckfield Lane! Siskin passage overhead and here's one that stopped off for a feed on Monday
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
17 days ago
0
7
1
At least 17 Herons back in the heronry, plus 3 Little Egrets on Rawcliffe Ings. 16 Lapwings over Clifton Ings dropped down but then circled up and away again, a full summer plumaged Black-headed Gull on the shrinking flood and too many noisy Parakeets!
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
#UKBirding
about 1 month ago
0
15
2
Enjoyed the Acomb Landing-Clifton Ings murmuration tonight, the patterns, the noise of wingbeats and the splat of droppings all added to the atmosphere!
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
@nybirdnews.bsky.social
#UKBirding
about 1 month ago
0
15
4
H/lights of an icy visit to
@rspb.bsky.social
St. Aidan's and Fairburn Ings today. Red Crested Pochard still present, lots of other wildfowl on any bit of open water. Single Blackwit with Curlew, and a Water Rail in flight. Overwintering Chiffchaff feeding on debris in Lin Dyke
#UKBirding
2 months ago
0
4
0
Wandered round
@rspb.bsky.social
St. Aidan's this morning. Finally caught up with the resident Beardies. Ducks were frisky! And 3 Glossy Ibis dropped in
#UKBirding
3 months ago
0
11
0
Garden Mistle Thrush enjoying the omens this morning.
#ShepherdsWarning
#Stormcock
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
@nybirdnews.bsky.social
#UKBirding
3 months ago
0
22
5
Pleased to see the influx of Blackbirds had finally settled down to the surplus windblown apples, and then this appeared in the garden
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
#UKBirds
4 months ago
0
24
3
Visited the patch this morning. Chiffys in with every group of tits, calling Bullfinches, 19 Cormorants in River Ouse roost, Cettis behind Acomb Waterworks, Parakeets displaying at nest holes. Then... Short-eared Owl high over Manor School when I was walking home
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
#UKBirding
5 months ago
1
21
2
Took the dog for an evening empty with a near constant soundtrack of Redwings overhead
#tseep
#York
5 months ago
0
1
0
Been neglecting the patch so jumped at the chance to get out this am. Lots of migrants either leaving or arriving including Chiffy, Blackcap, Stonechat, Redwing and Pinkies over. A few snaps here
#UKBirding
5 months ago
0
11
0
Still a few House Martins over Tadcaster today
@nybirdnews.bsky.social
6 months ago
0
9
1
Also from last week in Scotland, I finally got up An Teallach! And remembered to do a write up for
@walkhighlands.co.uk
#Munro
6 months ago
1
58
3
From last week's trip to Scotland. The eldest enjoying Maol Chean-dearg, my final Torridonian
#Munro
6 months ago
1
11
1
You can tell it's "autumn" when York's feral geese fly between the city centre and the fields to the west every day (volume up)
#evening
#UKBirding
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
@nybirdnews.bsky.social
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8 months ago
0
21
4
Took advantage of the 'dead time' twixt end of exams and end of school for a bit of bonding time with the eldest. Quick intro to Lakes ridge scrambling in a brief spell of decent weather. Helvellyn then Blencathra on consecutive days
8 months ago
0
5
0
@rachaelmaskell.bsky.social
Thank you Rachael. I'd rather have you as my MP than someone who votes to make kids and disabled people poorer.
@teamlabouruk.bsky.social
are a disgrace and seem afraid to do what most people voted for. They will let Reform in unless they change
#York
#Acomb
8 months ago
0
0
0
Quite often have a lull in patch enthusiasm in high summer but dragged the youngest and the dog out today. Was going to be all about the K's: Kestrels have fledged a juv, Kingfisher's along the river and a Kite over the cut meadows, but then had a couple of Jays!
#UKBirding
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
8 months ago
0
12
2
Had drawn a (scientifically important) nil result from 3 Woodlark squares in
@btobirds.bsky.social
#heathlandsurvey
which was disheartening, but one square was also down for Nightjars, so the relief last night when this happened was immense! Few roding Woodcock too
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9 months ago
0
4
0
More of a day for dragon, damsel and butter-flies than birds, but a min of 4 Little Egrets and 14 singing Sedge Warblers between Redhouse and Poppleton along the river this morning, lots of Reed Bunt, other warblers and hirunds too
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
#UKBirding
9 months ago
0
9
2
More
#Swift
spam! Enjoyable screaming parties over the Tadcaster Viaduct. Looked like a few fledged Sand Martins around the Bridge too
@nybirdnews.bsky.social
#UKBirding
9 months ago
0
13
2
A good 40+ Swifts over the house this morning. Feeding over the fields between Acomb and the ring road then heading back to the colony. Managed a couple of snaps
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
#YorkSwifts
#Acomb
#UKBirding
9 months ago
0
25
2
At least one of the Kingfisher pairs on the Ouse has been successful. Great to see two fledged juveniles sitting in a Willow waiting to be fed this morning
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
#Ings
#UKBirding
9 months ago
0
16
2
Finally! Some clear justification for having a "messy" garden....
@mammalsociety.bsky.social
#York
9 months ago
0
6
0
reposted by
Chris Toop
RSPB
10 months ago
We’re calling on everyone who cares about nature: write to your MP now. Show them we won’t stand by while vital protections are ripped up:
action.rspb.org.uk/page/159517/...
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Help stop the Planning and Infrastructure Bill tearing up nature protections
I've written to my MP to demand that the UK Government adopts a nature-friendly approach to planning and development. Will you take action too?
https://action.rspb.org.uk/page/159517/action/1?ea.tracking.id=rspb_uk_bluesky
9
252
138
Common Sandpiper moving up the Ouse this morning
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
Didn't have my camera, so here's one from earlier this week!
#UKBirding
10 months ago
0
12
2
Garish, but always photogenic. Mandarin on the River Don near Long Sandall today
@s-yorksbirding.bsky.social
#UKBirding
10 months ago
0
7
1
Decent walk in the woods (volume up)....
#UKBirding
#joy
#Yorkshire
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10 months ago
0
9
0
Full patch tick Cettis today and a Gropper (1st for 3 years) yesterday giving typical views.
#Patchbirding
#York
#UKBirding
11 months ago
0
15
1
WFH today with occasional distractions. Pair of Buzzards displaying really high then grappling each other in a dizzying spiral, Sparrowhawk through setting everything off, and this beauty being harassed...
#raptors
#UKBirding
#York
11 months ago
0
3
0
In time for
@btobirds.bsky.social
#BlackbirdsInGardens
survey I finally worked out where 'my' resident pair were nesting. Unfortunately, so did the local Magpies...
11 months ago
0
1
0
Cracking walk up Ingleborough with the family today. Added Wheatear and Redstart to the year list. No Ringo's but there was a full adult fem Marsh Harrier passing below the summit headed to Morecambe Bay which I assume had returned from warmer climes
#UKBirding
Bonus Green Hairstreak too
11 months ago
0
4
0
Working down the Humber today. Which was nice. Yellow Wag took me to #152 for the year but no pic as I was enjoying just watching it!
#UKBirding
🪶
11 months ago
0
5
0
Great day out, started with Willow Warbler in the garden, then ALL the herons and 4sp Grebes
@rspb.bsky.social
#Fairburn
#StAidans
today
#UKBirding
🪶
11 months ago
0
15
0
Celebrating another circuit of the sun.... in the office. But Tadcaster's Sand Martins are back over the river, noisy Oystercatchers on the sports pitches behind the leisure centre, Red Kites and Buzzards displaying overhead and birds singing everywhere.
#Spring
@nybirdnews.bsky.social
#UKBirding
🪶
11 months ago
0
14
2
Patch wander this afternoon, and yesterday, and Friday evening. Still no Sand Martins! Had a pair of Buzzards fly from Acomb Waterworks to escort a Red Kite from over York Cricket Club, noisy Parakeets, and these....
#UKBirding
🪶
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
12 months ago
0
11
2
Anyone ever seen Grey Wagtails in trees? Had a pair today who appeared to be prospecting a cavity! Plus some other birds in trees....
#UKBirding
12 months ago
1
6
0
Cracking night with
@psbhq.bsky.social
and
#SheDrewTheGun
at the Barbican
12 months ago
0
0
0
Aren't Cranes brilliant! Near Beverley today
#UKBirding
12 months ago
2
17
0
I've spent hours on the patch looking for my first Sand Martin of the year. A couple of mates have seen Swallows. My first hirund of 2025 was..... A House Martin! Chittering away over Tadcaster at 1130.
@nybirdnews.bsky.social
#UKBirding
12 months ago
0
14
2
Walked the patch 3 times this weekend looking for Sand Martin. Drew a blank. So here are some piscivores...
#UKBirding
#York
12 months ago
0
1
0
Dusted off the moth trap yesterday and ran it overnight, wasn't expecting much... Diurnea flagella 1 Small Quaker 2 Common Quaker 22 Clouded Drab 5 Hebrew Character 2 Early Grey 2 Satellite 1 Turned out alright despite the rain
#mothsmatter
12 months ago
0
4
0
Farewell Winter! 18 Whoopers N up the west edge of York this morning sparked a mad scramble from my desk for a camera.....
#UKBirding
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
12 months ago
1
19
2
Not so often you find yourselves inside a murmuration! Guessing this is a group of pre-migrating Starlings feeding up before departure
#Humber
#UKBirding
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12 months ago
1
6
0
A couple (of couples) from along the Ouse today
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
and some Magpies.... just because it seems kind of apt!
#UKBirding
12 months ago
0
9
2
Plenty of raptor action on the patch today. Kestrels noisily 'enjoying' themselves, a Red Kite which was first chased by a Buzzard before being escorted high up by this Sparrowhawk before drifting towards Holgate
#York
plus bonus Marshie pic from Thursday nr Beverley
#UKBirding
12 months ago
0
7
0
My resident garden Goldcrest is a bit confused about their reflection!
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
#Acomb
#UKBirding
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about 1 year ago
0
12
3
Chiffy day! 1 nr Poppleton and 3 along Clifton Ings. Pair of Oystercatcher nr Poppleton too. 2 Herons eating frogs in the middle of the Ings and a Lil Egret on Rawcliffe Ings. Pr of Goosander down then back up the river, displaying Buzzards all over and a Kingfisher at Scarborough Bridge
#UKBirding
about 1 year ago
0
4
0
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