Weekend in the Highlands with the Best Man (24 years ago!), his nephew and my eldest. Couple of #Munros complete with proper river crossing and a wild camp with a view! @walkhighlands.co.uk report on the way

Weekend up north terned out alright (soz), with visits to Farne and Seaton Carew #UKBirding

Popped over to the @nationaltrust.org.uk Farne's, may have got shat on, pecked and got the giggles. Actual bird photos to follow (when I've waded through all the blurred flight shots)

Simply the best birds. Beautiful and charismatic and anyone who doesn't 'get' them needs to give their heads a wobble! #Starlimgs #UKBirding

Plenty of calling Water Rail's @yorkswildlife.bsky.social Potteric Carr this morning, but you don't see them that often.... #chick #UKBirding

Garden Goldcrests are frisky! This one is spending far too long chasing off the rival in the shed window (aka its reflection)! @yorkbirding.bsky.social #UKBirding

Been fairly quiet so far this year for #TansyBeetle with just the odd one or two, but found these this morning, preparing for the next generation.... #BugLife #YNET #RawcliffeIngs #York

Wandered round the more populous part of the patch this morning: Clifton and Rawcliffe Ings. Good to see Skylarks holding territory, 2 Sedge Warblers (very occasional this side of York) and a Cettis singing behind the waterworks. Couple of Kingfishers along the river @yorkbirding.bsky.social

After a few high individuals recently, today really is #Swiftday. 5 or 6 over the Beckfield Lane/ Ouseburn Avenue colony today, including some screamers! #LoveSwifts @yorkbirding.bsky.social

3 Swifts high over Rawcliffe Ings this morning. First bit of calling I've heard this year @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Did my early @bbs-birds.bsky.social y'day and for 3rd yr in a row drew a blank on Tree Sparrows so think the Knapton colony has gone. So headed out to #Bempton. Thought I may as well see the other birds people were there for as well...

First Swift back over Beckfield Lane just now. Always lifts my spirits! @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Female Common Scoter on the canal near the Caravan Park at Baswich, Staffs early afternoon @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social

Been away for Easter but managed a wander on the Ings this afternoon. 1st Sand Martin up the river and 1st Tansy Beetle of the year. Grey Heron nestlings are starting to be visible now and the Egrets are busy. No Osprey for me, but drove past one in the Peaks yesterday! @yorkbirding.bsky.social

The eldest's gf lives near St Aidan's so I kindly offered to give him a lift this morning... A few highlights (not winning any prizes) @rspb.bsky.social #SwillyIngs

First Ings walk of the year with no Redwings. Egrets settling in the heronry but being very shy. Plenty of calling pairs of Treecreeper around, too fast for a pic but a Kingfisher posed @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Quick phone video of this evenings hunting Barn Owl near Rufforth. 10 Fieldfare gathered for departure in a nearby tree were the first I've seen in a while as well @yorkbirding.bsky.social

A few hastily grabbed shots from a partly-flooded Ings. Migration crossroads with feeding Chiffy and Redwings (down to just 8 today), flyby Parakeets and busy Herons. Buzzards, Kestrel and Sprawk about, plus lots of noisy Reed Bunts and a couple of Kingfishers @yorkbirding.bsky.social #UKBirding

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

Chiffchaff singing in the garden this morning! Beckfield Ln @yorkbirding.bsky.social

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

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

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

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

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

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

Garden Mistle Thrush enjoying the omens this morning. #ShepherdsWarning #Stormcock @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social #UKBirding

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

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

Took the dog for an evening empty with a near constant soundtrack of Redwings overhead #tseep #York

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

Still a few House Martins over Tadcaster today @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Also from last week in Scotland, I finally got up An Teallach! And remembered to do a write up for @walkhighlands.co.uk #Munro

From last week's trip to Scotland. The eldest enjoying Maol Chean-dearg, my final Torridonian #Munro

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

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

@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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Finally! Some clear justification for having a "messy" garden.... @mammalsociety.bsky.social #York

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/...

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

Garish, but always photogenic. Mandarin on the River Don near Long Sandall today @s-yorksbirding.bsky.social #UKBirding

Decent walk in the woods (volume up).... #UKBirding #joy #Yorkshire

Full patch tick Cettis today and a Gropper (1st for 3 years) yesterday giving typical views. #Patchbirding #York #UKBirding

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