Morning visit to RSPB Sandwell Valley for five noisy Oystercatchers, two Little Ringed Plovers and lots of beautiful wildflowers #UKBirding

I visited Earlswood Lakes this morning to see my first ever Spotted Sandpiper. It didn’t come close while I was there, but still lovely to tick off a lifer #UKBirding

I was surprised to see a Moorhen steal an egg from a Lapwing nest at RSPB Sandwell Valley this morning. There was a lovely family of Canada Geese though, with eight goslings.

Three Grey Herons, five Little Egrets, a pair of nesting Great Crested Grebes and distant Shelduck and male Garganey at Ladywalk Nature Reserve this morning before the arrival of some rain #UKBirding

What a difference a day makes… freezing today at WWT Slimbridge but lots to enjoy, including Common Cranes with a chick at Hogarth hide, as well as loads of Avocets and Shelducks #UKBirding

Bank Holiday Monday visit to Venus Pool Nature Reserve in Shropshire. Only unusual sighting were two melanistic Pheasants on a nearby field #UKBirding #ShropshireBirding

Ringed Plover showing very well at RSPB Sandwell Valley as well as 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 4 Oystercatchers, 3 Goosanders, 2 Little Egret and lots of hirundines #UKBirding

I visited Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve to see the two Black-winged Stilts this morning. Happy to also see my first Garganeys and Common Terns of the year #UKBirding

Used some of my time off in lieu today and visited Upton Warren. The Black-winged Stilts have moved on, but the Avocets were showing very well. Little Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers and Common Sandpipers were other highlights #UKBirding

A Skylark and some Yellow Archangel were the highlights of a walk on the Dunstable Downs this morning #UKBirding

I love this time of year at RSPB Middleton Lakes because the warblers are back, bitterns are booming and cuckoos are calling… blissful! #UKBirding

A rare weekday off and I enjoyed the sunshine at RSPB Middleton Lakes at my favourite time of year. Avocets, Redshanks, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwits and Little Ringed Plovers were among the highlights #UKBirding

Three Little Ringed Plovers, three Common Sandpipers and two Oystercatchers were the highlights at RSPB Sandwell Valley this morning #UKBirding

By WWT Slimbridge standards, it was pretty quiet today, but lots of Greylag goslings to coo over #UKBirding

Jay in my parents Bedfordshire garden #UKBirding

Pretty slim pickings at WWT London today, but I did see these lovelies #UKBirding

A pair of White Wagtails and 4 Little Ringed Plovers were the highlights at RSPB Sandwell Valley this morning #UKBirding

Headed home from Lincolnshire via Summer Leys Nature Reserve, where Common Redshanks were the highlights. Warmest day of the year so far #UKBirding

I popped back to RSPB Frampton Marsh this afternoon to walk the sea wall that I didn’t visit yesterday and it was Brent Geese and Avocets that dominated. There was also a Marsh Harrier quartering on a field nearby #UKBirding #LincsBirding

I visited Gibraltar Point this morning and these were my highlights on a beautiful day, without a cloud in the sky #UKBirding #LincsBirding

My first visit to Willow Tree Fen today. This small reserve is protected to ensure no disturbance of the breeding Common Cranes, so is simply viewed from a platform in the car park #UKBirding #LincsBurding

Avocet, Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, were joined by Spoonbill, Ringed Plover, Little Stint, Ruff, Dunlin and more at RSPB Frampton Marsh today #UKBirding #LincsBirding

My visits to Wollaton Hall Deer Park never disappoint. Today saw Egyptian Geese in trees, Grey Herons nesting, the inevitable deer and my first Mandarin, Green Woodpecker and Sand Martins of the year #UKBirding

Three Little Ringed Plovers and two Oystercatchers at RSPB Sandwell Valley today #UKBirding

A relaxing Good Friday included a trip to the Wolseley Centre this morning, where I saw Kingfisher, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Wren, Blackcap and Goldcrest, as well as the usual suspects #UKBirding #StaffsBirding

The Great Crested Grebes were the highlights of my visit to Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve this morning #UKBirding

Out early hunting for (and finding) one of the Little Owls on the canal near Rushall #UKBirding

Saw my first Little Ringed Plovers at RSPB Sandwell Valley today, as well as Oystercatchers, Little Egrets, Great Crested Grebes and more besides #UKBirding

Once the mist had cleared my walk at RSPB Middleton Lakes produced t-shirt weather, lots of birds and my first bluebells of Spring #UKBirding

Surprise Kittiwake at Upton Warren this morning, as well as a few Avocets and Oystercatchers, as well as Tufted Ducks and Pochards #UKBirding

Gorgeous day at WWT Slimbridge today #UKBirding

Grey Heron, Oystercatchers and Lapwings were among the birds seen at RSPB Sandwell Valley this morning #UKBirding

With most of the Tame Valley flooded, I had a rethink of my Saturday plans and ended up at Hillers Farm Shop, where I saw my first Brambling in two years, as well as lots of Siskins, Red-legged Partridges and a Greater Spotted Woodpecker #UKBirding

Beautiful morning for a walk at RSPB Burton Mere where 20+ Grey Herons were gathered together with lots of ducks. Avocets, Marsh Harriers and a close fly-by from a Sparrowhawk made for a very pleasant morning #UKBirding

Smashing visit to WWT Martin Mere with @rossbishop77.bsky.social today. Lovely weather and fantastic views of the Ring-necked Duck. Other highlights were a Barn Owl, a brief glimpse of a Glossy Ibis and a good view of a hunting Kestrel #UKBirding

Finished my day at Pennington Flash, after stopping at Parkgate on the Dee Estuary. Great White Egret, Pink-footed Geese were the highlights at Parkgate and Bullfinch was the top bird at Pennington #UKBirding

My trip to the North West started very well, with all my target species showing well at West Kirby Marine Lake, including Red-breasted Mergansers, Scaup and Brent Geese. Knot, Dunlin and Redshank also showed well and the rain held off #UKBirding

Given the filthy weather, I’m surprised these photos aren’t worse… a brief visit to the hide at RSPB Sandwell Valley this morning, where Barnacle Geese and Oystercatchers were the highlights #UKBirding

After getting soaked yesterday, it was great to see the rain hold off until the drive home from WWT Slimbridge today. I was able to add Avocet, Oystercatcher, Spoonbill, Peregrine Falcon, Marsh Harriers, Black-tailed Godwit and Treecreeper to my year list too #UKBirding

A quiet morning at @RSPBSandwell at both Forge Mill Lake and Swan Pool #UKBirding

Took my first trip of 2026 to Upton Warren Nature Reserve. The Grey Heron was the star, as it strutted right in front of the hide, but there were also Curlew, Snipe, Lapwing and lots of ducks #UKBirding

I’m meeting a friend nearby so I popped into Cannon Hill Park to see the Bar-headed Goose this morning #UKBirding

Headed out early to Severn Valley Country Park to get my first Kingfisher, Song Thrush and Siskin of 2026 #UKBirding

No time for a walk this morning as I have brunch and a matinee Panto to get to, but I did stop by Brookvale Park to watch the swans in courtship behaviour… so beautiful #UKBirding

The snow we’ve had has frozen solid so it was a very icy picture in Sutton Park this morning. Lots of Redwings foraging for berries #UKBirding

Bitterly cold out this morning… -5 when I left the house. I had a brief walk around Forge Mill Lake at RSPB Sandwell Valley and added a few more to my year’s tick list, including Goldeneye, Goosanders, Ring-necked Parakeets, Grey Heron and Sparrowhawk #UKBirding

I went to Venus Pool in Shropshire this morning because I knew I would not have to walk far and I’m trying to rest my strained hamstring. There were Fieldfares and Redwings everywhere, although the latter would not pose for photos #UKBirding

After last night’s light snow, I visited RSPB Middleton Lakes, where I had to cut my walk short after slipping on ice and doing the splits (painfully). However, I did add Bullfinch, Fieldfare, Redwing, Stonechat, Pheasant and most excitingly Grey Partridge to my year list #UKBirding

Masses of over-wintering ducks, Lapwings and Golden Plovers at WWT Slimbridge today, plus the usual swans and Common Cranes #UKBirding

Greylag, Canada, Pink-footed, Barnacle and White-fronted Geese all seen at WWT Slimbridge today to help me start off my 2026 bird count with 48 species #UKBirding