RSPB reports six of its satellite-tagged Hen Harriers ‘disappeared’ on or close to grouse moors in England in 2025 & another was illegally poisoned – Raptor Persecution UK raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/01/20/r...

It just goes on, and on! Satellite-tagged Hen Harrier Edna "suspected illegally killed". Was she killed & dumped at a windfarm in Northumberland? raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/01/19/s...

Satellite-tagged Hen Harrier 'Pete' disappears in Cumbria raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/01/19/s...

Our day on the Valdez Peninsula was hampered by a late arrival, but we did manage to see some nice birds such as Elegant Crested Tinamou and Carbonated Sierra-finch as well as a lifesize Patagotitan on the outskirts of Trelew.

We had a couple of days at sea after leaving the islands, heading back towards Argentina and the Valdez Peninsula. There were noticeably less seabirds in this area, but it was nice to see Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatrosses and a few Great Shearwaters.

A few more species from on or around the Falkland Islands :- White-tufted Grebes, Falkland Steamer Duck and Two-banded Plover. Our day there was a little rushed and we didn't have chance to catch up with some other species I would have liked to have seen.

Our first stop after Cape Horn were the Falkland Islands where we had a day enjoying the rookeries of King, Gentoo and Magellanic Penguins on what was a drizzly day.

We rounded Cape Horn on a calm day with the ship's captain saying he had never previously been as close to the shore as we were. Not many birds as we headed north towards the Valdez Peninsula. Soft-plumaged-petrel was new, but no photo, so one of many Sooty Shearwaters seen.

These are a few more species that we saw around Ushuaia, Argentina before we set sail for Cape Horn. The rather numerous Dolphin Gull, Chimango Caracara and White-rumped Sandpipers all of which were feeding on the dropping tide & Spectacled Duck on the lake in the Tierra del Fuego National Park

Despite a lot of berries and fruitfall at Kenfig Pool, there hasn't been large numbers of Fieldfares this winter, so I was pleased when this bird sat up in nice light. They really are stunning birds.

The next leg of our journey took us through the Straits of Magellan on to Ushuaia, Argentina, the most southerly city in the world. We spent a few hours in the Tierra del Fuego NP seeing the giant Magellanic Woodpecker, Patagonian Sierra-finch & Black-chested Buzzard-eagle among others.

No sign of the female Bufflehead at Kenfig Pool, but the four Tundra Bean Geese had a fly around from Sker and were briefly at the pool before heading back to Sker Farm, where the 4 Barnacle Geese were still present.

Finished an amazing year by smashing my personal patch year list record at Kenfig NNR by 13 species, ending on 182. Final species was also a County and Welsh tick - a female Bufflehead found today by MikeCram

One of the four Tundra Bean Geese that were at Sker this morning - not a species I was expecting to see when I went out this morning given how rare wild geese are anywhere in Glamorgan. Never close but a great find by @deanbolt.bsky.social

Continuing south, we began to encounter a new range of seabirds including Snowy Albatross, Slender-billed Prion & Southern Giant Petrels as well as amazing scenery such as the Amalia Glacier seen here at first light.

Merry Christmas to all friends, family and followers near and far. Your support, comments and likes are really appreciated and wish everyone a happy, healthy and wildlife filled 2026 😍

A couple of excursions on to dry land in Chile produced a nice variety of species though the weather was unpredictable. Greater Yellowlegs, Fire-eyed Diucon, Silvery Grebe and Crested Caracara.

As we sailed further south, the variety of seabirds began to increase with Northern Royal Albatrosses, Chilean Skuas, Masatierra Petrels and South American Terns often accompanying us as we headed towards Punta Arenas for a day of land based birding.

Heading south into the open ocean from San Antonio, we began saw a wide range of seabirds such as Black-browed Albatross, Antipodean Albatross & Stejneger's Petrels from our high viewing point, but also from a lower deck where we lost height, but were closer to the birds.

By the time we got to the Inca Tern colony en route, the sun had come out and it was pretty warm. It was fantastic to watch these gorgeous and much wanted birds at close range. We also saw the rather odd looking Rufous-tailed Plantcutter a little earlier.

From Santiago, we began the drive to San Antonio where we would pick up our ship with birding stops en route. Unfortunately, photography was hampered by really flat light and drizzle, but here are some Blackish Oystercatchers, Seaside Cinclodes, Surfbird and Peruvian Pelicans.

A few more shots from our days in the Chilean Andes earlier this year. Grey-breasted Seedsnipe, Southern Giant Hummingbird, Torrent Duck and Lesser Horned Owl.

From El Calafate we flew to Chile and spent the first couple of days exploring the Andes in glorious sunshine, but incredibly difficult light. We saw some very special birds in amazing scenery including Austral Pygmy-owl, Andean Condor, Crag Chillia & Striped Woodpecker

Our next step was back to El Calafate where we had a few hours before flying to Santiago. The weather was typically Patagonian with a howling gale making birding tricky but we had good views of Rufous-chested Dotterel, Great Grebe, Rufous-collared Sparrow & Tufted Tit-tyrant.

Here are a few more species we saw in the central part of Argentinian Patagonia; Lesser Rhea, Plumbeous Rail, Spectacled Tyrant and Upland Goose.

We spent three nights at La Angostura deep in Argentinian Patagonia. Some other species from this area as well as the Hooded Grebe are Chiloe Wigeon, Least Seedsnipe and Scale-throated Earthcreeper.

A rather quiet morning at Kenfig Pool was enlivened by this very showy Eurasian Kestrel which was perched just off the main path from the reserve centre.

I've seen many Eurasian Bitterns over the years at Kenfig NNR, but its not very often that I've had prolonged views of one crossing the rides as this one did this morning. It was a shame the light was so dull, but I'll take it...

The next leg of our South American journey took us into the heart of Patagonia and the wonderful Estancia La Angostura where amazing birds such as Tawny-throated Dotterel, Hooded Grebe, Austral Rail, Andean Condor, Cinereous Harrier and Chocolate-vented Tyrant & many others awaited us.

A combination of a high early morning tide, sunny sky and cooperative birds allowed me to get a nice close up of some of the 500+ European Golden Plovers that are currently present at Sker. Numbers will fluctuate depending on temperatures and in some years can exceed 1000 birds.

The first leg of our trip to South America was spent in Argentinian Patagonia based near El Calafate. One of the first birds we saw was this Long-tailed Meadowlark in the grounds of our cosy guesthouse with nearby Austral Parakeets and Thorn-tailed Rayaditos

I finally have a little time to go through some images from my trip to South America in February & March 2025. This is El Yeso Valley in the Chilean Andes, and the main reason for going there - the amazing Diademed Sandpiper-plover; a stunning bird in a stunning location!!

This Greylag Goose was flying into the teeth of the cold northerly wind that was gusting at Kenfig Pool this morning. Numbers are unpredictable on the site, but are slowly increasing year on year with my maximum count being 67 individuals #birdingWales #ukbirding #birdphotography #wildfowl

Its never easy getting close up photos of diving ducks at Kenfig Pool as they are often in the middle of the pool, but this female Goosander was an exception and you can certainly see in this shot why they belong to the group known as sawbills #birdingWales #ukbirding #birdphotography #wildfowl

This shot was taken yesterday at Kenfig Pool & depicts a Common Chiffchaff alongside what is a classic fulvesencs Siberian Chiffchaff - pale grey upper parts, white supercillium with a jet black bill & legs and the Bonelli's Warbler like green primary and outer tail fringing #birdingWales #ukbirding

Going through some older photos today and came across this photo of a White-breasted Waterhen among Lotus Flowers at Baan Maaka Lodge, Thailand from back in 2020. I like the composition and the colours in this one #birdingthailand #baanmaakalodge #birdphotography

This time last year I was enjoying sunnier climes and some superb birding in Oman. Another dull but mild autumnal day here has cast my mind back to some of the colourful birds we saw such as this Arabian Bee-eater which gave fantatsic views as it rested on a wall after feeding #birdingoman #arabia

This Common Redshank has been present at Kenfig Pool for three days now and has been allowing a closer approach each time I have seen it though it is still a wary bird. Today I was fortunate to get really close to it in very nice light, and here is the result #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds

I wasn't able to get a photo of yesterday's first winter Little Gull that was briefly at Sker Point, so here is one from nearby Kenfig Pool taken in November 2022. They really are delightful little birds! #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds #birdphotography #gulls

An enjoyable couple of hours at Sker this morning produced two new species for the year - a female/immature type Long-tailed Duck flying west, close in off Sker Point and a Black Redstart in the garden of Sker House. Photo taken previously at Sker on 08/11/2019 #birdingWales #ukbirding #wildfowl

A couple of adult Mediterranean Gulls have been at Kenfig Pool sporadically for the past week or so, showing at close range either on the poolside posts or in the East Pool Fields where this shot was taken #birdingWales #ukbirding #birdphotography #gulls #KenfigPool

The gorgeous Violet Copper has a very patchy distribution in Europe and is usually found in small colonies in damp meadows and bogs. This individual was photographed in the Hajnowka Meadows, Podlasie, Poland in July 2020 #Butterflies #Europe #Poland

Sticking with the mammal theme, I'd always wanted to see a Sable and had no hesitation in abandoning breakfast when I heard there was one on the snow outside our hotel window in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan in March 2023 #Mammals #Japan #Winter

This Pine Marten walked out of a Polish Forest and stopped to say hello before wandering off across the road and into the other side of the forest. Taken near Budy Lesne, Podlasie back in June 2021 #Polishwildlife #Mammals #BialowiezaForest

Our boat trip on the Yellow River in Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia passed right underneath this White-bellied Sea-eagle as it rested in the morning sun. It was a little unnerving looking directly into that cold, black eye... #birds #birding #birdphotography #raptors #Australia

The first rain for weeks is keeping me at home today and thinking of warmer climes... This Jouanin's Petrel gave us a very close fly by on a pelagic off Mirbat, Oman in November 2024; a much wanted species that I didn't expect to see at such close quarters #birding #seabirds #birdphotography #Oman

After a very slow October at Kenfig NNR, I was pleased to finally get my first of the year [3] Dark-bellied Brent Geese that I found on a rock pool. They were a bit distant for photos while I was there, so here is one from the same site from February 2023 #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds

Its the time of year when numbers of European Robins are swollen by incoming migrants from Europe and their tick calls can be heard from deep within the bushes at first light. I always have a sense of anticipation when an arrival happens as you never know what might be with them #birdingWales #birds

I'm not able to answer any messages as Bluesky keeps asking me to verify my age which I have already done and then has error codes when I try again to do this. I can't be bothered with it to be honest as I've been adult for almost 45 years now so to message me, please send a post instead...

I was lucky to be stood in the perfect spot when this beautiful Eastern Yellow Robin popped out of the undergrowth for a final feed at dusk in the rainforest at O' Reilly's Lodge, Queensland, Australia. What an amazing place packed full of great birds and stunning scenery #birdingaustralia #birds