A long sought after site ✅ came today, by way of a Common Redstart in the public footpath hedge at Kingsbury Firing Range. Personal site list now up to 87 species. Other birds of note - 20+ Skylark, 100+ Linnet, Treecreeper, Meadow Pipit #localpatch #warksbirding #lowcarbonbirding

Shustoke Reservoir this morning - Dunlin & Ruff - both at the west end. Quiet otherwise #warksbirding #localpatch

Nice to be back out on the #localpatch this pm after 3 days stuck indoors painting. All change bird wise - last few Common Terns gone, along with the steady passage of hirundines from K'bury South. Green Sand replaces the lingering Common Sand. K'bury Range - 60+ Mipit, 70+ Linnet new #warksbirding

A few bits on passage through the patch this weekend. 3x Whinchat - Seeney Lane, Marston (Cuttle Mill Farm/HS2 footpath) yesterday, Wheatear - Seeney Lane, Marston (Marston Lakes/HS2) this evening. #warksbirding #birdingbybike

Went out #birdingbybike this afternoon looking for local Whinchat. Didn't find any, so headed up to #middletonlakes Highlights - Spotted Redshank, 2x Curlew Sandpiper, Water Rail, Peregrine, Ruff, 4x LRP, 3x Snipe, 5x Black-tailed Godwit. KWP - Yellow-legged Gull #ukbirding #lowcarbonbirding

Shustoke Reservoir - Ruff, 4x Common Sandpiper, 2x Raven Whitacre Heath NR - 2x Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff #ukbirding #localpatch

Point blank views of a smart looking Ruff this morning at Shustoke Reservoir. Not a bird I've seen at the site before. The receding water levels and exposed shoreline likely bringing the waders in. 3x Common Sandpiper also #ukbirding #localpatch

Visit to #RSPBFramptonMarsh today. Water levels extremely low, so number of birds on the reserve massively reduced. Still, managed a few good bits - 7x Little Stint, 2x Marsh Harrier, Ruff, Whooper Swan, Peregrine, 5x Dunlin, 2x Yellow Wag, Greenshank, Redshank. LRP, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover

Seeing a lot of this in my area. Blackberry yields a fraction of a "normal" year. Trees shedding brown leaves for last 6 weeks. Even got hedgehogs in the garden during the day which I assume is related to heat and lack of water. Be interested to see how this year has played out when the data is in.

A few hours #birdingbybike around the #localpatch this morning. Highlights: KWP - 2x Black Tern (juv) briefly on Swann Pool 10am 20+ Common Tern (mainly juv) across the park, Hobby - Richards Meadow. Whitacre Heath NR - 4x Yellow Wagtail - Flashes hide Lea Marston Landfill - 2x Raven #ukbirding

Channel 4 News – full segment on DecodeME results (9 mins) — the world’s largest genetic study of #MECFS — identifies eight genetic differences. Includes interviews with Prof Chris Ponting, a patient participant, Sonia Chowdhury, and MP Tessa Munt. youtu.be/c5i_K3QEbCI?...

Counted 8 juv. Yellow Wagtail on the patch at lunchtime. I suspect there are a few more knocking about. Not sure if this is one or two broods, only seen one adult pair on site this year.🤷‍♂️ #lowcarbonbirding #warksbirding #ukbirding #localpatch

www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2T3... Crypto behemoth nails it. 👇 Oh the irony 😂

Walk from home around the #localpatch this morning produced 28sp Highlights: 2x Yellow Wag, Hobby (juv), 4x GSW, 9x Chiffchaff, 4x Skylark, 2x Buzzard, 2x Raven, 3x Red-legged Partridge, Green Woodpecker, Blackcap. #lowcarbonbirding #warksbirding #ukbirding

I don’t find nature a great tonic now. Often it’s hot, many birds have disappeared & climate news is grim. I often find it an inescapable reminder of the damage that is coming. High-carbon, trade shows like Birdfair reinforce the fact that we still aren’t getting it. www.who.int/news/item/03...

A few bits from this afternoon: Bodymoor Heath GP - Greenshank, 4x Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, 8x Oystercatcher Bodymoor Heath Water - Yellow-legged Gull, Hobby #warksbirding #birdingbybike #lowcarbonbirding

A few hours around the patch this morning. Bodymoor Heath GP: 2x Green Sandpiper, 2x LRP Middleton Hall Lake: Great Egret, Little Egret RSPB - Jubilee N: Little Egret Cliff Pool: 3x Little Egret #warksbirding #birdingbybike #lowcarbonbirding

Dragged myself out for a few hours this morning to check the local patch. Bodymoor Heath GP - 4x LRP, Green Sand, 10x Oyc, 10x Pied Wag, c70 Lapwing KWP - 12x Common Tern, Hobby, 7x Egyp Geese c350 BHG inc. at least 180 juv across the pits I visited. #warksbirding #birdingbybike #lowcarbonbirding

Kingsbury South - A reeling Grasshopper Warbler in this scrub was an unexpected site ✅ for me at lunchtime. Shame I didn't have my bins or my camera.🤷 #patchbirding #lowcarbonbirding #warksbirding

BBC News front page right now

“Things aren’t just getting worse, they’re getting worse faster” 😮🤷‍♂️😮 apnews.com/article/clim...

Fed up of choking on smoke from nearby grouse moors, Sheffield residents have set up @reclaimourmoors.bsky.social, to push for a community buyout of the Duke of Rutland's Moscar Moor - & use new powers under forthcoming ‘Community Right to Buy’ legislation 1/ www.thestar.co.uk/news/environ...

When warnings of Insectageddon were issued a few years ago, there was widespread denial. Less so now. It's devastating. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

3hrs #birdingbybike around the patch today 47 sp. noted, highlights: Bodymoor Heath GP - 28x Lapwing, 4x Oyc, Common Tern KWP Cliff Pool - 12x Common Tern, 6x Oyc, Cuckoo, ⭐BITTERN⭐ - in flight views, only ever heard one at ML before today. Get in!!! 😍 #lowcarbonbirding #warksbirding

Had four Emperor dragonflies emerge from the pond overnight. Stunning looking creatures close up

Lol. We are so cooked! Carry on. 🙄

An hour's walk around Kingsbury Firing Range this morning - 2x Shelduck in the car park was unexpected. 30 sp. counted. #warksbirding #lowcarbonbirding

Couple of hours #birdingbybike locally this morning. Bodymoor Heath GP - Common Sandpiper, 3x LRP, 8x Lapwing, 40+ BHG, Shoveler, Little Egret Cliff Pool - Cuckoo, 2x Common Tern, 8x Sand Martin, Little Egret #warksbirding #lowcarbonbirding

I guess the Hellman's BBQ sauce wasn't up to much 😂 #kingsburywaterpark #wildfires #makingmemories #yolo #allhopeisgone #bbqwankers #dryrobesinthemidlands

Bodymoor Heath GP - 2x LRP, Oyc KWP - Bodymoor Heath Water - Common Sandpiper #warksbirding

Making the UK's windfall tax on oil and gas companies permanent would raise enough money to fund the just transition away from fossil fuels and create the high-quality green jobs of the future.

After due consideration, having weighed up the relevant evidence, assessed the balance of arguments and gamed the likely implications, I have reached the conclusion that Keir Starmer can fuck off from a great height.

A few local bits today. A walk around Kingsbury Range this am produced a Hobby 2x Black Tern dropped in at Shustoke Res late morning. #birdingbybike this afternoon - Bodymoor Heath GP - LRP still, Cliff Pool - 4x Common Tern Lea Marston Lakes - Cuckoo #warksbirding #lowcarbonbirding

Grey Plover and LRP at Bodymoor Heath GP early afternoon. Glossy Ibis still drawing a crowd @ladywalknr.bsky.social #warksbirding #ukbirding

Yellow Wagtail - Whitacre Fields, N.Warks, 04/05/25 #birdingbybike #warksbirding #lowcarbonbirding #patchbirding

It’s almost VE Day and what better way to remember our heroic fight against fascism than electing lots of fascists to our councils, giving their leader lots of coverage on the nation’s media, and a govt that supports a genocidal state. Well done, Britain! “A land fit for heroes!”🤷‍♂️🙄🤷‍♂️

Kingsbury Range - 3x Hobby, Wheatear this evening Total # species for the day - 83, across 7 sites, all within 9km of home. 17km walked #knackered #ukbirding #patchbirding #lowcarbonbirding

Took a day off work to do so some local birding today. #middletonlakes - Curlew Sandpiper still, 2x Cuckoo, and finally caught up with some Grasshopper Warbler. Whitacre Heath NR - Cuckoo, 2x Red Kite Mancetter - Whinchat, 2x Meadow Pipit #patchbirding #ukbirding

A good evening's birding at #middletonlakes tonight. Curlew Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper (from benches), 2x Garganey (from hide) all showing well. 6x Avocets, 4x Redshank, 2x RP, 4x LRP and 9/10 Warblers (still no Gropper) #ukbirding @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social

I had a right old rant about Tony Blair's ignorant, self-interested statement on The Jeremy Vine Show today. I mentioned that he has worked as a lobbyist for PetroSaudi, earning Tony Blair Associates £41,000/month, plus 2% of any deal he brokered. Starts 9 minutes in: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Quick check of the local pools at lunchtime. KWP - Bodymoor Heath Water: Common Tern, 2x Garden Warbler Bodymoor Heath GP: 4x Lapwing, 7x BHG KWP - Cliff Pool: 4x Common Tern, Cuckoo, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat Kingsbury South - Reed Warbler, Whitethroat #warksbirding #lowcarbonbirding #birdingbybike

Annual spring visit to the Wyre Forest today. Wood Warbler, 2x Tree Pipit, 3x Pied Flycatcher, 2x Redstart, Dipper all ✅'s for the year. #ukbirding

KWP Cliff Pool - metal ringed Common Tern, one of two birds angling for a spot on "Gull Island" - Canal Pool at lunchtime. 4 other (presumably) Common Tern tried to drop in but were seen off and flew off high NW. #patchbirding #warksbirding #ukbirding #lowcarbonbirding

Yet another must watch. Very sad times.

1. Because this issue is critical, but has received remarkably little coverage, here's a thread pulling out the key themes from my article yesterday, on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which puts decades of environmental protections to the torch. 🧵 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Kingsbury Range this evening - 2x Whimbrel, 8x Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Blackcap, 5x Pied Wagtail, 8+ Skylark, 6x Lapwing, 8x RLP, 12x Brown Hare #warksbirding #ukbirding #patchbirding #lowcarbonbirding

I'm still seeing loads of jobs advertised for roles such as "Sustainability Consultant" here in the UK. Isn't the notion of a career advising on sustainability a bit of a grift in 2025?

One of 8x Wheatear at Kingsbury Range this evening. 8x Skylark, 4x Lapwing, 2x Linnet, 2x Pied Wag, 10+ Brown Hare. #patchbirding #lowcarbonbirding #warksbirding #ukbirding