A game of 2 halves yesterday at Minsmere with @david-walsh.bsky.social! A relaxed morning around the heath and scrape turned into an afternoon of raptor madness! Pallid Harrier and 2 White Tailed Eagles! Although they were all high and distant at times, it was an unreal experience!

Great to see the ringing demo today - we saw Cetti’s and Sedge Warblers, and the visitors’ interest level was fantastic!

Headed up the coast with @joshuapeverley.bsky.social for what proved to be a wonderfully uplifting day. It’s always special hearing the first Nightingale of the year, today with someone who hadn’t heard one before. Overall we tallied exactly 100 species, mainly at Westleton/Minsmere. #suffolkbirding

Update. I managed to read the ring, and have discovered that the bird was ringed by @btobirds.bsky.social Suffolk rep Mick Wright at Melton, 17 km away, in 2024, Incredibly it is the 7th ringed Reed Bunting in my suburban Ipswich garden since 2021 (five Suffolk, singles Essex & Kent) #suffolkbirding

My 3 shrikes print is currently at the framers and will join the @edkeeble.bsky.social original and treasured Mal photo (see pinned post) in my office... ♠️ #Art #Photography #Refined #Classy #Gentleman

Headed to Giffords Flash early afternoon y’day to follow up Adam Gretton’s excellent find of Lesser Scaup. Great to confirm there was indeed a pair. Perhaps the same birds which spent 6 days there in Apr 2024? Stills from video; the scope views were actually pretty good! #suffolkbirding #ukbirding

Reed Buntings have visited my garden in 12 of the past 13 years. I feared I might draw a blank in 2026, but two males have just appeared! The only other year with a first visit as late as April was 2019. One is ringed, so I hope it returns for me to try and read the ring #suffolkbirding

The next guided wildlife walk from The Froize pub at Chillesford takes place later this month. Hopefully by then spring migration will be in full swing! A superb lunch is guaranteed. See froize.co.uk/product/guid... for booking details.

Bittern, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull and Stone Curlew from Monday’s @naturetrek.bsky.social day at Minsmere. We also saw Woodlark, Marsh Harrier, Avocet, Snipe and a black Adder! See www.naturetrek.co.uk/about-us/tou... for details of more Suffolk day walks #suffolkbirding #ukbirding

My @naturetrek.bsky.social group at Minsmere on Monday had a terrific day, and it ended with us watching this Bittern out in the open for fully twenty minutes! Places still available on several Suffolk day walks this spring, see www.naturetrek.co.uk/about-us/tou... #suffolkbirding #ukbirding

Time to call a halt on a paint of a juv Roughleg boinging up and down on thin thorn branch before I am tempted to tinker about with it. I miss these chaps more than any other mild winter no-show I can think of. #BirdArt

Nipped to Alton Water this afternoon for a quick catch up with @edkeeble.bsky.social. The two long-staying Scaup were remarkably close and very lovely in the sunshine #ukbirding #suffolkbirding

A new bird atlas for Britain and Ireland has been announced by five conservation organisations:

Wonderful to finally catch up with the black-winged kite today at Ludham Bridge, watching it catch a small rodent and then perch to eat it, though under the close gaze of a local peregrine #norfolkbirding #birdsseenin2026

Young birders offered rare chance to work at Fair Isle Bird Observatory www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Y...

A very fun and successful weekend on Patch at Walthamstow Wetlands, Marshes and Waterworks NR. Bittern (my 2nd here), White-fronted Goose, Marsh Harrier, 3 Jack Snipe, 3 Common Snipe, Rock Pipit, 6 Sand Martin (my earliest ever), Scaup, 3 Goldeneye, Siskins and Common Sandpiper!

A feeding Spoonbill on the flash at Boyton was one of the highlights of the Naturetrek walk on Friday. We also enjoyed Woodlark, Dartford Warbler, White-fronted Geese, Ruff, Red Kite, Cattle Egrets. Here’s a link to further walks in Suffolk this spring www.naturetrek.co.uk/about-us/tou... #ukbirding

A fun day up the coast with @joshuapeverley.bsky.social catching up with @tsbirding.bsky.social. Enjoyed Purple Sandpipers & Peregrines at Ness Point before close views of American Wigeon, White-fronted & Tundra Bean Geese at Carlton where we ate our picnics in the warm sunshine!

An awesome day with @naturetrek.bsky.social in Ecuador. We started watching a Cock-of-the-rock lek, definitely something on my ‘most wanted list’. Giant Antpitta followed, so I could pose in front of the reserve sign having seen both species on it! Toucan Barbet was a bonus. Over 100 lifers already.

Patience was rewarded this morning for our @naturetrek.bsky.social group in Ecuador when these Rufous-fronted Wood-Quails finally appeared at the feeders!

I booked ‘last minute’ on a short @naturetrek.bsky.social trip to Ecuador and we had a truly wonderful first day y’day. No fewer than 27 species of hummingbird (photos to follow). At Zoroloma we enjoyed seeing three Antpittas - Equatorial, Chestnut-naped and Chestnut-crowned - and heard Undulated.

An excellent day’s birding in south Suffolk. With @joshuapeverley.bsky.social I enjoyed Tundra Bean Geese near the Deben and Snow Buntings at Landguard. Then nipped to Alton with another local young birder and saw Smew & Scaup, bettered by the two Bewick’s Swans which flew overhead calling: magic!

Bittern, 80+ Snow Buntings and the Temminck's Stint were among the highlights on a recent trip to the Suffolk Coast with @david-walsh.bsky.social @noahbai-123.bsky.social @tsbirding.bsky.social @lucasnature.bsky.social and others!

Just to share the joy of a drake Smew on patch at Alton- the last one a few years ago had felt like a last chance to see already. Not the full set of white head plumes on this chap, but pearls of water on its back when it upped from dive. #BirdArt

Delighted to watch a drake Smew at Alton Water today, my first there for many years. Another cracking find by Steve Babbs #suffolkbirding

A stunning snow day on the beach today Kessingland 03/1/2026

Enjoyed a long-awaited day on the Suffolk coast today catching up with friends, seeing Snow Buntings, Eider and this Temminck’s Stint. The snow made life ‘interesting’ at one stage but ultimately proved to be a bonus! Thanks to the Westleton Crown for saving the day at lunchtime!

Happy New Year everyone! As per the last five years, I started 2026 birding within c10km of home, aiming to note as many species as possible, as part of a collective effort. 107 was a personal best (previous high 102). Jack Snipe seen with thermal (not flushed) & Great Northern Diver two highlights.

I wasn’t expecting a second outing today, but the Red-necked Grebe just across into Essex and just 20 minutes from home was too good to resist. My first since December 2023. A super find by Matt Turner. #ukbirding

Spent this morning along the Deben catching up with @joshuapev.bsky.social. We located the cracking Black Brant found two days ago by Paul Holmes, my first for ages, as well as 15 White-fronted Geese. #suffolkbirding #ukbirding

What a mega day!! Started by twitching Great Shearwater (Norfolk tick) off Winterton. Sooty Shearwater and Snow Buntings from there too. Then I found 8+ Tundra Bean Geese at Horsey. Then, at St. Benet's Abbey, I had great views of Black-winged Kite, Glossy Ibis, Short-eared Owl, and 7 cranes. Wow!

Home from a good day out catching up with @tsbirding.bsky.social & his mum. Started at Minsmere as planned, then tootled to Carlton Marshes to enjoy the ‘white nun’ drake Smew which enjoyed spending time under water. First I’ve seen in Suffolk since I first bumped into Toby at Mins four winters ago!

Was pleased to connect with the Eastern Black Redstart today in Sheringham and had super views of it feeding along the seawall.

Lovely day in Cornwall, star billing to the Pacific Diver, lifer! And great supporting cast: 2 Lesser Scaup, Scaup, Black-throated Diver, 2 Red Throated Diver, 7 Great Northern Diver, Black Redstart and 2 Goosander.

Here's a backlit GND from the Stour earlier in the week. Beak open between dives. #BirdArt

An excellent day catching up and birding with my niece y’day, first time in ages. Finding a Dartford Warbler amongst the highlights. I had time later to nip to Gedgrave where I was surprised to find the Tundra Bean Geese still present. Finally a dusk walk at Orford produced my first Merlin of 2025!

Congrats to Sam on his award which is well deserved. The Sand Martin pic is really super and it was great to visit the site with Sam last April.

Three Suffolk Shrikes - I have a signed, limited edition giclee print of a painting of the 3 rare shrikes in Suffolk this autumn (Isabelline, Turkestan and Brown). Just 50 available and only £50 window mounted (add £12 for P&P): PM me if interested and please repost, thanks

Great to be out on Patch again at Walthamstow Wetlands today in glorious weather. I was certainly caught by surprise when I was looking through a Chiffchaff flock, and then this Common Whitethroat popped up! #ukbirding #patchbirding

Guiding for Naturetrek today, and finally it coincided with a dry Friday even if it was rather grey. Walkaway views of male and female Crossbills, with the male in song. Also Dartford Warblers, Raven, Cattle Egrets, then an array of dabbling ducks (and a good cafe lunch!) at Hollesley #ukbirding

Not a field sketch that's for sure, but just pencilling out a top nice thing from the Stour today- wind lifting the nape of a Black-throated Diver enough to make a white crescent from the underlay. #BirdArt

I headed to Raydon disused airfield this morning where recent visits have produced flocks of finches and pipits (so a chance of Merlin I thought….). No luck, but instead I found a Dartford Warbler, a rather extraordinary record for deepest mid-Suffolk. I was in disbelief when I first heard it!

This Water Pipit was a nice surprise at Island Mere Minsmere just before dusk.

The Temminck’s Stint at Minsmere today was distant but light was nice….

On a gloriously sunny & calm afternoon I decided to head to Benacre hoping that the two Twite seen on Sunday (and also last Thursday) were still about. Eventually they reappeared & showed brilliantly feeding on vegetation along a cliff face. The first confirmed sighting in Suffolk for twelve months.

SUFFOLK BIRD GROUP November 27th Indoor Talk #SuffolkBirds

Had some great views of this Yellow-browed Warbler on Patch at Walthamstow Wetlands yesterday for a few mins. Only my 3rd ever and all of them have been here! So nice to see that lovely bright supercilium and hear the call again! #ukbirding #patchbirding

Hume's Warbler in Southwold churchyard brought up 220 for my patch this year, then almost immediately went to 221 with a Richard's Pipit that flew south calling - a scarce bird nowadays #ukbirding #suffolkbirding