Researching at the mo & I saw this famous shot that I hadn't seen in 30 years ~ a David Hunt classic of Bob Henry giving the epic Upland Sandpiper (on St Mary's, by the hospital) a worm in Oct. 1983. The late Brian Field looks on w/Keith Vinnicombe to the right. An all-time favourite rarity of mine.

Feels like -32...but it's starkly beautiful in conditions like this. Exquisitely bright, with Woodpeckers drumming everywhere. Black Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted & Greater Spotted & Grey Headed all appearing in the garden, with my 2 resident Nutcracker 😍😎 #birds #birding #birdwatching #finland

Would have been disrespectful not to post anything of the superb Killdeer, seen with @corpustydickie.bsky.social yesterday down in Ripley, Hants. @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social #birds #ukrarebirds

And the poor Porpoise. #cetaceans #Northumberland

Bit of mammal action locally this morn. This Stoat killing an unusual black rabbit on the beach, a tideline casualty Porpoise, and a Weasel carrying a mouse made up for lack of birds. #Lowcarbonbirding #Northumberland #LocalPatch #Mammals #Springwatch

Last weekend @unsociable-lapwing.bsky.social and I went to see the Great Grey Shrike at Fillingham, only our second one. It was singing every so often which was a huge bonus! @lincsbirding.bsky.social #UKWildlife #LincolnshireBirding #UKBirding #RareBirdsUK #Wildlife 🪶

Genuinely though, I think if I was the last faithful, dragged along as a meat shield and played over and over, it would be quite mentally damaging 🙃 #TheTraitors

Absolutely made up to see the grackle this morning on #patchbirding ( not sure what sp but more experienced birders will know I’m sure ) It’s doing circuits of the fields at Speke hall I’ve marked in red on map .lots of happy birders there now 👍🏻 I’m no photographer but here’s a few pics

Our village used to be a top spot for Red Squirrels. I once caught one trying to get in to an active Tree Sparrow nestbox in the garden! But, when Greys arrived they didn't last long. My last here was December 2019. I don't suppose I'll see a return... #RedSquirrelDay #Northumberland

Killdeer, Ripley #hantsbirding

Killdeer in Hampshire this afternoon, new bird for me! #rarebirdsuk

Here you go (again). Just maybe, sometimes the way to go is just to use the original notebook sketch....? collapsedbirder.blogspot.com?m=0 #UKRares #rarebirdsUK #UKbirding

Drake Ring necked Duck at Hedgely was looking very dapper yesterday despite the mist and overcast skies. #Northumberland #Birdart #BirdNotes #LowCarbonBirding #BirdingUK

Looks like Americans are posting weird #shortbeak #birdoftheday photos. Our tiny Long tailed Tit says Hold my coat.....😊

Always forget #birds #UKbirding #sciart #rarebirdsUK

Whitebird still present on #LocalPatch today but very elusive, fleeing at slightest movement. #Lowcarbonbirding #Northumberland

Can’t be that many of these around in the UK in January ?? #NEBirding After adding RLP, this takes our local inland #FootIt year list to 100 species 🎯 @durhambirdclub.bsky.social

The white Blackbird was present at first light this morning but not seen at lunchtime. #fieldnotes #fieldsketches #birdart #Northumberland

You have to do something on wet days www.grahamcatley.com/blog-1/2026-...

So close! Snowfinch in Le Havre. Link in ALT

A Robin in Canada.... and not the one that sits on Mary Poppins finger either...

A new arrival in our village this afternoon. It's unlikely this Blackbird could go unnoticed in 18 houses, so I fancy it's in off the continent off this harsh weather. Nice. #Lowcarbonbirding #Northumberland #LocalPatch

2026 appears to be the year when Green Woodpecker became twitchable in #Northumberland. Birders heading for a lone bird at Mitford this week. Never 'common' but used to be found at many widespread sites...a sad start to the year. #fieldnotes #BirdNotes #BirdSketches #BirdArt

Went to see this interesting gull found in Cork city yesterday by Alex Lynch. It seems most likely to be an adult Black-headed x Bonaparte's Gull, a very rare pairing and not conclusively proven anywhere as yet, as far as I can see, but with two strong candidates from Spain and France.

Why did Faraaz not say, at the table, that he saw Amanda go and speak to Rachel? Didn't matter, I've never been more pleased than to see Fiona given the boot... #TheTraitors #TheTraitorsUK

Last night 7pm -1.5° I counted 9+ geometers on the wing on an exposed stretch of farmland road. . By midnight the temp had risen to 3.5°. It wonder if they could sense it was on the up? One looked like a Winter Moth the others larger, more silvery? Maybe Early Moth or Northern Winter? #teammoth

Loved the Siberia books. I got to see one of his Grey Plover skins in the Hancock back room some years back, complete with handwritten label from one of his Siberia expeditions. And birders on Shetland call it 'work'...😁

Corncrake in a Herts reedbed in January? Hope we’re not missing a young Allen’s gallinule or something (2 v recently in Europe). Or maybe just a confused bird from Norfolk reintro program?

More snow overnight on the #Northumberland coast. Still freezing too. #Lowcarbonbirding

The thing about birding in a freeze in Northumberland is that alot of birds move out. Things like Pipits, Wagtails, larks, snow bunts, Golden Plover, wildfowl etc head SW and don't come back til spring passage so the weeks after the freeze here are often quiet.

Hooded Mergansers at New Hythe lakes today. Female (left) = brown eye + yellow in bill; male (right) = yellow eye and black bill. Presumably frozen out of smaller lake/pond somewhere. Unringed, fully-winged and confiding... @rarebirder.bsky.social @kentishplover.bsky.social #KentBirding #UKRareBirds

Boulmer like the Arctic this morn. -2° with wind chill on top. Male Black Redstart out on the seaweed, a female Merlin didn't look too good as it hopped along the ground below a fence line , Little Egret S plus 21 Song Thrushes on 300 mtrs of beach. #Lowcarbonbirding #LocalPatch #Northumberland

Just about to board a long haul flight and airline being difficult about the weight of my hand luggage which is mostly #birdinggear Makes me think I need a lightweight superzoom bridge camera to cut weight for such trips. What’s the best option that balances weight:performance these days?

A colleague has found a somewhat convincing candidate for Urtica membranacea on her #NewYearPlantHunt. Potentially a NCR if so! Flattened male flower stems, two stipules at each node and looking just a little 'different'. Does anyone have experience with this one? 😶 @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A bit late with the 2025 #NotebookAnnual this time. Anyway, here are a few from my #Sketchbook from across the year. My only new bird, was the fantastic Pechora Pipit at South Shields.What will 2026 bring... #birdart #Northumberland ##FieldNotes #Sketchbooks

Meanwhile, 300 yards S ,Ben had Glauc, GND, 9 Little Auks and a Woodcock. I should have left the car....

A short seawatch in a squally blizzard this morning had 1 Little Auk N and nothing else! But after a 2025 Little Auk blank, it'll do. #Lowcarbonbirding #LocalPatch #Northumberland

What a way to start the year on my local patch. Landed on the beach for a few minutes then flew off west.

First day of the year, and first post op day out birding. Decided not to chase Tundras but visit local patch. Very quiet until a pinkie Gull turned up on the beach. How do you motivate yourself after a Ross's Gull sits within 20 feet of you on the first day of January!

A year of Teesside’s coastal wildlife and wonders - they can take some finding but, mercifully, they’re still hanging on, for now. Wishing everyone the best for 2026. 🪶🐡 #nature #art

Wishing our members and all birders visiting Northumberland a bird-filled 2026. If you have outstanding records for 2025 please submit to our county recorder Tim Dean as soon as possible ([email protected]). NTBC are supporting the International Swan Census in Jan - details on website.

A year birding the Herne Bay Downs area. A review @ hernebaydownsbirding.blogspot.com. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding #UKbirding

Bit of an end of year #LocalPatch round up. Not a classic.... Stewchat...: Local Patch End of Year 2025 share.google/xpEa6xobPvDL... #Lowcarbonbirding #Northumberland #UKBirding #NEBirding

My grandad said 'that's a funny looking robin' moments later is was looking at this magnificent red-flanked bluetail. Seen at nethy Bridge Scotland! The exact location is on birdguides!

Young friend of mine has just found this in the Nethybridge area of Highland this morning. No further details as yet #ukbirding

After a blank this morning around St Benet's Abbey, we were a few minutes away, after the Great Shearwater (!), when Andrew Bloomfield text us to say the Black-winged Kite was back. And so it was! Brilliant performance, poor scope pix 😅 Superb👌 @linnetincley.bsky.social #NorfolkBirding #RareBirdsUK

Excellent prolonged views of a Black-winged Kite this morning! #Norfolkbirding

My God @rspb.bsky.social The top 2 are beautifully illustrated but have Pine martens started hybridising with Weasels or Polecat-ferrets to produce the bottom monstrosity? #MustelidMurder

Northumberlands only Pied billed Grebe was found on Boxing Day 1992 by Ian Fisher and Mike Carr....it stayed for a couple of years...

Watercolour again this morning, Yellow-Browed Warbler this time! #Art #Birds #Birding #Birdart #Watercolour #Painting #paint #UK #Wales