At Llanrhidian, tonight, this young Marsh Harrier was terrorising birds at Staffal Haegr, making several visits. Hen Harrier dropped down late (unfortunately no sign of Pallid) #birdingWales

The @btobirds.bsky.social Birds in Greenspaces is now live. Loved working on this wonderful citizen science project to help us learn more about birds in the pockets of green in between our urban environments. Sign up and grab the brand new app here www.bto.org/get-involved...

UK Crane population reaches record levels after strong breeding year www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/U...

Some long days in the Powys uplands surveying for wading birds. A lot of walking, a lot of Meadow Pipits! #birdingWales www.birdnotes.wales/blog/welsh-w...

(1/) The 2026 BBS season has now officially begun! The survey is all about consistency, so here are a few tips to help to ensure that consistency of recording is maintained across the UK. @btobirds.bsky.social JNCC RSPB Science #Ornithology #CitizenScience

Today we welcome the nimble Common Sandpiper to our #SpringArrivalSpotlight! Known for its 'teetering' and distinctive flight, look for a small wader with contrasting brown and white plumage. PS - listen out for its three-note whistle as it flies!

Eyes to the skies this Easter weekend! Spring migration is well underway, so learn about the latest arrivals, departures and what to look out for in our latest blog ➡️ www.bto.org/our-work/new... Don't forget to submit your sightings to @birdtrack.bsky.social 📷 Willow Warbler by Allan Drewitt / BTO

April brings the Pied Flycatcher back from West Africa for today's #SpringArrivalSpotlight. Males wear a striking black and white plumage – look out for their darting aerial insect hunts in woodlands! 🦋

1/ Forget tales of escapees from the film set of The African Queen. Ignore rumours of Jimi Hendrix’s supposed liberation of a pair on Carnaby Street. Newly declassified documents from the Ministry Of Defence reveal how Ring-necked Parakeets colonised the UK through Operation Norwegian Blue! 😮 🪶

The Whitethroat darts into our #SpringArrivalSpotlight today, arriving from Africa throughout April. Sporting - you guessed it - white throats, these warblers are widespread summer visitors.

Whether it’s a park, sports field or cemetery we want you to tell us what #birds use your local greenspace!🐦🌳 Sign up to our Birds in Greenspaces survey at www.bto.org/greenspaces#birdsJust download the app, select your greenspace and log bird records! #UKBirding #BirdingScotland #BirdingWales

Are you a birder in Cardiff? We are looking for a beginner birder to count this section of the River Ely, which hasn’t been counted since 1985! If you think you can help please contact us via the "Contact the Local Organiser" button at app.bto.org/websonline/s... #Ornithology #BirdingWales

Highlights of a visit to Sker today included Golden Plover,Oystercatchers,Sanderling,Ringed Plover and Turnstones, a single Grey Plover and Purple Sandpiper and 9 Wheatear. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales @rspbcymru.bsky.social @eastglambto.bsky.social @glamorganbirdclub.bsky.social

On a gloomy morning, it was a joy to see and hear my first couple of Willow Warblers at Kenfig Pool this morning. There were also a couple of others seen there today in a different area. I also had a Barn Swallow - my third in the past three days.

Good to catch up with the Scaup at Sandy Water Park, Llanelli, this afternoon, which was hanging around with small group of Tufted Ducks #birdingWales

Dipper up the Tramway at Burry Port today and sand Martins busy nest building on the beach. #CarmsBirds #BirdingWales

Another image from my evening visit to the Sand Martins at Sandy Water Park. Pretty chuffed with these first efforts and can see myself spending a lot more time with them in the near future. #birdingWales #UKWildlife #birds #birdsSeenIn2026

The Swansea Vale pair of Mute Swans have shunned the new nesting platforms and instead continued to build at their traditional site. Four eggs were visible today so looks like swan watch 2026 is officially up and running. #birdingWales

First swallow of the year through Burry Port beach as I walked the dogs first thing this morning. Time to turn down the heating indoors #swallow #BirdingWales

(3/) The third video covers the additional recording that you can do as part of surveying a BBS square. This includes how to record mammals, plus how to record butterflies as part of the Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey: youtu.be/htnTm7YMOwE @ukbms.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

(2/) ‘In the field’ is the second video. It is all about how to do the survey, and includes a run through of the methodology. It also covers what to record and how to record it when you are out in the field doing the survey: youtu.be/TkAY4lo6VIg #Ornithology

(1/) The 2026 BBS season begins in a week’s time! In celebration of this, we are very pleased to share our new BBS videos. They are designed to tell people more about the survey, and how to take part in it: youtu.be/vBt-KH_TwqU @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social

The Guillemot takes the stage in today's #SpringArrivalSpotlight. These sleek seabirds spend most of their life at sea, returning to our cliffsides in spring, where they nest in bustling colonies. Watch them diving off high ledges into the sea below! 🌊

Little Grebe is up next for #WeBSSpeciesSpotlight ! 🙌 The smallest of our grebes, they are found across lowland Britain & Ireland and occupy a broad range of waterbodies. They can be overlooked due to their shy nature, often remaining hidden in emergent vegetation. #Ornithology

Puffins have started to return to Skomer, but they'll be coming and going over the next few weeks. You'll be able to reliably see Puffins from the end of April, once they've laid an egg and have a reason to return to the island every day. 📸 Amy Compton

A sure sign of spring 🌱 The Great Spotted Woodpecker may visit your garden, especially if it is near mature trees. Listen for its drumming and look for black & white plumage with a red undertail 🪶 Seen one? Record it with Garden BirdWatch and help track its spread 📊 #UKbirding

📢Fully-funded #PhD opportunity with us ❓Quantifying animal #movement patterns & behavioural #interactions in a changing world 👥Joint position in @bristolbiosci.bsky.social & #MacquarieUniversity 📆19th April deadline tinyurl.com/343acaev #maths #modelling #data #fieldwork #Australia 🙏PLEASE SHARE

Discover migration highlights from @birdtrack.bsky.social ➡️ bit.ly/3NFG7jL Over the next two weeks the Blackcap’s flutey song will become a feature of woodlands and scrub, whereas the similar-sounding Garden Warbler won’t start arriving until the second half of April. 📷 Blackcap by Liz Cutting/BTO

One of my more acceptable record shots of the Pallid Harrier down on Llanrhidian Marsh, diving in for the kill on Saturday afternoon. #birdingWales #UKWildlife #birdsSeenIn2026 #birds #rareBirdsUK @birdsinwales.bsky.social @gowerbirds.bsky.social

3/4 One of the species highlighted in the last survey was Redshank. wadertales.wordpress.com/2021/03/23/w... Numbers dropped twice as fast on the coast. #birds

Just a heads up that we have a Birding Walk for Women this coming Saturday, 28th Mar, at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, meeting there at 09:30. All ladies welcome. #birdingWales

The 2024 SMP Report shows a decline in UK breeding Shags. Winter storms can cause mass deaths. Report any dead birds to: Eng/Wal/Scot: www.gov.uk/guidance/rep... NI: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/services/dae... ROI: aviancheck.apps.services.agriculture.gov.ie/report #seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social

The Spring Issue of BTO News has landed! From how climate change is affecting migratory birds to the importance of listening to soundscapes, it's packed with fascinating articles. You can get access to this & more with a BTO membership. Join today for just £3 a month ➡️ www.bto.org/support-...

Sylw i: Tinwen y Garn Mae'r gwanwyn yma, yn cyhoeddi dyfodiad yr adar mudol. Mae Tinwen y Garn (sydd yr un maint â robin goch) yn dychwelyd o'i gaeaf yn Affrica yr adeg yma o'r flwyddyn. Mae ar y rhestr oren yng Nghymru.

Spotlight on: Wheatear Spring is here, heralding the arrival of our migrant birds. Wheatears (which are robin-sized) return from their winter in Africa at this time of year.They are amber-listed in Wales.

Nice couple of hours on Gower this evening. My first Swallow of the year at Wernffrwd followed by my first Wheatear at Llanrhidian. Great views of the Pallid Harrier and Short-eared Owl hunting, sometimes together, plus a Peregrine harrying a flock of Golden Plovers. #birdingWales

We’re delighted our raptor monitoring project Cudyll Cymru has been awarded further funding so it can continue for the next three years➡️ www.bto.org/cudyll-cymru This project is funded by the Nature Networks Programme. It is being delivered by the Heritage Fund, on behalf of the Welsh Government.

Increasing reports of Chiffchaff to @birdtrack.bsky.social! Read more about spring arrivals in our latest migration blog ➡️ bit.ly/4so4XDX The weekly reporting rate in BirdTrack for Chiffchaff has risen from 4-6% during the winter to 41% in the most recent week! #Ornithology 📷 Liz Cutting / BTO

Early walk, a few Swallows, M Marsh Harrier at Pembrey Burrows. More Comma, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell.

Busy at Rhossili. Shouldn’t complain though after the winter we’ve had. A pair of Wheatear on the rocks below Tears Point were pick of the birds but nice to watch several pairs of Stonechat displaying and battling for territories. #birdingWales #UKWildlife #birdsSeenIn2026 #birds

Have you signed up for our Birds in Greenspaces project yet? ➡️ www.bto.org/greenspaces Starting 1 April, we'd love to know the birds that use your local greenspaces, whether it’s a single species record or complete list, so we can discover their importance for nature and people. 🌳 🪶

The Hooded Crow which I saw at South Gower Rugby Club at Bishopston, Gower, last May was still there today & seems to have paired up with a Carrion Crow, so it will be interesting to see what any hybrid offspring look like: #birds @rspbcymru.bsky.social @gowerbirds.bsky.social @btocymru.bsky.social

Chough pair sticking close, west Gower, earlier, and the Pallid Harrier at Llanrhidian, tonight, caught prey & fed on favourite post near sewage works #birdingWales

Spent the afternoon at WWT Llanelli failing to see a Purple Heron that had been reported earlier in the day. Did however year tick Knot (I’m as surprised as you that it took this long), plus great to see 3 Pochard and a few more Sand Martin. #birdingWales

Walk home from work today, Morriston to Clydach in the sun. 10+ Comma, 10+ Peacock, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Holly Blue. A single Sand Martin on the Vale

(5/) If you would like to find out where there are vacant BBS squares near you, wherever you live in the UK, please either follow this link: app.bto.org/bbs/publ... If you have any questions about the survey, please email us on: [email protected].

(4/) Your local BBS Regional Organiser or a member of the BBS Team at BTO Headquarters will do their best to match you with a square that is not only close to where you live, but is also appropriate for your birdwatching ability.

Despite their similar names, these two species are quite different! Did you know they use different breeding habitats, with Guillemots using cliff faces and Black Guillemots using rocky islets, harbours, and similar features? #seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

Not long to go now until the Birds in Greenspaces survey starts on 1 April! Sign up to take part at www.bto.org/greenspaces This is a UK-wide survey open to all, whether you are an experienced birder or new to nature!

Hear from BTO's CEO Juliet Vickery as she shares her love for Dippers on BBC Radio 4's 'Tweet of the Day' ➡️ www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... Juliet studied Dippers for her PhD, and spent many enjoyable hours observing them in south-west Scotland. 🪶