Some great views of the lingering duo of Siberian Chiffchaffs in Tattenhoe, Milton Keynes this morning. Not just one as initially thought! First-winter bird in the first three clips, adult feeding at ground level towards the end. A lovely seasonal treat for the patch. @bucksbirdclub81.bsky.social

It's been an exciting transition from autumn to winter birding back on home turf in Milton Keynes, with a trio of seemingly wintering Firecrests and a new-in Siberian Chiffchaff this week, showing well and even singing today. (xeno-canto.org/1063242). #bucksbirds @bucksbirdclub81.bsky.social

While looking for other gulls back in Milton Keynes over the past week, a very pale 1W Common Gull has made good comparison with the more usually mottled birds (2nd pic), ticking a few boxes for the "heinei" race but rather light on bill colour and still quite marked on the underwings. #bucksbirds

November wrapped up a fantastic season of working as the 2025 Assistant Warden for @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social, highlights including both Common and Pallid Swift, the lifer of Isabelline Wheatear and finally finding one of my bogey birds, the Pallas' Warbler.

The very much unexpected highlight of this year's trip to Norfolk was this leucistic "white-winged" Wren at Weybourne yesterday morning, showing well intermittently as it skulked around the bushes nearby. Never seen one like it! A stunning little gem of a bird. @nenbc.bsky.social

A fine week of variety at Spurn, with a few highlights featuring the 3rd Keeled Skimmer to be recorded here (male) with a female Red-veined Darter in North Field on Monday, female Purple Hairstreak and a superb Wood Warbler showing well around Kilnsea yesterday. @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social

A return to form with some exciting #Spurnbirds over the past few days, including a male Red-backed Shrike at The Warren on Friday, White-rumped Sandpiper off The Warren gate yesterday and today and a stunning summer-plumage Knot near the Canal Scrape hide today. @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social

Been a great June for Spurn's dragonflies, with a recent influx of migratory and spreading species bringing a Norfolk Hawker to Canal Scrape on the 15th, at least 4 Red-veined Darters and Lesser Emperor on the 16th and Vagrant Emperor by The Warren around midday [email protected]

Still waiting for the season's #vismig to really kick off, but a Pallid Swift made for an exciting morning at The Warren, heading south alone but amid a gradual movement of 100+ Common Swifts, just after 4 Common Crossbills. #Spurnbirds @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social

Between Spurn commitments, landlocked Bucks has yielded some nice surprise home patch birds this year, including Grey Plover picked up on #nocmig at 3.13am this morning from the garden in Tattenhoe, Milton Keynes. Not an annual bird in the county and one I still need to properly see/hear here!

A well and truly gripping morning already at Spurn with 2 Little Gulls dropping into Kilnsea Wetlands, Golden Oriole north through Kilnsea and a Bee-eater dropping in at Cliff View, providing some fantastic views before heading off south. #Spurnbirds @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social

Spring migration has certainly stepped up as we've entered May at Spurn. Great views of 2 Bee-eaters passing through the area last week, Glossy Ibis heading north yesterday and a nice variety of Yellow Wagtails, including a superb male Grey-headed this week. #Spurnbirds @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social

Alpine Accentor - 0 🥲 Red-rumped Swallow - 1! 😃 Incredible views of this one hawking overhead with some of the @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social team near the sea watch hide at Flamborough this afternoon, making the trip well worthwhile. @flamboroughbird.bsky.social

A superb male Ring Ouzel stood out like a sore thumb among 40+ Fieldfares as it lingered between Chalky Point and Sammy's at midday and later a 2CY Caspian Gull was a nice surprise to round off the day, drifting north up the Humber. #Spurnbirds @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social

An exciting 2 days catching up to year ticks at Spurn including Pied Flycatcher, Ring Ouzel, Whimbrel and Reed Warbler. A Water Pipit heading low to the south and several Bottlenose Dolphins were highlights of this morning's watch from The Warren. #spurnbirds @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social

Beautiful spring morning with plenty of birds around The Triangle and Kilnsea already today with highlights including a Cattle Egret and Water Pipit heading north (along Canal), plus a superb Firecrest ringed in Church Field. #spurnbirds @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social

Had double helpings of Common Scoter via #nocmig recently from both the landlocked garden in Milton Keynes on 25th March and much nearer the coast from Keyingham, East Yorks this week, with this set of calls caught at 3.23am on Tuesday. #yorksbirds

Another scan of Hull's gulls yesterday produced this intriguing Common Gull. Seemingly a normal Canus on the deck but displaying Heinei-like features to the wings in flight, including small P9 mirrors and black band on P5. Perhaps a more Eastern/intergrade type? #yorksbirds

On the northern patch, at least 11 vocal Twite were among Linnets on the outskirts of Keyingham, East Yorks this morning and later on yesterday's 1W Caspian Gull made a passing appearance in Hull, heading west/southwest along the Humber. #yorksbirds #hullbirds @birdguides.bsky.social

After a morning of lively Lapwings and an incredibly obliging Redwing at YWT North Cave Wetlands, a passing scan of gulls near the Hull Marina produced a superb 1W/2CY Caspian Gull, standing out well from the Herring Gulls around it. #yorksbirds #hullbirds @northcavebirds.bsky.social

A few minutes of late morning activity around the north end of Spurn today featured 8 Snipe dropping in, 3 Pintail landing on the Humber and a 2W Caspian Gull gliding with 2 Great Black-backed Gulls further up the Humber. #spurnbirds @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social

Finally managed to catch up to the 9 lingering White-fronted Geese at Spurn today, showing well in The Triangle throughout the day alongside the more familiar Greylags, fittingly for World Wetlands Day. #spurnbirds @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social

A good bit of variety in the local gull flocks in North Bucks today. Standouts included a dark-winged Herring-type with a rather Caspian-like head and a 1W Yellow-legged Gull alongside a suspected Lesser Black-backed x Herring Gull hybrid (centre in 2nd image, wings open in 3rd). #bucksbirds

It's been a decent few days of local birding back home in Milton Keynes, some highlights including a morning movement of 48 Greenfinches (my highest count for MK), female Blackcap and a Chiffchaff in the garden plus a smart 2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull passing by today. (1/2) #bucksbirds

An overcast but fruitful day for local birding east of Hull, highlights including great views of a male Bullfinch, Siberian Chiffchaff from late 2024 still at Kelsey Lakes in Burstwick, 3 Goosanders heading to the west and my first Green Sandpiper of the year heading north. (1/2) #yorkbirds