Great, "biggish day' around W Cornwall with @devontess.bsky.social and @p-sharpe.bsky.social. We managed 88 species, dawn to dusk, despite missing some "sitters" and getting the tide at Hayle wrong. Highlights: L Scaup (m+f), Scaup, Goldeneye, Spoonbill, R-Necked Duck, Perregrine, Marsh Harrier.

Review of the Week: 1-7 December 2025 A Lesser Crested Tern in Devon was a midwinter shock, as was a showy Eurasian Scops Owl in South Wales. Sam Viles rounds up this week's action:

New painting in the pipeline, I have seen a couple of these in the last few days so it’s lovely to be sitting down and painting one. I had one sat in a tree right by my garden, couldn’t get a better reference source! #bird #birds #birding #painting #art #artwork #illustration #redwing #femaleartist

That’s a wrap on Female Kestrel- 12x16inch watercolour on cold press. Such a joy to do, so much learning on this piece. Moss was a new one for me! #bird #birds #natureart #birdart #birdillustration #ukbird #ukbirding #art #watercolourart #illustration #painting #artwork #watercolour #kestrel

Sunday. Roast in, brushes out. #bird #birds #birdart #birdillustration #artist #art #femaleartist #watercolour #watercolourart #sunday

The #BirdOfTheDay theme by @robcrank68.bsky.social is #Raptors — and I have so many in my Lightroom library, it was hard to choose. Here’s the Black-winged Kite, showing off those striking red eyes. #GrijzeWouw #birds #birdphotography

Wow – Britain’s first Great Crested Flycatcher! Photos in the BirdGuides gallery: www.birdguides.com/gallery/bird...

More progress on this female kestrel today! Lovely chilled Sunday afternoon 💗 #painting #watercolour #art #birds #kestrel #birdart #birdillustration #illustration #femaleartist

Kestrel in progress 💗 #birds #art #wildlifeart #birding #kestrel #watercolourart #femaleartist

Little Robin tattoo done recently at Fable and Fawn in Totnes Devon ✨ #birds #bird #tattoo #tattoos #ink #femaleartist #femaletattooartist #tattooart

Decent selection at Cheddar Reservoir after the deluge. Glossy Ibis 7, Great Egret 30+, Black Tailed Godwit 2, Ruff 2, Dunlin 2, Snipe 4, Knot, Ringed Plover 4+, Common Sandpiper 1. Nice to share with @devontess.bsky.social #SomersetBirding

House sparrows almost finished… just the legs and branch to go! Bird feet- URGH #art #artist #sparrow #ukbirds #birds #bird #ukbirding #wildlifeart #housesparrow #watercolour #watercolourartist #femaleartist #painting #watercolourart

Awesome day with @ianhayes.bsky.social being our guide today at ham wall/shapwick! lifers for me with hobby, whitethroat and the star of the show a bittern (which unfortunately for the others, only I saw briefly fly over the reeds!) windy conditions not ideal for birding, but a fabulous day!!! 💗

Enjoyable morning at Ham Wall/Shapwick with @devontess.bsky.social and Melissa. Plenty of Hobbies including a fine male perched up on Meare Heath. Common Tern briefly over Noah's . Bittern put in a brief appearance late on, a fine lifer for the one of us who picked it up!

Collection of roses from the garden 💗 I think I have 11 different types… not to say I’m a bit obsessed! #flowers #garden #roses #gardening #ukgarden

Stunning walk with @clennonvalley.bsky.social today on the moors. Cuckoo, redpoll, whinchat, wheatear, garden warbler, redstart being the stars of the show. A lack of birds of prey, 3 buzzard and a kestrel. Racked up the steps, so a glass of vino blanco is utterly deserved. #bird #birds #dartmoor

We then moved to stover after lunch at Parke- checked in with the beautiful mandarin ducks (little sis was very impressed by these) we also had 4 stock dove under the treetop walkway, and a couple of treecreeper.

Took my little sis out for a birding day today. We went first to yarner woods. Didn’t get the LSW, but plenty of pied flycatcher, willow warbler, goldcrest and the obligatory stonechat

Next painting in progress, house sparrow and lavender 💗 #wildlifeart #art #birding #ukart #ukartist #watercolour #watercolourart #housesparrow

More Hoopoe anyone? Stayed watching the bird at Berry Head until 8pm tonight. Feeding well and very tolerant of observers. Good to meet @devontess.bsky.social

Hoopoe at Berry head today, also a very beautiful Cirl Bunting 💗

Small tortoiseshell butterfly from today 💗 #tattoo #wildlifeart #uktattoo #uktattooartist #butterfly #illustration #art #femaleartist

Lovely morning, went to Broadsands to tick the Surf scoter off the list, then a lovely walk around longmarsh with the furry one. 11:15am- my offspring haven’t even surfaced to say happy Mother’s Day and I’ve already been out twice 😂

Surf Scoter still distant off Broadsands with F Common Scoter. Nice to share the bird with @devontess.bsky.social #devonbirding

(2/2) we moved onto shapwick and Avalon- not a lot going on so left and went to cheddar reservoir where we lucked out with little gull and black necked grebe! Thanks so much for having me @ianhayes.bsky.social Back home via a detour for the blue-wag- no joy but I did get a nice water pipit 💗

A day out birding the Somerset levels! Slow birding day, not a load going on at Ham wall (bitterns heard but not seen- so no lifer tick for me!) even the beardies didn’t show. We did see a ring- necked duck, a single leftover pintail and our first Hirundinidae of the year with a sand Martin. (1/2)

The other finished robin! Looking forward to getting these scanned and prints made. #birds #wildlifeart #wildlife #ukbirding #robin #femaleartist #watercolour #watercolourart #illustration #birdillustration #ukartist #art

Finished this guy 💗 bobbin 2/2 #birds #wildlifeart #art #painting #ukartist #ukbirding #watercolour #robin #nature #natureillustration #illustration

Lovely walk in Yarner Woods today in search for LSW, no joy today though! I did see a raven doing some super rad aerial acro so il take that. Also what we assume is a very neat badger Sett.

The Birds Feed is just a handful of likes away from, wait for it… 13k!!!! Ya’ll know the drill. Post birb! Tag your non-contributor friends! 🪶🌿 Feed link: bsky.app/profile/did:...

Birds complete ✅ terrifying branch and some heather to go ! #birds #wildlifeart #robin #birdart #ukartist #watercolour #watercolourart #ukart #femaleartist

The Little Ringed Plover still on Exminster Marsh late am for it second day and showing very well - my third earliest one ever in Devon- great find @jamesrdiamond.bsky.social

An evening painting Bobbins- aka garden gobshites. Bases down, can’t wait to start adding the details. My favourite part! #wildlifeart #ukbirds #watercolour #artwork #birdillustration #ukartist #birdart #birds

The sunny weekdays seem to have brought forth a flush of Firecrest around Cockington Park in Torquay. They flit so fast it’s hard to keep up! #UKBirding

Birdy scribblings and notes. #ukbirding #ukbirds #birder #pigeon #pigeonlove #wildlifeart

The Orchid display at Kew was amazing! #kew #kewgardens #uk #botanical #botanicalgardens #ukgardens #orchid #plantlife

Lovely day at Kew today. Year tick for the ring neck parakeets #birding #ukbirding #kew #kewgardens #london

Wild garlic, mushrooms, fern and nettle tattoo for a lovely client. Absolutely adored doing this. #tattoo #tattoos #sciencetattoos #botanical #ukplants #mushrooms #ink #inked #femaleartist #tattooart #botanicaltattoo #botanicalillustration #wildplants #ukplants

Jack Snipe - watercolours #birds #ukbirds #ukbirdart #ukbirder #birdillustration #birdart #watercolours #femaleartist #scillybirding

Busy preparing for my Open Studio 22 Feb-2 March daily 12noon - 5pm. details here: www.facebook.com/mikelangmanart First time visitors receive a lucky dip raffle ticket and can take away a free small original piece of my artwork!!

Another of the commission I did for a lovely birding friend. Looking forward to doing more. This was a “scrapbook” style piece to remember highlights of a Scilly trip. #birds #birding #ukbirds #ukbirding #scillybirding #birdart #art #watercolourart #birdillustration #watercolour #artwork

Really enjoyed tattooing this whale on an awesome dude. He’s booked in again for a Gannet! Can’t wait. #tattoo #tattoos #inked #ink #uktattoo #tattooart #tattooartist #natureillustration #whale #femaleartist #femaletattooartist

On Devon's, Exe Estuary this lunchtime, the wintering #LongBilledDowitcher showed incredibly well at Turf Lock. #DevonBirds #DevonBirding #UKBirding #birds

Finished this “scrapbook” style watercolour painting for Sarah-Jane. Such a lovely way of remembering some highlights of a trip! #ukbirding #scillybirding #islesofscilly #birding #ukart #watercolour #birdart #birdillustration #ukartist #watercolourart #femaleartist

Day 2 @naturetrek.bsky.social Best of South Devon by land and sea tour. Berry Head, Brixham, Broadsands and a cruise on the Dart Estuary. Cirl Buntings, Firecrests, Purple Sandpipers Great Northern Divers, Razorbills, Peregrine, Kingfishers, Common and Grey Seals made for a good day.

~ Goldcrest ~ I really love ickle birds.. I am always happy to take commissions, I’m really wanting to make this more of a career as-well as tattooing, so any questions or enquiries are welcome 💗 #ukbirding #ukbirder #watercolour #ukartist #birdart #birdartists #devonbirding

Super day out in Cornwall today, finally got the booted! A ring billed gull was an absolute bonus… I do love me a gull! A few more year ticks too, and a huge pod of dolphins! Obviously finished with a pie and pint. Thank you Paul! @birdwatchingtours.bsky.social

Little montage of this mornings walk. Stunning day… but very cold. I had the privilege of watching a weasel catch a mouse! (It’s very fast… a good eye test for you!) #nature #uknature #ukwildlife #ukbirding #ukwoods #ukparks

Sweet little fatty wren 💗 #tattoo #uktattoo #uktattooartist #femaletattooartist #birder #ukbirding #wren

Firecrest ~ Sketchbook #ukbirding #birding #birder