Red-knobbed Coot, jet black water bird with small red eye, bright white bill and blaze on the crown and two small, shiny red knobs behind the blaze. Bathing in shallow water with beads running of its back.

Red-knobbed Coot, jet black water bird with small red eye, bright white bill and blaze on the crown and two small, shiny red knobs behind the blaze. Bathing in shallow water with beads running of its back.

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #SplashingAround. Thanks @robcrank68.bsky.social for the excuse to repost this bathing Red-knobbed Coot from El Hondo, #Spain in November 2025.
#birds #birding #ECK #CostaBlancaBirding

Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombylius major) feeding on primrose flowers. Common in gardens and flowery places in early spring. They are true flies (Diptera) but mimic some bee species quite effectively. The long proboscis is rigid and permanently extended giving them a distinctive appearance. They are brood parasites of various ground nesting solitary bees and wasps. Females lay eggs into the host's nest, with remarkable accuracy, by hovering close to the entrance and flicking their abdomen. The larvae then feed on the stored food and developing host larvae.

Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombylius major) feeding on primrose #flowers at Twyford Wood in South #Lincolnshire yesterday. Love seeing these in spring. Excellent bee #mimic but a true fly - #Diptera
#wildlife #wildflowers #ukwildlife #ECK

😂 haven't been called that for a long time!

Hair-crested Drongo, a glossy black crow, perched among leaves and branches, using its strong, but slender, decurved and sharply pointed bill to feed on nectar from the tufted fuchsia pink flowers of the Malay Apple Tree. This tree is cauliflorous; meaning it flowers (and later fruits) form directly from the woody bark of the branches or trunk, rather than from new leafy growth. This is the garden of Greenleaf Guesthouse and Tour, who do really great trips in and around the national park at an incredibly reasonable price.

Hair-crested Drongo, a glossy black crow, perched among leaves and branches, using its strong, but slender, decurved and sharply pointed bill to feed on nectar from the tufted fuchsia pink flowers of the Malay Apple Tree. This tree is cauliflorous; meaning it flowers (and later fruits) form directly from the woody bark of the branches or trunk, rather than from new leafy growth.

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Petals&Perches and I've chosen this Hair-crested Drongo sipping nectar from Malay Apple Tree flowers last month near Khao Yai National Park #Thailand. More in alt text.
#birds #birding #ECK #birdsSeenIn2026
@robcrank68.bsky.social @alan678.bsky.social

Black-thighed Falconet, equal smallest falcon in the world, and lightest bird of prey at only 28 grams. A tiny falcon with glossy black upperparts, black and white head markings, a white chest, rusty orange belly, and I guess under there somewhere, black thighs, although it's not the first thing you'd notice. This was one of a pair hawking for dragonflies in a city centre park in Kuala Lumpur, swooping down really close to park benches, to the delight of the four people sat there. The red dragonfly prey is unidentified, but could be Scarlet Skimmer or Crimson Marsh Glider.

Barred Eagle-owl, a huge brown owl with paler, finely barred underparts, huge black eyes, horizontal ear Tufts and a big yellow bill. Perched in a tree, holding a small hatchling in its bill.

Asian Green Bee-eater, a sleek, green bird with a long tail and even longer, thin central tail feathers, rusty orange cap and nape, thick black eye mask and brilliant blue-green throat. Perched on a suspended metal bar, against a blue sky, with an insect, probably a bee, in its long, slender, sharply pointed, black bill.

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #ComeEatWithMe, birds who have food in their beaks. Some of my favourites recently: Black-thighed Falconet, Barred Eagle-owl (both #Malaysia) & Asian Green Bee-eater ( #Thailand); all in towns/cities.
#birds #birding #ECK #urbanBirding #birdsSeenIn2026

Coppersmith Barbet, a small bird with yellow underparts, streaked with brown, yellow face patch and chin, black head with bright red fore-crown, red upper breast patch and large, thick, black bill with prominent whiskers at the base. A very common bird across South and SE Asia but more often heard than seen, as it depends much of its time high in the trees. The name comes from the incessantly repeated mechanical popping song, because of its similarity to a hammer beating copper. I think it sounds like some pedestrian crossings.

@alan678.bsky.social says #BirdOfTheDay theme is #ABCD, starting letter for any part of its name. Do I get extra points for both parts? Coppersmith Barbet is a common bird in #parks; this one in Benchakitti Park #Bangkok last month.
#Thailand #birds #birding #ECK #urbanBirding #birdsSeenIn2026

Male Canary Islands Chaffinch, a small bird with peachy orange underparts and face, dark, steely, blue-grey back, neck and crown, greenish rear end and black and white wings. Feeding on the ground among pine needles. Canary Islands Chaffinch is endemic to those islands. Formerly treated as a subspecies of Common Chaffinch, it was split in 2023 on the basis of genetics, which suggested colonization occured via The Azores, then Madeira. Not too be confused with the Blue Chaffinch species on Tenerife and Gran Canaries.

Male Canary Islands Chaffinch.

Common Waxbill, a very small brown finch with a bold red bill and mask across a beady black eye. Feeding on the ground among pine needles. This species is an established escape from captivity in the Canary Islands and is native to sub-Saharan Africa.

Common Waxbill, a very small, finely barred, brown finch with a bold red bill and mask across a beady black eye. Feeding on the ground among pine needles. This species is an established escape from captivity in the Canary Islands and is native to sub-Saharan Africa.

It's the alt theme for me today for #birdoftheday; any #Finch. Two from #GranCanaria in January: #CanaryIslands Chaffinch and Common Waxbill. More in Alt text.
#birds #birding #Spain #ECK #birdsSeenIn2026
@robcrank68.bsky.social @alan678.bsky.social

Common Woodpigeon, a familiar, large pigeon with blue-grey plumage, a bright, white half rear neck collar and orange tip tip the bill. Perched on a gravestone covered in lichen and frosty moss.

Male Eurasian Blackbird, a medium sized thrush, all blackish, with yellow bill and eye ring. Perched on a gravestone covered in lichen and frosty moss.

#BirdOfTheDay theme is #FeederFriends, birds that you might see at your feeder. I'm going with Common Woodpigeon and Eurasian Blackbird in Colsterworth churchyard, #Lincolnshire, cast in a oddly blueish light on a sunny dawn this week.
#birds #birding #ECK #UKBirding #birdsSeenIn2026

😂

Thank you.

Spotted Owlet, a small owl with grey-brown plumage flecked with small white spots and a bolder white and dark collar, and large bright yellow eyes. In a hole in a large tree with only it's head and upper breast visible, looking directly at the camera.

Spotted Owlet, a small owl with grey-brown plumage flecked with small white spots and a bolder white and dark collar. In a hole in a large tree with only it's head visible, sleeping with eyes closed.

Today's #birdoftheday theme is #headShots. Here's a Spotted Owlet I recently photographed in Benchakitti Park #Bangkok just before and just after it woke up. #Thailand #birds #birding #owls #EastCoastKin #urbanBirding #birdsSeenIn2026
@alan678.bsky.social @robcrank68.bsky.social

Asian Emerald Cuckoo, a small cuckoo in the genus Chrysococcyx. Colourful bird with glossy, green plumage, bronzy brown on the tail and back of the head and neck, and boldly barred black and white on the underparts. The male is iridescent green all over the upperparts, head and breast and lacks any brown. Perched in a tree with brown leaves in dappled sunlight, facing away from us and to the left. Like the more familiar Cuculus cuckoos, it lays its eggs in the nests of other birds, in this case favouring Sunbirds and Spiderhunters. I once witnessed one removing an egg from the nest of a Purple Sunbird.

Asian Emerald Cuckoo, a small cuckoo in the genus Chrysococcyx. Colourful bird with glossy, green plumage, bronzy brown on the tail and back of the head and neck, and boldly barred black and white on the underparts. The male is iridescent green all over the upperparts, head and breast and lacks any brown. Perched in a tree with brown leaves in dappled sunlight, facing away and turning to the left.

Asian Emerald Cuckoo, a small cuckoo in the genus Chrysococcyx. Colourful bird with glossy, green plumage, bronzy brown on the tail and back of the head and neck, and boldly barred black and white on the underparts. The male is iridescent green all over the upperparts, head and breast and lacks any brown. Perched in a tree with brown leaves in dappled sunlight, facing towards us and to the right.

Asian Emerald Cuckoo, a small cuckoo in the genus Chrysococcyx. Colourful bird with glossy, green plumage, bronzy brown on the tail and back of the head and neck, and boldly barred black and white on the underparts. The male is iridescent green all over the upperparts, head and breast and lacks any brown. Perched in a tree with brown leaves in dappled sunlight, facing towards us and to the right.

The #BirdOfTheDay theme today is #LeafandLight; any bird captured in sunlight with leaves in frame. A female Asian Emerald Cuckoo in Benchakitti Park #Bangkok on 1st April was a nice find.
#birds #birding #Thailand #ECK #urbanBirding #birdsSeenIn2026 @alan678.bsky.social

European Robin, small bird with white underparts and bright orange-red breast and face, otherwise brown. Perched among sparse foliage in dappled shade.

European Robin recently in East #Suffolk for alt #BirdOfTheDay theme #Robins #ForJanet #birds #birding #UkBirding #birdsSeenIn2026 #ECK
@robcrank68.bsky.social

Correction: That should be Wenyu River.

Grey Heron, a large, tall grey bird with black shoulders and head stripe, white face and crown and long yellow bill, in shallow water on edge of a reed fringed river.

Two Ruddy Shelduck, richly reddish brown water birds with pale heads and black bills, in shallow water on edge of a reed fringed river.

Male Falcated Duck, small waterbird with dark grey body, pale cream and black vent, silver grey back with long thin feather extensions, glossy green and bronze head and white throat. Swimming and reflected in rippling water.

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Reflections. Grey #Heron, Ruddy Shelduck & Falcated #Duck reflected in a cold River Wensum, #Beijing in early February.
#birds #birding #China #ECK #urbanBirding #birdsSeenIn2026
@robcrank68.bsky.social
@everyheron.bsky.social

Red Kite, a large bird of prey with rich rufous underparts, rufous, black and white wings, a deeply forked tail, yellow feet and pale grey head. Seen from below, flying against a blue sky, carrying something unidentified.

Red Kite, a large bird of prey with rich rufous underparts, rufous, black and white wings, a deeply forked tail, yellow feet and pale grey head. Seen from below, flying against a blue sky with a coniferous tree branch just in shot.

Red Kite, a large bird of prey with rich rufous underparts, rufous, black and white wings, a deeply forked tail, yellow feet and pale grey head. Seen from below, flying against a blue sky, carrying something unidentified.

Red Kite, a large bird of prey with rich rufous underparts, rufous, black and white wings, a deeply forked tail, yellow feet and pale grey head. Seen from below, flying against a blue sky, carrying something unidentified.

Alan & Rob’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #JKLMNOP, bird names that begin with 1 of those letters, like Red Kite. Such #photogenic #birds, esp against a #Bluesky.
#BlueskyMonday #birding #ECK #UKBirding #birdsSeenIn2026

Immature Purple Heron, large, very tall wading bird, largely reddish brown with paler areas, long legs, a very long, slender neck and a long, powerful, dagger-like bill. Standing on a grassy back looking down at adjacent green water.

Immature Purple Heron, large, very tall wading bird, largely reddish brown with paler areas, long legs, a very long, slender neck and a long, powerful, dagger-like bill. Standing on a grassy back looking down at adjacent green water.

#BirdoftheDay with @robcrank68.bsky.social is #LongNecks, like this Purple #Heron from Taman Tasik Permaisuri park in #KualaLumpur
#Malaysia #birds #birding #EastCoastKin #urbanBirding #birdsSeenIn2026
@everyheron.bsky.social

Hume's Treecreeper, a small brown bird with short, sharp, decurved bill, whitish underparts, looking whitish supercilium and warm rufous tail and vent. Bigger and longer than Eurasian Treecreeper and confined to upland forests in Myanmar and small pockets of other SE Asian countries. Perched vertically on the very mossy trunk of a large tree.

Hume's Treecreeper, a small brown bird with short, sharp, decurved bill, whitish underparts, looking whitish supercilium and warm rufous tail and vent. Bigger and longer than Eurasian Treecreeper and confined to upland forests in Myanmar and small pockets of other SE Asian countries. Perched vertically on the very mossy trunk of a large tree.

Hume's Treecreeper, a small brown bird with short, sharp, decurved bill, whitish underparts, looking whitish supercilium and warm rufous tail and vent. Bigger and longer than Eurasian Treecreeper and confined to upland forests in Myanmar and small pockets of other SE Asian countries. Perched vertically on the very mossy trunk of a large tree.

#BirdOfTheDay theme is #Woodland so here's a #lifer from late Jan at Doi Pha Hom Pok #NationalPark #Thailand. More on Hume's Treecreeper in Alt. Also for #SmallBirdSaturday
#birds #birding #ECK #birdsSeenIn2026

Black-winged Cuckooshrike, just the whitish underside and boldly white spotted black undertail as the bird flies away from a perch on a large branch.

Black-winged Cuckooshrike, from behind, grey head, back and rump, black wings and tail. Perched on a large branch facing away.

Male Siberian Thrush, deep blue grey bird with darker head and a bright white stripe above the eye. Perched in dense foliage.

Male Siberian Thrush, deep blue grey bird with darker head and a bright white stripe above the eye. Perched in dense foliage.

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BirdButt, birds showing off the rear end. A couple of contenders for rear of the year both from Benchakitti Park #Bangkok on 1 April. Black-winged Cuckooshrike and Siberian Thrush -a #lifer
#Thailand #birds #birding #EastCoastKin #urbanBirding #birdsSeenIn2026

Thanks 🙏

Perhaps more so than the male, which is totally black but still has the red eye.

Female Asian Koel, a large cuckoo with blotchy grey and black plumage and a bright red eye. Perched on a thick horizontal pole.

Female Asian Koel, a large cuckoo with blotchy grey and black plumage and a bright red eye. Perched on a thick horizontal pole.

Female Asian Koel, a large cuckoo with blotchy grey and black plumage and a bright red eye. Perched on a thick horizontal pole.

Today’s #birdoftheday theme is #manmadeperch any bird perched on a manmade object, in this case a TV aerial support I think. Female Asian Koel in Hua Hin, #Thailand.
#birds #birding #EastCoastKin #urbanBirding #birdsSeenIn2026

Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo, a medium sized black bird with a long black tail with a very shallow fork, darker below, glossy above, with white barring on undertail and a narrow, decurved black bill. Perched on a bare branch in trees. Drongo-cuckoos are members of the cuckoo family that strongly mimic black species of Drongo (which are in the corvid family). Key differences are the cuckoo-like thin, decurved bill and the white-tipped undertail coverts. Drongo-cuckoos are brood parasites of babbler species and it's unclear exactly how mimicking drongos benefits them.

Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo, a medium sized black bird, with a long black tail with a very shallow fork, perched on a branch in trees.

#BirdOfTheDay theme is #BlackHeads, any bird with Black on its head, like this Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo I found in Benchakitti Park #Bangkok a week ago. See alt text for more on Drongo-cuckoos. #cuckoos #mimicry #migrantbirds
#Thailand #birds #birding #EastCoastKin #urbanBirding #birdsSeenIn2026

Common Chiffchaff, small warbler, brown bird, paler below, with yellowish alula (feather at the bend of the wing) and a pale supercilium (stripe just above the eye), small thin, sharp bill. Perched on lichen covered branch of bare ash tree with some bunches of dried key fruit.

Common Chiffchaff, small warbler, brown bird, paler below, with yellowish alula (feather at the bend of the wing) and a pale supercilium (stripe just above the eye), small thin, sharp bill. Perched on lichen covered branch of bare ash tree with some bunches of dried key fruit. Bill open, singing.

#BirdOfTheDay theme is #Warblers you say? Well I snapped this Common Chiffchaff just yesterday. Many singing now.
#birds #birding #EastCoastKin #UKBirding #birdsSeenIn2026

Four Black-and-red Broadbills, striking black birds, with deep maroon red underparts, throat and rump, a grey neck band, bright white bands in the wings, and a vivid cyan and yellow bill. Perched in dense foliage.

I'm delving deep into the archives for today's #BirdOfTheDay theme, which is #Black&Red. This party of Black-and-red Broadbills from Cat Tien #NationalPark #Vietnam in January 2020 is taking it literally 😃
#birds #birding #EastCoastKin

Thank you 🙏

Eurasian Hoopoe, a medium sized peachy-orange bird with a long, thin, down-curved bill, and long, black-tipped orange crown feathers, raised in a broad fan. The bold black and white back and wings not visible in this photo. Bird is standing in short grass, facing towards the camera turning to its left.

#feathers is today's #birdoftheday theme so I've chosen this Eurasian Hoopoe displaying it's crest in a #Bangkok park last week. #Thailand #birds #birding #EastCoastKin #urbanBirding #birdsSeenIn2026
Cheers @alan678.bsky.social

White-nest Swiftlet (Germaine's subspecies); this small swift species is a drab, dark brown aerial bird with paler chin and rump/tail base. In flight against clear blue sky, chased by a species of bee.

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #SmallBirdsInFlight. I was trying to get good shots of White-nest (Germain's) Swiftlets at #krabi #Thailand in late March, when this one was relentlessly chased by a bee.
#birds #birding #EastCoastKin #urbanBirding #birdsSeenIn2026

House Crow, a mid-large sized corvid bird with grey and black plumage and a black hood. Perched in front of blurred sparkling water with bill wide open.

House Crow, a mid-large sized corvid bird with grey and black plumage and a black hood. Perched in front of blurred sparkling water with bill wide open.

In hot #weather #birds pant, often rapidly vibrating their throat - called gular fluttering. These are House #Crows in a #KualaLumpur park recently for today's #birdoftheday theme. #Malaysia #birding #EastCoastKin #urbanBirding #birdsSeenIn2026
@robcrank68.bsky.social @alan678.bsky.social

Rufous-winged Buzzard, medium-sized bird of prey with pale grey underside, grey head, brownish flight feathers, flying overhead.

Rufous-winged Buzzard, medium-sized bird of prey with pale grey underside, grey head, brownish flight feathers, flying overhead.

Rufous-winged Buzzard, medium-sized bird of prey with pale grey underside, grey head, brownish flight feathers, flying overhead.

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #largebirdsinflight and I give you an adult Rufous-winged Buzzard from #ChiangDao #Thailand in early February.
#birds #birding #EastCoastKin #birdsSeenIn2026
@robcrank68.bsky.social @alan678.bsky.social