Not much better than flocks of terns on migration, glinting in the sunshine! This flock of 10 (last individual just out of shot) headed NE over the Prince of Wales bridge

Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Terns

Marsh Harrier

Great White Egret

Patch mega Red-legged Partridge ✅, 11 Sandwich Tern, 3 Grey Plover, LRP, Ringed Plover, Great White Egret, Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, 2 Wheatear, 2 Willow Warbler, 20+ Blackcap, 92 Sand Martin and 28 Swallow the highlights at Severn Beach this morning with @oscardewhurst.bsky.social #ukbirding

I think last year we had combined totals of 1200+ on 23rd March and 1400+ on 24th March in claggy NEs!

I think it's the second highest total - there was a day with 1400 in claggy NEs last March!

Bluesky has obviously compressed the video to oblivion - @oscardewhurst.bsky.social probably has better clips

Seemingly neverending stream of Kittiwake at Severn Beach this afternoon. This initial group was joined by a number of additional flocks giving a conservative estimate of 1200+ total. Wonderful to watch one large group tower up above the bridge and go NE, overland. Nice dark Arctic Skua also seen

Severnside's joint earliest record of Osprey seen from Severn Beach today with @oscardewhurst.bsky.social @matthall95.bsky.social & @aravindramesh19.bsky.social. Kettled up to find a thermal and then zoomed out over the estuary towards Wales. Patch magic. Boc pic: Matt Hall. #avonbirding #ukbirding

11 gannet and 2 herring gull at Severn Beach

Meadow pipit in active migration

Curlew

Sand Martin

A beautiful morning of #vismig at Severn Beach yesterday. RB Merganser, 11 Gannet*, Avocet, House Martin, 19 Sand Martin* and 463 Meadow Pipit* the highlights with Jack Snipe, Ruff, 7 LRP and 90 Curlew* at Pilning Wetland later
www.trektellen.org/count/view/5...
@severnsidebirds.bsky.social

10 Gannet

10 Gannet

#ukbirding

Really nice vismig at Severn Beach with highlights drake Red-breasted Merganser becoming my 3rd patch sawbill of the year (just need Smew to complete the set!), Avocet, 11 Gannet appearing out the murk, 19 Sand Martin and 447 Mipit. Plus first House Martin of the year, Jack Snipe and Ruff at Pilning

2 Little Gull

2 Little Gull

Little Gull

Little Gull

Spring is here and birds are moving! Sunny morning with easterly wind on Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland produced 2 gorgeous dip feeding Little Gull, male Wheatear, 14 Sand Martin NE, 5 LRP, Jack Snipe and 60 Knot
@oscardewhurst.bsky.social @andy-1963.bsky.social #ukbirding

Hooded Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Hooded Merganser - first view of its unringed legs!

Hooded Merganser #ukbirding

The Hooded Merganser that turned up on Pilning Wetland on Monday was not on anyone's radar - @andy-1963.bsky.social caused a panicked scramble from Severnside patchers to get to it before the light faded. Did the right thing for its credibility by summarily disappearing after a day of feeding!

I can do Merlin and hirundines 😂

Trumpeter Finch

Pair of Stone Curlew

Egyptian Vulture

Spotted Sandpiper

Other highlights included Barbary Partridge, Plain Swift, Cream-coloured Courser, Stone Curlew, Audouin's Gull, Egyptian Vulture, Merlin, African Blue Tit, migrating hirundines, Spectacled Warbler, Trumpeter Finch, Berthelot's Pipit, Canary... and filthily twitched AGP and Spotted Sandpiper (3/3)

A special encounter with this Barbary Falcon. Strikingly different to our familiar Peregrines (2/3)

A much appreciated sunny (non-birding 😉) week in Lanzarote produced some excellent birds in beautiful surrounds. I spent two early mornings watching this incredible Houbara - although I unfortunately never managed to capture the bonkers fluffed up running aspect of his display! (1/3)

Was thinking of knocking it on the head for the day, when I decided to take one more look at Pilning Wetland. Glad I did, as this Hooded Merganser had just arrived ahead of a bank of low cloud and drizzle. Needless to say, a patch lifer! Pic: @matthall95.bsky.social #ukbirding

Beautiful crisp morning and stacks of birds at New Passage with @j-dunning.net - 16 White-fronted Goose still, 2 Pintail, 4 Golden Plover, 5 Knot, 400 Blackwit, 3000 Dunlin, 11 Ringed Plover, male Marsh Harrier and Redpoll. Brambling behind Aust Services. Dodgy phone scoped video of the dawn scene

Yes that's the spot - Whinchat seems to range widely on the saltmarsh beyond the pool, often keeping low in the grass

Whinchat on Northwick Warth

Whinchat on Northwick Warth

Cattle Egret near Pilning Wetland

16 Russian White-fronted Goose

Wintering Whinchat, 9 Jack Snipe, 8 Rock Pipit and Common Sandpiper at the north end of Northwick Warth/Cake Pill. And bonus Firecrest at Aust STW! #ukbirding

Penduline Tit at Aust Wetlands

Jack Snipe on Northwick Warth

4 Pochard on Pilning Wetland

2 Bewick's Swan on Northwick Warth flash

Full day out on the Severnside patch produced a bonkers array of species: 2 Bewick's Swan first thing then flew NE, 16 White-fronted Goose, 4 Pochard, Cattle Egret, Barwit and 2 Blackwit at New Passage/Pilning Wetland. The 3 Penduline Tit continue to draw a crowd, plus Barn Owl at Aust Wetland.

The 8 White-fronted Geese on Northwick Warth were totally fearless this morning, happily bathing and drinking from the puddle closest to the seawall. Wonderful to see them so close. Fingers crossed they draw in some Beans over the New Year.... #ukbirding

6 White-fronted Goose

Penduline Tit

Penduline Tit

Cattle Egret

Very pleased the goose influx made it this far west with 8 White-fronted Goose (1 juv) on Northwick Warth this morning. Cattle Egret, Red Kite and 2 Pintail at Pilning Wetland. 1 Penduline Tit at Aust Wetland with the other 2 at Cake Pill in a mixed tit flock in scrub. Pretty amazing! #ukbirding

Merry Christmas! Can I just check - is this a stock photo? Would be very exciting if one of the Aust Pendulines was ringed...

A group of people celebrating at the pub

Happy Christmas from Severnside Ringing (birding/vismig) Group 🪶

Garganey

Unseasonal Garganey plus Ruff, Knot and 400 Black-tailed Godwit at Pilning Wetland. 2 Crossbill, male Goosander and 12 Brent Goose the best of the vismig at Aust. Looks like the Penduline Tit has moved on this morning #ukbirding

Absolute belter of a patch tick in the form of this Penduline Tit! On the reedy pool at the north end of Northwick Warth. Very grateful to the finders! #ukbirding

Belatedly back to Scilly again - 16 October we went to St. Martin's and had a lovely day's birding with plenty of migrants, the best of which were two red-breasted flycatchers both very showy and an absolute treat 😍 #UKBirding #Scillybirds @matthall95.bsky.social @oscardewhurst.bsky.social

Back from a week on Scilly 11-18th October with @matthall95.bsky.social @oscardewhurst.bsky.social @aravindramesh19.bsky.social. The first afternoon was a twitcher's dream on St. Agnes. Off the boat and to the nearest chicken coop for the 1st English record of mourning dove 😂 #UKbirding #ScillyBirds

Rosefinch at Porthellick beach

Spotted flycatcher at Porthellick Down

Leucistic pied wagtail at the riding stables

Rosy starling at Old Town

2nd day on Scilly (12th) w/ @matthall95.bsky.social @oscardewhurst.bsky.social @aravindsrinivas.bsky.social was quieter than the 'day of mourning' on Aggie, and around St. Mary's - highlights inc. rosefinch, rosy starling, spotted fly and a very cool leucistic pied wagtail #UKbirding #ScillyBirds

Mourning Dove

Eurasian Hoopoe

American (buff-bellied) Pipit

Spotted Sandpiper

Decent (!) day 1 on Scilly with a clean up job on Agnes - mourning dove present and correct, plus absurdly showy hoopoe, American pipit, spot sand and lap bunt. Not a bad start with @matthall95.bsky.social @oscardewhurst.bsky.social #ukbirding