Oh and an unforgettable Shag.

A 3 hour sea-watch at North Foreland this morning produced Black-throated Diver, 18 Common Scoter, Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2auk sp, lots of Gannets, Wheatear and hirundines. All in the company of very experienced local birders.
#kentbirding

One of the two PurpleSands among the Turnstones at North Foreland this morning, thanks to @eastkentbirder.bsky.social for finding them. I risked my neck leaning over the railings but worth it for a year-tick. Several passing Gannets, Med Gulls and hirundines. A pleasant couple of hours.
#kentbirding

It was an early bird. Three Wheatear on Kingsgate golf course, a busy Garden Warbler, singing Chiffchaff, and 3 Whitethroat on the walk to Foreness Point. Merlin suggested a Richard's Pipit but I could only hear a feisty House Sparrow.
Not much out to sea.
#kentbirding
@kentishplover.bsky.social

A few days in Margate this weekend with time for some sea-watching off Foreness Point.
Highlights so far include Fulmar, Sandwich Terns and 21 Little Gulls passing east at 7pm. Hoping some good passage birds will appear over the next 3 mornings.
#kentbirding #ukbirding
@kentishplover.bsky.social

A pair of Garganey yesterday at Welney @wwtworldwide.bsky.social
Fortunately for her, the drake was pretty quick on the job.
An elusive pair of Tree Sparrows finally showed up at 4.45 after the dominant House Sparrows had quietened down a bit.
Cafe serves an excellent pastie too.

#birdinguk

The village year total is creeping up with this week's addition of Swallow, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Woodlark bringing my to #76.
#berksbirds #lowcarbonbirding

Climate change is driving Emperor Penguins to extinction in Antarctica.

Bird conservation orgs are calling for govts to decarbonise while promoting ultra-high carbon tours to the same place to their members.

It’s almost abusive.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

An oak tree stands alone in a field where wheat has started to grow. There is a mainly clear blue sky with a few wispy clouds. Beyond the tree a hedgerow runs parallel with the horizon and a few oak trees stand on the horizon at the top of a slope. A footpath runs from the foreground, up the middle of the field passing the oak and vanishing over the brown of the hill. Stratfield Mortimer at its finest spring brightness.

My 72nd bird in the village this year was Mandarin Duck. A pair flew along the hedgerow down the slope in this photo.
I've been out daily looking for Wheatear or other migrants, without success so far. They're just down the road but I'm hoping they'll visit my patch.

#ukbirding
#lowcarbonbirding

PM risks Trump’s wrath as he ‘refuses to allow US to use UK bases to strike Iran’ Refusing to allow US permission for strikes on civilian infrastructure is likely to worsen already fractious relations between Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

A trip to the Fens today to collect Mum for her Easter hols was a good excuse to call in at Welney @wwtworldwide.bsky.social where I cut my birding teeth as a teenager.
Highlights included 12 Common Crane, a Spoonbill, a couple of Ruff among the hundreds of Blackwits.
#ukbirding

It took me a few seconds as I've only just woken up. Indoor loos. What's not to like?

Caddis larvae from a pond-dip yesterday.

#pondlife

Brown Hare, Yellowhammer (3 singing males) and a water louse from a pond dip in the village yesterday. A flock of c70 Fieldfare was a highlight of the day.

#berksbirds #lowcarbonbirding

Actual headline: “Corruption and selling the UK out to foreign interests could be blocked in blow to Reform UK.”

Fine day out at Stanpit Marsh and Hengistbury Head on Monday with friends from NDOC and @berksbirdclub.bsky.social
I noted 52 species and added Shag and Wheatear to my year list (127, of which 71 in my home village). The Stonechats, Dartford Warblers and Greenfinches were delightful.

#ukbirding

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If Britain and our allies help Trump get out of the mess he's in now, then he'll move on to Cuba... and Greenland, and God knows what else... and will demand we go along on that ride too.

I led a @berksbirdclub.bsky.social trip to Titchfield Haven today. Highlights included a gorgeous huddle of 90+ Sanderling on the beach, lots of Mediterranean Gulls, Marsh Marigold and a drake Goosander. Avocets, Blackwits and 2 pairs of Marsh Harriers were around all day.
#ukbirding #hantsbirds

Thank you! I will update where I can (no edit function on Bluesky yet). We're having another go at the Skunk Cabbage this week and will have to repeat regularly.

I popped into Pop Classics in Caversham yesterday and picked up a copy of Taking Timbuktu. Great shop (good quality stock but a bit expensive)👍🏻

Digging up invasive Skunk Cabbage from a wet woodland in the village this week. Lots of progress but there's more to do.
Scarlet Cup and Blackthorn noticed during the morning.

#conservation #invasivespecies

You're welcome Jonathan. I need to track down a copy of Talking Timbuktu...but will listen on 'Spotty-Fi' in the meantime.

He opened up dialogue with some great musicians. I'd love to have both of those in my collection. And Buena Vista Social Club of course.

They're dusty and eclectic American folk/blues but I have a soft spot for them. Ditty Wah Ditty is one of my all time favourite tracks, maybe because of Earl 'Fatha' Hines' joyous piano playing. It's one of my desert island disks.

My favourite Cooder albums are Paradise & Lunch, and Into The Purple Valley. I have those on vinyl for playing in my studio.

Brilliant. When I was a teenager, about 1981, I saw Ry at Victoria Apollo, on the Borderline tour. Superb musician.

A poster showing two Black-tailed Godwits in flight, with the details of the Berkshire Ornithological Club talk on Wednesday 18th March 2026, 7.30pm. Palmer Building 109, Whiteknights Campus, University of Reading. There is a Zoom link for people who can't attend in person: http://bit.ly/4lrQGl8

Our next FREE meeting is on Wed 18 March, 7.30pm.
Professor Jenny Gill, will talk about her research into godwit conservation.
How do we know where and when we should target conservation actions to be most effective?

Non-members welcome, in person or via Zoom: bit.ly/4lrQGl8.

#ornithology

Winners in the 'Birds in Berkshire' category of the photo competition.
1st place: Great Crested Grebes, by Sue Truby
2nd place: Long-tailed Tit, by David Massie
Commended: Crossbill, by John Absolon

Thanks to Rob Still for being our judge and to the members who submitted their brilliant photos.

There were three Greylag in the mist this morning. The first I've seen in the parish this year (we don't have enough standing water to float a Goose).