A grey wagtail, it's beak full of insects, stands in the head of an unused Victoria drainpipe where is has built its nest. Above and around the pipe are the green leaves of an unknown climbing plant which provide cover for the nest.

The same grey wagtail in the same setting this time facing to the right with its headed tilted down as it feeds its young (which cannot be seen clearly as the rim of the head of the drainpipe hides them from view).

#BirdOfTheDay theme is #Insectivores so here's this grey wagtail its beak full of insects for its young in the nest it had built in an old drainpipe head outside the backdoor of a place we were staying at in the Peak District a few years ago.
#birds #photography

Thanks. Took it from the balcony of my hotel!

"The President's got this. I've got confidence in the President."

Thanks Alan.

Cheers Rob.

Thanks Rob.

Thank you. This was pretty lucky as I was trying to capture another bird in a tree behind me when I heard the swan taking off so I just turned and fired off a few shots. Luckily it produced this.

A male variable sunbird perched on a wire with its back to the camera its head and curved beak facing left. It clearly shows the bird's iridescent blue-green head and back plumage.

For the alt #BirdOfTheDay theme #Green a beautiful variable sunbird with its iridescent blue-green plumage.
#birds #photography

The shot shows a mute swan taking g off from the water of a canal with its feet causing splashes behind it as it paddles across the tope of the water. Its wings are in downward flap so the tips are touching the surface of the canal and it's whole body is reflected in the water's surface.

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #SplashingAround so here's a mute swan with a splashy take off.
#birds #photography

But that's the job of the messaging people who didn't used to exist to the extent that they do now.

Where I might agree is with the BBC coverage which has become noticeably more right wing coded since 2016. Though Wilson attacked the BBC for its Tory bias in the 1970s.

Wilson regarded a devious and cunning, Callaghan "crisis what crisis" (and possibly nearest thing to Starmer though more competent), Blair "devil eyes", Brown "sold all our gold" are whilst a few minor highlights of how the media treat Labour PMs/leaders.

Blair's initial few years are the only ones I can recall when it wasn't this negative.

All Labour govts and leaders get attacked like this, it's part of the political environment they face. Starmer's failure is in developing messaging that has hidden the positive things this govt is doing in favour of trying to get its enemies onside.

Is "don't ask, don't tell" the overarching policy approach with vetting?

In the bottom half of the picture a flock of Eurasian whimbrel fly from right to left (there are also five grey plovers fling in the far left of the shot). In teh lower background Faro Airport buildings and some planes can be seen in the distance, the top half of the background is a clear blue sky.

In this shot, a a group of eight pink-footed geeese a flying from left to right as they come to land in the long pale grass of Marshside reserve in Southport. Already on the ground to the right of the shot are a small group of the same birds. In teh distance at teh top of the frame we can see a thin sliver of the sea with pale blue sky above it.

#BirdOfTheDay alt theme #WhatTheFlock from me are a flock of Eurasian whimbrel (and five grey plovers) in flight, and a flock of pink-footed geese coming in to land.
#birds #photography

A blue tit is capture in the centre of the picture head on. It's perched in a possibly willow tree wth its legs spread wide between two twigs that have catkins in bloom which it is feeding from. The blue tit's blue cap is clearly visible along with its yellow breast, and white cheeks framed with a black mask.

#BirdOfTheDay theme is #Petals&Perches so here's a blue tit I captured last week feeding on some catkins.
#birds #photography

In close up a female mallard swims across a pond with the spring green of the surrounding trees reflected in the water. The mallard's body is reflected in the water showing clearly the mottled brown plumage and black bill of the bird.

For #MallardMonday this beautiful female mallard who was on our park pond this morning.
#Birds #Photography

Do you know what is was that it was trying to eat?

A male blackbird with a worm in its mouth is seen through the blur of a rtree in teh foreground.

#BirdOfTheDay alt theme is #Turdidae, but this combines both themes.
#birds #photography

A moorhen with bread in its beak stands on top of its nest in the middle of a pond. Three of its fluffy black chicks with red tipped beaks can be seen partially visible below it tucked inot the nest. The next has lots of sticks, twigs and leaves but aso what looks like plastic wrappers from sweets or ice-creams.

For today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #ComeEatWithMe here's a moorhen feeding its young with bread on our local park pond.
#birds #photography

A slightly blurred shot of an osprey flying with its wings spread and carrying a large fish in its claws.

I also really need that longer lens!

Fabulous shots and I am very envious of your backyard.

A close up shot of the head and neck of a Canada goose looking directly into the camera.

The alt #BirdOfTheDay theme is “CaptionThis”.

"You looking at me?"

An African pied wagtail struts along the balacony of a hotel next to a pool of watercasting its shadow onto the concrete floor.

A black-headed heron stands in long grass against a backdrop of green reed-like leaves, its neck curved in an s-shape and facing to the right of the frame.

A Western cattle egret stands on a dried mud bank with some thorny green bushes in the background. The bird's bright white plumage and sandy forehead can be clearly seen.

A dipper stands in the water of a fast flowing stream with a piece of nesting material in its beak. Its white chest is clearly displayed.

Today's theme for #BirdOfTheDay is #ABCD: an African pied wagtail, a black-headed heron, a Western cattle egret, and a dipper.
#birds #photography

Legal advisers help migrants pose as gay to get asylum, undercover BBC investigation finds The BBC exposes a shadow industry charging migrants thousands of pounds to help them cheat the asylum system.

Disgusting reporting by BBC using a tiny number of cases to suggest widespread abuse of a system which routinely denies LGBTQIA+ individuals asylum and forces them back into environments of persecution. This article massively distorts the reality of the situation. 1/
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Composite Photo by Kort Duce An American robin perches atop a sign in Longmont, Colorado. In this vertical color photograph, an old city sign fills the frame, with the bird standing on its upper edge. A graphic logo has been added by the photographer reading “Birders Against Trump.” Within the logo are three stylized birds of varying sizes, each formed in the shape of a raised middle finger. The original bird design was sourced online, while the color scheme and size variations were created in Adobe Photoshop. The background consists of softly blurred tree foliage.

An American robin perches atop a sign in Longmont, Colorado.

• Composite photograph—see alt text for more information.

#BirdOfTheDay #birds #birdphotography #photography #photograph #photographs #photo #photos #robin #robins #sign #signs #composite

The cover of Private Eye magazine for the week of the 17th April 2026. The headline reads "Hungary: Orban Loses Historical Election" above a picture of Victor Orban, former Hungarian Prime Minister, with USA Vice-President Vance, out of whose mouth a speech bubble reads "Who says America can't achieve regime change". Below the picture a strap line reds "Huge Triumph for MAGA (surely Magyar? Ed.)

Excellent as ever from @privateeyenews.bsky.social.

Thanks Justine.

In the foreground of the shot a mute swan is shown, wings out and flapping, paddling angrily across the water towards another mute swan. The latter swan is trying to take off across the surface of the water in the background of the shot from right to left in an attempt to escape from the angry swan that is attacking it.

And for #BirdOfTheDay alt theme #CourtshipOrConflict a couple of a swan battle.
#birds #photography