Ring Ouzel on the patch this morning, highlight of the local birding year so far. Reed Warbler also fresh in, seems like one of a number that appeared in Kent today #kentbirding #ukbirding

Short-tailed (Mourning) Babbler was a lifer for me having managed to miss it on my previous trip

There wasn't exactly a lot of activity to keep me entertained whilst waiting for the Argus to appear, but this White-rumped Shama gave it a go

I followed up the night birding with a long morning at the Merapoh gate of Taman Negara. Quantity was low as I was focused on a limited list of targets, with the standout being the male Great Argus that regularly comes to a feeding spot #birds

What a bird!

Thermaling picked up a few roosting birds, including this Black-and-white Bulbul, actually rarely recorded in this part of the forest

Roosting Rufous-tailed Tailorbird

After a transfer to KL for work, I was able to get to the Merapoh side of Taman Negara for a session of nightbirding. Large Frogmouth was the main target, and didn't disappoint. I was also delighted to get Oriental Bay Owl - a bird I've heard at least 6 of before. What a diff a thermal makes! #birds

Yellow Bitterns were quite common and very confiding

Blue-tailed Bee-eaters were common, as in so many parts of SE Asia

Blue-throated Bee-eaters were also relatively common, a species I haven't encountered as frequently as Blue-tailed

Black-naped Orioles were everywhere

Pre-work visits to the Gardens in the Bay afforded 3x brief views of Red-legged Crake, a big target for me. Otherwise it was pleasant birding with a number of common species very accustomed to humans and therefore allowing close approach. All the photos are uncropped #birds #singapore

MNH at Singapore Botanic Gardens, 8th March

Always a treat to see a pitta. Hooded Pitta, Singapore Botanic Gardens 8th March

This distant male Cinnamon-headed Green-Pigeon at Palau Ubin was a big highlight of my visit there, along with Blue-winged Pitta. However both were outshone by a male Jambu Fruit-Dove!

A week of work split between Singapore and KL did at least allow me some birding at each end of the week. In Singapore, Malayan Night Heron, Blue-winged Pitta, Red-legged Crake and Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon were great, (and hoped for), but a Jambu Fruit-Dove was even better!

I’ve spent far too much time this week staring at these bushes at Seasalter. Male Hen Harrier passing through yesterday was lovely, but not the hoped for rare Asian thrush… #kentbirding #ukbirding

I thought this exact thing the other day John, particularly when the Pallid at Margate had a Common Swift companion. I won’t be the one identifying a Plain Swift however!

After all the Kent action yesterday, today felt a bit 'after the lord mayor's show'. However I did enjoy the very showy Dusky found by the Andys yesterday, followed by distant views of the Pallid Swift. A mooch around Margate Cemetery produced 1 YBW and 3 Bramblings with the Chaffs #kentbirding

Shockingly bad pick of one of the YBWs at King George VI Park

Pallas's Leaf Warbler, always lovely to see

PLW

After failing to find my own YBW in Tivoli Park in Margate, I was at least only 3 mins away from a newly found Red-flanked Bluetail. Unfortunately, it was never seen again after the initial sighting, altho 2 YBWs were present. The Pallas's in Ramsgate was more obliging #kentbirding #ukbirding

Finally a good Autumn morning on the patch today, with Woodlark over calling, numerous Redpoll and Redwing (both first of the Autumn) and a female Wigeon (scarce on the patch). The unusual LBBG (3CY?) reappeared after a two week absence; could it have some Herring in it? #kentbirding #ukbirding

Still not much evidence of Autumn movement locally here in Marden, with the exception of flocks of Siskins starting to appear in the last week along with Mipits starting to increase #kentbirding #ukbirding

Terrible shot of the AGP; distant, hazy, blah blah. BB Sand was just too far for my point and shoot.

23/9: I was tempted to go & see the AGP at Jury's Gap even though it was the wrong side of the border, but when a BB Sand turned up it tipped the scales. Had good if distant scope views of the Sandpiper; after scanning for ages for the AGP it finally flew in with 5 Europeans. Not quite #kentbirding

Where? And is it still present please?

A large flock of White Storks was video'd and put on the local wildlife FB page asking for ID. I didn't catch up with those so it was nice when it turned out what must've been 6 of the flock dropped in to the patch. Presumably they had roosted the night before and stayed for a couple of hours before heading off SW. Knepp birds or not, decent to see

The only Wheatear on the patch all year!

Barn Owl at dawn on one of the local wildlife friendly farms. Those fence lines usually turn up a small number of Whinchat, but not this year (so far anyway)

Work & family life has been busy recently restricting local birding. But it's been quiet even when out, just 1 each of Wheatear, Common Redstart & Whinchat locally this Autumn; I'd normally expect multiples across the various local sites. A few highlights from last 3 weeks: #kentbirding #ukbirding

The patch has been busy the last couple of weeks with lots of warblers and the odd Greenshank dropping in, but nothing outstanding or too unusual. The highlight this morning was this distant Osprey, picked up by @alpavey.bsky.social which came through and drifted off north #kentbirding #ukbirding

Greater Short-toed Lark over Foundation Farm in Marden just after midday today. Picked up when I heard a call I couldn’t initially place, then flew overhead west calling twice more. To say it was a shock is a bit of an understatement! #kentbirding #ukbirding

We don't get many Dippers in Kent (and I still need it as a Kent tick!) so it was nice to get such good views of an adult and a juv along the River Frome in Stroud, Gloucs, earlier this week #ukbirding

Down in Porto Petro in the south. Not been (or going) to any of the traditional sites in the NE

‘Mediterranean’ Spotted Flycatcher, now re-lumped following the introduction of AviList, are arguably the most numerous passerine. Absolutely everywhere

Audouin’s Gulls act like Herrings and BHs back home, stealing chips from holidaymakers…

Currently on Majorca - not really doing any birding being on honeymoon but still managed to eke out a Balearic Warbler, my first since 1999. The local form of Crossbill seems quite numerous, unlike the endemic ssp of Blue Tit which seems very scarce, at least here in the south

The Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler at Dunge was the very definition of highly elusive; despite singing regularly I managed 3 views (2 in flight and one very brief perched) in 3.5 hours. Nice to get both Bonelli sp in Kent in the same month #kentbirding

Ouch! The dangers of not knowing what is under a puddle…

Thanks I’ll see if I can dig it out. I think Bob Flood is on that FB group so may see if I can get him to look at it. The other photos I’ve got don’t add anything but I’ll have a look tomorrow night and happy to share

I think the moult matches better for Barolo (according to Birds of the World they go through wing moult in May but Boyd’s is later). I have posted the shot (plus another one - probably worse quality though) to the FB Pelagic birds group and one guy - Hugo Blanco - has come back saying Barolo

I know, and the dark face threw me at the time. The other two I saw had clearer white faces. I had no experience of the ‘Little’ Shearwater complex prior to Saturday but immediately started looking up Boyd’s when I saw how far the dark extended.

African Blue Tit of the form degener, only present on Fuerteventura and Lanzarote

Cream-coloured Courser - this bird was one of a pair, with a chick, that I found

Mediterranean Short-toed Lark, of the nominate form (that is endemic to the Canaries)

Great Grey Shrike, of the form koenigi, again endemic to the Canaries

Finally, a few of the other species encountered on Fuerteventura

18/05 After the Chat, my most wanted birds on Fuerteventura were African Houbara and Red-billed Tropicbird, both of which had performed exceptionally by 9am, leaving me the rest of the day to reacquaint myself with some of the other desert species

17/05 I had a little daylight left on Fuerteventura so took the time to catch up with the number one target, Fuerteventura Chat, at the Barranco de Rio Cabras, several of which performed exceptionally well

Barolo Shearwater

Bulwer's Petrel

Cory's Shearwater

I took the slow ferry from Las Palmas, GC, to Puerto del Rosario, Fuerteventura, with the hope of seeing some seabirds. My hopes were exceeded with 1 White-faced Storm-petrel, 3 Barolo's Shearwaters, 21 Bulwer's Petrels plus the more expected 100s of Cory's Shearwaters