Apologies, Warks. The excitement got to me.

I don’t normally get too excited about Hooded Merganser, but what with all the Yanks around the country at the minute, you can’t just help thinking that this is a good one. Happy to spent a little time with it this morning. Staffs!

He is out cooling you mate!

A rarity this year!

No birding for me this weekend due to having mom in hospital for the last two weeks. She is at home now making good progress on recovery! 91 not out and counting.

A regional day in Worcestershire, started with a a possible 5 target species. Only one seen which is probably the trickiest bird of the lot with a pair of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. @ochrurosbirder.bsky.social

That will drop the level of birders there 😂

Naughty clean up Leicestershire day.American Wigeon, Smew Eyebrook. R N Grebe and Kittiwake at Rutland. LT Duck at Watermead CP and Lesser Scaup at Swithland. @ochrurosbirder.bsky.social

Quick look at Holyhead harbour produced 1 Black, 1 Common Guillemot and a Razorbill. Finished at Moelfre where masses of auks around the island inc a few Black Guillemot. Gannets, Kittiwakes, RT Diver and Common Scoters were offshore too.

Morning on Anglesey before driving home. Wild start with lovely rough seas. 24 Purple Sands and GN Diver in Trearddur Bay, searched for Chough to no avail around the ranges and South Stack, weird that!!!

Much better access via the footpath off the main road, no need for wellies. 5 mins walk!

Holyhead harbour never fails to impress. Point blank Black Guillemot, 2 Razorbill, 2 Great Northern Diver and a few Shag.

Preplanned weekend trip to Anglesey. Don’t mind if I do, Bufflehead in the southern section on Lyn Caron. My third in the UK, even got my name on in Staffs!

Scary has to how in my time most were all rarities when I first went in the early 90’s

Trip just into Somerset. Good views of the Kentish Plover at Burnham at last, RN Grebe dip at Cheddar, struggled with the RN Duck (not) at Chew and sneaked in a Common Sandpiper tick back on the Severn! 100 Common Gull counted at Chew! @ochrurosbirder.bsky.social

Add Water Pipit, lots of Common Scoter, RT Divers, RB Mergansers and common waders. Always plenty to see.

Quick trip in Wales. Drake Surf Scoter, Black Redstart (two attempts) and Lesser Yellowlegs showed nicely. Forgot to pack my camera!

Please don’t judge me! Loving life down south. @ochrurosbirder.bsky.social

We also visited the Willow Tits, probably rarer than Shorelark now. Decided to micro twitch the Grey Partridge at Whitemoor!

A trip just over the border into Cheshire this morning for the Shorelark that is loving life under the Old Man of Mow at Mow Cop. Showed really well too.

Couple of eye openers there! Little Bittern stands out. Greater legs seem to have been replaced with Lesser nowadays.

Good point, I don’t know tbh. Have to keep my eye on that. Wild birds away from the north is something I’ve never thought about. Wonder what Scott would have made of the Ruddy Duck cull?

Your lucky! Call me a purist or something, I don’t like man’s intervention tbh, what will be will be! I suppose we caused most the reintroductions in the first place. Twite is the next one they are playing with..

Quick question for you!

What do people make of Barnacle Geese south of their usual wintering grounds! Take the Slimbridge birds feeding on the Dumbles, wild or feral populations? I remember the ringed birds in Staffs from the Svalbard population. So folk just tick em now like feral pigeon on Bubo!

That’s a first in UK for me, a 4 Blackcap day on January.

I saw them distantly from the sea wall and we had to walk down to North Fambridge to make sure! My late father loved birding there with me, his favourite species were Divers. We saw Black and Red- throated but not GND there. Sis lives elsewhere now and I miss my visits

Used to go there when my sister lived in the cottage by Marsh Farm. I go back before they sorted the drainage and the wader roost was at the bottom of the garden. Remember finding 2 Velvet Scoter and a few divers.

Likewise! LEO won today, sun was a real issue all day, not complaining about that though, much nicer than rain..

Hope to do more posts in 2026. #birding