Nothing new this weekend around the Ross on Wye patch but Marsh Tit still in Pengethley grove a promising sign, a stunning adult tiercel Peregrine over, a good count of 14 Teal at Backney and 3 Wigeon on an unlikely pond, and song increasing.The little surprises that make #patchbirding rewarding
Posts by Dan Webb
Two nice wanders around the Ross on Wye patch this weekend yielded a pair of Marsh Tits in a woodland where they have been conspicuous by their absence in recent years. Followed by the greyest of Chiffs that merrily called a standard collybitta call🧐 #pwc2026
Beautiful crisp morning on foot around the Ross on Wye patch with 2 Bramblings, adult male Gos and Peregrine new for #PWC2026, also flock of 9 Cormorants heading west presumably cold weather movement #patchbirding
The Ross on Wye 10km got off to an incredible start with a Jack Snipe flushed from the bank of the Wye after failing with this species last year, also a Woodcock amongst 45 species
A last ditch effort to get on equal terms with @williamlambourne.bsky.social for @patchbirding.bsky.social 2025 failed but a Gadwall is as only the third on patch this year. Finished on 120 species, ready to start again tomorrow! Hope that Gadwall is still there🤞#patchbirding
Checked a couple of cover strips around the Ross on Wye patch at Sellack today, poor totals with 1 Brambling, 15 Yellowhammers, 14 Reed Buntings, c.150 Chaffinches, 20 Linnets. Must be some decent flocks somewhere locally. Nuthatches tuning up and Coots back on breeding pond #patchbirding
Slow again around the Ross on Wye patch with the highlights of the last two days being 176 Lapwing at Baysham, single Hawfinch at Walford Church with 40 Greenfinches and 2 Blackcaps, the Pools held 3 Wigeon and 20 Greylags but no other grey geese #patchbirding
A further uptick in interest on the Ross on Wye patch the last couple of days with 2 Shoveler, 26 Teal, 1 GWE, 12 Little Egrets, 1 Lapwing and 1 Snipe at Backney, 6 Blackcaps in Walford Church, 3 Wigeon and 27 Goosanders at Walford Pools #patchbirding
Following a few quiet few weeks around the Ross on Wye patch the easterlies brought a small arrival this morning with 70 Lapwings (14 grounded, 56 SE), 3 Golden Plover SE and an increase in Common Gulls #patchbirding
Chiffchaff at Ross STW, still nominate form although a touch different from the others present
Minimum of 16 Chiffs at Ross STW but nothing obviously grey, with the photographed bird being the only noticeable bird although still quite green. Also 5 Blackcaps, 6 Goldcrests, 23 Pied and 2 Grey Wags #patchbirding
Spain’s marine protected areas (MPAs) are still being decimated by bottom trawling.
We took legal action last year but Spain has issued more fishing licenses for bottom trawling inside these MPAs since then.
So we’re going back to court with @oceanaeurope.bsky.social to protect these zones.
Cley Seawatch 7.10-10.30 highlight 5 Bonxie E, 2 Arctic Skua E, 98 Kittiwakes E, 60 Little Gulls E, 5 GND E, 29 RTD E/W, 7 Eider W, 45 Scoter, 15 Brent W, 2 Goldeneye W, 1 Barnacle E, 8 Shoveler W, 7 Teal W, 6 Wigeon W, 1 Commic Tern E #norfolkbirding
Decent seawatch at Cley this morning with wildfowl arriving, highlights included 637 Brent W, 342 Scoter mainly W, 1 fem LT Duck E, 2 Eider E, 7 RB Merg W, 5 Goldeneye E/W, 235 Teal, 26 Shoveler, 3 Pintail, 69 Wigeon, 20 Little Gulls, 1 GND and 1 Arctic Skua #norfolkbirding
When I manage to move to Winterton @patrickgoffin1965.bsky.social we’ll start constructing a seawatch shelter😂. Perhaps elevated with a causeway to give it longevity?
Two adult Caspian Gulls at Cley
Fantastic and atmospheric gull roost at Cley this evening in wild conditions, highlights were 9 Caspians (6 adult/nr adult), 3 1st winter), adult female Yellow-legged Gull, intermedius LBBG, several argentatus HG and 2 Med Gulls #norfolkbirding
Quite a bit Tim, visibility down to 500 metres at time. Giving it another go shortly. Good luck this weekend🤞
Cley Seawatch this am highlights included 18 Little Gulls E, 553 Kittiwakes E, 2 Bonxie E, c.80 GBBGull E, 99 DB Brents W, 118 Scoter mainly W, 57 Teal mainly W, 2 RB Merg W, 1 Goosander W and 12 Wigeon W #norfolkbirding
Hi John, I hope you’re well. Thanks for the info. Do you have the recording of the black redstart? It’s a description species in Herefordshire and we like to get all the records we can.
3 Great White Egrets migrating over Marcle Ridge
The Woodpigeon flood was in full flow at Marcle Ridge this morning with 58,700 SW a new site and county record, also another good movement of 1068 Starlings WSW, 4 Bramblings, 52 Chaffinches, 58 Redwings and 4 GWE (3,1) all WSW #patchbirding
Some of the 1400 plus Starlings through Marcle Ridge this morning with @williamlambourne.bsky.social
The arrival of Starlings to the east coast yesterday reached Marcle Ridge this morning with 1450 WSW in tight knit flocks low passed the watchpoint, one of the best migration spectacles! Also 17,700 Woodpigeons SW, 7 Brambling, 150 Chaffinches, Crossbills and 2 tardy Red Admirals SW #patchbirding
Another site record count today with 111 Greenfinches SW through Marcle Ridge (unlikely to have been a post-roost dispersal), also 227 Starlings WSW, 190 Redwings S/WSW, 48 Chaffinches WSW, 1 Brambling heard going over and a trickle of 950 Woodpigeons the highlights #patchbirding
A record count of 1069 Chaffinches WSW through Marcle Ridge this am, also 4400 Woodpigeons, 276 Starlings, 55 Fieldfares, 44 Redwings, 6 SongT, 3 Crossbills and 3 Redpoll the highlights with @williamlambourne.bsky.social #patchbirding
First visit to Walford Pools, Ross on Wye for a while yielded an adult drake Wigeon the first of the autumn on patch, 2 Teal, 15 Tufted Duck, 95 Mallard, 31 Coot, 1 Common Sand, Crossbill over calling and 2 Peregrines #patchbirding
Yesterday seawatch from Strumble Head slightly underwhelming yielded 1 Sooty Shearwater, 6 Manx, 1 GND, 2 RTD, 1 Arctic Skua, 4 pale-bellied Brent, 75 Scoter, 2 Eider, 1 RB Merganser, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Gulls, 1500 Kittiwakes, 3000 Guillemot/Razorbills and 8 Med Gulls south #ukbirding
Woodies not in full flood at Marcle Ridge yet with only 5,400 SW, also 125 Chaffinches WSW, 9 Siskin SW/NW, 3 Redpoll WSW, 2 Dunnocks SW, 23 Greenfinches SW, 22 Linnets SW, 1 Crossbill SW (2 present), 1 Reed Bunt SW, 83 Starlings WSW, 2 albas SW and 4 Skylarks SW #patchbirding
Steady at Marcle Ridge with surprisingly few Redeings and Chaffinches, vismig highlights included 291 Fieldfares WSW/E, 57 Redwings NW, 7 Song Thrush SW/NW, 277 Starlings WSW/WNW, 26 Crossbills S/NW, 1 Brambling WNW, 3 Coal Tits S and 2 Egyptian Geese with @williamlambourne.bsky.social #patchbirding
A patch mega with Cattle Egret NW over Marcle Ridge, otherwise quiet with 14 Crossbills SE, 55 Redwings SW/NW and a slow flow of Continental Chaffinches and Starlings #patchbirding
Fabulous day with @williamlambourne.bsky.social on Marcle Ridge vismig with Continental migration getting flowing. Highlights included 394 Redwings, 58 Fieldfares, 219 Starlings, 6 Bramblings, 198 Chaffinches, 2 Hawfinches, 18 Redpolls, 5 Snipe and 2 Golden Plover #patchbirding
Marcle Ridge vismig suffering in the high pressure doldrums however an apparent fall of 23 Chiffs and 15 Goldcrests flicking through the bracken and bushes as I walked to the viewpoint, overhead 115 Skylarks SW were a surprise in the conditions #patchbirding