A group photo of sixteen birders standing on a new path in Bucklebury Common (well, one of them is kneeling like it's a team shot of Queen of the South) they're dressed for a chilly April morning, most of them are looking at the camera, smiling. They're all kitted out with boots, binoculars and a few scopes and cameras. They look like a friendly bunch.

Great turnout for the joint NDOC/BOC walk at Bucklebury Common on Sunday am. We had good views of some of the site's specialist birds and were glad we'd made the effort.
Consider joining us next time - we're quite a friendly bunch. details of the programme on our website (link in bio).
#berksbirds

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

Redpoll perched in an alder tree

A lovely redpoll from this morning. Also saw my first sand martins, willow warbler and swallow of the year. #ukbirds #berksbirds

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

Lesser spotted woodpecker on a lichen covered branch

Lesser spotted woodpecker upside down on a branch

Lesser spotted woodpecker on a branch

Amazing views of this lesser spotted woodpecker at Moor Green lakes today! It called twice too! #ukbirds #berksbirds cc @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

#berksbirds #birdphotography #ukbirding

The 2026 photo competition results night is on Wed 4 March. See shortlisted work in three categories: Flight/action, Portrait, and Birds in Berkshire.
All welcome, in Room 109 in the Palmer Building, at 7.30pm - or join remotely via Zoom, using this link: bit.ly/4lrQGl8

#berksbirds
#birdphotography

A lovely afternoon to be out. This phone-scoped Treecreeper at Bottom Lane gravel pit sat motionless for a couple of minutes (perhaps hoping I hadn't spotted it). Lots of Siskin still around too.

#berksbirds

A flock of gulls on the water mostly black-headed in various plumages and one Mediterranean gull (just left of middle top, head pointing left)

Played Where's Wally at Lea Farm Lake yesterday searching for a Mediterranean gull that was eventually found amongst a mixed gull flock on the water. Got this terrible picture of it! 🤣 #ukbirds #berksbirds

Nothing new for the year but a few delightful sights in the village this week:
1. Brambling
2. Redpoll
3. Siskin
4. Firecrest
5. Bullfinch

#berksbirds #mortimerbigyear

Anticipating Ken and Linda Smith's talk tonight at @berksbirdclub.bsky.social on Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers.
Here's my 2020 woodcut monoprint on vintage wallpaper, about their decline since the wallpaper was made - from a series shown in So'ton and Reading.
@lesserspotnet.bsky.social
#berksbirds

Female goosander rising out of the water stretching her wings on a lake

Tawny owl looking sleepy roosting in a hole in a tree during the daytime

A female goosander trying to impress a male and a sleepy tawny owl in its usual spot at Moor Green #ukbirds #berksbirds

A far away female smew on a lake in front of some submerged branches

This female smew was a treat for Berkshire #ukbirds #berksbirds

A peregrine falcon in flight against a grey sky

One of Reading's peregrines which was worrying pigeons and gulls over county lock/Oracle car park. The other one was perched up on St Giles church spire #ukbirds #berksbirds

Brent Goose (dark-bellied) in a neighbouring parish this morning. My 201st bird species in Berkshire, 88th Berkshire bird this year.
Found, as usual, by Andy Merrick.
#berksbirds

The village pond was looking wonderful in a rare spell of sunshine yesterday. My Mortimer parish boundary bird list for 2026 currently stands at 61. A lot more fieldwork to do to reach my 100 target for the year but it is just good to be out and exploring the woods, lanes and footpaths.
#berksbirds

Male black redstart in a tree

Male black redstart perched on a post in front of a tree

Then a quick pit stop at Green Park to try to see the black redstart that I missed on Monday #ukbirds #berksbirds

Three meadow pipits on a branch in a favoured tree

Two foxes on a scrubby bank

Dunnock in brambles

Had a lovely visit to Moor Green this morning. Saw fieldfare, redwing, linnet, redpoll, meadow pipits, skylark, egrets with all the usual ducks and geese - 47 species in total! Also saw these lovely foxes! #ukbirds #berksbirds

#berksbirds

And so it begins. First strokes of a new reduction woodcut for the proposed series of twelve red-listed birds from my home village. Part of an expansive year-long project of collaboration, fieldwork and writing about the natural history of Stratfield Mortimer.
#mortimerbigyear, #woodcut #berksbirds

An outdoor group photograph of thirteen people of various ages, mostly looking at the photographer and smiling. The majority are female. Everyone is in cold weather gear in a range of colours, pinks, greens and blues, wellies or boots. No camo. They are mostly wearing binoculars. Beside the group is a spotting scope on a tripod. They are standing on a grassy track beside a lake edged by wintery leafless willows.

Last Saturday's Intro to Berkshire Birding walk explored Woolhampton gravel pit. The River Kennet had risen, closing off some of the route but the group still found interesting birds, including Pintail, Kingfisher and Mandarin.
Join us on a future walk - programme on our website.
#berksbirds

Record shot of two first-winter White-fronted geese among the Greylag flock just down the road from home. Found by Andy Merrick (as usual). Cattle Egret and Little Egret feeding the other side of the road. And a Great White Egret a few fields west.
#berksbirds

We have no standing water in the village but after heavy rain one of our low lying fields becomes a lake and the waterbirds turn up pretty quickly. It's not deep enough for diving ducks but the dabblers love it. There were also 112 Lapwing there this morning.
#berksbirds

Red kite perched in a dead tree

Sometimes the light makes it look like you've generated the shot but this a just a red kite in a tree near Ron's hide by Lea Farm Lake in Berkshire #ukbirds #berksbirds

First Crossbills of the year quarter of a mile from my front door.
#berksbirds #lowcarbonbirding #birdsofmortimer

BOC members started the year with a walk at Moor Green Lakes on Friday, led by Elaine Charlson. 53 species were spotted. Many Siskin, a few Redwing & Fieldfare, the obliging Tawny Owl, and the site's winter speciality: Goodander.
Join us on a future free field trip. All welcome.
#berksbirds

My New Year walk around the village yesterday morning produced some early Hazel catkins and 44 bird species, including Kingfisher, Yellowhammer, Redwing and a flock of 50 Linnet. I didn't see Coal Tit, Mistle Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Chiffchaff or Firecrest but they're all there to be seen.
#berksbirds

The Massive Marshian Stomp on Fobney Marsh this morning, opening up another area for winter wildfowl, enabling a variety of habitats at Fobney Marsh, Reading. Happy Solstice! 🦆

#masstrespass #berksbirds

15 people joined today's final BOC field trip of 2025, beside the Kennet and round Moatlands pit. This Fox was a highlight and at least 41 bird species, including Kingfisher, Stonechat, Siskin, Redwing and Kestrel.

Join our free events in the New Year. berksoc.org.uk/club-news/pr...

#berksbirds

Come to the Club's Christmas social on Wednesday 17 December, 7.30pm for tasty seasonal refreshments, a quiz, unique poems from John, and a short talk from David Massie on a trip to Vietnam.
Room G44, Edith Morley Building

Or stay in and join on Zoom from 7.15pm: bit.ly/4lrQGl8 **

#berksbirds