Colin Davies
@coldav1.bsky.social
Reluctant Pennington Flash birder. NW birding in general, selective twitcher and cetacean enthusiast.
A blog post about finding the drake bufflehead at Foryd Bay on Wednesday colinsfieldnotes.blogspot.com/2026/01/buff...
#birdingwales ##RarebirdsUK ##BirdingUK
#birdingwales ##RarebirdsUK ##BirdingUK
Bufflehead, Foryd Bay
Field notes about birds and other wildlife in the UK, Europe and Australia. Based NW England...
colinsfieldnotes.blogspot.com
January 17, 2026 at 7:58 PM
A blog post about finding the drake bufflehead at Foryd Bay on Wednesday colinsfieldnotes.blogspot.com/2026/01/buff...
#birdingwales ##RarebirdsUK ##BirdingUK
#birdingwales ##RarebirdsUK ##BirdingUK
Lesser yellowlegs still River Clwyd at Rhyl at noon. In the marshy grasslands on the west side of the river just north of the pylons. #birdingwales #RarebirdsUK #BirdingUK
January 16, 2026 at 12:52 PM
Lesser yellowlegs still River Clwyd at Rhyl at noon. In the marshy grasslands on the west side of the river just north of the pylons. #birdingwales #RarebirdsUK #BirdingUK
Prior to today, the only bufflehead I had seen in the UK was rejected as a probable escape so well pleased to see this drake at Foryd Bay this morning, especially since there hadn't been any positive news since Saturday #BirdingUK #RarebirdsUK #BirdingWales
January 14, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Prior to today, the only bufflehead I had seen in the UK was rejected as a probable escape so well pleased to see this drake at Foryd Bay this morning, especially since there hadn't been any positive news since Saturday #BirdingUK #RarebirdsUK #BirdingWales
That'll do 😆. Bufflehead still north of hide on east side, Foryd Bay, with drake scaup #BirdingUK #RarebirdsUK #BirdingWales
January 14, 2026 at 11:14 AM
That'll do 😆. Bufflehead still north of hide on east side, Foryd Bay, with drake scaup #BirdingUK #RarebirdsUK #BirdingWales
Foryd Bay, Bufflehead again from hide on east side. Hoping for better views 😆 #BirdingUK #BirdingWales #RarebirdsUK
January 14, 2026 at 9:37 AM
Foryd Bay, Bufflehead again from hide on east side. Hoping for better views 😆 #BirdingUK #BirdingWales #RarebirdsUK
A grim start to the day at Penrhos, Anglesey, brightened by 3 Slavonian grebes together and 2 great northern divers #UKBirding
January 13, 2026 at 9:24 AM
A grim start to the day at Penrhos, Anglesey, brightened by 3 Slavonian grebes together and 2 great northern divers #UKBirding
Glazebury WWTW Culcheth, several chiffchaffs on the beds, inc. the bird in the photos which looks like tristis to me, though happy to hear opinions. There was definitely a tristis calling in the area but I just couldn't be sure that it was the bird in the photos #RareBirdsUK #CheshireBirding
January 9, 2026 at 1:16 PM
Glazebury WWTW Culcheth, several chiffchaffs on the beds, inc. the bird in the photos which looks like tristis to me, though happy to hear opinions. There was definitely a tristis calling in the area but I just couldn't be sure that it was the bird in the photos #RareBirdsUK #CheshireBirding
Pennington Flash with 95% ice cover at the moment but still holds 1st win drake scaup, 200 tufted ducks, 25 goldeneye, 35 pochard, 10 goosander, 150 teal, 80 shoveler and great white egret, plus lots of the usuals #PFBirding
January 6, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Pennington Flash with 95% ice cover at the moment but still holds 1st win drake scaup, 200 tufted ducks, 25 goldeneye, 35 pochard, 10 goosander, 150 teal, 80 shoveler and great white egret, plus lots of the usuals #PFBirding
Another exceptional day at Martin Mere today with ring-necked duck, glossy ibis & short-eared owl still present, plus the usual egrets and wildfowl. No sign of yesterdays Russian white-fronted geese but a fabulous partially leucistic reed bunting still at Janet Kear hide #WWTMM #LancsBirding
December 30, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Another exceptional day at Martin Mere today with ring-necked duck, glossy ibis & short-eared owl still present, plus the usual egrets and wildfowl. No sign of yesterdays Russian white-fronted geese but a fabulous partially leucistic reed bunting still at Janet Kear hide #WWTMM #LancsBirding
Pennington Flash, 1st winter scaup off the car park today, found by John Tymon at 10:00, and still present at 15:00 #PFBirding
December 30, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Pennington Flash, 1st winter scaup off the car park today, found by John Tymon at 10:00, and still present at 15:00 #PFBirding
Three Bewick's swans & a short-eared owl the highlights for me at Martin Mere today, with ring-necked duck & glossy ibis also still present. Both the swans & the owl were my first at #MMWWT since 2011. On 23/12/1990 I recorded 818 Bewick's on the reserve but those days have long gone #LancsBirding
December 28, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Three Bewick's swans & a short-eared owl the highlights for me at Martin Mere today, with ring-necked duck & glossy ibis also still present. Both the swans & the owl were my first at #MMWWT since 2011. On 23/12/1990 I recorded 818 Bewick's on the reserve but those days have long gone #LancsBirding
The glossy ibis at Martin Mere showed very well today from the Gordon Taylor hide, also ring-necked duck still at the Discovery hide and at least 1 Siberian chiffchaff at the sewage works #MMWWT ##LancsBirding
December 27, 2025 at 5:46 PM
The glossy ibis at Martin Mere showed very well today from the Gordon Taylor hide, also ring-necked duck still at the Discovery hide and at least 1 Siberian chiffchaff at the sewage works #MMWWT ##LancsBirding
Glossy Ibis from the Gordon Taylor hide at Martin Mere today. Also today, ring-necked duck still and water pipit. #MMWWT #LancsBirding
December 24, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Glossy Ibis from the Gordon Taylor hide at Martin Mere today. Also today, ring-necked duck still and water pipit. #MMWWT #LancsBirding
Today I got lucky with both the smew on Southport marine lake & snow goose at Marshside. The smew was virtually point blank range from Floral Hall car park & the snow goose was not much further away on Sutton Marsh. Both showed almost immediately with no hanging around 👌. #LancsBirding #Marshside
December 22, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Today I got lucky with both the smew on Southport marine lake & snow goose at Marshside. The smew was virtually point blank range from Floral Hall car park & the snow goose was not much further away on Sutton Marsh. Both showed almost immediately with no hanging around 👌. #LancsBirding #Marshside
A short video of a Mediterranean monk seal at Paphos headland, Cyprus a few days ago, one of an estimated 20-22 individuals in Cyprus, 350 in the eastern Med & 700 world wide. The camera moves off the seal occasionally because I was actually following a little gull at the time! 🤦♂️😆 #MarineMammals
December 21, 2025 at 8:27 PM
A short video of a Mediterranean monk seal at Paphos headland, Cyprus a few days ago, one of an estimated 20-22 individuals in Cyprus, 350 in the eastern Med & 700 world wide. The camera moves off the seal occasionally because I was actually following a little gull at the time! 🤦♂️😆 #MarineMammals
Ring-necked duck at Martin Mere this morning, bringing my #MMWWT total to 192 species. Likely the same bird that has spent the past 2 winters in St Helens & was originally seen at Mere Sands Wood in January 2024. #StHelensBirding #LancsBirding
December 21, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Ring-necked duck at Martin Mere this morning, bringing my #MMWWT total to 192 species. Likely the same bird that has spent the past 2 winters in St Helens & was originally seen at Mere Sands Wood in January 2024. #StHelensBirding #LancsBirding
Pallid harrier at Mandria this morning, and Isabelline shrike at Paphos headland #cyprusbirds
December 20, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Pallid harrier at Mandria this morning, and Isabelline shrike at Paphos headland #cyprusbirds
Finsch's wheatear, Kidasi, Diarizos Valley, Cyprus today. One of three #Cyprusbirds
December 18, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Finsch's wheatear, Kidasi, Diarizos Valley, Cyprus today. One of three #Cyprusbirds
On the face of it a video of a 1st win little gull at Paphos Headland today which is a decent enough record. The star of the video though is a Mediterranean monk seal in the bottom right on 8 secs & top on 13 secs. Cyprus population 20 - 22 individuals it's the rarest seal in the world! #Cyprusbirds
December 13, 2025 at 6:15 PM
On the face of it a video of a 1st win little gull at Paphos Headland today which is a decent enough record. The star of the video though is a Mediterranean monk seal in the bottom right on 8 secs & top on 13 secs. Cyprus population 20 - 22 individuals it's the rarest seal in the world! #Cyprusbirds
White-thoated kingfisher & Siberian pipit at Akrotiri Marsh this morning. I've seen the Kingfisher before in Kuwait and India but the pipit was new #cyprusbirds
December 12, 2025 at 11:35 AM
White-thoated kingfisher & Siberian pipit at Akrotiri Marsh this morning. I've seen the Kingfisher before in Kuwait and India but the pipit was new #cyprusbirds
Heuglin's (Siberian) gull, Mandria, Cyprus today. Wonderfully tatty! #Cyprusbirds
December 11, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Heuglin's (Siberian) gull, Mandria, Cyprus today. Wonderfully tatty! #Cyprusbirds
Delighted to find a long-tailed duck at Taylor Park this afternoon whilst taking 3 yr old grandchild to the swings. Eighth record for St Helens, I've now managed to find 3 of them. Previous finds at Eccleston Mere 2005 & Prescot reservoirs 2015. Next predicted sighting 2035 😆 #StHelenBirding
November 17, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Delighted to find a long-tailed duck at Taylor Park this afternoon whilst taking 3 yr old grandchild to the swings. Eighth record for St Helens, I've now managed to find 3 of them. Previous finds at Eccleston Mere 2005 & Prescot reservoirs 2015. Next predicted sighting 2035 😆 #StHelenBirding
Pennington Flash this morning, 59 pochard off the car park, apparently my largest flock ever at the Flash though I'm sure that must be more down to my under-recording in the 1980s & 90s. Certainly my largest flock this century. Also a build up of goldeneye today with 20 inc. 5 drakes. #PFBirding
November 15, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Pennington Flash this morning, 59 pochard off the car park, apparently my largest flock ever at the Flash though I'm sure that must be more down to my under-recording in the 1980s & 90s. Certainly my largest flock this century. Also a build up of goldeneye today with 20 inc. 5 drakes. #PFBirding
Barrow Lane this morning, 9 pink-footed geese in fields south of the road. Only one golden plover #StHelensBirding
November 15, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Barrow Lane this morning, 9 pink-footed geese in fields south of the road. Only one golden plover #StHelensBirding