Mark James Pearson
banner
markthebirder.bsky.social
Mark James Pearson
@markthebirder.bsky.social
Yorkshire-based birder, ecologist, guide, writer, speaker, educator, comms for conservation orgs. #ZeissBirding. He/Him. Birding - Northernrustic.blogspot.com / Music - morningbride.bandcamp.com
A couple of days on the coast: happy to find Dusky Warbler, two Northern Bullfinches, Firecrest, Ring Ouzels, three Yellow-brows & more at Filey, with plenty on following days, inc Pallas's, Snow Bunts, and a nocmig Hawfinch at Flamborough. More: northernrustic.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
November 12, 2025 at 11:35 AM
In the midst of all the eastern arrivals here on the coast this week, I had this candidate 'Russian' Jackdaw (Soemmerringii) at Filey on Thurs. Posted with the usual caveats of intergrades and ID vagaries, it as good a fit as I've ever seen... comments welcome, and more here: tinyurl.com/5n8ssh6f
Possible 'Russian Jackdaw' - Filey, 6th Nov 2025
I had this very distinctive Jackdaw the other day in Filey, feeding with 'regular' Jackdaws in the horse field by the clifftop in the Coun...
tinyurl.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Last week was my final week guiding at Spurn for this year, and what a fabulous week it was. More here: northernrustic.blogspot.com/2025/11/spur...

@spurnbirdobs.bsky.social @yorkscoastnature.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
November 9, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Very vocal Dusky Warbler just rocked up here in Top Scrub, #Filey

@nybirdnews.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Reposted by Mark James Pearson
A new blog on our website by Birding & Wildlife Guide
@markthebirder.bsky.social
'Check your Blackbirds!' A lovely story of migration in full swing
@spurnbirdobs.bsky.social
earlier this month. Read all about it here: www.yorkshirecoastnature.co.uk/blog/549/che...
October 26, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Reposted by Mark James Pearson
Last week we struck migration gold at Spurn @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social with our one day Spurn Migration Birding Discovery Days led by @markthebirder.bsky.social. Read all about it in his new blog hot off the press here: www.yorkshirecoastnature.co.uk/blog/550/spu...
October 26, 2025 at 8:32 PM
#Filey seawatch 1300-1630 all about the gulls: 83 Little, 13 Med (all ad, all south - personal record here), Casp, c350 Kitts; also single Sooty and Manx north, 3 Twite w/ Linnets.

@nybirdnews.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
October 24, 2025 at 3:54 PM
I spent all last week guiding many lovely clients at the mighty Spurn Bird Observatory, and it was as thrillingly migration-fuelled as ever. More here: northernrustic.blogspot.com/2025/10/guid...

@yorkscoastnature.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

(Pic - Yellow-browed Warbler in flight)
October 22, 2025 at 8:35 AM
October 19, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Entertaining 6hrs from pre-dawn at #Filey - Lap Bunting and Ring Ouzel in off, Bramblings, two Yellow-brows, Long-tailed Duck south, 3+Twite with finch flock, lots of incoming thrushes, Starlings, Skylarks etc.

@nybirdnews.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
October 18, 2025 at 11:55 AM
The needle and (no) damage done - when the gods eventually reward you with a close-up #White-throatedNeedletail against the crumbling sandstone of #Scarborough Castle, with the bonus of sharing the bird (& ice-cream) with your ultra-tolerant Mrs 🙏.....: northernrustic.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-...
The needle and (no) damage done
Scarborough, fair - White-throated Needletail, Castle Hill  It took a while to get there, but all's well that ends well, eh? As regular re...
northernrustic.blogspot.com
October 10, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Reposted by Mark James Pearson
It starts Saturday the 11th with Mr Migweek @markthebirder.bsky.social returning with ‘Migration Magic and Madness- when Filey became birding Nirvana’
October 4, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Just back from a run of guiding days at #Flamborough & RSPB Bempton Cliffs and we had plenty to enjoy.... more here: northernrustic.blogspot.com/2025/10/flam...

All my remaining 2025 dates are sold out, but my Woodland & Wetland Days are now available: northernrustic.blogspot.com/2025/10/flam...
October 5, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Flagging this up (...) for anyone local - we'll be there, join us if you can ✊️
October 2, 2025 at 6:19 AM
1/2 With migration in full swing on the Yorkshire coast, guiding is likewise all systems go, with the last few days spent with many lovely clients at Flamborough and Bempton

.... we've enjoyed Siberian Stonechat, Barred and Yellow-browed Warblers, influxes of Goldcrests....
September 28, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Balearic Shearwater, two Long-tailed Skuas, Sooty Shearwater best of the sea #Filey last 48hrs, with small numbers of passerines inc Lapland Bunting, Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests, a Redstart and this fresh-in Wheatear hopefully the harbingers of things to come later in the week.

@nybirdnews.bsky.social
September 23, 2025 at 5:39 AM
The road to nowhere... East Yorkshire at it's most East Yorkshire, with the bleak Holderness coast (un)welcoming a swathe of migrants breezing through for pastures new.

An Osprey in-off, Swifts, Little Gulls, Arctic Skuas, dark-bellied Brents and more: northernrustic.blogspot.com/2025/09/road...
September 18, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Impromptu lunch break #vismig / #seawatch at Skipsea 1150-1215 was a blast - 4 Little Gulls, Osprey in off and SW, Swifts, dark-bellied Brents, Arctic Skuas....

@nybirdnews.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @yorkscoastnature.bsky.social
September 17, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Another great @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social #MIGFEST draws to a close, and what a blast it was... as usual, Richard and I gave talks and led walks, but, as usual, the highlight was catching up with our wonderful wider community....

*Thanks to Oliver (and mum Liz) for letting us use this photo!
September 15, 2025 at 1:55 PM
(1/2) My talk at @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social #Migfest this weekend has sold out BUT I'm happy to report I'm giving a free talk at @flamboroughbird.bsky.social's #Migweek in October - no charge but booking essential!

Sat 11th Oct - ‘Migration Magic and Madness - when Filey became birding Nirvana’
September 9, 2025 at 6:37 AM
A long and eventful day guiding out on the somewhat choppy but beautiful North Sea again today - two trips out off Staithes on the North Yorkshire coast for @yorkscoastnature.bsky.social blessed with Bottlenose Dolphins (top pic) and Minke Whales (lower), many too close to photograph!
September 8, 2025 at 9:07 PM
A fine day patrolling coastal #Filey - totals included 17 Pied Flycatchers, 21 Whinchats, seven Redstarts and plenty more. More here: northernrustic.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-...

@nybirdnews.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @northyorksbirds.bsky.social
September 7, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Pterodroma sp north 2.3 miles off Staithes at 1420hrs per Rich B on our @yorkscoastnature.bsky.social pelagic

@nybirdnews.bsky.social @northyorksbirds.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
September 6, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Yesterday morning I spent a few hours immersed in an avian feeding frenzy around #Filey Brigg, with many 1000s of birds enjoying the bounty. Among those were four Roseate Terns - and surprisingly, they were indulging in some cheeky kleptoparasitism: northernrustic.blogspot.com/2025/09/file...
September 5, 2025 at 6:27 PM