Tom Lowe
@saloplarus.bsky.social
Gulls, Geese, Goshawks, Aurora, Astronomy and everything else in the sky. #lookup
#salopobs - the unofficial bird observatory in the heart of Shropshire 😏
#salopobs - the unofficial bird observatory in the heart of Shropshire 😏
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Tom Lowe
@saloplarus.bsky.social
· Apr 19
Wow. Went out hoping the damp easterlies might produce a Black Tern, and found a BLACK KITE 💥 The first for #shropshirebirding hanging over Wood Lane landfill with 5 Red Kites, on view constantly for 2hrs! Absolutely awesome
With all the minutus excitement, I'd missed the fact that tonight's count of 720 Common Gulls appears to have been the highest in #shropshirebirding for c20 years. A far cry from the 5,000 recorded in 1993, but still significant #lovegulls
January 27, 2026 at 10:25 PM
With all the minutus excitement, I'd missed the fact that tonight's count of 720 Common Gulls appears to have been the highest in #shropshirebirding for c20 years. A far cry from the 5,000 recorded in 1993, but still significant #lovegulls
Arrived early for the roost at The Mere #Ellesmere this pm and delighted to find an ad Little Gull on the first scan! Turns out southeasterlies and rain produce the goods in all months! Flew west at 1640 but 2 Meds roosted with 4,300 BHGs, 720 Commons, 360 HGs, 960 LBBGs, 3 YLGs #shropshirebirding
January 27, 2026 at 7:37 PM
Arrived early for the roost at The Mere #Ellesmere this pm and delighted to find an ad Little Gull on the first scan! Turns out southeasterlies and rain produce the goods in all months! Flew west at 1640 but 2 Meds roosted with 4,300 BHGs, 720 Commons, 360 HGs, 960 LBBGs, 3 YLGs #shropshirebirding
I normally err towards pale northern Herring, but this beauty on the north side of Shrewsbury this morning looked smooth, pale and Glaucy enough to be a Viking #lovegulls #shropshirebirding
January 26, 2026 at 7:00 PM
I normally err towards pale northern Herring, but this beauty on the north side of Shrewsbury this morning looked smooth, pale and Glaucy enough to be a Viking #lovegulls #shropshirebirding
Surprise of the day: this beautiful Long-tailed Duck just landed right in front of me on the Ribble just west of the entrance to Preston Dock before continuing upstream at 1340 #lancsbirding
January 26, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Surprise of the day: this beautiful Long-tailed Duck just landed right in front of me on the Ribble just west of the entrance to Preston Dock before continuing upstream at 1340 #lancsbirding
Good to see #shropshirebirding getting in on some twitchable Russian Whitefronts at last, with 4 adults and a 2cy found yesterday on Crudgington Moor floods and still present on my way home today
January 22, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Good to see #shropshirebirding getting in on some twitchable Russian Whitefronts at last, with 4 adults and a 2cy found yesterday on Crudgington Moor floods and still present on my way home today
Like a live @jamesrmccallum1.bsky.social painting, 3,750 Pinks started their day SE of Swinefleet on Puddiners this morning and I picked out 8+ Tundra Beans (5ads 3juvs) amongst them 😍 #yorkshirebirding
January 21, 2026 at 12:01 PM
Like a live @jamesrmccallum1.bsky.social painting, 3,750 Pinks started their day SE of Swinefleet on Puddiners this morning and I picked out 8+ Tundra Beans (5ads 3juvs) amongst them 😍 #yorkshirebirding
A few more shots of last night's epic #aurora. The pulsating green blobs way to the south were amazing to watch. Yet another once-in-a-lifetime night... 💚 #Shropshire #astrophotography
January 20, 2026 at 5:46 PM
A few more shots of last night's epic #aurora. The pulsating green blobs way to the south were amazing to watch. Yet another once-in-a-lifetime night... 💚 #Shropshire #astrophotography
I hope you've been outside tonight. This was the view SOUTH from #salopobs about an hour ago as vivid, naked eye, ground-lighting #aurora pulsated across the #Shropshire sky. Strongest stats ever recorded by my favourite app! And could be more to come ❤️😎💚
January 19, 2026 at 10:32 PM
I hope you've been outside tonight. This was the view SOUTH from #salopobs about an hour ago as vivid, naked eye, ground-lighting #aurora pulsated across the #Shropshire sky. Strongest stats ever recorded by my favourite app! And could be more to come ❤️😎💚
An interesting example of "don't age a gull by its bare parts": 14+ year-old N03R was ringed in Malaga in Feb 2012 and seen in Madrid in Feb/Mar 2013 before shifting its wintering habits to Telford #shropshirebirding since 2019 #lovegulls #ukbirding
January 18, 2026 at 4:10 PM
An interesting example of "don't age a gull by its bare parts": 14+ year-old N03R was ringed in Malaga in Feb 2012 and seen in Madrid in Feb/Mar 2013 before shifting its wintering habits to Telford #shropshirebirding since 2019 #lovegulls #ukbirding
Reposted by Tom Lowe
The International Swan Census takes place this weekend, 17-18 January.
If you record any Bewick's or Whooper Swans in BirdTrack this weekend please consider adding details of the number of adults and juveniles, habitat and location pinpoint. Alternatively, please DM the details.
#ShropshireBirds
If you record any Bewick's or Whooper Swans in BirdTrack this weekend please consider adding details of the number of adults and juveniles, habitat and location pinpoint. Alternatively, please DM the details.
#ShropshireBirds
January 16, 2026 at 9:15 PM
The International Swan Census takes place this weekend, 17-18 January.
If you record any Bewick's or Whooper Swans in BirdTrack this weekend please consider adding details of the number of adults and juveniles, habitat and location pinpoint. Alternatively, please DM the details.
#ShropshireBirds
If you record any Bewick's or Whooper Swans in BirdTrack this weekend please consider adding details of the number of adults and juveniles, habitat and location pinpoint. Alternatively, please DM the details.
#ShropshireBirds
The week of full Pink immersion therapy came to an end today. Good to see Paul Ellis's Tundra Bean, and nice to complete the set with this presumed Taiga: large amd swaggery, long-necked, lots of orange on the bill with white around the base... diagnostic, yeah?! 🧐 #lancsbirding #goosing
January 16, 2026 at 6:19 PM
The week of full Pink immersion therapy came to an end today. Good to see Paul Ellis's Tundra Bean, and nice to complete the set with this presumed Taiga: large amd swaggery, long-necked, lots of orange on the bill with white around the base... diagnostic, yeah?! 🧐 #lancsbirding #goosing
Slim pickings amongst 9,700 Pinks in a thorough search Over Wyre this afternoon, just 2 Barnies, but great views, and a couple of Cattle Egrets kept spirits up #lancsbirding
January 15, 2026 at 9:06 PM
Slim pickings amongst 9,700 Pinks in a thorough search Over Wyre this afternoon, just 2 Barnies, but great views, and a couple of Cattle Egrets kept spirits up #lancsbirding
Quality #wildfowl Over Wyre this afternoon: 2 Barnacles with Pinks at Scronkey, ad Russian Whitefront with 2300 Pinks at Eagland Hill, 2cy Greenland Whitefront and the pair of Bewick's with Whoopers and Greylags at Cockerham. Love it 😎 #lancsbirding
January 14, 2026 at 7:58 PM
Quality #wildfowl Over Wyre this afternoon: 2 Barnacles with Pinks at Scronkey, ad Russian Whitefront with 2300 Pinks at Eagland Hill, 2cy Greenland Whitefront and the pair of Bewick's with Whoopers and Greylags at Cockerham. Love it 😎 #lancsbirding
Not sure I've ever seen an American Wigeon as well as the Ribble one. Even better when the sun came out this afternoon. Couldn't find the nearby Myerscough drake late on though #lancsbirding #wildfowl
January 13, 2026 at 9:08 PM
Not sure I've ever seen an American Wigeon as well as the Ribble one. Even better when the sun came out this afternoon. Couldn't find the nearby Myerscough drake late on though #lancsbirding #wildfowl
The 2cy drake American Wigeon is still on the Ribble at the end of Howick Cross Lane at 0815 with 40 Wigeon w3w///below.dinner.path #lancsbitding #workbirding
January 13, 2026 at 8:21 AM
The 2cy drake American Wigeon is still on the Ribble at the end of Howick Cross Lane at 0815 with 40 Wigeon w3w///below.dinner.path #lancsbitding #workbirding
Started the day with another look at #shropshirebirding female Lesser Scaup at Ellesmere and ended it with great views of the new #lancsbirding 2cy drake American Wigeon on the Ribble
January 12, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Started the day with another look at #shropshirebirding female Lesser Scaup at Ellesmere and ended it with great views of the new #lancsbirding 2cy drake American Wigeon on the Ribble
The new Shrewsbury gullspot was on fire today, a new green-ringed 3cy #CaspianGull along with last week's 4cy and adult, and an interfering Fox and 6 YLGs #shropshirebirding
January 10, 2026 at 10:05 PM
The new Shrewsbury gullspot was on fire today, a new green-ringed 3cy #CaspianGull along with last week's 4cy and adult, and an interfering Fox and 6 YLGs #shropshirebirding
Another gorgeous winter day today in #Shropshire, from a misty start over the snowfields to snowy Shrewsbury and world-class sledging in Church Stretton until dusk #lovewhereyoulive #uksnow
January 10, 2026 at 8:35 PM
Another gorgeous winter day today in #Shropshire, from a misty start over the snowfields to snowy Shrewsbury and world-class sledging in Church Stretton until dusk #lovewhereyoulive #uksnow
Remarkably monochrome at #salopobs this morning. Kestrel hunting in the garden, flocks of thrushes overhead, tree down in the lane and the power finally came back on this evening #uksnow #ukbirding
January 9, 2026 at 8:02 PM
Remarkably monochrome at #salopobs this morning. Kestrel hunting in the garden, flocks of thrushes overhead, tree down in the lane and the power finally came back on this evening #uksnow #ukbirding
Inches of snow in a couple of hours, a couple of big blue flashes ⚡️ and then the power went off #uksnow #stormgoretti #Shropshire
January 8, 2026 at 10:41 PM
Inches of snow in a couple of hours, a couple of big blue flashes ⚡️ and then the power went off #uksnow #stormgoretti #Shropshire
Stopped at my current favourite muddy gateway on the way home and was greeted by this fine 3cy #CaspianGull along with 6 YLGs, 210 HGs and 450 LBBGs #shropshirebirding
January 8, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Stopped at my current favourite muddy gateway on the way home and was greeted by this fine 3cy #CaspianGull along with 6 YLGs, 210 HGs and 450 LBBGs #shropshirebirding
January 7, 2026 at 9:54 PM
The lunar terminator looked good this morning in the cold crisp air, the Mare Crisium crater resembling a massive eye staring out from the Moon #phonescoped #moon
January 6, 2026 at 9:08 PM
The lunar terminator looked good this morning in the cold crisp air, the Mare Crisium crater resembling a massive eye staring out from the Moon #phonescoped #moon
