Mark D
@seaskywatch.bsky.social
Interested in all #wildlife, but #seabirds, #raptors and #cetaceans are my favourites. Many hours spent #seawatching at home and abroad.
(Header: Balearic and Manx Shearwaters 05/08/25)
(Header: Balearic and Manx Shearwaters 05/08/25)
As a seabirder Balearic Shearwater was bird of 2025 for me. Yet another record year off Devon - my personal tally of c6500 sightings this year off South Devon (many from boat) blew away previous years.
January 1, 2026 at 5:59 PM
As a seabirder Balearic Shearwater was bird of 2025 for me. Yet another record year off Devon - my personal tally of c6500 sightings this year off South Devon (many from boat) blew away previous years.
Yesterday up to Hartland to count the Red-throated Divers, a good count of 374 in nice calm conditions. On Bursdon Moor 4 Hen Harriers to roost (3 as males & ringtail) and Merlin.
January 1, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Yesterday up to Hartland to count the Red-throated Divers, a good count of 374 in nice calm conditions. On Bursdon Moor 4 Hen Harriers to roost (3 as males & ringtail) and Merlin.
Teign Est as well usual wintering birds this Dec (Spot Red, 40+ Redshank, 10+ Greenshank, 5+ Common Sandpiper), also today Great Northern Diver mid est, and 16 Avocet ( highest count this winter( upper est).
December 30, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Teign Est as well usual wintering birds this Dec (Spot Red, 40+ Redshank, 10+ Greenshank, 5+ Common Sandpiper), also today Great Northern Diver mid est, and 16 Avocet ( highest count this winter( upper est).
Happy Xmas from a wild Torcross
December 25, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Happy Xmas from a wild Torcross
Somerset always way ahead of Devon but the we do have Lundy to add!
A superb achievement by the County Recorder, Editors and all who submitted records. #somersetbirding
December 23, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Somerset always way ahead of Devon but the we do have Lundy to add!
Berry Hd 10:30-12:00 in flight 6 Red-throated Divers, 3 Great Northern Divers, 30 Common Gulls, ad Med Gull, 2 Wigeon.
BHd-Brixham Harbour 32 Great N Divers, 5 Purple Sandpipers (breakwater)
BHd-Brixham Harbour 32 Great N Divers, 5 Purple Sandpipers (breakwater)
December 23, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Berry Hd 10:30-12:00 in flight 6 Red-throated Divers, 3 Great Northern Divers, 30 Common Gulls, ad Med Gull, 2 Wigeon.
BHd-Brixham Harbour 32 Great N Divers, 5 Purple Sandpipers (breakwater)
BHd-Brixham Harbour 32 Great N Divers, 5 Purple Sandpipers (breakwater)
Reposted by Mark D
THREE satellite-tagged White-tailed Eagles disappear in suspicious circumstances in England, Wales & Scotland - two tags had been cut off.
Press release from Isle of Wight WTE Project Team & additional commentary from me ⬇️⬇️
#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/12/17/t...
Press release from Isle of Wight WTE Project Team & additional commentary from me ⬇️⬇️
#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/12/17/t...
Three satellite-tagged White-tailed Eagles disappear in suspicious circumstances in England, Wales & Scotland – two tags had been cut off
Press release from Forestry England (17 December 2025) THREE WHITE-TAILED EAGLES DISAPPEAR IN SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES The public are being asked to help the police investigate the suspicious disap…
raptorpersecutionuk.org
December 17, 2025 at 9:23 AM
THREE satellite-tagged White-tailed Eagles disappear in suspicious circumstances in England, Wales & Scotland - two tags had been cut off.
Press release from Isle of Wight WTE Project Team & additional commentary from me ⬇️⬇️
#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/12/17/t...
Press release from Isle of Wight WTE Project Team & additional commentary from me ⬇️⬇️
#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/12/17/t...
Reposted by Mark D
Absolutely shocking.
We're offering an overall award of £10k for information that leads to a conviction in these cases.
We need to make raptor persecution a thing of the past.
We're offering an overall award of £10k for information that leads to a conviction in these cases.
We need to make raptor persecution a thing of the past.
December 17, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Absolutely shocking.
We're offering an overall award of £10k for information that leads to a conviction in these cases.
We need to make raptor persecution a thing of the past.
We're offering an overall award of £10k for information that leads to a conviction in these cases.
We need to make raptor persecution a thing of the past.
Any ideas on this wing remains. Probable Peregrine kill. Scale with size 6.5 boots (wife’s)
December 15, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Any ideas on this wing remains. Probable Peregrine kill. Scale with size 6.5 boots (wife’s)
Berry head 10:50-12:25: in flight 4 Great Nothern, Black-throated & 4 Red-throated Divers and Common Scoter. Another 6 GNDs on sea. Two groups of Common Dolphins and 2 Harbour porpoise
December 14, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Berry head 10:50-12:25: in flight 4 Great Nothern, Black-throated & 4 Red-throated Divers and Common Scoter. Another 6 GNDs on sea. Two groups of Common Dolphins and 2 Harbour porpoise
Brixham breakwater: 5 Great Northern Divers (incl this juv/1w), the ever obliging adult Med Gull, and 3 Purple Sandpipers. Further towards Berry Head quite a few Common Gulls feeding with Gannets over Harbour Porpoises
December 11, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Brixham breakwater: 5 Great Northern Divers (incl this juv/1w), the ever obliging adult Med Gull, and 3 Purple Sandpipers. Further towards Berry Head quite a few Common Gulls feeding with Gannets over Harbour Porpoises
Walking up to Turf from Powderham this boat came past heading for the LC Tern, we quickly set up scope on tern as sure it would be spooked. And yes they did just that😡 in front of many birders. LCT flew off and boat headed back down past us. Here they are, well ****** done😡😡!
December 10, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Walking up to Turf from Powderham this boat came past heading for the LC Tern, we quickly set up scope on tern as sure it would be spooked. And yes they did just that😡 in front of many birders. LCT flew off and boat headed back down past us. Here they are, well ****** done😡😡!
Berry Hd 1200-1430 to catch the clearance after the big storm. Very quiet just a Rt Diver into Tor bay, 5 GNDs on the sea. A few Gannets, Kittiwakes, Auks and Fulmars, but very low numbers considering!
December 9, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Berry Hd 1200-1430 to catch the clearance after the big storm. Very quiet just a Rt Diver into Tor bay, 5 GNDs on the sea. A few Gannets, Kittiwakes, Auks and Fulmars, but very low numbers considering!
Berry Hd: clearance just one Manx, Black-throated Diver ( flew into the bay), Rtdiver flew out. Red-necked Grebe and 14 GN Divers on sea from BHd to Shoalstone.
December 7, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Berry Hd: clearance just one Manx, Black-throated Diver ( flew into the bay), Rtdiver flew out. Red-necked Grebe and 14 GN Divers on sea from BHd to Shoalstone.
Reposted by Mark D
Derbyshire Constabulary appeals for information 3 months later.
#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/12/07/p...
#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/12/07/p...
Peregrine found with shotgun injuries in Peak District National Park
Derbyshire Police Rural Crime Team posted the following on Facebook on 3 December 2025: WILDLIFE CRIME AWARENESS – INJURED PEREGRINE Between 01/09/25 – 08/09/25, we received a report from the…
raptorpersecutionuk.org
December 7, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Derbyshire Constabulary appeals for information 3 months later.
#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/12/07/p...
#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/12/07/p...
Wow just seen how far down this massive low drags up from!
December 7, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Wow just seen how far down this massive low drags up from!
Back to Cockwood today as my views of a distant 'orange-billed' Tern weren't great and certainly inconclusive on 03/12. But today though distantly perched it did one circuit our way and gave great in-flight scope views. A few quick shots with a 400mm lens. Happy I've seen Lesser Crested Tern👍
December 5, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Back to Cockwood today as my views of a distant 'orange-billed' Tern weren't great and certainly inconclusive on 03/12. But today though distantly perched it did one circuit our way and gave great in-flight scope views. A few quick shots with a 400mm lens. Happy I've seen Lesser Crested Tern👍
Well a few record shots, this is the female Merlin on Exminster Marshes 03/12/25. A tiny fullcrop, only a 400mm lens, but you can see what it is!
December 5, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Well a few record shots, this is the female Merlin on Exminster Marshes 03/12/25. A tiny fullcrop, only a 400mm lens, but you can see what it is!
Reposted by Mark D
Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bangalensis off Dawlish Warren this morning. Was speedily succesful catching a good sized fish. Probably the rarest bird I will see in my lifetime.
A probable vagrant from W/N.Africa and found in Indian Ocean as far east as Australia.
A probable vagrant from W/N.Africa and found in Indian Ocean as far east as Australia.
December 4, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bangalensis off Dawlish Warren this morning. Was speedily succesful catching a good sized fish. Probably the rarest bird I will see in my lifetime.
A probable vagrant from W/N.Africa and found in Indian Ocean as far east as Australia.
A probable vagrant from W/N.Africa and found in Indian Ocean as far east as Australia.
Teign Est am, 2 juv/1w Spoonbills ( different from the 3 five weeks ago). Also single Avocet
December 4, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Teign Est am, 2 juv/1w Spoonbills ( different from the 3 five weeks ago). Also single Avocet
Sometimes Mr& Mrs Great Spot turn up together on our sunflower hearts. There is also a pair of Blackcaps and a Firecrest in the garden this week!
December 3, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Sometimes Mr& Mrs Great Spot turn up together on our sunflower hearts. There is also a pair of Blackcaps and a Firecrest in the garden this week!
Nice wander around Exminster Marshes, with a Merlin, 3 Marsh Harriers, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Firecrest and a Green Sandpiper.
Then down to Cockwood to see a distant, ‘orange-billed’ Tern!
Then down to Cockwood to see a distant, ‘orange-billed’ Tern!
December 3, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Nice wander around Exminster Marshes, with a Merlin, 3 Marsh Harriers, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Firecrest and a Green Sandpiper.
Then down to Cockwood to see a distant, ‘orange-billed’ Tern!
Then down to Cockwood to see a distant, ‘orange-billed’ Tern!
Berry Head 08:00-10:00: 4 Med Gulls, 4 Common Scoter, 75 Fulmar, 88 Common Gulls, 30+ ABF Tuna, 8 Harbour Porpoises. 1000s of commoner seabirds passing and feeding on Horizon, based on timed counts of closer passage: 5500 Kitiwakes, 6600 Auks, 2800 Gannets.
November 27, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Berry Head 08:00-10:00: 4 Med Gulls, 4 Common Scoter, 75 Fulmar, 88 Common Gulls, 30+ ABF Tuna, 8 Harbour Porpoises. 1000s of commoner seabirds passing and feeding on Horizon, based on timed counts of closer passage: 5500 Kitiwakes, 6600 Auks, 2800 Gannets.
Also 4 Great Northern Divers off Torcross
November 26, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Also 4 Great Northern Divers off Torcross
Can't really get excited by dubious Geese, but this White-fronted (juv/1w flavirostris) flew past with its carrier flock of feral Canadas at Slapton today, also several Firecrests, Chiffchaff!
November 26, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Can't really get excited by dubious Geese, but this White-fronted (juv/1w flavirostris) flew past with its carrier flock of feral Canadas at Slapton today, also several Firecrests, Chiffchaff!