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@thenaturalstone.bsky.social
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#birdoftheday theme is #winterSurvivors or #corvids. As it was -11°C when I arrived in #Beijing I think this Oriental Magpie counts as both.
#birds #birding #birdingChina #birdsSeenIn2026
Oriental Magpie, glossy black and white corvid bird with long tail, in flight. Oriental Magpie, glossy black and white corvid bird with long tail, in flight.
February 16, 2026 at 10:56 AM
A pair of amorous Ring-necked Parakeets at St Pancras Gardens for Valentine's Day (didn't get chance to post it yesterday).
#birds #birding #UKbirding #birdsSeenIn2026 #valentinesday
A pair of Ring-necked Parakeets, bright green birds with very long tail and bright red bill, in courtship behaviour in a large London plane tree A pair of Ring-necked Parakeets, bright green birds with very long tail and bright red bill, in courtship behaviour in a large London plane tree
February 15, 2026 at 10:43 AM
#birdoftheday theme is #birdbutts. Surely I won't have anything for that. Au contraire. Female White-bellied Redstart, Doi Pha Hom Pok summit #Thailand
#birds #birding #birdsSeenIn2026
Female White-bellied Redstart, brown, thrush-like bird with long fanned, rounded tail, with rufous base to outer feathers. Facing away on a mossy branch, cocking it's tail, carrying a mealworm.
February 15, 2026 at 9:06 AM
For the #portrait theme. #birdoftheday, this singing Black Bulbul from Doi Lang West, northern #Thailand
#birds #birding #birdsSeenIn2026
Black Bulbul, black bird with a bright red bill, high on bare branch against a blue sky. Black Bulbul, black bird with a bright red bill, high on bare branch against a blue sky, beak open singing.
February 15, 2026 at 4:25 AM
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #DivingForFood so I'm going back to last summer and this pair of Northern Gannets at Bempton Cliffs. A day early for Valentine's Day action like this.
#birds #birding #UKbirding
February 13, 2026 at 7:42 AM
#birdoftheday theme is #birds&bugs so here's a lovely Grey Wagtail with its lunch.
#birds #birding #GranCanaria #birdsSeenIn2026
Grey Wagtail, small grey, white and yellow bird with a long tail, on water's edge with small insect in its bill.
February 12, 2026 at 5:23 PM
A long layover in #Beijing on my way from Chiang Mai to London was an opportunity to see some lifers, including some magnificent Falcated #Ducks on the Wenyu River close to the airport. Covers the #birdoftheday #waterbirds theme as well.
#birds #birding #birdingChina #China
Male Falcated Ducks, grey birds with long grey feathers along back, pale yellow vent and throat and a striking glossy dark greenish head. Swimming on a large river in warm early morning light.
February 11, 2026 at 8:36 AM
Better late than never. The #oddcouples theme for #birdoftheday was a challenge for me, but I think these Ruddy Shelduck with a Grey Heron on the Wenyu River, #Beijing cover that and the #urban alt theme.
#birds #birding #urbanBirding #birdingChina #China
A pair of Ruddy Shelduck, large, golden brown ducks with pale heads, next to a Grey Heron, tall large grey, black and white bird, on the edge of reed fringed water in warm early morning light.
February 11, 2026 at 8:22 AM
Bit late to the #stareDown party, but here's my #birdoftheday for yesterday. A Common Kestrel in #Suffolk. #UKbirding #birdsSeenIn2026
#birds #birding
A female Common Kestrel, a brown falcon, perched on nets and rope, staring directly at the camera.
February 10, 2026 at 5:40 AM
#birdoftheday, a smart male Hill Blue Flycatcher on a #post for the #posted theme. At Wat Tham Pha Plong, Chiang Dao, #Thailand
#birds #birding #birdSeenIn2026
Male Hill Blue Flycatcher, bright blue and orange bird, perched on a white post. Male Hill Blue Flycatcher, bright blue and orange bird, perched on a white post.
February 8, 2026 at 2:59 PM
A late entry for #smallBirdSaturday. The fabulously named Pin-striped Tit-babbler, pausing for a moment in the shade of a leaf. Wat Tham Pha Plong, #ChiangDao #Thailand
#birds #birding #birdsSeenIn2026
Pin-striped Tit-babbler, small yellowish bird with brown cap, perched under leaves.
February 7, 2026 at 11:22 PM
A Common Kingfisher, in a #serene river scene. Themed #birdoftheday
#birds #birding #birdsSeenIn2026 #birdingThailand
A Common Kingfisher sits on a branch over a small river
February 7, 2026 at 4:09 PM
#birds&berries is today's #birdoftheday theme and fortunately I have just the thing. Eurasian Blackbird, Fieldfare & Great Tit.
#birds #birding #birdsSeenIn2026
Adult male Blackbird in bare branches with a large sloe berry in its wide open bill. Fieldfare, bird with brown wings, black spotted white underside and grey head, perched among hawthorn berries. Great Tit, green and yellow bird with black and white head, perched among hawthorn berries.
February 6, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Turns out I don't take many pictures of #pigeonsanddoves, today's #birdoftheday theme. This pristine Feral Pigeon in Rabat will do nicely though.
#birds #birding
Feral pigeon, a grey and black bird with darker wings, iridescent neck and red feet.
February 5, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Red-whiskered Bulbul for today's #backyardbirds #birdoftheday theme.
#birds #birding #birdsSeenIn2026 #birdsofbluesky
Red-whiskered Bulbul, grey and white bird with tall black crest and bright red on cheek and undertail, perched on a wire in Bluesky. Red-whiskered Bulbul, grey and white bird with tall black crest and bright red on cheek and undertail, perched on a wire singing in Bluesky.
February 4, 2026 at 1:18 PM
#birdoftheday theme today is #reflections, so here's a Little Egret from my recent #GranCanaria tríp.
#birds #birding #birdsSeenIn2026
Little Egret, white bird with long black legs and long black bill just touching water. Stood on a rock in a pool and reflected in the water.
February 3, 2026 at 11:36 AM
Today's #birdoftheday theme is #openbeak, which this Ashy Woodswallow has while getting a withering look from its neighbour.
#birds #birding #birdsSeenIn2026 #birdingThailand
Two Ashy Woodswallows, dark grey swallow-like birds with pale bill, perched on overhead wire
February 2, 2026 at 4:31 PM
#birdoftheday is Black-headed Gull, the theme #gullsinwater stretched to reflected in water.
#birds #birding #commonbirds
Black-headed Gull standing on a tiny muddy island and reflected in the surrounding water
February 1, 2026 at 3:55 PM
This rare Golden Bush-robin has been delighting birders for a couple of weeks now. But it's at the top of the second highest peak in #Thailand, a 2 mile step hike from the nearest road, itself a 4 hour journey from Chiang Mai. Worth it though 😃
#birds #birding #birdsSeenIn2026
Golden Bush-robin, a bright golden-orange bird with black wings and eye mask, perched on bare ground.
January 31, 2026 at 2:13 PM
Drake Goosander for #birdoftheday #ducks theme.
#birds #birding #birdsSeenIn2026
January 31, 2026 at 2:03 PM
A couple more #birds from northern #Thailand. Red-whiskered Bulbul and Black-hooded Oriole.
#birding #birdsSeenIn2026 #birdsofBlueSky
Red-whiskered Bulbul, a brown and grey bird with bright red under tail base, a black head and moustache and red patch behind the eye. Perched on overhead wire. Red-whiskered Bulbul, a brown and grey bird with bright red under tail base, a black head and moustache and red patch behind the eye. Perched on overhead wire with bill open, singing. Black-hooded Oriole, a bright yellow and black bird with yellow bill, perched in a tree.
January 30, 2026 at 2:24 PM
First batch of photos from northern #Thailand. Damn it's good to be back here. High flying #birdsinflight to start with. Eastern Red-rumped Swallow, Shikra and Crested Honey Buzzard around #ChiangDao.
#birds #birding #birdsSeenIn2026 #birdsofbluesky #Blueskies
Eastern Red-rumped Swallow, underside, flying high in blue skies, with streaky breast and black forked tail. Shikra. A pale hawk with black wing tips, narrow black barring and a pale pinkish tinge. In flight from below in blue sky. Crested Honey Buzzard. A large bird of prey with with prominent black wing barring and two black bands on the tail. In flight from below in blue sky.
January 30, 2026 at 2:18 PM
#birdoftheday is #favouriteofthemonth. I'm choosing this Snow Bunting from Landguard #naturereserve
#birds #birding #birdsSeenIn2026
January 30, 2026 at 9:57 AM
As it's #insectThursday here's a couple of Scarlet Darters from #GranCanaria
#odonata #dragonflies #wildlife
Scarlet Darter. Reddish brown dragonfly perched on dead twig near ground Scarlet Darter. Reddish brown dragonfly perched on ground
January 29, 2026 at 5:27 PM
#birdoftheday - a nice Common Magpie that qualifies for today's #eyecontact theme, as well as yesterday's #iridescent.
#birds #birding #birdsSeenIn2026 #commonbirds
Common Magpie, black and white bird with long tail, facing the camera, perched on a pipe Common Magpie, black and white bird with long tail, on the ground in short grass and mud.
January 29, 2026 at 9:33 AM