Alan Tilmouth
@alantilmouth.bsky.social
ornithologist, low-carbon birder, occasional writer, Bulletin Editor for NTBC, lover of the light and European. Memento mori.
Last light in #Northumberland this evening.
November 17, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Last light in #Northumberland this evening.
Morning hour with the old dog in local woods turned up 2 Gt Spotted Woodpeckers and a Goosander.
Afternoon reprise at Druridge in with a Slav Grebe plus the juv Gt Northern Diver doing marathon lake laps. A watch till dusk elsewhere failed with owls but a Sparrowhawk hunting Starlings was cool.
Afternoon reprise at Druridge in with a Slav Grebe plus the juv Gt Northern Diver doing marathon lake laps. A watch till dusk elsewhere failed with owls but a Sparrowhawk hunting Starlings was cool.
November 17, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Morning hour with the old dog in local woods turned up 2 Gt Spotted Woodpeckers and a Goosander.
Afternoon reprise at Druridge in with a Slav Grebe plus the juv Gt Northern Diver doing marathon lake laps. A watch till dusk elsewhere failed with owls but a Sparrowhawk hunting Starlings was cool.
Afternoon reprise at Druridge in with a Slav Grebe plus the juv Gt Northern Diver doing marathon lake laps. A watch till dusk elsewhere failed with owls but a Sparrowhawk hunting Starlings was cool.
Decided to potter around Druridge Bay this AM. Five Snow Buntings, Gt Northern Diver and Common Scoter on freshwater, Spotted Redshank, Pintail, Cetti’s Warbler, a trickle of Twite, single Fieldfare and a few Siskins, 3-4 Marsh Harriers kept me ticking over. #lowcarbonbirding #northumberland
November 16, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Decided to potter around Druridge Bay this AM. Five Snow Buntings, Gt Northern Diver and Common Scoter on freshwater, Spotted Redshank, Pintail, Cetti’s Warbler, a trickle of Twite, single Fieldfare and a few Siskins, 3-4 Marsh Harriers kept me ticking over. #lowcarbonbirding #northumberland
October 31, 2025 at 11:32 AM
At 14:31 exactly nine years ago, burned into my memory this wee thing raised my pulse like no other has before or since.
October 29, 2025 at 1:55 PM
At 14:31 exactly nine years ago, burned into my memory this wee thing raised my pulse like no other has before or since.
Springsteen Deliver me from Nowhere is such a powerful film, enjoyed it back in my home town this evening “The place we came from is no longer there..”
October 28, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Springsteen Deliver me from Nowhere is such a powerful film, enjoyed it back in my home town this evening “The place we came from is no longer there..”
Quiet morning sea-watch and stroll around the Moor trying out the new fleece-lined BirdGuides Waterproof for size. A couple of Twite, some close-up Purple Sandpipers and an increase in Rock Pipits were the best if a quiet 4-5km circuit. #lowcarbonbirding
October 26, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Quiet morning sea-watch and stroll around the Moor trying out the new fleece-lined BirdGuides Waterproof for size. A couple of Twite, some close-up Purple Sandpipers and an increase in Rock Pipits were the best if a quiet 4-5km circuit. #lowcarbonbirding
Decent morning around Newbiggin, felt rare but in the end failed to deliver a big prize.Two Velvet Scoter in an hour peering through mist, a Woodcock fresh-in at the church. Long-tailed Duck surfing in the bay, Twite by the old football field and a Common Redstart out on the Moor. #lowcarbonbirding
October 20, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Decent morning around Newbiggin, felt rare but in the end failed to deliver a big prize.Two Velvet Scoter in an hour peering through mist, a Woodcock fresh-in at the church. Long-tailed Duck surfing in the bay, Twite by the old football field and a Common Redstart out on the Moor. #lowcarbonbirding
Was just 4km away watching a bit of a raptor-fest (2 Marsh Harriers, 5 Buzzards, 3 Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk) when the other Alan T hoyed out the news of this beaut.
October 19, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Was just 4km away watching a bit of a raptor-fest (2 Marsh Harriers, 5 Buzzards, 3 Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk) when the other Alan T hoyed out the news of this beaut.
First BTO Winter Bird Survey visit this morning, little of note, 70 Golden Plovers, a single Stonechat and six Whoopers S the giddy heights.
An amble back via a few sites at the coast produced a 1w Spoonbill, Great Northern Diver and 4 Barnacle Geese on the deck.
An amble back via a few sites at the coast produced a 1w Spoonbill, Great Northern Diver and 4 Barnacle Geese on the deck.
October 7, 2025 at 2:33 PM
First BTO Winter Bird Survey visit this morning, little of note, 70 Golden Plovers, a single Stonechat and six Whoopers S the giddy heights.
An amble back via a few sites at the coast produced a 1w Spoonbill, Great Northern Diver and 4 Barnacle Geese on the deck.
An amble back via a few sites at the coast produced a 1w Spoonbill, Great Northern Diver and 4 Barnacle Geese on the deck.
The Taiga Two have eluded me over last two days here in N’land but a decent start to October finding a Great Egret at Colt Crag Reservoir this PM.
#lowcarbonbirding
#lowcarbonbirding
October 1, 2025 at 6:38 PM
The Taiga Two have eluded me over last two days here in N’land but a decent start to October finding a Great Egret at Colt Crag Reservoir this PM.
#lowcarbonbirding
#lowcarbonbirding
Still the odd one about..
September 26, 2025 at 6:23 AM
Still the odd one about..
Bit of Tues afternoon garden tidy-up after a morning’s birding (2 Curlew Sandpipers and a couple of Swifts and first Rock Pipits).Chiffchaff singing goodbye from my woodland canopy as the odd House Martin dashes south overhead and a late summer Speckled Wood dances low across the lawn. Love Autumn.
September 16, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Bit of Tues afternoon garden tidy-up after a morning’s birding (2 Curlew Sandpipers and a couple of Swifts and first Rock Pipits).Chiffchaff singing goodbye from my woodland canopy as the odd House Martin dashes south overhead and a late summer Speckled Wood dances low across the lawn. Love Autumn.
Big arrival along E Coast today.
September 7, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Big arrival along E Coast today.
York Uni Open Day with one of the kids so had to pay homage to the Heslington Snow Goose Posse whilst passing by. Feral (geese not students).
September 5, 2025 at 11:39 AM
York Uni Open Day with one of the kids so had to pay homage to the Heslington Snow Goose Posse whilst passing by. Feral (geese not students).
Decluttering earlier and found this, sad reminder of hope and loss.
September 3, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Decluttering earlier and found this, sad reminder of hope and loss.
My old lunch-break patch from the 80s lifting with birds post-rain today. 53 Little Egrets a personal highest county count, juvenile Scaup, 27 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Greenshanks, 4 Common Sandpipers, Ruff, Kingfisher, 5 Shoveler, 30 Little Grebes, 2 Wigeon, 145 GBBG, 81 Gadwall.
September 3, 2025 at 3:52 PM
My old lunch-break patch from the 80s lifting with birds post-rain today. 53 Little Egrets a personal highest county count, juvenile Scaup, 27 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Greenshanks, 4 Common Sandpipers, Ruff, Kingfisher, 5 Shoveler, 30 Little Grebes, 2 Wigeon, 145 GBBG, 81 Gadwall.
Newbiggin never fails to deliver surprises when out birding… #flytipped
August 29, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Newbiggin never fails to deliver surprises when out birding… #flytipped
Red Letter Day, 27 years after moving here first Red Kite flew over the garden this evening. All things come to those that wait.. #lowcarbonbirding
August 10, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Red Letter Day, 27 years after moving here first Red Kite flew over the garden this evening. All things come to those that wait.. #lowcarbonbirding
Posted at 19:05, if no specific time is posted by observer we can only assume it’s at or just before the time of posting 🤷🏼. You’re welcome…
July 19, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Posted at 19:05, if no specific time is posted by observer we can only assume it’s at or just before the time of posting 🤷🏼. You’re welcome…
All bar the one flirting with my lemonade in Dobbie’s Ponteland but I’ve pointed him/her in your direction 👍
July 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM
All bar the one flirting with my lemonade in Dobbie’s Ponteland but I’ve pointed him/her in your direction 👍
Wildfire in North Northumberland nr Holborn this evening
July 11, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Wildfire in North Northumberland nr Holborn this evening
Definite George Michael c2005 vibe there Jeff.
June 22, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Definite George Michael c2005 vibe there Jeff.