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amythebirder.bsky.social
Amy
@amythebirder.bsky.social
1.8K followers 330 following 1.2K posts
Birder in the Solent. Ecologist/GIS, HOS Assistant Recorder. Loves nature & islands. Mostly wildlife & travel (🚲 🥾🚏) but also interested in public health, climate, more sustainable living etc. Views my own.
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amythebirder.bsky.social
Titchfield Haven: 5 of 8 Marsh Harriers over East Meadows today! #HantsBirds #PWC2025
5 marsh harriers sat on a water meadow in dreich conditions. They have cream caps and are otherwise chocolate brown coloured
December 1, 2025 at 3:11 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Can't really do patch justice on winter work days like this, but lovely to get outside and watch the sunrise 😌 (especially after a couple of days failing to get out early!) #LowCarbonBirding
Mostly cloudy sky with a few breaks. It is civil twilight heading towards sunrise. Part of the sky is a deep pink. There is a beach bending round with beach huts and then flats in the distance. The flats are on higher ground but only slightly. It is a slope rather than a cliff. There is a road on the top too so car headlights are visible.
November 28, 2025 at 4:13 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Dartford Warbler with 4+ Stonechats on East Meadows, Titchfield Haven. Hundreds of Stock Doves too! #LowCarbonBirding #PWC2025
Dartford Warbler (orange underparts and dark Bluey grey upper parts, long tail) on a woody stem surrounded by straw coloured grass Stock Doves (grey doves similar to Woodpigeons except smaller & lack of white around neck) on the short grass meadow. Some are in flight. In front are wooden fence posts and behind is water with a reedbed
November 23, 2025 at 6:56 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
😍
Whoa, Both the cycle path & pavement look wider than almost every pavement & shared path I've seen! Meanwhile in England...
A narrow shared use path with the blue bicycle and walking sign. Underneath that is a 40mph sign. There is a hedge on one side and a grass verge on the other. This would be narrow for a pavement - I paused to give way to a runner - let alone a shared path! Photo looking down at a shared use path giving an idea of how narrow it is. Amy has green shoes and is standing next to a hedge. There is just about space for another person between her and the verge, but you'd practically be touching. Then factor in other transport - bicycles, wheelchairs, mobility scooters, buggies....
November 22, 2025 at 10:03 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Mainly walking today, though admittedly didn't reach either city.

Patch this afternoon was very soggy, but 1 Curlew back on East Meadows & 1w Yellow-legged Gull on the Frying Pan at Titchfield Haven #LowCarbonBirding
Gosport ferry entrance with Spinnaker tower towering behind it. In front of it is a signpost for the English Coast Path. One direction says Portsmouth and the other says Southampton. It is gloomy with grey clouds
November 22, 2025 at 7:48 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Also started learning more about indoor air quality and eww, now have some idea what I've been breathing in all these years 🤢
Photo of two HEPA filters. One is white and clean because it is new. The other is being replaced and is noticeably very dark except at the very top. In the background is a radiator and a bit of clutter on the floor. The image looks slightly yellowy because of blue light blocking lightbulb Dust filters that also go in the air filter. One is clean and the other is covered in dust. The image is slightly yellowy due to blue light blocking light bulb
November 20, 2025 at 9:49 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
This! Still little or no UK Public Health information about the long term health risks associated with Covid infections (or indeed other infections).

People don't understand why I wear a respirator because there's no "official" info. Whereas other PH measures (ticks etc) are seen as normal.
The text says "Today's report also addresses long Covid, and whether the government offered sufficient warning of the risks of the condition. Even once it became clear there were risks, there were "no public health campaigns" focused on this area, the report says. This meant people were "unable to make their own, fully informed decisions about the levels of risk they were prepared to tolerate"." Screen shot from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cm27m300p2yt
November 20, 2025 at 9:13 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
There have been positives like experiencing the joy of #ActiveTravel but the lack of infrastructure, busy roads and bad/scary experiences has taken away most of the joy.

Glad I challenged myself though because it's really opened my eyes.
Bicycle facing towards the camera on a narrow dead end lane. As is typical with single track roads in England there are tall hedges either side and no passing places. The bicycle has a front rack and rear rack had panniers. It is sunny
November 15, 2025 at 7:09 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
If only Fareham had more than 300m (yes, you read that right) of proper cycle path... Even a connected & complete network of shared paths would be something. And better buses...

It's been an enlightening 3 years car free realising how much I can in theory do without one. #BikeSky
Photo taken from a double decker bus. A pink hand rail is visible just under the window. The view shows big road with a bus lane and 3 of 4 (not quite sure) car lanes. On the left is a narrow verge, a pavement which could to be wider - Fareham has loads of narrow pavements - and a proper cycle path that is actually wide enough for two bicycles (!) and separated by kerbs. There are trees along the edges of the path & other side of the road and the tall council building in Fareham in the distance. A cyclist is just out of shot. There are people walking side by side showing how narrow the path is, and cars on the road. It is a weekend so most cars are queuing in Portsmouth or similar.
November 15, 2025 at 7:09 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Best at Lee-on-the Solent earlier was a Sandwich Tern in breeding plumage #HantsBirds #LowCarbonBirding
Terrible digiscoped photo of a Sandwich Tern in worn breeding plumage. It has a black cap, grey wings, appeared a bit dirty underneath (should be white) and worn dark primaries. Sat on a pals yellow and black buoy
November 15, 2025 at 3:25 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Lovely new artwork & poster for #Solent Seascape project at the Hard, Portsmouth! @wordsfromwez.bsky.social
Large poster on the Hard Interchange outside of the in Portsmouth. It is about the Solent Seascape Project and features artwork showing species found in the Solent including Common Terns, Seals, Seahorses, Brent Geese and Marsh Harrier. One side shows Hampshire with Portsmouth silhouetted including the Spinnaker Tower. Other side shows the hills of the isle of white. On the middle are islands and salt marshes and a bird hide with some birders
November 15, 2025 at 1:48 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Fareham VC11: 17/9 last night including 2 December Moths and Large Wainscot + Palpita vitrealis, 2 Rusty-dot Pearl, White-point the potential migrants @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

Also many Redwings, Fieldfares and Song Thrushes overhead this morning ☺️ #TeamMoth #HantsBirds
December Moth on an egg carton with a blurred green background. It is a dark brown, fluffy moth with a pale slightly wavy line near the end of the wing.
November 13, 2025 at 8:17 AM
amythebirder.bsky.social
The resident Goosander at Titchfield Haven has nearly finished moulting, and today had a companion at long last! #HantsBirds
Male Goosander in almost full breeding plumage with dark green head, green mantle and white wings. Still some grey feathers.
November 9, 2025 at 8:50 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
#WeBS count from Port Solent yielded 119 Brent, Mute Swan, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Sandwich Terns, 3 GBB, 3 Herring, 12 BH and 29 Common Gulls.

Combined with bus trips with dipping Southsea Purple Sandpipers (tho 2 Black Redstart & Grey Plover good), walk to Eastney & errands #LowCarbonBirding
Marina with lots of white sailing boats (the ones with some space but not enormous ones). There are houses around the marina with access onto it. The water is calm and sky blue. Amy is stood on a pedestrian bridge which crosses a lock separating & linking the marina from the harbour. Part of the lock is visible Terrible digiscoped photo of Sandwich Terbs sat on small yellow buoys. They are mostly white with pale grey wings and partial black do. Black bill with yellow tip. The sea wall has vegetation growing on it Path leading to Southsea Castle and a narrow white and black lighthouse. The castle is round but not huge (or not anymore. Maybe it was bigger once) Grey hiking rucksack and tripod on floor between the seat and edge of bus. There is a handle under the window.
November 8, 2025 at 10:05 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Fareham VC11: Methinks the best moth this week is this micro which must've come through an open window on 5/11! Looks like Carpatolechia decorella? #TeamMoth
Small moth with a pale grey ground colour with darker black and brown markings. A cropped photo of the same moth.
November 6, 2025 at 7:35 AM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Fareham VC11: 16/8 in the moth trap last night including 2 Rusty-for Pearls and this Red-green Carpet #TeamMoth
Red-green Carpet on wood. It is a vaguely triangle shaped moth with green and reddish tones over a grey ish ground colour. It has light and dark stripes. They can look much brighter
November 6, 2025 at 7:31 AM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Will have to give it ago tomorrow as already had 1 moth appear in the house!
A not fully in focus photo of a micro moth in a glass mouth pot. It is on a wooden surface. The moth has a pale ground colour with lots of dark marks
November 4, 2025 at 9:16 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Titchfield: 5 Glossy Ibis back on Bridge Street Flood, presumably for another winter. #HantsBirds
Birds in a large puddle. It is part of the Meon Valley floodplain and is great to see the 'Flood' holding some water again! Most of the birds are Black-headed Gulls - small ish gulls that are mostly white in winter but have pale grey mantle, black mark near eye and black primaries. They have dark red bill and legs. 5 are Glossy Ibis which look a bit like black Curlews. The drier parts of the field have some taller vegetation including patches of rushes
October 28, 2025 at 9:41 AM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Red Campion, Musk Mallow, Meadow Crane's-bill and Holly tree in Southampton today #WildflowerHour
Red Campion which has pink flowers Meadow Crane's-bill which is taller than nearby flowers and the flowers are purple Musk-mallow. Pale pink flowers Holly tree. Much bigger than holly I usually see. The higher leaves are smooth and not spikey like the lower leaves
October 26, 2025 at 8:19 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
😱 Even the Elves need help! 😆
Photo of a Lego display in a shop with Christmas stuff. It shows Santa and elves, buildings with snow and a hot air balloon. Amy's reflection is visible including her cap, coat and mask. One Elf has fallen over - fed up of Christmas already!
October 26, 2025 at 7:27 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Good to see the Black Restarts are back at Daedalus ☺️ Lovely afternoon searching, watching, and trying to figure out how many there are! #LowCarbonBirding #HantsBirds
Black Redstart on wood. It is mostly black ish but has browner wings with pale fringing. It has a darker face. Black Redstart on a pile of old bits of wood. It is Robin sized but 'slimmer' and black ish with a darker face. It has a red tail with a black vertical bar Two black redstarts on a fence. They are blackish / dark brown with some pale fringes on eings.
October 25, 2025 at 8:34 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Beautiful start to the day at Titchfield Haven with decent vis mig including Redpolls, 5 Glossy Ibis, and an elusive Yellow-browed Warbler still at southern end of Canal Path (found by @frannobirder2024.bsky.social y'day) #PWC2025 #LowCarbonBirding
October 25, 2025 at 12:09 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Brent Geese back in Portsmouth Harbour for #WeBS count! 31 in Paulsgrove Lake. Also 2 Sandwich Terns, 17 Turnstones, 105 Redshank, 5 Mute Swans, Great Crested Grebe, Little Egret, Grey Heron, 57 BH, 7 Common & 3 Herring Gulls. #LowCarbonBirding @webs-gsmp.bsky.social
Turnstones (looking like dark dots) on a pontoon in a harbour. There are moored boats in the distance and trees. Even more distant is a tiny part of the Isle of Wight is visible Dark-bellied Brent Geese - small ish black ish geese. They are near a seawall with vegetation behind it. Closer to the camera is a yellow buoy called Billy View from the Gosport ferry looking towards Portsmouth. The Spinnaker Tower is in view with a Wight Link ferry in front and some tall buildings. Also visible is HMS Warrior
October 18, 2025 at 6:54 PM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Another excellent Hampshire Bird Report by @hosbirding.bsky.social, and this year it is available digitally as well as in print! #HantsBirds
Screenshot of the digital Hampshire Bird Report 2025. The photo on the cover is a Roseate Tern (pale tern with white underparts, black cap and half red, half black bill)
October 17, 2025 at 7:37 AM
amythebirder.bsky.social
Enjoying getting to grips with the camera - love the fact that it/I can (sometimes!) get photos like this! Could've done with that last autumn 😅 #BirdingGear
Stonechat in flight with its wings open and tail fanned. It has a dark tail and dark wings with white fringes, reddish brown upper parts and a reddish brown rump and upper tail coverts with black markings. Its face is brown with a bit of a white ish supersilium
October 15, 2025 at 6:17 PM