Paul Watts
@birdingpaul.bsky.social
Bird-lover, professional ornithologist, nature fanatic and moth nerder. I keep a list but I’m not a lister. Sharing my passion for nature and here for like-minded people.
Three purple sandpipers at the third from last groyne at Hengistbury Head
#CHOG @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social
#CHOG @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Three purple sandpipers at the third from last groyne at Hengistbury Head
#CHOG @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social
#CHOG @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social
First hawks of the year in my garden trap
May 2, 2025 at 9:55 AM
First hawks of the year in my garden trap
Last night I predicted finding a wood sand today. This morning it happened! Having a very flukey spring- not been birding harder than the last few years but had much more luck- scarce county finds this spring inc black redstart, ruff, barwit, gropper and wood sand 👌
April 26, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Last night I predicted finding a wood sand today. This morning it happened! Having a very flukey spring- not been birding harder than the last few years but had much more luck- scarce county finds this spring inc black redstart, ruff, barwit, gropper and wood sand 👌
Dream find on my volunteer survey this morning. Actually my first black redstart in Bucks - I’ve always refused to twitch one, as I wanted to find my own!
April 2, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Dream find on my volunteer survey this morning. Actually my first black redstart in Bucks - I’ve always refused to twitch one, as I wanted to find my own!
Up at first light to try and refind yesterday’s rock pipit at Amersham Flood Meadows. Love it when a plan comes together
March 21, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Up at first light to try and refind yesterday’s rock pipit at Amersham Flood Meadows. Love it when a plan comes together
A decent #webs this morning. I recorded 49 species, including the flock of white-fronts that are wintering in the local area. Peregrine causing havoc, two goosander and six jack snipe were the other highlights. A good morning!
February 15, 2025 at 10:15 AM
A decent #webs this morning. I recorded 49 species, including the flock of white-fronts that are wintering in the local area. Peregrine causing havoc, two goosander and six jack snipe were the other highlights. A good morning!
Gorgeous evening at my local reservoir, and I had an incredible roost of c60 corn buntings!!!
February 6, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Gorgeous evening at my local reservoir, and I had an incredible roost of c60 corn buntings!!!
Fantastic icy scenes for my @btobirds.bsky.social #webs survey on Sunday. Most areas frozen, apart from the river, which attracted the first goosanders of the winter for the site, plus good numbers of teal and wigeon
January 14, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Fantastic icy scenes for my @btobirds.bsky.social #webs survey on Sunday. Most areas frozen, apart from the river, which attracted the first goosanders of the winter for the site, plus good numbers of teal and wigeon
Enjoyed chairing another great meeting with the #birdsurveyguidelines steering group. Lots of ideas and actions!
These guidelines are intended to support ornithologists and ecological consultants with designing bird surveys, and it’s great to see that we’ve had over 50,000 visits to our website!
These guidelines are intended to support ornithologists and ecological consultants with designing bird surveys, and it’s great to see that we’ve had over 50,000 visits to our website!
January 10, 2025 at 7:54 AM
Enjoyed chairing another great meeting with the #birdsurveyguidelines steering group. Lots of ideas and actions!
These guidelines are intended to support ornithologists and ecological consultants with designing bird surveys, and it’s great to see that we’ve had over 50,000 visits to our website!
These guidelines are intended to support ornithologists and ecological consultants with designing bird surveys, and it’s great to see that we’ve had over 50,000 visits to our website!
Up close and personal with this raven at Portland. Very cool bird and a big fan of my wife’s bacon baguette
January 3, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Up close and personal with this raven at Portland. Very cool bird and a big fan of my wife’s bacon baguette
My visit to Sandbanks groynes in the hostile wind and rain today was rewarded with decent blustery views of two purple sandpipers. A nice start to 2025 birding @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
January 1, 2025 at 10:35 PM
My visit to Sandbanks groynes in the hostile wind and rain today was rewarded with decent blustery views of two purple sandpipers. A nice start to 2025 birding @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Chuffed to find 11 white-fronted geese on my #volunteer survey in Aylesbury this morning. My first self-found WFGs for the county
December 22, 2024 at 12:47 PM
Chuffed to find 11 white-fronted geese on my #volunteer survey in Aylesbury this morning. My first self-found WFGs for the county
Some great encounters on Blakeney last weekend. Hundreds of grey seals and amazing views of hunting merlin
December 19, 2024 at 11:17 PM
Some great encounters on Blakeney last weekend. Hundreds of grey seals and amazing views of hunting merlin
Nice early morning drive through Welney. C500 whoopers and a couple of Bewick’s
December 14, 2024 at 9:51 AM
Nice early morning drive through Welney. C500 whoopers and a couple of Bewick’s
Perhaps not a ‘classic’ but nice to get my first Casp of the winter. A dainty female I presume. LMGP #gulls #UKbirding
November 23, 2024 at 10:10 PM
Perhaps not a ‘classic’ but nice to get my first Casp of the winter. A dainty female I presume. LMGP #gulls #UKbirding
Thought I would brave the wind and rain to go and see the WFGs at Dorney Common. Two adults and three juveniles showing very well this afternoon.
November 23, 2024 at 4:43 PM
Thought I would brave the wind and rain to go and see the WFGs at Dorney Common. Two adults and three juveniles showing very well this afternoon.
Lovely lunchtime walk, picking up three hawfinch in my local church grounds at Gt Hampden. I’ve looked a few times recently due to umbers passing through but today was the day 🙌 #ukbirding
October 30, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Lovely lunchtime walk, picking up three hawfinch in my local church grounds at Gt Hampden. I’ve looked a few times recently due to umbers passing through but today was the day 🙌 #ukbirding
Enjoyable day at Portland so far. Good views of the interesting RNG, calling YBW at Portland Castle, two black reds on rocks by the Bill and a flushed barn owl from the cliff side quarry that I assume is probably a migrant? @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
October 27, 2024 at 12:31 PM
Enjoyable day at Portland so far. Good views of the interesting RNG, calling YBW at Portland Castle, two black reds on rocks by the Bill and a flushed barn owl from the cliff side quarry that I assume is probably a migrant? @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
I love it when a plan comes together! Tried some pre-work vis mig at Coombe Hill this morning, and managed a target hawfinch plus two brambling. Hawfinch takes my 2024 10k list to 100 🎉
October 23, 2024 at 8:10 AM
I love it when a plan comes together! Tried some pre-work vis mig at Coombe Hill this morning, and managed a target hawfinch plus two brambling. Hawfinch takes my 2024 10k list to 100 🎉
Stunning aurora borealis views from my village tonight ❤️
October 10, 2024 at 9:57 PM
Stunning aurora borealis views from my village tonight ❤️
I was surprised to see such a young dabchick today since we’re nearly in October, but apparently they can have three broods so hopefully it’ll fledge ok
September 28, 2024 at 7:10 PM
I was surprised to see such a young dabchick today since we’re nearly in October, but apparently they can have three broods so hopefully it’ll fledge ok
My garden pond is tiny, but it’s still attracted four species of Odonata this year. It’s a tiny reminder of the value of us all doing our bit, no matter how small
September 20, 2024 at 2:10 PM
My garden pond is tiny, but it’s still attracted four species of Odonata this year. It’s a tiny reminder of the value of us all doing our bit, no matter how small
Pleased with the crop on my new camera. Even more pleased to finally find my first whinchat of the year for my village
September 12, 2024 at 5:08 PM
Pleased with the crop on my new camera. Even more pleased to finally find my first whinchat of the year for my village
I haven’t twitched much of late this year, getting most of my joy from local birding instead. But a garganey turning up 5 mins from where I was collecting my daughter last night was perfectly convenient. Managed to connect in the fading evening light.
September 6, 2024 at 6:03 AM
I haven’t twitched much of late this year, getting most of my joy from local birding instead. But a garganey turning up 5 mins from where I was collecting my daughter last night was perfectly convenient. Managed to connect in the fading evening light.
I guess I had to start with a gull…. here’s a 2cy yellow-legged gull from Rhodes in August this year
September 4, 2024 at 6:17 PM
I guess I had to start with a gull…. here’s a 2cy yellow-legged gull from Rhodes in August this year