Peter Howlett
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cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Peter Howlett
@cardiffbirder.bsky.social
710 followers 98 following 260 posts
Cardiff-based birder and photographer. Posts are my photos of birds, marine mammals and occasionally other critters. Check out @cardiffott.bsky.social for photos of metal flying things
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cardiffbirder.bsky.social
How about a superb sub-adult Great Black-backed Gull for #SuperSeabirdSunday these pirates of the seas always look mean #ukbirding #birds
This gull is jet black above and white below, the dark mark on the bill indicate a sub-adult, an adult would have a red spot
November 16, 2025 at 12:57 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
The season for seeing these beauties may have passed but an adult Mediterranean Gull takes some beating (not saying it's the best gull but up there). This one photographed near Portsmouth back in June #superseabirdsunday #ukbirding
November 9, 2025 at 8:03 AM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
A lot of grey days recently around the bay, seems to barely get light at times. Anyway, this gorgeous Long-tailed Tit got close enough that a bit of high iso didn't matter. Always great to watch these close up #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds
November 6, 2025 at 7:23 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
This is the breeding and winter distribution for Red-throated Diver - the one I photographed, much more coastal than Common
November 3, 2025 at 2:12 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Cardiff Bay mega for #SuperSeabirdSunday - Red-throated Diver. It turned up on the 29th (I was away again), really didn't think it was going to stay but got home at 16:15 and was watching it at 16:30 - just enough light for photos #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds
November 2, 2025 at 8:10 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Short blog covering the last couple of days surveying on the CEFAS Endeavour, may be a further update if we see anything interesting on the way back to Lowestoft #ukbirding #marinelife #birds
marine-life.org.uk/survey-repor...
October 31, 2025 at 1:44 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
A busy spell first thing with loads of shearwaters around us but obviously no time to take any photos! Latest blog from the CEFAS Endeavour - only a coulple of days to go now before we head back to Lowestoft. #ukbirding #birds #marinelife
marine-life.org.uk/survey-repor...
October 29, 2025 at 10:21 AM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
A link to my blog for the 27 October from the CEFAS Endeavour. Some fantastic Common Dolphin photo ops along with some gulls #ukbirding #birds #marinelife
marine-life.org.uk/survey-repor...
October 27, 2025 at 10:30 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Here's a link to a blog covering the last 3 days on board the CEFAS Endeavour. Not many birds, unfortunately, and some pretty ropey surveying conditions today #ukbirding #birds #marinelife
marine-life.org.uk/survey-repor...
October 26, 2025 at 9:28 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Mind you a couple of Great Shearwater put on a good show last week too #superseabirdSunday #ukbirding #birds
October 26, 2025 at 6:43 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Know the date but forget what day it is surveying on the CEFAS Endeavour. Image for #superseabirdSunday this week has to be the Desertas/Fea's Petrel seen on Thursday #birds
October 26, 2025 at 6:41 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
No surveying from the CEFAS Endeavour today but great excitement onboard re: the Fea's-type Petrel. A short blog for the day can be found here:
marine-life.org.uk/survey-repor...
October 23, 2025 at 8:38 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Blog for the 22 Oct surveying from the CEFAS Endeavour for the PELTIC 2025. Some fantastic birding between Land's End and the Isles of Scilly #UKbirding #birds #marinelife
marine-life.org.uk/survey-repor...
October 23, 2025 at 8:35 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Bit of excitement on the CEFAS Endeavour this morning when we saw this Fea's-type Petrel 17nm off the Cornish coast as we were heading towards Lundy to shelter for the next day or so.
#ukbirding #birds
October 23, 2025 at 12:33 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
First day of surveying on the CEFAS Peltic 2025 survey, here's a link to a short blog on the day's activities:
marine-life.org.uk/survey-repor...
A real shame the 7000 Great Shearwater didn't occur on transect! #ukbirding #birds #marinelife
October 21, 2025 at 9:28 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Juan Fernandez Petrel in the Pacific earlier this year #superSeabirdSunday #birds
October 19, 2025 at 8:43 AM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Following on from the post below featuring a Rock Pipit, here's a Meadow Pipit on the barrage yesterday #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds
October 19, 2025 at 8:34 AM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Cardiff Bay mega this evening. I missed the Bay's 1st Glossy Ibis while was on my cruise a couple of weeks ago, didn't think I'd have a chance at another but @garethstamp77.bsky.social found one this evening on the only bit of visible mud on the wetland reserve #birdingWales #birds #ukbirding
October 17, 2025 at 6:12 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Had a superb day looking at waders in the tidal quarries of Paul da Pedreira on Terceira, Azores. Incredible variety for such a small area - and so far from anywhere. This is one of 4 Semipalmated Sandpipers there, light was amazing and you can get close to the birds too #birds #naturephotography
October 16, 2025 at 12:33 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Rock Pipit on the Cardiff Bay barrage, really nice to be able to see these every time I go out #birdingWales #UKbiriding #birds
A Rock Pipit perched on foliage. The heavy brown breast streaking and buff white underparts readily distinguish it from Meadow Pipit, which in the autumn has black breast streaks and a yellower ground colour to underparts A Rock Pipit perched on foliage. The heavy brown breast streaking and buff white underparts readily distinguish it from Meadow Pipit, which in the autumn has black breast streaks and a yellower ground colour to underparts
October 14, 2025 at 5:27 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
White Tern against a clear blue sky near St Helena back in April this year #superseabirdsunday #birds
October 12, 2025 at 11:25 AM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Always a little surprised at how readily a bird like a Chiffchaff feeds on the ground. Yesterday there were several doing so at the Cardiff wetland reserve, they were very confiding too #birdingWales #UKbirding #birds #naturephotography
A Chiffchaff, a bird you might think of as living in trees and bushes, readily feed on the ground. This one reaching up to take a small insesct from the underside of a leaf A Chiffchaff, a bird you might think of as living in trees and bushes, readily feed on the ground. A Chiffchaff, a bird you might think of as living in trees and bushes, readily feed on the ground. This one facing the photographer and looking for food on the ground A Chiffchaff, a bird you might think of as living in trees and bushes, readily feed on the ground.
October 11, 2025 at 3:32 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
A very late Moorhen chick out and about at the wetland reserve this morning. It was peeping away and when an adult came past swam up to it but was ignored - may not bode well for its future #birdingWales #UKbirding #birds
A Moorhen chick still covered in black down but with an almost bald head, walks along a floating piece of wood. A downy Moorhen chick paddles towards the photographer, its head reflected in the calm water A downy Moorhen chick rests on a piece of litter. It's covered in black down apart from its head which is almost bald (naturally)
October 9, 2025 at 9:05 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Some more blue sky this afternoon so a quick visit to see the Hobbies again, only a couple of passes this afternoon but the light a little more even than Monday. Settled weather for the next few days so they could be on their way south #birdingWales #UKbirding #birds
October 8, 2025 at 4:29 PM
cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Watching some vis mig on Cardiff barrage this morning and a Raven lands in the grass a few metres away. Even in dull light it's always worth taking a photo of one of these splendid beasts #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds #naturephotography
A Raven stands on some grass, the light catching the feathers to reveal the metallic sheen to the feathers A Raven faces the photographer with throat feathers slightly puffed out and the light accentuating the metallic sheen of the feathers
October 7, 2025 at 4:39 PM