Don’t often get to bird back in the homeland when I visit, so well chuffed to get over to South Gare for first time in yonks. OBP twitch with the eldest an unexpected bonus, whilst the Snow Bunting confiding as ever. Plus endless waders & seabirds - makes birding back in Oxon difficult. #UKBirding
November 11, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Don’t often get to bird back in the homeland when I visit, so well chuffed to get over to South Gare for first time in yonks. OBP twitch with the eldest an unexpected bonus, whilst the Snow Bunting confiding as ever. Plus endless waders & seabirds - makes birding back in Oxon difficult. #UKBirding
A guaranteed annual on the SW London Waterbodies SPA, but nice to find two of these loafs on Wraysbury Reservoir last week. Don’t often get much on here, so this and the Sabs Gull in the last few weeks have been a real highlight. Would love to see one of these tanks flying over the m25! #UKBirding
November 10, 2025 at 8:54 PM
A guaranteed annual on the SW London Waterbodies SPA, but nice to find two of these loafs on Wraysbury Reservoir last week. Don’t often get much on here, so this and the Sabs Gull in the last few weeks have been a real highlight. Would love to see one of these tanks flying over the m25! #UKBirding
After my recent poor form/luck on the Oxon Big Year, it seemed appropriate I’d spend yesterday morning dipping Pectoral Sandpiper. Quite remarkable then that a pair of Twite were found on Farmoor later that day by the same observer! The first since 2011 and a county ✔️ for lots of locals. #UKbirding
October 24, 2025 at 7:11 AM
After my recent poor form/luck on the Oxon Big Year, it seemed appropriate I’d spend yesterday morning dipping Pectoral Sandpiper. Quite remarkable then that a pair of Twite were found on Farmoor later that day by the same observer! The first since 2011 and a county ✔️ for lots of locals. #UKbirding
After the initial couple of flyby’s the juvenile Sabine’s Gull showed incredibly well. Not many birds that are as stunning in juvenile plum as adults but Sab’s are definitely one of those. Just a shame for it be on site with no access #UKbirding @birdguides.bsky.social @berksbirdclub.bsky.social
October 16, 2025 at 4:48 PM
After the initial couple of flyby’s the juvenile Sabine’s Gull showed incredibly well. Not many birds that are as stunning in juvenile plum as adults but Sab’s are definitely one of those. Just a shame for it be on site with no access #UKbirding @birdguides.bsky.social @berksbirdclub.bsky.social
Could not believe my eyes whilst surveying on Wraysbury Reservoir this morning when this juvenile Sabine’s Gull flew into view. Incredible views of a species I’ve only seen once before - just wish I had a better camera! #UKbirding @berksbirdclub.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
October 16, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Could not believe my eyes whilst surveying on Wraysbury Reservoir this morning when this juvenile Sabine’s Gull flew into view. Incredible views of a species I’ve only seen once before - just wish I had a better camera! #UKbirding @berksbirdclub.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
Well who on earth had Bluethroat on their Oxon bingo card? An incredible run of birds for the county continued with a 1w male Bluethroat at @rspbotmoor.bsky.social this morning, found late evening yesterday. Both a county and UK ✔️ for me! County Big Year now on 188 (+ GWT). #UKbirding
October 1, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Well who on earth had Bluethroat on their Oxon bingo card? An incredible run of birds for the county continued with a 1w male Bluethroat at @rspbotmoor.bsky.social this morning, found late evening yesterday. Both a county and UK ✔️ for me! County Big Year now on 188 (+ GWT). #UKbirding
A good way to round out the summer fieldwork season, an atmospheric evening monitoring post-breeding flocks of Stone-curlew, just before the weather turned this week. A real pleasure to work with this species over the summer (under license of course). #ornithology #UKbirding
September 4, 2025 at 6:20 AM
A good way to round out the summer fieldwork season, an atmospheric evening monitoring post-breeding flocks of Stone-curlew, just before the weather turned this week. A real pleasure to work with this species over the summer (under license of course). #ornithology #UKbirding
Little Stint at Farmoor yesterday evening. Took some finding after disappearing at midday, but well worth the punt that it was still around. #UKbirding
August 21, 2025 at 5:58 AM
Little Stint at Farmoor yesterday evening. Took some finding after disappearing at midday, but well worth the punt that it was still around. #UKbirding
Finally a Wood Sandpiper in Oxfordshire this autumn. With so many records in bordering counties, I was beginning to wonder if we’d ever get one. #UKbirding
August 20, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Finally a Wood Sandpiper in Oxfordshire this autumn. With so many records in bordering counties, I was beginning to wonder if we’d ever get one. #UKbirding
Still ticking away on the Oxon Big Year with three new birds in August. Shag the standout rarity so far. Although very pleased to finally catch up with Greenshank (!) and Med Gull after worrying these may be glaring omissions. Now on 182, hoping for more wader action. #UKBirding
August 11, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Still ticking away on the Oxon Big Year with three new birds in August. Shag the standout rarity so far. Although very pleased to finally catch up with Greenshank (!) and Med Gull after worrying these may be glaring omissions. Now on 182, hoping for more wader action. #UKBirding
Survey season pretty much closed out and it’s been a fantastic year monitoring my local ground nesting birds. Nice to see so many chicks, particularly Curlew, after a poor two years. Now looking forward to some quieter months though. #UKbirding
July 22, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Survey season pretty much closed out and it’s been a fantastic year monitoring my local ground nesting birds. Nice to see so many chicks, particularly Curlew, after a poor two years. Now looking forward to some quieter months though. #UKbirding
Early visits to Farmoor paid off again today when a Turnstone dropped in, picked up initially calling over F1. A new bird for the Oxon Big Year (178)and only present for c.30 minutes before departing once it the site got rammed by summer sailing lessons - who can blame it really! #UKbirding
July 21, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Early visits to Farmoor paid off again today when a Turnstone dropped in, picked up initially calling over F1. A new bird for the Oxon Big Year (178)and only present for c.30 minutes before departing once it the site got rammed by summer sailing lessons - who can blame it really! #UKbirding
A few visits to Farmoor this week finally paid off with a drake Common Scoter sat out on F1 yesterday am. A nice addition to the Oxon Big Year list, taking me to 177. Few bits also moving around - 2 Dunlin, 10+ Common Sand and 2 LRP in what felt like a birdy morning. #ukbirding
July 18, 2025 at 5:24 AM
A few visits to Farmoor this week finally paid off with a drake Common Scoter sat out on F1 yesterday am. A nice addition to the Oxon Big Year list, taking me to 177. Few bits also moving around - 2 Dunlin, 10+ Common Sand and 2 LRP in what felt like a birdy morning. #ukbirding
Largely given up on out of county twitching these days, but a Spotted Sandpiper 10 mins from my survey site in Cambs was too tempting. A stunner in summer plumage! What I wouldn’t give for another Oxon bird. #UKBirding
May 3, 2025 at 5:51 AM
Largely given up on out of county twitching these days, but a Spotted Sandpiper 10 mins from my survey site in Cambs was too tempting. A stunner in summer plumage! What I wouldn’t give for another Oxon bird. #UKBirding
My eBird trip report from 2 weeks of birding in and around Nairobi, in between family commitments that is. A friendly bird filled city, looking forward to getting back again next year! ebird.org/tripreport/3... #birding
February 27, 2025 at 8:40 AM
My eBird trip report from 2 weeks of birding in and around Nairobi, in between family commitments that is. A friendly bird filled city, looking forward to getting back again next year! ebird.org/tripreport/3... #birding
Garden birding has been incredibly productive in the suburbs of Nairobi. 102 species seen in just under 2 weeks! Some highlights below - very lucky to have some very birdy habitat bordering the garden. #birding
February 24, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Garden birding has been incredibly productive in the suburbs of Nairobi. 102 species seen in just under 2 weeks! Some highlights below - very lucky to have some very birdy habitat bordering the garden. #birding
Abundance and diversity of Sunbird has been amazing in Nairobi. 7 species seen on the trip so far, with 6 of those coming from the garden. #birding
February 22, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Abundance and diversity of Sunbird has been amazing in Nairobi. 7 species seen on the trip so far, with 6 of those coming from the garden. #birding
First experience of birding in sub-Saharan Africa. Fantastic amount of diversity in and around Nairobi and barely scratched the surface I imagine! #birding
February 19, 2025 at 5:17 AM
First experience of birding in sub-Saharan Africa. Fantastic amount of diversity in and around Nairobi and barely scratched the surface I imagine! #birding
The spoils of a Christmas Day outing with the kids, at least 5 Hawfinch in the trees above East Lockinge Church. Probably more but not easy to keep track of! Fantastic birds in a beautiful setting. #UKbirding #Oxonbirding
January 3, 2025 at 8:05 AM
The spoils of a Christmas Day outing with the kids, at least 5 Hawfinch in the trees above East Lockinge Church. Probably more but not easy to keep track of! Fantastic birds in a beautiful setting. #UKbirding #Oxonbirding
It only took four visits, 8+ hours and a change of year until I finally managed to connect with the Bearded Tit pair at Radley GPs. Not an easy bird in Oxon so very pleased to finally add it to my county list. Well worth the frostbite this am for cracking views. #UKbirding #Oxonbirding
January 2, 2025 at 12:58 PM
It only took four visits, 8+ hours and a change of year until I finally managed to connect with the Bearded Tit pair at Radley GPs. Not an easy bird in Oxon so very pleased to finally add it to my county list. Well worth the frostbite this am for cracking views. #UKbirding #Oxonbirding
With all the county mega’s in the last 4 weeks and having missed most of them, it was great to see one today. Purple Sandpiper at Farmoor was the 3rd record since 2021. I missed both birds in 2021 and the previous record was before my time (2011), so really pleased to see this beaut. #UKbirding
December 8, 2024 at 5:26 PM
With all the county mega’s in the last 4 weeks and having missed most of them, it was great to see one today. Purple Sandpiper at Farmoor was the 3rd record since 2021. I missed both birds in 2021 and the previous record was before my time (2011), so really pleased to see this beaut. #UKbirding
More Water Pipit action this week, with the added bonus of a few Black-necked Grebe. Sparrowhawk and Peregrine patrolling kept most of the birds on the edge. #UKbirding
November 23, 2024 at 6:54 AM
More Water Pipit action this week, with the added bonus of a few Black-necked Grebe. Sparrowhawk and Peregrine patrolling kept most of the birds on the edge. #UKbirding
Some very cold fieldwork today was brightened up by some classic winter species. Highlight though was an adult Kittiwake flying through at almost head height before departing NE. 2x Water Pipit, several Black-necked Grebe, Goosander and a handful of Goldeneye also made for a good day. #UKbirding
November 20, 2024 at 6:23 PM
Some very cold fieldwork today was brightened up by some classic winter species. Highlight though was an adult Kittiwake flying through at almost head height before departing NE. 2x Water Pipit, several Black-necked Grebe, Goosander and a handful of Goldeneye also made for a good day. #UKbirding
A non-birding 17k hike up in the Dales with my brothers and eldest boy at weekend. Despite the non-birding, nice to see Black Grouse and then finish the day with a Short-eared Owl and Barn Owl over the moorland. #UKbirding #Yorkshirebirding
November 20, 2024 at 9:12 AM
A non-birding 17k hike up in the Dales with my brothers and eldest boy at weekend. Despite the non-birding, nice to see Black Grouse and then finish the day with a Short-eared Owl and Barn Owl over the moorland. #UKbirding #Yorkshirebirding