Dr David W. Smith
@drdavebirding.bsky.social
Birder, Ecologist & Wildlife Conservationist. Views my own. Born when CO2 was at c.337 parts per million. #selffoundbirding #kentbirding
Goldeneye from a gloomy afternoon (15/11/25) Coldharbour Lagoon, Reculver. A nice suprise. #kentbirding
November 16, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Goldeneye from a gloomy afternoon (15/11/25) Coldharbour Lagoon, Reculver. A nice suprise. #kentbirding
Highlight this morning, two black redstart and tree sparrow. Reculver. #kentbirding
October 18, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Highlight this morning, two black redstart and tree sparrow. Reculver. #kentbirding
Wonderful self-found suprise today in the form of this wryneck, at Chambers Wall, Reculver. Fair few birds around, but had to scoot for a 10am meeting. #kentbirding #selffoundbirding.
October 14, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Wonderful self-found suprise today in the form of this wryneck, at Chambers Wall, Reculver. Fair few birds around, but had to scoot for a 10am meeting. #kentbirding #selffoundbirding.
More wadering in D&G with visits to Browhouses & Newbie. Totals for both sites; 1 barwit, 7 blackwit, 7 ruff, 2 whimbrel, 25 golden plover, 11 greenshank, 17 snipe, 5 turnstone, small nos ringed plover, alongside oic, curlew, redshank & lapwing. Also tree pipit, osprey & 2 peregrine.
September 4, 2025 at 5:50 PM
More wadering in D&G with visits to Browhouses & Newbie. Totals for both sites; 1 barwit, 7 blackwit, 7 ruff, 2 whimbrel, 25 golden plover, 11 greenshank, 17 snipe, 5 turnstone, small nos ringed plover, alongside oic, curlew, redshank & lapwing. Also tree pipit, osprey & 2 peregrine.
Great skua the highlight this morning from Corsewall Point @dgbirdnews.bsky.social. Lots of kittiwake and terns, 270 manx, eider, RT diver and the usual suspects. #BirdingScotland
September 2, 2025 at 6:45 AM
Great skua the highlight this morning from Corsewall Point @dgbirdnews.bsky.social. Lots of kittiwake and terns, 270 manx, eider, RT diver and the usual suspects. #BirdingScotland
Wadering at various points around Loch Ryan resulted in 1 greenshank, 1 whimbrel, 1 common sand, 2 dunlin, 4 sanderling, 6 knot, alongside redshank, turnstone, curlew & oystercatcher. At least 58 RB mergs, eider & black guillemot. Whitethroat & 2 wheatear @dgbirdnews.bsky.social #BirdingScotland
September 1, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Wadering at various points around Loch Ryan resulted in 1 greenshank, 1 whimbrel, 1 common sand, 2 dunlin, 4 sanderling, 6 knot, alongside redshank, turnstone, curlew & oystercatcher. At least 58 RB mergs, eider & black guillemot. Whitethroat & 2 wheatear @dgbirdnews.bsky.social #BirdingScotland
A 2.5hr 'luxury' seawatch at Corsewall Point in @dgbirdnews.bsky.social
was tern heavy, with c80 sandwich tern, a few common tern & at least 1 arctic tern. 8 common scoter & 2 arctic skua highlights. An afternoon stint was enlivened by 2 European storm petrel. ##BirdingScotland
was tern heavy, with c80 sandwich tern, a few common tern & at least 1 arctic tern. 8 common scoter & 2 arctic skua highlights. An afternoon stint was enlivened by 2 European storm petrel. ##BirdingScotland
September 1, 2025 at 8:15 PM
A 2.5hr 'luxury' seawatch at Corsewall Point in @dgbirdnews.bsky.social
was tern heavy, with c80 sandwich tern, a few common tern & at least 1 arctic tern. 8 common scoter & 2 arctic skua highlights. An afternoon stint was enlivened by 2 European storm petrel. ##BirdingScotland
was tern heavy, with c80 sandwich tern, a few common tern & at least 1 arctic tern. 8 common scoter & 2 arctic skua highlights. An afternoon stint was enlivened by 2 European storm petrel. ##BirdingScotland
A seawatch for just over an hour at the Isle of Whithorn was fun, 5 arctic skua, approx 560 Manx & a supporting cast of terns, gannets, kittiwake and auks. #BirdingScotland @dgbirdnews.bsky.social - an osprey over the road as we continued west was a nice surprise, too.
August 31, 2025 at 8:38 PM
A seawatch for just over an hour at the Isle of Whithorn was fun, 5 arctic skua, approx 560 Manx & a supporting cast of terns, gannets, kittiwake and auks. #BirdingScotland @dgbirdnews.bsky.social - an osprey over the road as we continued west was a nice surprise, too.
A trip to Castle Loch, Lochmaben, D&G for a gentle stroll. Found a great white egret. #birdingscotland
August 30, 2025 at 12:57 PM
A trip to Castle Loch, Lochmaben, D&G for a gentle stroll. Found a great white egret. #birdingscotland
More open spaces in D&G #birdingscotland this afternoon. 5 whimbrel, 6 greenshank, 7 black-tailed godwit and an adult med gull being highlights. 15 Gooseander always nice to see. Lots of jellyfish along the beach.
August 29, 2025 at 5:45 PM
More open spaces in D&G #birdingscotland this afternoon. 5 whimbrel, 6 greenshank, 7 black-tailed godwit and an adult med gull being highlights. 15 Gooseander always nice to see. Lots of jellyfish along the beach.
Lots of open space too...
August 28, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Lots of open space too...
Nice afternoon birding in D&G, #birdingscotland. 3 x avocet, 1 x juv marsh harrier, 4 ruff, along with a selection of other waders. One of the avocet had 2 x yellow rings and a flag on left leg. Ideas of where's it from are welcome.
August 28, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Nice afternoon birding in D&G, #birdingscotland. 3 x avocet, 1 x juv marsh harrier, 4 ruff, along with a selection of other waders. One of the avocet had 2 x yellow rings and a flag on left leg. Ideas of where's it from are welcome.
Whilst out looking for/at late breeding UK RBBP species, came across this common toad. Not seen one for a while.
August 18, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Whilst out looking for/at late breeding UK RBBP species, came across this common toad. Not seen one for a while.
Green light for birding this morning, and overcast conditions. Juv cuckoo, a flock of 6 green sandpiper, a summer plumage grey plover, a few willow warbler and 1 tree pipit. #kentbirding
August 14, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Green light for birding this morning, and overcast conditions. Juv cuckoo, a flock of 6 green sandpiper, a summer plumage grey plover, a few willow warbler and 1 tree pipit. #kentbirding
Yesterday's (Tuesday) highlights from a pre-work walk were a great white egret flying east, 2 cuckoo, and a wheatear. Found a slow worm on a path and moved the little fella to a safe spot. Awesome animals.
August 13, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Yesterday's (Tuesday) highlights from a pre-work walk were a great white egret flying east, 2 cuckoo, and a wheatear. Found a slow worm on a path and moved the little fella to a safe spot. Awesome animals.
After a long break (too long), made it out birding this morning. Highlights being a gropper, hobby, several willow warblers, and a nice variety of waders.
August 10, 2025 at 10:26 AM
After a long break (too long), made it out birding this morning. Highlights being a gropper, hobby, several willow warblers, and a nice variety of waders.
A gentle stroll along the cliff tops was interspersed with butterflies, including this stunner, a small cooper. The purple of the black knapweed pops against the dried out grasses behind.
August 9, 2025 at 3:40 PM
A gentle stroll along the cliff tops was interspersed with butterflies, including this stunner, a small cooper. The purple of the black knapweed pops against the dried out grasses behind.
Nice garden visitor today to our 12m square wild flower lawn in the back garden. Bees buzzing, ants scurrying, young blackbird being fed this morning. Simple things bring so much pleasure when you pause and notice them.
July 12, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Nice garden visitor today to our 12m square wild flower lawn in the back garden. Bees buzzing, ants scurrying, young blackbird being fed this morning. Simple things bring so much pleasure when you pause and notice them.
More orchids today...
May 9, 2025 at 6:41 PM
More orchids today...
For a while, I thought this was going to be one that got away, but I refound what I initially thought was a ringtail harrier sp of interest to find it was in fact a young male Monties!!! #kentbirding #ukbirding. Photo of initial sighting & probably best shot I managed.
May 2, 2025 at 1:58 PM
For a while, I thought this was going to be one that got away, but I refound what I initially thought was a ringtail harrier sp of interest to find it was in fact a young male Monties!!! #kentbirding #ukbirding. Photo of initial sighting & probably best shot I managed.
An orchestra of orchids after work today was very much needed...
May 1, 2025 at 9:26 PM
An orchestra of orchids after work today was very much needed...
Nice walk in the woods on Friday afternoon. Always wanted to see this beauty, yellow pimpernel.
April 27, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Nice walk in the woods on Friday afternoon. Always wanted to see this beauty, yellow pimpernel.
Since getting back from hols managed to get out to the Reculver patch twice. Highlights being a hawfinch this morning (thanks to Matt Hindle), tree pipit, and the usual warblers, cuckoo and passage migrants. Bees starting to show themselves too...#kentbirding
April 21, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Since getting back from hols managed to get out to the Reculver patch twice. Highlights being a hawfinch this morning (thanks to Matt Hindle), tree pipit, and the usual warblers, cuckoo and passage migrants. Bees starting to show themselves too...#kentbirding
My favourite non-avian highlights from southern France...
April 21, 2025 at 12:38 PM
My favourite non-avian highlights from southern France...
... other highlights included collared pratincole, Moltoni's warbler, sub-alpine warbler, little bustard, short-toed lark, hundreds of wood sandpiper, whiskered tern, gull-billed tern, spectacled warbler & many more spp.
April 21, 2025 at 12:36 PM
... other highlights included collared pratincole, Moltoni's warbler, sub-alpine warbler, little bustard, short-toed lark, hundreds of wood sandpiper, whiskered tern, gull-billed tern, spectacled warbler & many more spp.