Stephen Dunstan
@dunners.bsky.social
Birder based in Lancashire. Cumbria Bird Club Council member, Birds in Cumbria and Lancashire Bird Report section editor. Barrow AFC season ticket holder.
Nice to find this young drake Scaup in Stanley Park, Blackpool today. I was WeBS counting and wasn't equipped for picture taking so I'm sharing one of Tom Parkinson's that shows how close it came at times #LancsBirding
November 9, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Nice to find this young drake Scaup in Stanley Park, Blackpool today. I was WeBS counting and wasn't equipped for picture taking so I'm sharing one of Tom Parkinson's that shows how close it came at times #LancsBirding
trust me this is a Hudsonian Whimbrel at Rabil Lagoon today. Well pleased.
October 22, 2025 at 6:22 PM
trust me this is a Hudsonian Whimbrel at Rabil Lagoon today. Well pleased.
Boavista update - a Ring-necked Duck in off the sea onto Rabil lagoon and up to six White-rumped Sands at Lacacao. The Willet at Lacacao on two of four visits.
October 19, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Boavista update - a Ring-necked Duck in off the sea onto Rabil lagoon and up to six White-rumped Sands at Lacacao. The Willet at Lacacao on two of four visits.
Doing well for Nearctic waders on hols - five White-rumped Sands (pictured badly) yesterday and five Lesser Yellowlegs (four pictured) today.
October 14, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Doing well for Nearctic waders on hols - five White-rumped Sands (pictured badly) yesterday and five Lesser Yellowlegs (four pictured) today.
Boa Vista holiday - went to the south of the island today and pleasingly the Willet was back on the pools where it was first found earlier in the year. What a wing pattern that is.
October 13, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Boa Vista holiday - went to the south of the island today and pleasingly the Willet was back on the pools where it was first found earlier in the year. What a wing pattern that is.
Lesser Yellowlegs at Rabil Lagoon. Camera was dead but got good recording of the call. First I've found this side of the pond.
October 12, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Lesser Yellowlegs at Rabil Lagoon. Camera was dead but got good recording of the call. First I've found this side of the pond.
Some Boa Vista birds for today's Ebird Big Day. Spoonbill, Brown Boobies, Spanish and Cape Verde Sparrows.
October 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Some Boa Vista birds for today's Ebird Big Day. Spoonbill, Brown Boobies, Spanish and Cape Verde Sparrows.
Not Shetland for the autumn island birding this year but Boa Vista, Cape Verde. Mainly for Jane's benefit but previous Sal trips delivered including the first Rosy Starling for the archipelago. Fingers crossed.
October 9, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Not Shetland for the autumn island birding this year but Boa Vista, Cape Verde. Mainly for Jane's benefit but previous Sal trips delivered including the first Rosy Starling for the archipelago. Fingers crossed.
After two winter bird surveys today set off in search of floods. Paid dividends with a Garganey on the outskirts of Poulton-le-Fylde. Only one on the Fylde away from Marton Mere this year I think #LancsBirding
September 21, 2025 at 4:06 PM
After two winter bird surveys today set off in search of floods. Paid dividends with a Garganey on the outskirts of Poulton-le-Fylde. Only one on the Fylde away from Marton Mere this year I think #LancsBirding
Started the new winter bird survey on @bbs-birds.bsky.social most unique BBS tetrad. Bizarre to do so in a heatwave on a prom full of tourists!
September 21, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Started the new winter bird survey on @bbs-birds.bsky.social most unique BBS tetrad. Bizarre to do so in a heatwave on a prom full of tourists!
Having a job can mean missing the best of the autumn gales but it fell nicely tonight at North Shore. Grey Phalarope, Leach's Petrel and Black Tern. Sanguine about missing several Sabine's Gulls in the circumstances #LancsBirding
September 15, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Having a job can mean missing the best of the autumn gales but it fell nicely tonight at North Shore. Grey Phalarope, Leach's Petrel and Black Tern. Sanguine about missing several Sabine's Gulls in the circumstances #LancsBirding
The Spotted Redshank influx in Lancs brought three to Skippool last night, the most I've seen together on the Fylde #LancsBirding
September 13, 2025 at 9:40 AM
The Spotted Redshank influx in Lancs brought three to Skippool last night, the most I've seen together on the Fylde #LancsBirding
Ahead of birding Cape Verde again next month the first of two or three blogposts about previous trips, because eBird coverage is still rubbish and they may help fill gaps for people considering going.
natural-selection.uk/2025/09/11/t...
natural-selection.uk/2025/09/11/t...
The Trouble With Ebird
A Rosy Starling I found on Out Skerries in spring 2018 At the outset I should say that I think eBird is great. A system for bird record documentation created by the American Cornell Institute it…
natural-selection.uk
September 11, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Ahead of birding Cape Verde again next month the first of two or three blogposts about previous trips, because eBird coverage is still rubbish and they may help fill gaps for people considering going.
natural-selection.uk/2025/09/11/t...
natural-selection.uk/2025/09/11/t...
Some of the nearly 300 Coot on Stanley Park during today's WeBS count. Unfortunately a swan was fatally wounded by a dog just after I left #LancsBirding
September 11, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Some of the nearly 300 Coot on Stanley Park during today's WeBS count. Unfortunately a swan was fatally wounded by a dog just after I left #LancsBirding
The Polish ringed 2W Med Gull first found by Paul Slade continues at Skippool, details awaited #LancsBirding
August 30, 2025 at 6:36 PM
The Polish ringed 2W Med Gull first found by Paul Slade continues at Skippool, details awaited #LancsBirding
It flew before I could get a picture but this turned out to an awesome BHG recovery at Skippool tonight #LancsBirding
August 29, 2025 at 6:01 PM
It flew before I could get a picture but this turned out to an awesome BHG recovery at Skippool tonight #LancsBirding
Not everyone's cup of tea but Greylags back from Windermere en masse today - c1010 at Little Singleton. One of the two neck collared birds (pictured) appears to have changed wintering site. The other apparently changed moult site to Barrow Park one year. #LancsBirding
August 11, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Not everyone's cup of tea but Greylags back from Windermere en masse today - c1010 at Little Singleton. One of the two neck collared birds (pictured) appears to have changed wintering site. The other apparently changed moult site to Barrow Park one year. #LancsBirding
Record shot of the White-rumped Sandpiper found by Tom Parkinson at Skippool today. The fourth for the site, and the third Yank on the upper reaches of the Wyre in 2025 #LancsBirding
August 8, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Record shot of the White-rumped Sandpiper found by Tom Parkinson at Skippool today. The fourth for the site, and the third Yank on the upper reaches of the Wyre in 2025 #LancsBirding
The LBBG rescued and rehabbed in Spain is back at Skippool like last year. This time I didn't screw up the sequence but nailed any lingering doubt. #LancsBirding
July 23, 2025 at 6:42 PM
The LBBG rescued and rehabbed in Spain is back at Skippool like last year. This time I didn't screw up the sequence but nailed any lingering doubt. #LancsBirding
Goose bothering in Blackpool's Stanley Park tonight. As expected this Canada was ringed on Windermere (as an adult male last June). #Lancsbirding
July 18, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Goose bothering in Blackpool's Stanley Park tonight. As expected this Canada was ringed on Windermere (as an adult male last June). #Lancsbirding
Some colour was provided on today's Fluke Hall WeBS by a Yellow Wagtail, and unfortunately this tangerine terror caught in the act of flushing everything #LancsBirding
July 13, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Some colour was provided on today's Fluke Hall WeBS by a Yellow Wagtail, and unfortunately this tangerine terror caught in the act of flushing everything #LancsBirding
On 8 July Rob Petley-Jones and colleague had this Sabine's Gull just outside Dublin harbour on the Marinelife survey from Heysham. I assume it's a first summer but welcome views.
July 12, 2025 at 7:47 AM
On 8 July Rob Petley-Jones and colleague had this Sabine's Gull just outside Dublin harbour on the Marinelife survey from Heysham. I assume it's a first summer but welcome views.
Skerries Day 2 - the Red-backed Shrike remains, as does the male Common Rosefinch which was singing last night and showed briefly today. At dusk c850 Puffin gathered off the Grunay lighthouse rock before going ashore. Greylag in pic as Puffins a bit distant.
June 4, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Skerries Day 2 - the Red-backed Shrike remains, as does the male Common Rosefinch which was singing last night and showed briefly today. At dusk c850 Puffin gathered off the Grunay lighthouse rock before going ashore. Greylag in pic as Puffins a bit distant.
Arrived on Skerries in a wholly unpromising forecast so nice to find a Red-backed Shrike close to the digs #BirdingScotland
June 3, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Arrived on Skerries in a wholly unpromising forecast so nice to find a Red-backed Shrike close to the digs #BirdingScotland
Following two lost footballs last month a much rarer list rugby ball on this month's Fluke Hall WeBS. Diagnostic lettering rules out the sought after American Football.
May 26, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Following two lost footballs last month a much rarer list rugby ball on this month's Fluke Hall WeBS. Diagnostic lettering rules out the sought after American Football.