And here’s some Black-throated Diver to go with it. A grand day indeed.

I have very few regrets in life but the trough in the middle of this graph is one of them. I’ve put my old notebooks into Birdtrack but the trough represents a period when I worked too hard and didn’t keep detailed records. The last BTO Atlas cured me of that! Listen to Steve!

Beautiful view over Scarborough N bay from the castle this lunchtime. Arrived to see the Needletail starting to drift north and disappeared off to the north west. Not a crippling view but saw the distinctive shape and white undertail. Thank you @markthebirder.bsky.social for getting me on to it.

Curlew surveying up in the Pennines on Friday. After 4 miles across Heather moorland took my scope off my back pack to use it and found a leg and fastener had fallen off my Benro Stealth BICLT204 tripod. Don’t understand why. Perhaps the plastic failed? Anyone else had this?

@WeBS at Manby today. Though it’s the best site for Green Sand in Lincs I was still surprised when I heard the call and a bird dropped in. Last I had here was 16 April and it’s the earliest autumn returner I can remember. Wonder if it’s the same bird as April? Failed breeder?

Enjoyed Tristram’s Warbler so much I invented a cocktail. The Tristram’s Tingler: shots of Bombay Sapphire gin and Cointreau with juniper berries, sprig of rosemary and a slice of orange evoking the habitat and Morocco. Drink while admiring this fine shot from @APCbirding

Mind blown this morning. Went with a farmer at Dovendale near Louth to identify a large flock of small birds. 300+ Corn Buntings including 1 leucistic bird almost certainly the bird on my BBS last June 2.5km away. Also 250 Yellowhammer, 200 Linnet, 100 Chaffinch, 100 S, 30 RB

What looked like it might be another poor winter seawatch turned to gold at Sutton on Sea with 78 Red-throated Divers many giving incredible close views. Then a Black Redstart did a brief stop over and headed south: patch tick! Red-necked Grebe still at Sutton Brick Pit.

Previously played with ChatGPT and it failed to forecast any new birds for the BOU list. Just tried with DeepSeek and it came up with 7 new ones (edited list attached) out of 28 listed. Anyone else tried this with what result? Anybody tried to get AI to write a bird report entry?

18 Meerkats just got up while we were having coffee on the stoup at 06.30. Digiscoped from about 500m

Enjoying some winter sun in South Africa. Digiscoped Ground Woodpecker SW of Wakkerstroom today. Got back to our guest house (Meerkats from the stoup) and the heavens opened the most spectacular thunder and lightning I’ve seen in years.

A great afternoon at Stonebridge Donna Nook with this Siberian Stonechat giving great views. A frame shot from a digiscoped video. A juv Red-breasted Flycatcher was also showing well but infrequently!

Hot chocolate with Jura malt to celebrate a Balearic Shearwater north close in at 11.55 at Sutton on Sea. A Lincolnshire tick for me. Been waiting a long time but it was worth it. Also 4 Poms, 3 Bonxies and 4 Arctic Skua. With @philopus who turned up just in time for the best Pom and Balearic!

One of 5 Redstarts at Donna Nook, Lincs this afternoon. Miserable with fog and rain from around 4.00pm. I suspect this little chap had a harder day than most. Not seen one as worn out as this in a long time. Hand held phone from 3m. Not much else about.