Dave Andrews
@pterodroma.bsky.social
Previously @iPterodroma on Twitter. Birding and general wildlife. Ex-consultant ecologist now secondary school Head of Biology. Guernsey-born, residing in Norfolk for 20 years.
Spot-the-'cock and Spot-the-snipe. Always a good game.
October 25, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Spot-the-'cock and Spot-the-snipe. Always a good game.
An optimal weather window & some free time = a long drive+boat+flight to North Ronaldsay-joining Jack Morris for some rarity hunting. A lot of effort but no big prize. Our finds inc. Little Bunting, multiple YBWs, Northern Bullfinch & Barred Warbler. Pallas's and Raddes seen also #RarebirdsUK
October 25, 2025 at 4:45 PM
An optimal weather window & some free time = a long drive+boat+flight to North Ronaldsay-joining Jack Morris for some rarity hunting. A lot of effort but no big prize. Our finds inc. Little Bunting, multiple YBWs, Northern Bullfinch & Barred Warbler. Pallas's and Raddes seen also #RarebirdsUK
A couple from a trip out to East Hills last Saturday. Pallas's Warbler found by @stuartwhite73.bsky.social, Osprey over wells harbour and a Merlin. Dusky Warbler was all to brief (got a sound recording though) and a Tree Sparrow was my first migrant one ever in North norfolk. #NorfolkBirding
October 25, 2025 at 4:23 PM
A couple from a trip out to East Hills last Saturday. Pallas's Warbler found by @stuartwhite73.bsky.social, Osprey over wells harbour and a Merlin. Dusky Warbler was all to brief (got a sound recording though) and a Tree Sparrow was my first migrant one ever in North norfolk. #NorfolkBirding
Seen 4 species of Swift here, sadly no 5th... Never mind at least I couldn't find anyone to come with me, so didn't make a 9 hour round trip to so no swift on another cliff
October 11, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Seen 4 species of Swift here, sadly no 5th... Never mind at least I couldn't find anyone to come with me, so didn't make a 9 hour round trip to so no swift on another cliff
The stunning Turkestan shrike at Dunwich this morning, showed beautifully in the morning sun, despite the blustery conditions #RareBirdsUK #SuffolkBirding #UKBirding
October 4, 2025 at 10:50 AM
The stunning Turkestan shrike at Dunwich this morning, showed beautifully in the morning sun, despite the blustery conditions #RareBirdsUK #SuffolkBirding #UKBirding
Nice family walk at winterton this morning, 2 sp. of shrike, dartford, woodlark, 4 redstart, scattering of wheatear. Despite the kids' help failed to flush out a locustella #NorfolkBirding
September 27, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Nice family walk at winterton this morning, 2 sp. of shrike, dartford, woodlark, 4 redstart, scattering of wheatear. Despite the kids' help failed to flush out a locustella #NorfolkBirding
Black Guillemot, 88+ Arctic skuas, 2 long tail, 3 Bonnxie, 6 Sooty, 50 manx, black tern - the highlights of sheringham seawatch 6:30 - 11am. A few other bits were seen but where were our Corys!? #NorfolkBirding
September 21, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Black Guillemot, 88+ Arctic skuas, 2 long tail, 3 Bonnxie, 6 Sooty, 50 manx, black tern - the highlights of sheringham seawatch 6:30 - 11am. A few other bits were seen but where were our Corys!? #NorfolkBirding
Having found a couple in Guernsey a few years back i wasn't super enthusiastic, but Walberswick is a nice place to be on a summers day so why not. Unsurprisingly the experience was not the same as the Guernsey ones (last picture) but i did manage a digiscoped couple of shots... #SuffolkBirding
August 3, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Having found a couple in Guernsey a few years back i wasn't super enthusiastic, but Walberswick is a nice place to be on a summers day so why not. Unsurprisingly the experience was not the same as the Guernsey ones (last picture) but i did manage a digiscoped couple of shots... #SuffolkBirding
Out scouting for Honeys in Norfolk, drew a blank but Goshawks now more and more widespread. #BirdingNorfolk
May 30, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Out scouting for Honeys in Norfolk, drew a blank but Goshawks now more and more widespread. #BirdingNorfolk
Failed to catch up with the Eagle today, scanned the glandford valley 8:30 - 11:15. Popped down to Blakeney for a cake. 11:27 the bird shows, was back in the valley by 11:30... No further sign 😭. Went to Cley later, no birds of note, but common lizard was nice on boardwalk.
May 26, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Failed to catch up with the Eagle today, scanned the glandford valley 8:30 - 11:15. Popped down to Blakeney for a cake. 11:27 the bird shows, was back in the valley by 11:30... No further sign 😭. Went to Cley later, no birds of note, but common lizard was nice on boardwalk.
A supposed relaxing morning birding around Brownsea interrupted by the Eastern Bonellis warbler at Dungeness. Jumped on the ferry and arrived at Dunge at 5. In the 4 hours we were on site the 4 sec view in the bins was more than most people got. An extremely frustrating bird! #KentBirding #twitching
May 26, 2025 at 6:38 AM
A supposed relaxing morning birding around Brownsea interrupted by the Eastern Bonellis warbler at Dungeness. Jumped on the ferry and arrived at Dunge at 5. In the 4 hours we were on site the 4 sec view in the bins was more than most people got. An extremely frustrating bird! #KentBirding #twitching
A great days "birding" on Portland Bill with @beardybirder.bsky.social . Not much seen in the way of birds (3GN divers the best) but a host of great wildlife, the best being an absolute unit of a Leatherback turtle(!) just of the lighthouse. @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
May 24, 2025 at 5:28 PM
A great days "birding" on Portland Bill with @beardybirder.bsky.social . Not much seen in the way of birds (3GN divers the best) but a host of great wildlife, the best being an absolute unit of a Leatherback turtle(!) just of the lighthouse. @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
A recently fledged family party of "not-so-long"-tailed tits in the garden this afternoon. Means they must have built nest in Feb and layed first egg in early March!
@btobirds.bsky.social Mobile only shot.
@btobirds.bsky.social Mobile only shot.
April 23, 2025 at 3:45 PM
A recently fledged family party of "not-so-long"-tailed tits in the garden this afternoon. Means they must have built nest in Feb and layed first egg in early March!
@btobirds.bsky.social Mobile only shot.
@btobirds.bsky.social Mobile only shot.
Beautiful afternoon to take the kids for a walk and play on Kelling Beach, just so happened there was a showy American wigeon on the water meadows. Pure, cough cough, coincidence... 15 yellow wagtails dropping in was a pleasant bonus. #NorfolkBirding
April 17, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Beautiful afternoon to take the kids for a walk and play on Kelling Beach, just so happened there was a showy American wigeon on the water meadows. Pure, cough cough, coincidence... 15 yellow wagtails dropping in was a pleasant bonus. #NorfolkBirding
Popped to abberton on the way back from Harwich ferry this morning, it was freezing as ever but a great number and selection of birds including 9 BNGrebes, 2 slavs, and the returning Canvasback. #EssexBirding
January 26, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Popped to abberton on the way back from Harwich ferry this morning, it was freezing as ever but a great number and selection of birds including 9 BNGrebes, 2 slavs, and the returning Canvasback. #EssexBirding
The opportunity to see Spectacled Eider, a bird I thought I may never see, was an excellent excuse for my first ever trip to the Netherlands. Texel was an incredible place for birds and a thoroughly enjoyable day making memories with friends. #birding
January 26, 2025 at 11:13 AM
The opportunity to see Spectacled Eider, a bird I thought I may never see, was an excellent excuse for my first ever trip to the Netherlands. Texel was an incredible place for birds and a thoroughly enjoyable day making memories with friends. #birding
Managed to finally squeeze in a trip down to Whitlingham to see the Red-necked Grebe and coincided with a lone White-fronted goose that dropped in earlier. Thanks as always to the Norwich birders for updates! #NorfolkBirding
January 19, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Managed to finally squeeze in a trip down to Whitlingham to see the Red-necked Grebe and coincided with a lone White-fronted goose that dropped in earlier. Thanks as always to the Norwich birders for updates! #NorfolkBirding
First birding of 2025 - A damp day out in NW #NorfolkBirding. 80 species. Shorelarks, glauc and Greenland Whitefront were species highlights, but the real highlight was the sight and sound of 10k pinkies overhead near docking and an unusually point blank range RBMerg at titchwell on a pool.
January 5, 2025 at 10:38 PM
First birding of 2025 - A damp day out in NW #NorfolkBirding. 80 species. Shorelarks, glauc and Greenland Whitefront were species highlights, but the real highlight was the sight and sound of 10k pinkies overhead near docking and an unusually point blank range RBMerg at titchwell on a pool.
As successful twitches go, one of the worst. 5hr wait for 4min view (could have been worse). Couldn't really hang around longer. Nowhere to go looking for it as it was almost certainly in the inaccessible area. And finishing with a tediously slow, heavy traffic, foggy drive home. #ukbirding
December 27, 2024 at 7:36 PM
As successful twitches go, one of the worst. 5hr wait for 4min view (could have been worse). Couldn't really hang around longer. Nowhere to go looking for it as it was almost certainly in the inaccessible area. And finishing with a tediously slow, heavy traffic, foggy drive home. #ukbirding
I had a couple of two-barred on a ship near Foula in 2013, one stayed over a week on board so could easily come in.
November 15, 2024 at 4:49 PM
I had a couple of two-barred on a ship near Foula in 2013, one stayed over a week on board so could easily come in.
A rainbow-filled (not bird-filled 😥) very blustery day. Capturing @beardybirder.bsky.social vomming a rainbow was a highlight. #tastetherainbow
October 25, 2024 at 8:12 PM
A rainbow-filled (not bird-filled 😥) very blustery day. Capturing @beardybirder.bsky.social vomming a rainbow was a highlight. #tastetherainbow
Bird of the day was a Red-throated pipit, seen by Phil but sadly heard only for me as I was deep in cover. Best of the rest - more flyover hawfinches, a Rouzel, a late yellow wag, woodcock, black redstart. Popped to Tresco for an hour and saw 2 Serins & 2 lesser yellowlegs #UKBirding #ScillyBirding
October 24, 2024 at 6:32 PM
Bird of the day was a Red-throated pipit, seen by Phil but sadly heard only for me as I was deep in cover. Best of the rest - more flyover hawfinches, a Rouzel, a late yellow wag, woodcock, black redstart. Popped to Tresco for an hour and saw 2 Serins & 2 lesser yellowlegs #UKBirding #ScillyBirding
A day off Bryher on St.Agnes for all things small. First stop Least adders tongue, the smallest fern in the UK (about 5mm) followed by a Little Bunting shortly after (finally found something!). Appeared on the beach briefly, before disappearing and not being seen again. #UkBirding #ScillyBirding
October 22, 2024 at 5:31 PM
A day off Bryher on St.Agnes for all things small. First stop Least adders tongue, the smallest fern in the UK (about 5mm) followed by a Little Bunting shortly after (finally found something!). Appeared on the beach briefly, before disappearing and not being seen again. #UkBirding #ScillyBirding
First full day on Bryher. Very windy so bushes and trees were hard work but dotterel & hoopoe on the ground and the lesserlegs continued to show well. With @moorebirdsbybike.bsky.social @beardybirder.bsky.social et al #UKBirding #ScillyBirding
October 20, 2024 at 6:08 PM
First full day on Bryher. Very windy so bushes and trees were hard work but dotterel & hoopoe on the ground and the lesserlegs continued to show well. With @moorebirdsbybike.bsky.social @beardybirder.bsky.social et al #UKBirding #ScillyBirding
A beautiful first day on Scillies. High hopes for the next few days but Lesserlegs, large shearwaters and beautiful scenery eased us in nicely. @beardybirder.bsky.social #ScillyBirding #UKBirding
October 19, 2024 at 7:46 PM
A beautiful first day on Scillies. High hopes for the next few days but Lesserlegs, large shearwaters and beautiful scenery eased us in nicely. @beardybirder.bsky.social #ScillyBirding #UKBirding