Rob Hill
@robhbirder.bsky.social
Freelance bird surveyor and copywriter. Yearns to live in Cornwall. Nature is a language, can’t you read?
This Great Northern Diver at Foxcote today was perhaps overdue, but still an unexpected patch mega. Looked very sluggish when I was there, but was seen catching a fish earlier. So hopefully it’s in good health #ukbirding #bucksbirdnews
November 20, 2025 at 5:31 PM
This Great Northern Diver at Foxcote today was perhaps overdue, but still an unexpected patch mega. Looked very sluggish when I was there, but was seen catching a fish earlier. So hopefully it’s in good health #ukbirding #bucksbirdnews
Another super day at Titchwell. 2 1st-w Ring Ouzels in-off at Thornham Pt, Little Gull, Goldeneye & Red-b Merg on the sea, Merlin harassing Skylarks, showy Firecrest, and a big Starling roost to boot #ukbirding
November 1, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Another super day at Titchwell. 2 1st-w Ring Ouzels in-off at Thornham Pt, Little Gull, Goldeneye & Red-b Merg on the sea, Merlin harassing Skylarks, showy Firecrest, and a big Starling roost to boot #ukbirding
Spectacular Starling passage at Titchwell today, birds piling through at 9-10k/hr all day, right up til dusk. Awesome to see.
Not much other vis-mig - Snow Bunt in off, 100+ Chaffinch, handful of Redwing & Fieldfare. Merlin & Caspian Gull best of the rest #ukbirding
Not much other vis-mig - Snow Bunt in off, 100+ Chaffinch, handful of Redwing & Fieldfare. Merlin & Caspian Gull best of the rest #ukbirding
October 31, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Spectacular Starling passage at Titchwell today, birds piling through at 9-10k/hr all day, right up til dusk. Awesome to see.
Not much other vis-mig - Snow Bunt in off, 100+ Chaffinch, handful of Redwing & Fieldfare. Merlin & Caspian Gull best of the rest #ukbirding
Not much other vis-mig - Snow Bunt in off, 100+ Chaffinch, handful of Redwing & Fieldfare. Merlin & Caspian Gull best of the rest #ukbirding
Reposted by Rob Hill
So much for "boosting growth".
All this vandalism will do is leave us with devastated ecosystems, fewer green spaces, worse quality of life, while neither solving the housing crisis (because the problem IS NOT AND NEVER WAS "bats and newts") nor creating "growth".
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
All this vandalism will do is leave us with devastated ecosystems, fewer green spaces, worse quality of life, while neither solving the housing crisis (because the problem IS NOT AND NEVER WAS "bats and newts") nor creating "growth".
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
New planning bill could jeopardise UK’s trade deal with EU, ambassador warns
Exclusive: Proposed legislation removes EU-derived nature protections as government hopes to boost economic growth
www.theguardian.com
October 29, 2025 at 5:16 PM
So much for "boosting growth".
All this vandalism will do is leave us with devastated ecosystems, fewer green spaces, worse quality of life, while neither solving the housing crisis (because the problem IS NOT AND NEVER WAS "bats and newts") nor creating "growth".
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
All this vandalism will do is leave us with devastated ecosystems, fewer green spaces, worse quality of life, while neither solving the housing crisis (because the problem IS NOT AND NEVER WAS "bats and newts") nor creating "growth".
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
This Scaup at Foxcote is my best patch find for quite a while. Follows one yesterday near Tring. After being very rare in Bucks for about 10 years, we’ve had 7 since March 2023. Thanks to @paulgibbs.bsky.social for the pic #ukbirding #bucksbirdnews
October 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM
This Scaup at Foxcote is my best patch find for quite a while. Follows one yesterday near Tring. After being very rare in Bucks for about 10 years, we’ve had 7 since March 2023. Thanks to @paulgibbs.bsky.social for the pic #ukbirding #bucksbirdnews
Another superb 2wks in autumnal Cornwall. Excellent birding as always, with some modest finds - Pied Fly, Turtle Dove, Curlew Sand, plus Great & Sooty Shear from the Scillonian. Birds eclipsed by two longed-for insects- Monarch & Vagrant Emperor. Until next time, Kernow 🙌 #ukbirding #cornwallbirding
October 4, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Another superb 2wks in autumnal Cornwall. Excellent birding as always, with some modest finds - Pied Fly, Turtle Dove, Curlew Sand, plus Great & Sooty Shear from the Scillonian. Birds eclipsed by two longed-for insects- Monarch & Vagrant Emperor. Until next time, Kernow 🙌 #ukbirding #cornwallbirding
1st-w Turtle Dove, Spotted Fly & 3 Wheatear the best of the birds at a sunny Porthgwarra today. But best of all was a Monarch butterfly batting its way along the coast path, my first ever. Also Clouded Yellow & dozens of Red Admiral & Painted Lady. Glorious #ukbirding #cornwallbirding
September 25, 2025 at 6:01 PM
1st-w Turtle Dove, Spotted Fly & 3 Wheatear the best of the birds at a sunny Porthgwarra today. But best of all was a Monarch butterfly batting its way along the coast path, my first ever. Also Clouded Yellow & dozens of Red Admiral & Painted Lady. Glorious #ukbirding #cornwallbirding
Curlew Sand the highlight amongst a nice group of waders on Marazion beach this evening. Beautiful evening to just sit, chill, and watch the sea #ukbirding #cornwallbirding
September 22, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Curlew Sand the highlight amongst a nice group of waders on Marazion beach this evening. Beautiful evening to just sit, chill, and watch the sea #ukbirding #cornwallbirding
Impressive hirundine passage at Marazion today. Birds streaming east in poor weather, about 60-70/min for 4hrs. Mostly House Martins & Swallows skimming over rooftops and skirting cliff edges. No let up until the sun came out #ukbirding #cornwallbirding
September 21, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Impressive hirundine passage at Marazion today. Birds streaming east in poor weather, about 60-70/min for 4hrs. Mostly House Martins & Swallows skimming over rooftops and skirting cliff edges. No let up until the sun came out #ukbirding #cornwallbirding
Reposted by Rob Hill
This is infuriating. What is the point of a Marine Protected Area if trawlers are allowed to keep ploughing it?
Yet again, the government has succumbed to commercial lobbying.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Yet again, the government has succumbed to commercial lobbying.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Bottom trawling to continue in English protected waters, government rules
Defra says blanket ban on ‘destructive’ fishing practice disproportionate as MPs urge minister to reconsider
www.theguardian.com
September 9, 2025 at 6:15 AM
This is infuriating. What is the point of a Marine Protected Area if trawlers are allowed to keep ploughing it?
Yet again, the government has succumbed to commercial lobbying.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Yet again, the government has succumbed to commercial lobbying.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
The most influential UK politician of the 21st century.
Which is freaking depressing.
Which is freaking depressing.
A day of shame for the UK. A political party proposes mass deportations and the response from other political parties is not to condemn this as going further than even Mosley or the National Front.
No10 spokesman not prepared to criticise anything about Farage speech today.
Not his description of "invasion", not his prediction that the UK on brink of civil war, not plans to pay the Taliban or Iran to take back migrants, or indeed to rule out doing so themselves.
Not his description of "invasion", not his prediction that the UK on brink of civil war, not plans to pay the Taliban or Iran to take back migrants, or indeed to rule out doing so themselves.
August 26, 2025 at 3:52 PM
The most influential UK politician of the 21st century.
Which is freaking depressing.
Which is freaking depressing.
Juv Marsh Harrier at Foxcote this morning. No sign of yesterday’s Wood Sand. Pretty much a whole autumn’s excitement packed into two days! #ukbirding #bucksbirdnews
August 19, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Juv Marsh Harrier at Foxcote this morning. No sign of yesterday’s Wood Sand. Pretty much a whole autumn’s excitement packed into two days! #ukbirding #bucksbirdnews
Wood Sand at Foxcote this morning, also 3 Common Sands. Easterlies finally deliver 🙌 #ukbirding #bucksbirdnews
August 18, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Wood Sand at Foxcote this morning, also 3 Common Sands. Easterlies finally deliver 🙌 #ukbirding #bucksbirdnews
Been a slow autumn on patch, but two Redstarts today were worth the early start. Hedges bouncing with commoner warblers, plus a Yellow Wag over #bucksbirds #ukbirding
August 15, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Been a slow autumn on patch, but two Redstarts today were worth the early start. Hedges bouncing with commoner warblers, plus a Yellow Wag over #bucksbirds #ukbirding
Blistering ride from my favourite rider at the #TdF2025 today. Gutted that @nedboulting.bsky.social and Dave won’t be back next year. But thank you for years of peerless commentary, and what a way to sign off #itvcycling
July 27, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Blistering ride from my favourite rider at the #TdF2025 today. Gutted that @nedboulting.bsky.social and Dave won’t be back next year. But thank you for years of peerless commentary, and what a way to sign off #itvcycling
Passage waders are a rare sight in north Bucks, especially at my local reservoir. Nice to see this splendid adult Black-wit today, amongst a noisy throng of recently fledged Black-headed Gulls #ukbirding #bucksbirdnews
July 6, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Passage waders are a rare sight in north Bucks, especially at my local reservoir. Nice to see this splendid adult Black-wit today, amongst a noisy throng of recently fledged Black-headed Gulls #ukbirding #bucksbirdnews
Emailed my MP using this link, thanks @alexmorss.bsky.social Took one minute.
I think more people give a shit about this country’s environment than this shambles of a government think.
I think more people give a shit about this country’s environment than this shambles of a government think.
Very many of us who work in wildlife conservation are extremely concerned about the 'pay to kill' policies in the proposed Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Please send this letter to your MP - it just takes a few seconds.
🧵 Explainer thread...
act.bats.org.uk/planning-and...
🧵 Explainer thread...
act.bats.org.uk/planning-and...
Planning and Infrastructure Bill - ask your MP to stop this licence to kill
Ask your MP to prevent the Planning and Infrastructure Bill from causing irreversible damage The government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill is moving through Parliament right now. It includes propo...
act.bats.org.uk
June 7, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Emailed my MP using this link, thanks @alexmorss.bsky.social Took one minute.
I think more people give a shit about this country’s environment than this shambles of a government think.
I think more people give a shit about this country’s environment than this shambles of a government think.
Reposted by Rob Hill
What did we do to deserve this government? It promised change, and many people voted on that basis, in good faith. But the change is from bad to worse. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Revealed: 5,000 English nature sites at risk under Labour’s planning proposals
Exclusive: Planning bill includes mechanism for developers to ‘pay to pollute’ valuable ecosystems, experts warn
www.theguardian.com
June 3, 2025 at 1:57 PM
What did we do to deserve this government? It promised change, and many people voted on that basis, in good faith. But the change is from bad to worse. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Rob Hill
Every day I ask myself: what the hell is happening in Starmer's inner circle? It seems determined to stamp out every spark of hope.
June 2, 2025 at 5:38 AM
Every day I ask myself: what the hell is happening in Starmer's inner circle? It seems determined to stamp out every spark of hope.
Reposted by Rob Hill
Farmers trying to do the right thing are yet again getting frozen out by this government, which seems determined to make the wrong decisions at every opportunity.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Fund for nature-friendly farming to be slashed in UK spending review
Exclusive: Defra sources say scheme, which pays farmers to protect nature, will be targeted at ‘small farms’
www.theguardian.com
June 2, 2025 at 5:37 AM
Farmers trying to do the right thing are yet again getting frozen out by this government, which seems determined to make the wrong decisions at every opportunity.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
I don’t live in Milton Keynes any more, but anything that helps protect its wildlife against brainless scum…
Sign the Petition
Grant permission to protect swans at Lodge Lake
www.change.org
May 31, 2025 at 7:20 PM
I don’t live in Milton Keynes any more, but anything that helps protect its wildlife against brainless scum…
Christ alive if they can’t even do this…..
They’ve been a colossal disappointment on every conceivable level.
They’ve been a colossal disappointment on every conceivable level.
WTF? If this Government can’t even agree to this smallest of initiatives, which has no cost to them & absolutely no down-sides, what hope that it will step up to the bigger nature challenges we face? This is a *popular* policy, for heavens sake. Obstinate tin-eared stupidity doesn’t come close …
Labour blocks proposal for ‘swift bricks’ in all new homes
MPs had previously backed Conservative amendment to ask developers to provide hollow bricks for endangered birds
www.theguardian.com
May 23, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Christ alive if they can’t even do this…..
They’ve been a colossal disappointment on every conceivable level.
They’ve been a colossal disappointment on every conceivable level.
Perfect end to our week in Cornwall.
First, watch the @cornishpirates.bsky.social win a thriller at The Mennaye with a superb second half comeback 🏈💪
Second, see an Osprey lazily drift over Penzance harbour on the walk back, flustering all the gulls #ukbirding
First, watch the @cornishpirates.bsky.social win a thriller at The Mennaye with a superb second half comeback 🏈💪
Second, see an Osprey lazily drift over Penzance harbour on the walk back, flustering all the gulls #ukbirding
May 17, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Perfect end to our week in Cornwall.
First, watch the @cornishpirates.bsky.social win a thriller at The Mennaye with a superb second half comeback 🏈💪
Second, see an Osprey lazily drift over Penzance harbour on the walk back, flustering all the gulls #ukbirding
First, watch the @cornishpirates.bsky.social win a thriller at The Mennaye with a superb second half comeback 🏈💪
Second, see an Osprey lazily drift over Penzance harbour on the walk back, flustering all the gulls #ukbirding
My first ever Red-veined Darters at Porthgwarra round off a super Cornwall week.
Good no’s of butterflies, esp Painted Lady’s.
Red-footed Falcon, Garganey, Wood Sand & Arctic Skua best of the birds. Lots of Swallows, v few Swifts #ukbirding #ukdragonflies #ukbutterflies
Good no’s of butterflies, esp Painted Lady’s.
Red-footed Falcon, Garganey, Wood Sand & Arctic Skua best of the birds. Lots of Swallows, v few Swifts #ukbirding #ukdragonflies #ukbutterflies
May 16, 2025 at 9:51 PM
My first ever Red-veined Darters at Porthgwarra round off a super Cornwall week.
Good no’s of butterflies, esp Painted Lady’s.
Red-footed Falcon, Garganey, Wood Sand & Arctic Skua best of the birds. Lots of Swallows, v few Swifts #ukbirding #ukdragonflies #ukbutterflies
Good no’s of butterflies, esp Painted Lady’s.
Red-footed Falcon, Garganey, Wood Sand & Arctic Skua best of the birds. Lots of Swallows, v few Swifts #ukbirding #ukdragonflies #ukbutterflies
Reposted by Rob Hill
The @bbs-birds.bsky.social 2024 report is out now and shows a worrying 71% decline for Cuckoo across England since 1994. Read the full report online now ➡️ www.bto.org/bbs-results #ConservationScience🌍
Falling finch numbers, fading farmland birds, declining Dippers and vanishing Cuckoo calls in England are worrying findings from the 2024 Breeding Bird Survey report out now! Read the report ➡️ www.bto.org/bbs-results
@btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology
@btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology
May 15, 2025 at 2:56 PM
The @bbs-birds.bsky.social 2024 report is out now and shows a worrying 71% decline for Cuckoo across England since 1994. Read the full report online now ➡️ www.bto.org/bbs-results #ConservationScience🌍