Tom Lowe
@saloplarus.bsky.social
Gulls, Geese, Goshawks, Aurora, Astronomy and everything else in the sky. #lookup
#salopobs - the unofficial bird observatory in the heart of Shropshire 😏
#salopobs - the unofficial bird observatory in the heart of Shropshire 😏
Pinned
Tom Lowe
@saloplarus.bsky.social
· Apr 19
Wow. Went out hoping the damp easterlies might produce a Black Tern, and found a BLACK KITE 💥 The first for #shropshirebirding hanging over Wood Lane landfill with 5 Red Kites, on view constantly for 2hrs! Absolutely awesome
Another sparkling night on the Long Mynd, and absolutely freezing! Milky Way and airglow shining over the crunchy snow (with apologies for Mr Musk's interference in the corner 🙄) #astrophotography #Shropshire
November 20, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Another sparkling night on the Long Mynd, and absolutely freezing! Milky Way and airglow shining over the crunchy snow (with apologies for Mr Musk's interference in the corner 🙄) #astrophotography #Shropshire
Reposted by Tom Lowe
Goosing Canada style! 2K ‘white-cheeked geese’ to sift through at Martindale Flats on Vancouver Island today. Bulk of Ridgway's Cackling and Dusky Canada (22 neck collars read), with a single Snow. #CanadianBirding
November 20, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Goosing Canada style! 2K ‘white-cheeked geese’ to sift through at Martindale Flats on Vancouver Island today. Bulk of Ridgway's Cackling and Dusky Canada (22 neck collars read), with a single Snow. #CanadianBirding
The latest instalment in the harriers in headwinds series, a superb juv Marsh Harrier over the vole fields #ukbirding
November 19, 2025 at 9:17 PM
The latest instalment in the harriers in headwinds series, a superb juv Marsh Harrier over the vole fields #ukbirding
Reposted by Tom Lowe
November 19, 2025 at 8:20 AM
A healthy 26/11 from the MV last night, 21/6 macros and 5/5 micros, in all shades of autumn umbers #teammoth #salopmoths #loveatumn
November 16, 2025 at 10:11 AM
A healthy 26/11 from the MV last night, 21/6 macros and 5/5 micros, in all shades of autumn umbers #teammoth #salopmoths #loveatumn
Mothtrap out for the first time in four weeks (work, wind, rain, moon), and there are 12 moths around it including a migrant Rusty-dot Pearl and 6 Decembers 😍 #teammoth #salopmoths
November 15, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Mothtrap out for the first time in four weeks (work, wind, rain, moon), and there are 12 moths around it including a migrant Rusty-dot Pearl and 6 Decembers 😍 #teammoth #salopmoths
Reposted by Tom Lowe
Yomping the Norfolk coast. Blackbirds everywhere; 'tseeping' from under every hedge. Woodcocks errupting at my feet. A Short-eared Owl winging in over brown waves at Cart Gap. Then in the gathering gloom a glowing rump and seven illuminated stripes. What late autumn is all about.
November 15, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Yomping the Norfolk coast. Blackbirds everywhere; 'tseeping' from under every hedge. Woodcocks errupting at my feet. A Short-eared Owl winging in over brown waves at Cart Gap. Then in the gathering gloom a glowing rump and seven illuminated stripes. What late autumn is all about.
21 Cattle Egrets today! #lancsbirding
w3w///recorders.slightly.local
w3w///recorders.slightly.local
November 13, 2025 at 8:58 AM
21 Cattle Egrets today! #lancsbirding
w3w///recorders.slightly.local
w3w///recorders.slightly.local
Came across 11 Cattle and 17 Little Egrets in a field on Cockerham Moss Edge this morning, and I'm old enough for that to still be cool. Nice Merlin on the saltmarsh too #lancsbirding #ukbirding
November 12, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Came across 11 Cattle and 17 Little Egrets in a field on Cockerham Moss Edge this morning, and I'm old enough for that to still be cool. Nice Merlin on the saltmarsh too #lancsbirding #ukbirding
I've taken on a couple of new WeBS @webs-gsmp.bsky.social sites this autumn, one hasn't been counted in my lifetime and the other was my childhood patch. Both had Great Egrets this weekend, unthinkable back in their/my day! #shropshirebirding @btobirds.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 7:50 PM
I've taken on a couple of new WeBS @webs-gsmp.bsky.social sites this autumn, one hasn't been counted in my lifetime and the other was my childhood patch. Both had Great Egrets this weekend, unthinkable back in their/my day! #shropshirebirding @btobirds.bsky.social
A few glances outside #salopobs whilst getting ready for school and work confirmed today was another big pigeon day. I counted 5,400 heading SW in some massive flocks 0740-0750, but then we had to go 😟 What could have been... #vismig #ukbirding
November 10, 2025 at 12:12 PM
A few glances outside #salopobs whilst getting ready for school and work confirmed today was another big pigeon day. I counted 5,400 heading SW in some massive flocks 0740-0750, but then we had to go 😟 What could have been... #vismig #ukbirding
A flood of 44,110 Woodpigeons past #salopobs this morning was a new site and county record, and almost overwhelming at times. 5 Egyptian Geese high east were a bit of a surprise #vismig #ukbirding
November 8, 2025 at 9:39 PM
A flood of 44,110 Woodpigeons past #salopobs this morning was a new site and county record, and almost overwhelming at times. 5 Egyptian Geese high east were a bit of a surprise #vismig #ukbirding
It was great to spend a few days in the west Norfolk wildlands recently, with spectacular numbers and variety of birds #landscaperecovery #ukbirding
November 7, 2025 at 9:08 PM
It was great to spend a few days in the west Norfolk wildlands recently, with spectacular numbers and variety of birds #landscaperecovery #ukbirding
Flock of 21 Whoopers went WNW past us in Lincs this morning on a direct line from Welney to the Ribble... #migration #climatechange #ukbirding
November 7, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Flock of 21 Whoopers went WNW past us in Lincs this morning on a direct line from Welney to the Ribble... #migration #climatechange #ukbirding
Masterful use of the headwind by one of today's Sunk Island Hen Harriers #loveautumn #ukbirding
November 4, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Masterful use of the headwind by one of today's Sunk Island Hen Harriers #loveautumn #ukbirding
Woodpigeons on the move again on this beautiful sunny morning: 18,800 flew SW at #salopobs along with 1,240 Starlings, Chaffinches, Skylarks and a few more thrushes #loveautumn #vismig #ukbirding
November 2, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Woodpigeons on the move again on this beautiful sunny morning: 18,800 flew SW at #salopobs along with 1,240 Starlings, Chaffinches, Skylarks and a few more thrushes #loveautumn #vismig #ukbirding
Lots of colourful circles in the sky over #Shropshire today. Lunar halo and fireworks over Church Stretton and a late afternoon rainbow over the Wrekin #atmosphericoptics #ukweather #stormhour
November 1, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Lots of colourful circles in the sky over #Shropshire today. Lunar halo and fireworks over Church Stretton and a late afternoon rainbow over the Wrekin #atmosphericoptics #ukweather #stormhour
Reposted by Tom Lowe
Cackling Goose at Nerabus, Islay this afternoon. Very dark brown and nice little gular stripe fits tavernii?
November 1, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Cackling Goose at Nerabus, Islay this afternoon. Very dark brown and nice little gular stripe fits tavernii?
Reposted by Tom Lowe
The cruelty of bird migration laid bare at Cley this morning as a tired Woodcock reached the end of its sea crossing to be met by a hungry Peregrine. Knocked into the water the Woodcock ultimately succumbed to the rough breakers while the Peregrine left with just a tail feather. #NorfolkBirding
October 26, 2025 at 4:26 PM
The cruelty of bird migration laid bare at Cley this morning as a tired Woodcock reached the end of its sea crossing to be met by a hungry Peregrine. Knocked into the water the Woodcock ultimately succumbed to the rough breakers while the Peregrine left with just a tail feather. #NorfolkBirding
Another great #salopobs morning with 61 species recorded including 💥19,120💥 Woodpigeons SW, 2 Great Egrets, Brambling +225 Chaffinches, 79 Fieldfares, 2,310 LBBGs... ebird.org/checklist/S2... #vismig #ukbirding
October 26, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Another great #salopobs morning with 61 species recorded including 💥19,120💥 Woodpigeons SW, 2 Great Egrets, Brambling +225 Chaffinches, 79 Fieldfares, 2,310 LBBGs... ebird.org/checklist/S2... #vismig #ukbirding
Reposted by Tom Lowe
Yay. Priceless. The right column at the right time. And a gleefully English two fingers to the haters.
October 25, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Yay. Priceless. The right column at the right time. And a gleefully English two fingers to the haters.
A magical morning at #salopobs (even though I overslept 🤦🏻♂️) with 4 Whoopers SE (obs yeartick 128), a Great Egret high south, 10,060 Woodies, 20 Crossbills, double Gos 😍 ebird.org/checklist/S2... #loveautumn #vismig #ukbirding
October 24, 2025 at 12:24 PM
A magical morning at #salopobs (even though I overslept 🤦🏻♂️) with 4 Whoopers SE (obs yeartick 128), a Great Egret high south, 10,060 Woodies, 20 Crossbills, double Gos 😍 ebird.org/checklist/S2... #loveautumn #vismig #ukbirding
Finally a clear spell and two comets from the garden! Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon🍋 looking great near Arcturus in the west, and the slightly less inspiring Comet C/2025 R2 Swan🦢 near the Milky Way #comet #astrophotography
October 23, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Finally a clear spell and two comets from the garden! Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon🍋 looking great near Arcturus in the west, and the slightly less inspiring Comet C/2025 R2 Swan🦢 near the Milky Way #comet #astrophotography