Tim Jones
@timjones-devon.bsky.social
Birder, conservationist, wildlife gardener; Lundy Bird Observatory organising committee; coast lead for North Devon Biosphere Nature Recovery Group 🏳️🌈
Five late(ish) Swifts heading ESE were the highlight of a couple of hours’ birding at Bull Point this morning, following an ethereal sunrise. #ukbirding
August 19, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Five late(ish) Swifts heading ESE were the highlight of a couple of hours’ birding at Bull Point this morning, following an ethereal sunrise. #ukbirding
Reconnecting with my Bull Point birding patch after a spring & summer surveying elsewhere… This a.m: 1 Common Scoter, 4 Sandwich Tern, 430 Manx Shearwater, 20 Swallow, 9 Willow Warbler, 10 Whitethroat. #UKbirding
August 15, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Reconnecting with my Bull Point birding patch after a spring & summer surveying elsewhere… This a.m: 1 Common Scoter, 4 Sandwich Tern, 430 Manx Shearwater, 20 Swallow, 9 Willow Warbler, 10 Whitethroat. #UKbirding
The best sighting of the day was not a bird but this pristine male Orange Tip butterfly, still drying itself out in the sun after emerging in the garden at home. What extraordinary beauty in those transluscent hindwings! 🤩 💚
April 20, 2025 at 7:34 PM
The best sighting of the day was not a bird but this pristine male Orange Tip butterfly, still drying itself out in the sun after emerging in the garden at home. What extraordinary beauty in those transluscent hindwings! 🤩 💚
Bull Point quiet for late April. 35 Swallow, 9 Sand & 3 House Martin a poor showing for hirundines over several hours. Single Tree Pipit & Grasshopper Warbler, 4 Whitethroat & 8 Willow Warbler. Sunrise well round to the NE – over the Welsh coast already. Amazing how quickly that happens! #UKBirding
April 20, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Bull Point quiet for late April. 35 Swallow, 9 Sand & 3 House Martin a poor showing for hirundines over several hours. Single Tree Pipit & Grasshopper Warbler, 4 Whitethroat & 8 Willow Warbler. Sunrise well round to the NE – over the Welsh coast already. Amazing how quickly that happens! #UKBirding
Surveying this morning for NT-led Landscape Recovery Scheme linking Arlington Estate with West Exmoor. Great to find 3 territorial male Yellowhammers – very scarce these days in this part of N Devon. Also Red Kite, another locally scarcity, and an obvious influx of phylloscs & Blackcaps. #UKBirding
April 6, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Surveying this morning for NT-led Landscape Recovery Scheme linking Arlington Estate with West Exmoor. Great to find 3 territorial male Yellowhammers – very scarce these days in this part of N Devon. Also Red Kite, another locally scarcity, and an obvious influx of phylloscs & Blackcaps. #UKBirding
Yesterday a.m. (5 Apr) at Bull Point: Osprey E at 10:15, 18 Sandwich Tern, 79 LB-b Gull, 3 Manx Shearwater, 127 Sand Martin, 51 Swallow, 17 House Martin, 7 alba wagtail, 2 Tree Pipit, 51 Meadow Pipit, 160 Linnet, 138 Goldfinch. Everything going E into the wind, gusting at F7, except the terns – SW!
April 6, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Yesterday a.m. (5 Apr) at Bull Point: Osprey E at 10:15, 18 Sandwich Tern, 79 LB-b Gull, 3 Manx Shearwater, 127 Sand Martin, 51 Swallow, 17 House Martin, 7 alba wagtail, 2 Tree Pipit, 51 Meadow Pipit, 160 Linnet, 138 Goldfinch. Everything going E into the wind, gusting at F7, except the terns – SW!
Proud to announce a new guide to Lundy’s commoner birds, aimed especially at helping day-trippers & families, has today hit the shelves of the island shop😊
With pics by Richard Campey and text by Tim Davis & myself, we hope this will also raise awareness of the Bird Observatory. #UKBirding
With pics by Richard Campey and text by Tim Davis & myself, we hope this will also raise awareness of the Bird Observatory. #UKBirding
March 24, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Proud to announce a new guide to Lundy’s commoner birds, aimed especially at helping day-trippers & families, has today hit the shelves of the island shop😊
With pics by Richard Campey and text by Tim Davis & myself, we hope this will also raise awareness of the Bird Observatory. #UKBirding
With pics by Richard Campey and text by Tim Davis & myself, we hope this will also raise awareness of the Bird Observatory. #UKBirding
I took a winter break from posting but Spring Equinox has got me going again😃 At Bull Point, the first of 55 Sand Martins zipped through before sunrise. Also 3 Swallow (1st of yr), 141 LBB Gull coasting E, 219 Mipit, 47 Linnet, a songflighting Wheatear & a single subsinging Blackcap. #UKbirding
March 20, 2025 at 8:59 PM
I took a winter break from posting but Spring Equinox has got me going again😃 At Bull Point, the first of 55 Sand Martins zipped through before sunrise. Also 3 Swallow (1st of yr), 141 LBB Gull coasting E, 219 Mipit, 47 Linnet, a songflighting Wheatear & a single subsinging Blackcap. #UKbirding
Seems like we’re getting towards the fag-end of Chaffinch migration at Bull Point, with just 128 through in a couple of hours from dawn this a.m. Also 96 Woodpigeon, 31 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare and a female-type Black Redstart on the very highest bit of the lighthouse. #UKbirding
November 13, 2024 at 11:28 PM
Seems like we’re getting towards the fag-end of Chaffinch migration at Bull Point, with just 128 through in a couple of hours from dawn this a.m. Also 96 Woodpigeon, 31 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare and a female-type Black Redstart on the very highest bit of the lighthouse. #UKbirding
Back on my mainland patch at Bull Point this a.m., strong passage of c.2K Chaffinch, 6 Brambling & 43 Siskin – all undercounts due to tricky viewing conditions with clear skies & low sun. Also my 1st patch Yellow-browed Warbler plus 2 f-type Black Redstarts feeding around the lighthouse. #UKbirding
October 26, 2024 at 4:38 PM
Back on my mainland patch at Bull Point this a.m., strong passage of c.2K Chaffinch, 6 Brambling & 43 Siskin – all undercounts due to tricky viewing conditions with clear skies & low sun. Also my 1st patch Yellow-browed Warbler plus 2 f-type Black Redstarts feeding around the lighthouse. #UKbirding
3/3 A Barnacle Goose flew in over the Cory's seawatchers on 17th, followed in short order by a Gt White Egret, and I stumbled on an Ortolan Bunting creeping in the tussocks nearby. Something of a Lundy 'purple patch', with the goose & egret being scarcer than the bunting in island terms! #UKbirding
October 26, 2024 at 4:27 PM
3/3 A Barnacle Goose flew in over the Cory's seawatchers on 17th, followed in short order by a Gt White Egret, and I stumbled on an Ortolan Bunting creeping in the tussocks nearby. Something of a Lundy 'purple patch', with the goose & egret being scarcer than the bunting in island terms! #UKbirding
1/3 Recently back from @lundybirds.bsky.social An excellent trip with a good range of scarcities, incl. the long-staying Greater Short-toed Lark, Yellow-browed Warblers most days, and an elusive Wryneck. Rather low numbers of 'common' migrants but enough to keep multiple Merlins well fed. #UKBirding
October 26, 2024 at 4:18 PM
1/3 Recently back from @lundybirds.bsky.social An excellent trip with a good range of scarcities, incl. the long-staying Greater Short-toed Lark, Yellow-browed Warblers most days, and an elusive Wryneck. Rather low numbers of 'common' migrants but enough to keep multiple Merlins well fed. #UKBirding
Hardly any visible migration at Bull Point this morning. A few Meadow Pipits and 6 Swallows was about it. On the plus side, an evident influx of 8 grounded Song Thrushes, with a few more Chiffs & Goldcrests about, along with this delightful (if rather distant) presumed 1st-yr Whinchat. #UKbirding
October 6, 2024 at 2:16 PM
Hardly any visible migration at Bull Point this morning. A few Meadow Pipits and 6 Swallows was about it. On the plus side, an evident influx of 8 grounded Song Thrushes, with a few more Chiffs & Goldcrests about, along with this delightful (if rather distant) presumed 1st-yr Whinchat. #UKbirding
Also at Bull Pt this a.m. the first migrating Chaffinch flocks of autumn (75) plus first trickle of Redwing (4), Skylark (4) & Siskin (9). Offshore, steady passage W of 68 Common Gull & 96 Black-headed Gull, and 5 Cormorant E. Few grounded migrants after a starry night and clear dawn. #UKbirding
October 4, 2024 at 1:17 PM
Also at Bull Pt this a.m. the first migrating Chaffinch flocks of autumn (75) plus first trickle of Redwing (4), Skylark (4) & Siskin (9). Offshore, steady passage W of 68 Common Gull & 96 Black-headed Gull, and 5 Cormorant E. Few grounded migrants after a starry night and clear dawn. #UKbirding
The unusual sight of 2 migrating Great White Egrets passing feeding Gannets off Bull Point this a.m. Also in the shot (the fuzzy brown dot between the egrets!) is a Meadow Pipit flying in off the sea, likely having left the Welsh coast earlier. I didn't even notice it at the time! #UKbirding
October 4, 2024 at 12:51 PM
The unusual sight of 2 migrating Great White Egrets passing feeding Gannets off Bull Point this a.m. Also in the shot (the fuzzy brown dot between the egrets!) is a Meadow Pipit flying in off the sea, likely having left the Welsh coast earlier. I didn't even notice it at the time! #UKbirding
BTO Winter Gull Survey (WinGS) on Taw Estuary last night, avoiding gales & horizontal rain forecast this pm... Frustratingly (but as expected) most gulls came in when almost too dark to count, let alone ID, but >3K on our sector. Beautiful light & plenty to watch whilst waiting for gulls😁 #UKbirding
September 29, 2024 at 10:46 AM
BTO Winter Gull Survey (WinGS) on Taw Estuary last night, avoiding gales & horizontal rain forecast this pm... Frustratingly (but as expected) most gulls came in when almost too dark to count, let alone ID, but >3K on our sector. Beautiful light & plenty to watch whilst waiting for gulls😁 #UKbirding
Dramatic skies at Bull Point early this morning. Unsurprisingly, not much on the move but 66 Linnets, 65 Meadow Pipits, 4 alba wagtails & 4 Swallows battled through the brighter breaks, as a noisy flock of about 20 Gannets plunge-dived among Harbour Porpoises off the lighthouse. #UKbirding
September 26, 2024 at 3:44 PM
Dramatic skies at Bull Point early this morning. Unsurprisingly, not much on the move but 66 Linnets, 65 Meadow Pipits, 4 alba wagtails & 4 Swallows battled through the brighter breaks, as a noisy flock of about 20 Gannets plunge-dived among Harbour Porpoises off the lighthouse. #UKbirding
A very high spring tide & heavy rain combined to make today one of the soggiest Taw Estuary WeBS counts I can remember. Plenty of Wigeon in on the recent easterlies. Also notable were single Great White Egret & Great Crested Grebe (local scarcity) and an Osprey tucking into its breakfast. #UKbirding
September 22, 2024 at 12:00 PM
A very high spring tide & heavy rain combined to make today one of the soggiest Taw Estuary WeBS counts I can remember. Plenty of Wigeon in on the recent easterlies. Also notable were single Great White Egret & Great Crested Grebe (local scarcity) and an Osprey tucking into its breakfast. #UKbirding
Recently back from a bucket-list trip to see the spectacle of migration across the Strait of Gibraltar. 1000s of Honey Buzzards + numerous Black Kites, Short-toed & Booted Eagles, Egyptian Vultures, White & Black Storks, Bee-eaters & much else. Essential kit: comfy chair, multi-clicker, neck yoga 🤩
September 21, 2024 at 6:04 PM
Recently back from a bucket-list trip to see the spectacle of migration across the Strait of Gibraltar. 1000s of Honey Buzzards + numerous Black Kites, Short-toed & Booted Eagles, Egyptian Vultures, White & Black Storks, Bee-eaters & much else. Essential kit: comfy chair, multi-clicker, neck yoga 🤩
From a murky but dry Bull Point this a.m. in a F5-6 ENE, 15 Common Scoter and – patch gold! – 2 Wigeon. Virtually no passerine movement; zero hirundines! This heron flew in from W, struggling to hold steady in the wind, with a GBB in hot pursuit but stabilised in the lee of the headland😁 #UKbirding
September 21, 2024 at 5:29 PM
From a murky but dry Bull Point this a.m. in a F5-6 ENE, 15 Common Scoter and – patch gold! – 2 Wigeon. Virtually no passerine movement; zero hirundines! This heron flew in from W, struggling to hold steady in the wind, with a GBB in hot pursuit but stabilised in the lee of the headland😁 #UKbirding
3/2 😉 The supporting cast included a gorgeous juv Sabine's Gull, Long-tailed Skuas + numerous European Storm-petrels zig-zagging & dipping over the chum-enriched wake of 'Sapphire'. Thanks to Joe Pender, Bob Flood and the whole Scilly Pelagics team, including @scottreidscilly.bsky.social #UKBirding
August 28, 2024 at 7:50 PM
3/2 😉 The supporting cast included a gorgeous juv Sabine's Gull, Long-tailed Skuas + numerous European Storm-petrels zig-zagging & dipping over the chum-enriched wake of 'Sapphire'. Thanks to Joe Pender, Bob Flood and the whole Scilly Pelagics team, including @scottreidscilly.bsky.social #UKBirding
2/2 As a young birder, the notion of South Polar Skuas in UK waters was the stuff of myth & legend. Were they really ID-able in the field? Would I know if I ever saw one? 4 decades on, I can reassure my younger self on both counts! This 1st-yr bird put on an epic show off Scilly on 24 Aug #UKbirding
August 28, 2024 at 7:24 PM
2/2 As a young birder, the notion of South Polar Skuas in UK waters was the stuff of myth & legend. Were they really ID-able in the field? Would I know if I ever saw one? 4 decades on, I can reassure my younger self on both counts! This 1st-yr bird put on an epic show off Scilly on 24 Aug #UKbirding
1/2 Last weekend I realised a long-held dream, joining Scilly Pelagics for 4 unforgettable days of seabirding. Staggeringly close views of Great, Cory's & Sooty Shearwaters + Wilson's Storm-petrel. South Polar Skua & 2 Scopoli's Shearwater (pic) the cherries on the icing of a huge cake. #UKBirding
August 28, 2024 at 7:10 PM
1/2 Last weekend I realised a long-held dream, joining Scilly Pelagics for 4 unforgettable days of seabirding. Staggeringly close views of Great, Cory's & Sooty Shearwaters + Wilson's Storm-petrel. South Polar Skua & 2 Scopoli's Shearwater (pic) the cherries on the icing of a huge cake. #UKBirding
Superb views of Cory’s, Great & Sooty Shearwaters from the Scillonian today and Pectoral Sandpiper at Lower Moors, St Mary’s at 18:25. Presumably the one reported from Porth Hellick earlier. @UKbirding
August 22, 2024 at 5:30 PM
Superb views of Cory’s, Great & Sooty Shearwaters from the Scillonian today and Pectoral Sandpiper at Lower Moors, St Mary’s at 18:25. Presumably the one reported from Porth Hellick earlier. @UKbirding
Bull Point from before sunrise today saw the first obvious return passage of Swallows, with 85 through by 9am. Also 41 House & 2 Sand Martins. Otherwise rather quiet on land & offshore. A few Willow Warblers & Whitethroats, c400 Manxies & 40 Gannets. And a close encounter with a Roe Deer. #UKbirding
August 16, 2024 at 5:34 PM
Bull Point from before sunrise today saw the first obvious return passage of Swallows, with 85 through by 9am. Also 41 House & 2 Sand Martins. Otherwise rather quiet on land & offshore. A few Willow Warblers & Whitethroats, c400 Manxies & 40 Gannets. And a close encounter with a Roe Deer. #UKbirding