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Matt Hobbs

@migrationmatt.bsky.social

Wild things

196 Followers  |  199 Following  |  74 Posts  |  Joined: 22.10.2025
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Posts by Matt Hobbs (@migrationmatt.bsky.social)

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Back in Leeds this week and another go at the Roundhay Park Iceland Gull - 10 mins walk from my parent's house. I just love the biscuit lattice embroidery on this bird 😍 Took my camera this time but the light could improve ... #ukbirding #birds #nikon #wildlifephotography

26.02.2026 19:52 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Well done Andy. A really great bird πŸ‘Œ

23.02.2026 20:14 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Fantastic harbour porpoise photo !!

22.02.2026 18:47 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Better late than never !!

16.02.2026 15:50 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Wow, this speech from Mayor of NY Zohran Mamdani πŸ‘πŸ’―

"I speak of Renee Good, whose final words to the man who murdered her moments later were: I'm not mad at you"

"I speak of Alex Pretti who died as he lived, caring for the stranger"

"Let us offer a new path: one of defiance through compassion"

07.02.2026 10:02 β€” πŸ‘ 472    πŸ” 166    πŸ’¬ 12    πŸ“Œ 9
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Bonapartes, Mediterranean, and black headed gull off Tolcarne Beach Penzance today. @cbwps.org.uk

07.02.2026 20:12 β€” πŸ‘ 128    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0
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Up visiting my folks in Leeds this weekend. Was slightly taken aback when I saw reports of this Iceland Gull at my old patch Roundhay Park! I didn't have my camera so borrowed my dad's. What a cracker and the first I've seen for 5+ years 😍 #ukbirding #birds

07.02.2026 16:54 β€” πŸ‘ 28    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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What looks like a dark morph Lapwing seen at #RSPBGreylake #Somerset this morning. It was very aggressive to any other Lapwing that came to close.

06.02.2026 20:26 β€” πŸ‘ 133    πŸ” 21    πŸ’¬ 7    πŸ“Œ 8

Any idea which are the key impact pathways? Some decent papers to look at?

04.02.2026 09:33 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Interesting point Alex and in Wales it's 90% sheep pasture with little arable. However arable land is ca. 15% of the UK and I'm not sure that's changed much in the last 30 years so is it changes in chemical use?

04.02.2026 09:11 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Yes I agree. I think it's clear this bird is not identifiable - have you read the email reply from the author of the paper on this thread? That's his opinion too. Someone's gonna have to swim out with a ruler I think πŸ€”

01.02.2026 11:30 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Yes I agree Andy. It's also interesting how little there is published about their ID. That one article seems to be it and that was based on analysing photos on ebird, not skins etc. Guillermo has replied already - here's my email and his reply. He agrees in summary.

31.01.2026 17:48 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

It has too much white on the flanks to fall into the category of 'identifiable in the field' i.e. birds that are in the darkest 25% of HolbΓΈll’s. I've emailed the author to see what he thinks πŸ€” #ukbirding #birds
3 of 3🧡

31.01.2026 14:09 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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HolbΓΈll’s Red-necked Grebe revisited: are they doable in the field? β€” subalpinebirding The identification of Red-necked Grebe subspecies primarily relies on measurements, and most accepted records of the Nearctic taxon holbollii in Europe come from deceased individuals that were accur...

Having read this blog my view FWIW is that it βœ… some boxes for HolbΓΈll’s - Size/structure, bill length/structure, extent of dark on the face esp. below the gape (see pics from others) BUT... 2 of 3 🧡https://subalpinebirding.com/blog/holblls-red-necked-grebe-revisited-are-they-doable-in-the-field

31.01.2026 14:09 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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I saw the Red-necked Grebe at Cheddar yesterday morn. It was terrible light (backlit) + these pics were taken at +3 exposure and are masked/edited. I got some pics of it in flight escaping a GCG that attacked it by surfacing underneath it! 1 of 3 🧡 #ukbirding #birds @somersetbirds.bsky.social

31.01.2026 14:09 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
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Great views of all the interesting geese @slimbridge-wild.bsky.social today with 15 Tundra Bean*, 110 Russian White-Fronted*, and single Pink-Footed seen
#ukbirding #birds #nikon #naturephotography

25.01.2026 20:02 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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The Tack Piece at Slimbridge today was an absolute wetland delight. 1000s of wildfowl and waders turned into swirling marvels of life by regular marsh harrier and peregrine passes.
#ukbirding #birds #nikon @slimbridge-wild.bsky.social

25.01.2026 19:51 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Bewick's #Swans at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire today for #BirdOfTheDay yesterday ...
#ukbirding #birds #nikon #naturephotography

25.01.2026 19:44 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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A Black-Winged Stilt coming in to land at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire in July 2022
#BirdOfTheDay
#Poise

25.01.2026 19:39 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Lesser Redpolls at @slimbridge-wild.bsky.social this morning
#ukbirding #birds #nikon #naturephotography

25.01.2026 19:28 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Help us make hope normal again.

Join the Green Party now.

22.01.2026 19:07 β€” πŸ‘ 6996    πŸ” 2588    πŸ’¬ 204    πŸ“Œ 1044
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A Wood Warbler in song in ancient oak woodland in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire in May 2024 for the #BirdOfTheDay theme which is #singing
#nikon #naturephotography #birds #ukbirding

21.01.2026 13:30 β€” πŸ‘ 49    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

"The UK does not have enough land to feed its population and rear livestock: a wholesale change in consumer diets would be required." re: the challenge of food security under nature collapse.

from a UK govt national security assessment out today…

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/696e0e...

20.01.2026 17:25 β€” πŸ‘ 60    πŸ” 20    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 3

Nice find Andy πŸ‘Œ What were we talking about on Saturday ....

20.01.2026 13:02 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Drake Green-winged Teal, Noah’s, Shapwick - proper one! The ducks are well-flighty today though… @birdguides.bsky.social

20.01.2026 10:11 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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Pacific Diver, Glamorgan #Wales in January 2022, in the glow of sunrise
#Birdoftheday
#Winterlight

19.01.2026 18:21 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Another day on the Levels today which began wrong when I had my first bust scope in 40 years of birding πŸ₯²Despite that and endless rain it was still great. Water rails at Greylake, double RND at Long Drove, penduline tits and whooper swans at Shapwick @somersetbirds.bsky.social #ukbirding #birds

18.01.2026 20:20 β€” πŸ‘ 18    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Surviving a British winter?
How do Green Sandpipers cope?
wadertales.wordpress.com/2019/01/18/w...
Blog based on research by Ken Smith, Mike Reed & Barry Trevis, published 18 Jan 2019 πŸŽ‚
#ornithology

18.01.2026 06:52 β€” πŸ‘ 20    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
λ©Έμ’… 직전인 μ΄ˆν¬κ·€μ‘°κ°€ μ‚¬λžŒμ„ μ•ˆ λ¬΄μ„œμ›Œν•˜λ©΄ μƒκΈ°λŠ” 일..!
YouTube video by μƒˆλ•ν›„ Korean Birder λ©Έμ’… 직전인 μ΄ˆν¬κ·€μ‘°κ°€ μ‚¬λžŒμ„ μ•ˆ λ¬΄μ„œμ›Œν•˜λ©΄ μƒκΈ°λŠ” 일..!

Well worth ten minutes of your time. Some of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper footage is simply phenomenal, with some rarely documented behaviour.
Talk about up close and personal.
youtu.be/s0zZpbo1Jbg

16.01.2026 16:05 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Beijing Nocturnal Flight Call Library This page provides examples of nocturnal flight calls (NFCs), including spectograms and audio files, all of which have been recorded in Beijing.Β  Dates and recording location are given for eac…

A library of nocturnal flight calls from Beijing, including many eastern species that could be recorded in Europe. See wildbeijing.org/beijing-noct... #nocmig #china #beijing #migration #birds

16.01.2026 06:40 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2