@andrewwappat.bsky.social
Birder & photographer living on the North York Moors near Sleddale. School Improvement Partner for Excel Learning Trust, York. Retired headteacher, NLE, 4AD, gigs, travel, chartered chemist.
Blue-bellied roller, Penjem Woods, Gambia, 10.11.25. Absolutely brilliant plumage, but a little tricky to capture well on the cloudy days following the unusual thunderstorm on the Saturday. 🇬🇲 ✅ #180 #birdinggambia #birds
18.11.2025 20:57 — 👍 24 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Red-cheeked cordonbleu, Ziguinchor, Senegal 🇸🇳. Continuing my theme of blue birds today, this one from 10.11.25. Nesting material gathering, a common bird in Senegambia, often seen with red-billed firefinch. Gorgeous. #birdingsenegal #birds
18.11.2025 20:42 — 👍 25 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
Bluethroat, South Gare
Still showing well 10.00am as it warms up slightly. Plenty now enjoying the views for third day. DNA collection too. Many thanks to original finder Sunday. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social @teeswildlife.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social #birds #ukbirding
Snow bunting, South Gare, Redcar
Always a winter treat, 12+ flock roaming the dune fringes this morning 9.05am @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social @teeswildlife.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social
@britishnatureguide.bsky.social #birds #ukbirding
Bluethroat, South Gare, Redcar
Juvenile present for third day, sunrise this morning 7.55am, interacting with stone chat. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social @teesbirds.bsky.social #birds #birdinguk
Yellow-crowned gonolek, Gunjur Forest, Gambia. Just the most beautiful song and call, and stunning plumage. Thursday 13.11.25 🇬🇲 ✅ #111 #birdinggambia #birds
17.11.2025 19:46 — 👍 19 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Olive-naped weaver, Gunjur Forest, Gambia. Gathering nesting material on the fringes, Thursday 12.11.25. Striking mask and subtle cinnamon blush. #birdinggambia 🇬🇲 ✅ #168 #birds
17.11.2025 19:29 — 👍 20 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
Goldcrest, black redstart and bluethroat, all close to the Fisherman’s Huts, South Gare, Redcar after sunset. I ventured out finally after my post-Gambia blues subsided. Good to bump into @jonathanpienews.bsky.social too. 😊 @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
17.11.2025 17:50 — 👍 35 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 0
Capuchin babbler, Gunjur Forest, Gambia 🇬🇲. Met up for a spontaneous quick visit this morning with Ousman Joku. Both of us delighted with fairly good views of three noisy, but elusive birds. One of the only spots in the country to see them. Gambia Life ✅ #199 #birdinggambia #birds
12.11.2025 12:36 — 👍 11 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Black-rumped waxbills, nr Farasutu, Gambia 🇬🇲 yesterday. Very grateful to Mr Bah for maintaining an excellent waterhole to attract so many beautiful species. #birdinggambia #birds
08.11.2025 17:40 — 👍 18 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Levaillant's cuckoo, nr Farasutu Forest, The Gambia. Three seen whilst failing miserable to relocate a couple of stone partridge … Cracking in flight but too fast for me 🤣 🇬🇲#164 of #174 so far. #birdinggambia #birds
08.11.2025 14:19 — 👍 18 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
African harrier hawk studies, Tunjina, The Gambia 🇬🇲. Enjoyed a close encounter today whilst leaving the fringes of Farasutu Forest. My first, cracking plumage in mid-afternoon sunshine. ❤️ #birdinggambia #birds
07.11.2025 20:21 — 👍 18 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Copper sunbird, showing (some of) its true colours, Makumbaya village, Gambia in glorious evening sunshine. My fifth sunbird species so far, in the last two days. 🌍✅#890, 🇬🇲✅#111 #birdinggambia #birds
05.11.2025 20:15 — 👍 22 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Red-winged prinia, Makumbaya village, Gambia. Kind enough to pose in the late afternoon sun, unlike its tawny-flanked relative. 🌍✅#894, 🇬🇲✅#115 #birdinggambia #birds
05.11.2025 20:06 — 👍 13 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Beautiful sunbird studies, Kunkujang Jatta-ya village, Gambia 🇬🇲. Enjoying this beauty over a mint tea in the shade. Absolutely stunning bird. #birdinggambia
05.11.2025 13:54 — 👍 16 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Pied kingfisher, Cape Point, Bakau, Gambia 🇬🇲. Spraying water droplets after a dive this morning. #birdinggambia
03.11.2025 13:09 — 👍 12 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Stonechat, Long Nab, Burniston.
Alas no twite for me along the cliffs yesterday, but this pretty consolation prize instead. LT duck and brent goose North Yorks 2025 ✅s in Scarborough. @nybirdnews.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social @teesbirds.bsky.social #birds #ukbirding
Long-tailed duck, Scarborough Harbour. Female was showing well at lunchtime today, sheltering from the choppy seas. Supporting cast of female scoter. 🤣Thanks to Simon Temlett for news out. #birds #ukbirding @nybirdnews.bsky.social @teesbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
25.10.2025 21:45 — 👍 44 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0What a venue!
25.10.2025 05:01 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Great white egret reflections, Letea, Romania 🇷🇴 30.08.25. Will definitely be returning to the Balkans and Danube Delta. #BirdingRomania
24.10.2025 20:32 — 👍 58 🔁 2 💬 1 📌 1
Little bittern studies, Letea, Danube Delta 🇷🇴. Relatively confiding juvenile on the river banks, my best views ever. Superb black crown. 🤣 30.08.25 #birdingromania #birds @waderquest.bsky.social
24.10.2025 16:21 — 👍 15 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
White-tailed eagle studies, Danube Delta, Romania 🇷🇴. Adult hunting the channels 30.08.25. Now if only the current Sleddale/Farndale juveniles could decide to make the @northyorkmoors.org.uk their permanent home. 🤣 #birdingromania
#birds @rspb.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Dusk at Paddy’s Hole, South Gare yesterday. Guillemots close in, plenty of bar-tailed godwits at Bran Sands, and a single grey plover. Glorious. @teesbirds.bsky.social @teeswildlife.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
23.10.2025 20:57 — 👍 23 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0
Grey-headed woodpecker, Danube Delta, Romania 🇷🇴. Heard a handful during the trip, but my best views were here. Life ✅ #822 for me out here in the Balkans 30.9.25. #birdingromania
23.10.2025 19:50 — 👍 19 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0
Squacco heron landing, Mila 23, Danube Delta, Romania 🇷🇴. Glorious early morning sunshine, 30.08.2025. #birds #birdingromania @waderquest.bsky.social
23.10.2025 19:09 — 👍 12 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Great white pelican studies, Lake Furtuna, Danube Delta, Romania 🇷🇴. Can’t remember a trip out here enough, spectacular displays. 30.08.25 #birds #birdingromania
23.10.2025 15:04 — 👍 16 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Squacco heron, Danube Delta, 🇷🇴
Lacul Furtuna, 30.08.2025. Enjoyed watching many of these on the lakes, hunting from fishermen pole perches. #birdingromania #birds @waderquest.bsky.social
Jack snipe, Margrove Ponds TVWT NR. Welcome distant visitor here for second day, amongst five common snipe 15:45. Good to catch up with @ciaranshaman.bsky.social too. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social @teeswildlife.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social #birds #ukbirding
22.10.2025 15:16 — 👍 40 🔁 4 💬 1 📌 1No worries, I’m no expert either. 😊
[Nor in linguistics …]
Disorientated, as they were in UK waters, not US waters. 🤣
General view is these are Svalbard population birds that got caught out by unusual low cloud etc.
Unprecedented numbers here last few days, heading south, then back north again … tend to winter on Solway Firth so they took a wrong turn. 🤣
