Ben Collins-Smith

Ben Collins-Smith

@bc-s.bsky.social

Kent birder

134 Followers 228 Following 30 Posts Joined Nov 2024
3 months ago
Resplendent Quetzal Talamanca Hummingbird Volcano Hummingbird

Some bits from the last few days in the highlands of #CostaRica - Resplendent Quetzal, Talamanca Humminbird & Volcano Hummingbird 🇨🇷

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5 months ago
White-winged Guan Lesser Nighthawk Tumbes Chat-Tyrant

A few birds from the last few days of my Northern Peru tour; White-winged Guan, Lesser Nighthawk & Tumbes Chat-Tyrant #birding #Peru

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5 months ago
White-winged Guan Lesser Nighthawk Tumbes Chat-Tyrant

A few birds from the last few days of my Northern Peru tour; White-winged Guan, Lesser Nighthawk & Tumbes Chat-Tyrant #birding #Peru

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5 months ago
Red-and-green Macaws Red-and-green Macaw Red-and-green Macaw Red-and-green Macaw

We’re lucky to have a colpa (clay lick) at Hoja Nueva which allows us to see some of the parrots at close range. Red-and-green Macaws are by far the most common with 30+ pairs. Scarlet, Blue-and-yellow, Chestnut-fronted and Red-bellied have been limited to a few pairs each

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5 months ago
Bolivian Red Howler Monkey Saddle-back Tamarin Brown-throated Sloth

Halfway through my stay with Hoja Nueva, near Puerto Maldonado, volunteering with their research, rehab and rewilding efforts. Some of the mammals on show daily below; Bolivian Red Howler Monkey, Saddle-back Tamarin & Brown-throated Sloth #conservation #peru

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6 months ago
Belcher’s Gull Blue-grey Tanager Long-tailed Mockingbird Saffron Finch

🇵🇪 #Peru day 1 - explored the parks and bars of Lima, stumbled into a few birds too - photos of Belcher’s Gull, Blue-grey Tanager, Long-tailed Mockingbird & Saffron Finch #birding

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6 months ago
Spotted Crake Spotted Crake Water Rail

Spotted Crake showed well for 40 minutes at New Downs, Sandwich this morning, albeit in poor light. Was lucky to connect with the 3 Dotterel at St Margaret’s on the way home before the flew south over the road #kentbirding

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6 months ago
Sombre Tit Western Rock Nuthatch

Snuck off from the family holiday for half a day of birding in Albania with @ajcollinssmith_. Connected with our two targets of Sombre Tit (2) and Western Rock Nuthatch (5+) near Gjirokastër. Supporting cast of 20+ Golden Oriole, Lesser Grey Shrike, Blue Rock Thrush #birding

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6 months ago

Glad I saw the one at Foreness a few ago or I’d be pretty pissed off 😂

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6 months ago

Cheers Neil, hopefully you find something rare and it sticks for a week!

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6 months ago

The last 3 times I’ve been out of the country @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social has had Eastern & Western Bonelli’s Warblers and Iberian Chiff. I’m off to Albania tomorrow so if anyone fancies finding a rare warbler, you know where to go… #kentbirding

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7 months ago
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The Pectoral Sandpiper was still in the SE corner of the ARC pit at Dungeness this morning. Also, Peregrine, Cuckoo, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Avocet & 4 GWE feeding in front of the hide #kentbirding

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7 months ago
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Margate to Broadstairs this morning: Leucistic Herring Gull still in Margate Harbour, Peregrine, Wheatear, 2 Fulmar, Curlew & Whimbrel #kentbirding

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9 months ago

I’ll have to take you up on that offer if I’m silly enough to do that walk again!

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9 months ago
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River Medway from Tonbridge to Rochester: 8 hours, 49km, 62k steps, 8 pubs, no bins but 49 bird species inc. fem. Mandarin, 6 Kingfisher, GSW nest, Reed Bunt, Yellowhammer #kentbirding

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9 months ago
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🇪🇪 Estonia day 6 - caught up with Booted Warbler and Lesser Spotted Eagle today, bringing our final trip list to 172 species. Photos of some of the observation towers #birding

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9 months ago
Blyth’s Reed Warbler River Warbler Marsh Warbler Penduline Tit

🇪🇪 Estonia days 4 & 5 - travelled south and east to try for some warbler targets. 3 River, 5 Blyth’s Reed, 8+ Marsh Warbler around Tartu. Also Golden Eagle, Corncrake, Penduline Tit, Golden Oriole were highlights @ajcollinssmith.bsky.social #birding

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9 months ago
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🇪🇪 Estonia day 3 - explored some bogs and mature woodland this morning. A couple of Citrine Wags helped ease the blow whilst waiting to get towed in the afternoon 😂 also Honey Buzzard & Grasshopper Warbler #birding

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9 months ago
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🇪🇪 Estonia day 2 - whole day birding Matsalu Bay & surrounding areas. 100s of GWE, 7+ WTE, 3 Montagu’s Harrier, Red-breasted, Pied & Spotted Flys, LEO & dozens of Icterines #birding

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9 months ago
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🇪🇪 Day 1 of Estonia with @ajcollinssmith.bsky.social - birded the NW of the country with 94 species so far inc. Icterine, Marsh, Savi’s & Great Reed Warblers, Golden Oriole, Rosefinch, Black Tern, loads of Little Gulls, Whinchats etc.

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10 months ago
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Good to see u again today Ben. A great wader morning with Whimbrels, Turnstones, Sanderlings, Dunlins & Grey Plovers moving up channel, followed by 2 Curlew Sandpipers at Kerton Road Pit (thanks for the heads up), 34+ Barwits, 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Ringed Plovers, 1 Knot, 2 Redshank & Common Tern.

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10 months ago

Dungeness sea watch 05:40-09:10: 3 Poms, 1 Arctic Skua, 6 Velvet & 100 Common Scoter, 3 Little, 2 Black, Sandwich & Common Terns, 3 diver species & some waders moving up the channel. Black Redstart and 2 Wheatear on the beach #kentbirding

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10 months ago
Summer plumage Spotted Sandpiper on the dam at Grafham Water Male Great Reed Warbler at Ouse Fen RSPB Female Blue-winged Teal at Rainham Marshes RSPB

Tight schedule but good morning of twitching. Spotted Sand @ Grafham, Great Reed Warbler, male and female Red-footed Falcons @ Ouse Fen & Blue-winged Teal @ Rainham on the way home.

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11 months ago
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2 Hoopoe at farm by Little Dartmouth

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11 months ago
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Sunrise at Hoylake.

Had the Black Scoter all to ourselves this morning.

#cheshirebirding

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1 year ago
AJ standing on sea wall with the Sheppey Crossing in the background Sunset over reed bed at Chetney Marshes

Lovely still evening at Chetney Marshes with @ajcollinssmith.bsky.social. 58 species including 5+ Short-eared and 2 Barn Owl, 10+ Marsh Harrier, c2300 Starling into roost #kentbirding

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1 year ago
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A drizzly Blean Woods this afternoon: 1 female LSW, Marsh Tit, Bullfinch, Firecrest. A male Hen Harrier was a surprise as it flew over the car just outside Chilham #kentbirding

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1 year ago
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Hundreds of finches and buntings in Marden this afternoon. 100 Chaffinch, 100 Linnet, 80+ Yellowhammer, 70+ Reed Bunting, 2 Brambling and this brief Hawfinch
#ukbirding #kentbirding

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1 year ago
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The Spectacled Eider did the honourable thing and stuck around for us this morning. Celebratory 11am beer with @mardenmark.bsky.social @desertwarbler.bsky.social @andyappleton.bsky.social

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1 year ago
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1am start and -4° but the Wallcreeper has been showing well since before sunrise, near Les Andelys. Thanks @jamiepartridge.bsky.social for the inspo

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