Mike Pollard

Huge flock of #Linnets at Flint Castle this morning, struggling to estimate how many - possibly c.500 - going to check photos in more detail. Also: 5 Great White Egrets, 100s Redshanks, 10s of Dunlins, Knots, Black-tailed Godwits; 2 Barwits and a Turnstone. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

#Porpoises from Point of Ayr this morning, Hilbre Island in the background. Two of three seen. Seeing them quite regularly along the coast of North Wales when the sea is nice and calm. @whalesorg.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk

Two Arctic Terns (adult and a first year) paused for a while on the beach at Point of Ayr this morning. Heavily cropped pic of the adult. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Upper Thames Curlew Partnership Crowdfunder has hatched! Target £25k in 6 weeks. Please support and share widely. Thank you. @birdguides.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social @curlewaction.bsky.social
#Curlews @sheldonbirds.bsky.social @bbcoxford.bsky.social
www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-us-sa...

It was a special moment to see it so well! I didn't actually find it but was 10m away at the time.

Fab day on the Great Orme - autumnal feel with arrivals of Redwings and Fieldfares & a few Brambling. Best bird was a Lapland Bunting feeding on seeds in the short turf of the limestone pavement. A couple of Firecrests, found by @marcbuzzard.bsky.social, rounded off the day nicely! #birdsinwales

Another visit to Flint Castle on the Dee Estuary this afternoon.
Very pleasantly surprised to find 14 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers. Some were feeding in a group of up to 7, others mixed in with Dunlin, Knot and Redshank. Really good autumn for them. #birdingwales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Three species of heron searching for food on the falling tide this afternoon, on the Dee Estuary near Flint Castle. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingwales

thanks - had to be quick!!

thanks, couldn't quite believe they were flying along the beach so close!

thanks 😀

Rewarding seawatch at Point of Ayr this morning, with a single Leach’s Petrel and 3 Arctic Skuas including these two very dark chocolate brown juveniles. Beautiful markings. Glad I had my camera at the ready when they flew along the beach. #birdingwales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

A highlight of my recent trip to Scotland were huge numbers of newly arrived Pink-footed Geese and a Snow Goose near Loch of Strathbeg. Good numbers of Barnacle Geese too. Heavily cropped image!

Parrot Waxcap

Sulfur Tuft

Pleated Inkcap

Not identified - any ideas?

Fungi season in the garden, including Parrot Waxcap. ID by Seek App. @cofnod.org.uk

Spending a few days birding in Scotland. Fab day at Musselburgh on Thursday with brill views of the juvenile Marsh Sandpiper and nice range of waders and sea duck. A couple of Roe Deer wandered across the pools too!

Sunrise on the Great Orme this morning ☀️ #northwales

Great light for photography this morning and a very large flock of #Goldfinches at Connah's Quay nature reserve were busy feeding on Burdock and Teasel seeds. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

Chuffed to find a Grey Phalarope at Point of Ayr this morning, feeding in shallow water along the shoreline at high tide.
Also my first three Pink-footed Geese of autumn, a drake Eider, and juvenile Curlew Sandpiper. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper showing nicely at the Clwyd Estuary this morning, present for a few days now. Also a Black Tern, briefly, flying up the river. Other juvenile waders included two Bart-tailed Godwits and five Knot. #birdingWales
@birdsinwales.bsky.social

Exciting seawatch from Splash Point, Rhyl this morning produced my first 3 Leach's Petrels in NE Wales; supporting cast incl. Arctic Skuas. app.bto.org/birdtrack/pu...
& nice to see an adult (top) and juvenile Greenshank feeding together @ Clwyd Estuary #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Seems to be good numbers of juvenile waders this autumn - noticeably more than last year- including Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits. This juvenile flew close by West Hide at Connah's Quay today.

Juvenile Sandwich Tern Yellow E98 at Rhos Point on Friday - has travelled down from Forvie NNR, Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire where it was ringed as a chick on 28 June. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales @btocymru.bsky.social

One of two juvenile Little Stints on the beach at Gronant Dunes this morning. Really nice to see the first tranche of young waders arriving along the North Wales coast in the past few days. #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social

A rare foray by a Grey Squirrel onto mudflats at the Dee Estuary earlier this week. Soon realised it's mistake!

Eleven Spoonbills feeding and roosting on the Dee Estuary at Parkgate this morning. Most appear to be young birds and one adult with a white Darvic ring NCCT - Ringed at Ventjagersplaten, just south of Rotterdam, Netherlands, in June 2022 as a chick (info: Dee Estuary Birding’s August newsletter).

moulted!!

Adult Knot moult at Connah's Quay nature reserve this morning - wing moult in progress whilst still retaining beautiful apricot breeding plumage on breast and belly. Many others have already mounted into grey winter plumage. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

Small Tortoiseshell butterflies are getting quite numerous this week, which is heartening to see. At least seven on a white Buddleia in the garden this morning. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @northwaleswt.bsky.social

Nice to see a juvenile Curlew feeding around the saltmarsh pools at Connah's Quay Nature Reserve this morning. Bill still quite short, and neat buffish feathers. #BirdingWales @curlewaction.bsky.social @birdsinwales.bsky.social