Zac Hinchcliffe

MEGA - White-throated Needletail earlier this pm at Tophill Low, E.Yorks

First mainland record since 1991 😲

No sign at the moment but make sure you have the BirdAlertPRO app if its re-found.

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📷 via tophilllow.blogspot.com

When there's a storm and the toddler is asleep.... BIRD! 3 Leach's petrel in the bag, RNLI station - Hoylake. @zachinch92.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social #birding

Patch Gadwall are still increasing with 134 tonight, but likely many more between Sankey Bridges and Ferry Tavern and beyond on the St Helens Canal. Would to do a full count before their numbers drop around Christmas. #SankeyValley #Patchbirding

I can remain in Cheshire for another year 🙌🏻 a fruitless dawn raid on the Mersey at Runcorn bridge was always asking a lot, but luckily the family and I headed to Hoylake and Meols for lunch and had prolonged views of 4 Leach's Storm-petrels. Epic birds in every sense. @dannihinchy.bsky.social

High count of 121 Gadwall on the St Helens Canal near Bewsey Lock, #SankeyValley this evening. It's always been good for them, but that's an impressive count. Also my second record of wigeon on the canal itself #PatchBirding

4 Ruff on patch this evening were a nice patch tick with additional 14 Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, 8 Ringed Plover and adult Yellow-legged Gull. Also grey seal. River Mersey south of Moss Bank and the St Helen's Canal. #SankeyValley #PatchBirding

And two patch ticks of two Dunlin and a beautiful Turnstone also present. The Ruddy Shelduck also added entertainment on the Mersey south of Moss Bank, Widnes. @birdguides.bsky.social #SankeyValley #PatchBirding

And a handheld phone shot for good measure and to provide some context. One of the best views of otters I've ever had and potentially my first dog otter. Amazing to have on the River Mersey and so close to home. #SankeyValley #PatchBirding

Otter! Went to check the river for waders before work and was greeted by a wonderful dog otter feeding along the close shore line only a few 100 metres east of the Mersey Gateway. A Cheshire tick for me #SankeyValley #PatchBirding #Digibinned

Moulting adult Sanderling, 28 Black-tailed Godwit and 9 Ringed Plover on the River Mersey east of the Gateway and south of Moss Bank this afternoon #SankeyValley #PatchBirding

Quest for Small Red-eyed continues but six Red-eyed on the St Helens canal in Sankey Valley this evening

First patch tick in a while off Sunk Island. Yellow legged gull at low tide today.

Somewhat of a Cheshire rarity seen this morning on the drive to work with Schedule 8-listed Jersey Cudweed spotted from a moving car near IKEA Warrington on Gemini Retail Park. #UKWildlife #BritishPlants

Currently staying in northern Normandy for D-day and surprised to find lizard orchids in their hundreds at Utah Beach and (so far) a single at Omaha Beach. Fantastic plants.

Merlin and lots of corn bunting whilst on survey in Lancashire this week. Really nice to see and hear

Holyhead to Dublin ferry in the rain. Blackcap, willow warbler (3), meadow pipits (20+) temporarily touching down throughout the journey. Harbour Porpoise, puffin, lots of manxies and pipit/finch flocks the highlights over the sea.

Two red-eared sliders on the St Helens Canal were a novel patch tick this afternoon. Yeartick or two reed warblers was also nice. #SankeyValley #PatchBirding

Drake Common Scoter swimming around on the River Mersey below Forrest Way overbridge, Sankey Bridges, Warrington just now. Excellent suggestion by @liamlangley1.bsky.social to check the river. Literally the first bird I saw when I got out the car! #SankeyValley #PatchBirding #PatchTick

I've seen them along the Mersey closer to Fiddlers Ferry, but a flock to four REDSHANK heading north low over the water along the St Helens Canal in the #SankeyValley CP. Much excitement on my morning run into work #PatchBirding

Delighted to be the opening speaker for @ljmuofficial.bsky.social International Womens Day ♀️ event "Strength in Action: Women Redefining Change" #AcceleratingChange speaking about our recently published paper on barriers to #breastfeeding in the UK workplace. @ljmu-ris.bsky.social lnkd.in/eMkQRh39

I only went and twitched something! My first visit to the Oglet and was very impressed. A really cool site. Lovely to pick up the skylark flock and very quickly locate the shore lark. Cracking birds and a great find by @dfoyliv.bsky.social

Grey wagtail utilising the flood water outside the Avian Ecology office adding a splash of colour to a very windy day.

Office excitement today with an adult female MERLIN hunting meadow pipits. The first office record starting in 2012. Also a leak of 9 Yellowhammer in the hedges and 5 species of thrush #OfficeTick

Managed a quick visit to Richmond Bank today to try and grab some year ticks in the sub-0 conditions. Plenty of snipe, gadwall and teal with small numbers of lesser black-backed and great black-backed gulls, plus redshank, little grebe goosander & reed bunting #patchbirding #ukbirding #SankeyValley

New @ljmuofficial.bsky.social MSc Wildlife Conservation prog launching September 2025 based on three pillars: RESEARCH - TECHNOLOGY - PRACTICE. Excited to have designed and to lead on this. For more info, visit: www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/course...

Ruddy Shelduck, 2 Common Sandpiper and a Chiffchaff at Spike Island, Widnes. With in bloom Daffodils too, it felt very spring-like in the winter sunshine #ukbirding

1cy Caspian Gull and 2 Golden Plover on the exposed Richmond Bank, Warrington. Both patch ticks and lovely to see. #patchbirding #ukbirding #sankeyvalley

Always a treat to see Willow Tit this morning from Bunting Hide at Pennington Flash. Also got a couple of @kanebrides.bsky.social coots coming up to the locals.

Morning wander at LWT Brockholes. Credit where credit's due, it's the best I've seen No1 pit look for a good few years. Green Sandpiper, Golden Plover, Cetti's Warbler, Bullfinch and decent numbers of Lapwing, Wigeon, Shoveler and Teal. Next to no water on Meadow Lake, though. #PigmymeedTakeover

Rock Pipit (presumably littoralis) was an unexpected patch tick whilst out on a run this morning to Spike Island, Widnes. I'm sure you get them on the estuary most of not every winter, but wasn't on my radar this morning. #ukbirding #sankeyvalley #patchbirding