James W

On a journey up to Fife to meet the newest family member, I couldn't resist a minor detour to the Slamannan Plateau to see the Taiga Bean Geese. It took a couple of hours to locate the wintering flock from Sweden in what is their only UK base nowadays.
@_BTO @ScottishBirding

Snow Bunting looking smart on a breezy but sunny Seaford seafront this morning.
With thanks to @Sussex_Sara for lending me a camera battery!
@SussexBirding @SussexOrnitholo @BTO_Sussex

Stone Curlew at Tide Mills this morning: distant, still and very well camouflaged but great to see. Many thanks to Paul for spotting it @SussexOrnitholo @SussexBirding

Beachy Head offering a superb welcome home! Desert Wheatear and Pallas's Warbler
@SussexOrnitholo @BTO_Sussex @SussexBirding

Indian Roller, Jodhpur

Incredible birds, mammals, forts, palaces and parks in North India with @naturetrektours

Cuckmere Haven this afternoon: several Wheatear and Whinchat preparing to depart, 2 Clouded Yellow and 12 Painted Lady just arrived. A fresh Meadow Pipit was looking sharp.
@SussexOrnitholo @SussexBirding @SevenSistersCP @savebutterflies @BCSussex

Yesterday at home in Eastbourne: 38 White Storks flew overhead and out to sea. This morning the long wait for a 2024 Adonis Blue was ended, just East of Horseshoe Plantation @SussexOrnitholo @BCSussex @SussexBirding

Three Honey Buzzards (1m, 2f) in close formation flew across from Friston Forest towards Beachy Head at 10.20am; they then climbed and flew out to sea
@SussexOrnitholo @BTO_Sussex @SussexBirding

An uncharacteristically trusting Silver-spotted Skipper this afternoon above Belle Tout wood @BCSussex @savebutterflies

Curlew Sandpiper with six Dunlin, feeding in the setting sun at Cuckmere Haven this evening @SussexOrnitholo @SussexBirding

Lesser Yellowlegs (St Andrew's) and Scotch Argus (Creag Meagaidh) were two winged highlights from a trip to see family in Scotland this week @BirdGuides @savebutterflies

Judiciously-mow June rewarded with 20+ Pyramid Orchids; 2 Choughs at Dover Castle (today); Heath Fritillary in Blean Woods (June 9th); the much admired Sussex Cirl Bunting (June 5th)
@savebutterflies @Natures_Voice

Celebrating a successful butterfly hunt with a granddaughter! Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Wood White and our first Glanville Fritillary @savebutterflies @BCSussex

🇸🇪 (Umeå, Skivsjö & Stockholm): great birds and mammals in surprising heat last week. Icterine Warbler, Tengmalm’s Owl, Capercaillie, Hazel Grouse and a Beaver on land arguably stole the show; the Black Woodpecker, Parrot Crossbill and Moose might disagree.

Pomarine Skuas: a group of 7 and another of 5 passed Birling Gap this morning. Nice tails, ordinary photo!
@BTO_Sussex @SussexBirding

Seawatch at Birling Gap this morning: this Tree Sparrow in the foreground grabbed the attention as various waders, terns and gulls flew East.
@BTO_Sussex @SussexBirding

Fabulous birds in Extremadura last week: several species eluded us, so a return visit is a must @birdextremadura

Bar-tailed Godwit and Yellow Wagtail at Cuckmere Haven this morning @SussexBirding @SussexOrnitholo

Ferruginous Duck at Whetsted GPs this morning; Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins skimmed the surface; all to the accompaniment of Cuckoo and Nightingale song @BTO_Kent

Garganey at West Rise and Grasshopper Warbler at Birling Gap this morning.

West Rise extras: Reed and Sedge Warblers, Sand Martin. Birling: Common and Lesser Whitethroat.

@BTO_Sussex @SussexBirding @SussexOrnitholo

Male Pied Flycatcher near Newhaven this afternoon: a first in Spring for me.
Thanks to @JonCurson for the alert.
@SussexOrnitholo @SussexBirding

Brents to the left of me, ferry to the right: here I was this morning at Birling Gap.

835 passed through (only 1 ferry) on our four hour seawatch, with a smattering of Red-breasted Merganser, Scoter, RTD, Med Gull, Teal, Gannet and Sandwich Tern @SussexOrnitholo @SussexBirding

Goose fever at Birling Gap this morning as 3365 Brent flew East.

887 Black-headed Gulls were also on the move, along with a few Med Gulls, RTDs, Scoters and two Red-breasted Mergansers, all seen in the company of a recently arrived Chiffchaff.

@SussexOrnitholo @SussexBirding

Black-throated Diver at Princes Park, Eastbourne this morning @SussexOrnitholo @SussexBirding

A bright, interesting-looking Redpoll seen in West Kent this morning @KentishPlover

Wine-throated Hummingbird, Turquoise-browed Motmot, Resplendent Quetzal, Azure-rumped Tanager and Pink-headed Warbler: 5 of over 370 species from a superb @naturetrektours trip to Guatemala. Volcanoes, Mayan temples and the old city of Antigua were stunning extras!

Five Waxwing present this morning, in gloomy light, at Monarch Terrace, Kings Hill
@KentishPlover @RareBirdAlertUK @WaxwingsUK @Natures_Voice

Norman’s Bay outflow this afternoon: some excellent Gull activity, including 2 Sabine’s (one adult, one juvenile) and at least 32 Little Gulls. A Grey Phalarope flew past, as did 3 Common Terns. My ID skills are improving!
@SussexBirding @SussexOrnitholo

Solitary Sandpiper (Stodmarsh) and 2 Grey Phalarope (Kingsdown) seen this afternoon, making up for missing the Leach's Petrel spectacular back home yesterday!
@RareBirdAlertUK @Natures_Voice @KentishPlover