Paul Anderson

Wonderfully uplifting isn’t it!

Yip l Northumberland ticked that bird too just 3 weeks after life ticking one on a very small river in Lincolnshire

What an absolute mess!

Not just Wilti mate. That area at Salterfen was lovely scrub lots of Mipits Skylarks plus breeding Whitethroat Gropper Sedgie Linnet Reed Bunting and 3 pairs of Stonechat. Great for Kes odd SEO in winter. Loads of invertebrate diversity. Now just short grass holding nothing but dog shit! 🤬

Thought you would find it interesting. Certainly seems to back up our understanding of just how valuable the overgrown scrubby mineral line networks are in terms not only of habitat but also crucially in the importance of linking local populations together.

@lymnocryptes.bsky.social

Dunnock song might sound “aimless” but it as every other bird song, however dull and uninspiring (or beautiful and uplifting) to the human ear, sends a powerful message. A warning to other males an invitation to females. Personally l find Dunnock song very cheerful after the dull silence of winter.

Spring gets earlier every year mate.

Congratulations to you both

Cheers bud. I chased it unsuccessfully around Druridge a couple of weeks ago.

Never mind the gulls l almost went ballistic myself when it flew almost over my head on Tunstall Hill. 🤣

So glad you sent it south mate …..straight over my patch and almost overhead on Tunstall Hill. What a beast!

Freshwater drake Pintail but overall winter drake Long tailed Duck

Brrrrrr. Is that temperature average or cold even for there?

Looks gorgeous but rather nippy l expect 🥶🥶🥶🥶

Aye they are pretty scarce these days and Lap Bunts a near rarity. Used to be regular in local coastal stubble fields. Pretty much guaranteed annually Oct-Dec. Corn Bunts everywhere max winter flock c80. Happy days.

Not had one in 33.5 years. Had Lap Bunt though🤷‍♂️

Superb read for anyone interested in breeding biology

👍

Whimbrel! Great winter record.

I like it Darren!

Surely you mean KNOT!

Has he got those wellies on the wrong feet?🤣

Absolutely gorgeous

Belated happy birthday wishes mate.

Impressive stats. How many pairs of shoes/boots was that then Tom? All the best for 2026 🥃 !

Always an entertaining read. Bird of a very quiet year for me although not a tick was the Pechora in my home county of Durham and on my birthday, but dipping the Needletail at Scarborough by about 10 minutes or so stung a bit at the time.

Stunner!

And very sadly so much scarcer that they used to be. In my youth( and no doubt yours too) they bred in the eaves of almost every house and we used to see vast flocks many 1000s strong heading to winter roosts.

Certainly some of them but better structures survive. Older birds? Found one on court building on top of a drainpipe that must have been 6-8” deep