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Gary Watton

@garywatton.bsky.social

Birder / Photographer BOU life list 363 Often out with my wife Fiona and meeting many other birders on our travels. You may know us as the deaf couple 😊

91 Followers  |  66 Following  |  35 Posts  |  Joined: 16.11.2024  |  1.9466

Latest posts by garywatton.bsky.social on Bluesky

Luck wasn't on your side πŸ˜“ will you be going back?

06.10.2025 06:08 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I must have been lucky then, saw it as soon as I arrived around 2pm and watched it for about 20 mins before it disappeared into the long grass off the path. It showed up again about 2.5 hours later according to the reports. Sorry that you missed it.

05.10.2025 21:47 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Good luck! It can disappear for an hour or two so you might need some patience. Wind shouldn't be too bad tomorrow according to the forecast πŸ™

05.10.2025 19:36 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Greater Short-toed Lark this afternoon at Snettisham Beach, Norfolk. It was very windy and the bird was on the beach path which had long grasses on one side sheltering it. Life βœ…οΈ no. 363

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05.10.2025 18:52 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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Went to see the Turkestan Shrike at Dunwich Heath, Suffolk yesterday. Waited nearly three hours before it left a small copse with thick shrub onto the heathland by the cliff. The wind, rain and poor light made taking pictures tricky. Happy to get a life βœ…οΈ

04.10.2025 22:19 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Pied Flycatcher. Saw good displays and singing from the males against a back drop of fresh Forest of Dean greenery on Sunday. A most enjoyable few hours at one with nature.
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29.04.2025 08:03 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Nightingales are showing well at the moment in West Sussex as this one did on Saturday. Saw at least four as well as two Cuckoos. At Pulborough Brooks.
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29.04.2025 07:36 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Lovely round there isn't it? We saw Cresties at Loch Garten last year but none this time. Capercaillie..... one day hopefully πŸ™

18.04.2025 20:15 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks 😊

18.04.2025 19:58 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Grasshopper Warbler at Pinkhill, Farmoor very early this morning. Being deaf we found it difficult to find the two birds we saw as we had the place to ourselves and can't locate by sound!
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18.04.2025 19:25 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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We saw three White Billed Divers on Saturday afternoon from a boat within a mile of Portsoy. They were constantly diving and it was nigh on impossible to get close views despite the skipper trying. Hence record shots. @rspbscotland.bsky.social
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18.04.2025 19:21 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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At the Boat of Garten Woods we came across a small flock of these Crossbills by a glade near the known cross tracks. They kept us entertained for a good while, even dropping down to drink from the small puddles.
12/04/2025 @rspbscotland.bsky.social

18.04.2025 19:18 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you 😊

09.04.2025 05:13 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Subalpine Warbler at Weymouth yesterday. Tricky photography conditions with the sun behind the bird and twigs making focusing difficult. Best of hundreds of photos!
07/04/2025
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08.04.2025 20:17 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Good size comparison between Dunlin and Least Sandpiper.
RSPB Medmerry Stilt Pool.
6th April 2025
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08.04.2025 20:07 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Amazing how many aquatic larvae this Dipper can hold in its bill. I took this picture from the Steps Bridge at Dunsford Nature Reserve in Devon. Tried looking for more during an evening walk upstream but sadly too many dogs swimming even though notices say must be on a lead.
#birds
#ukbirds

08.04.2025 20:00 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Spotted this beautiful male Yellowhammer by the RSPB Medmerry car park just before going down to the Stilt Pool to see the Least Sandpiper.
4th April 2025
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08.04.2025 19:46 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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This is just one of about forty Red Kites feeding on worms in a Berkshire field being ploughed. It was a spectacular experience watching them from behind a fallen tree.
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08.04.2025 19:32 β€” πŸ‘ 45    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Nice to see the Little Ringed Plovers returning to a local country park only 5 mins from our home in Hampshire ❀️
#ukbirding

03.04.2025 07:53 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Serin at Restharrow Scrape, Sandwich Bay on Friday morning (7th March). Perched in the small tree by the first hide soaking up the emerging sunlight early morning.
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09.03.2025 22:42 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Jack Snipe, Lemsford Springs this afternoon. Always a good place to see one or two when it is freezing @rspb.bsky.social
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12.01.2025 06:45 β€” πŸ‘ 29    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Red Necked Grebe showing well this afternoon at Denham Quarry. It was feeding on small Roach and was at the southern end of the lake, not too far out at all.
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09.01.2025 19:28 β€” πŸ‘ 42    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Saw a pair of Bearded Reedlings eating grit from the paths to the hides at RSPB Greylake last week. Most interesting is the male's black eyes instead of the normal yellow. Apparently these unusual sightings go back to the 1960's so it is debatable whether bird flu is the cause.
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09.01.2025 10:54 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Visited RSPB Greylake last week after seeing the Least Sandpiper at Steart Marshes. Had wonderful views of a Merlin which is the best I've ever had of this bird.
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09.01.2025 10:45 β€” πŸ‘ 28    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Bearded Reedling at Elmley yesterday. Saw several which made the 5 mile round trip on foot via the seawall public footpath worthwhile, as Elmley was closed. The wind made photography tricky!
Happy New Year!
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#birds

01.01.2025 17:51 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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One of a group of three Hawfinches we saw at around 9.30am Christmas Eve at Bramfield Church. We weren't to know that we would be in Kent a few hours later looking at that Yank bird!
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26.12.2024 00:16 β€” πŸ‘ 22    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks πŸ‘πŸ» 😊

24.12.2024 22:10 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Yes please πŸ™ 😍

24.12.2024 22:09 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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The American Yellow Warbler in Kent showed well today, and being late afternoon with the low sun the colour of this beauty certainly stood out!
Life tick βœ…οΈ
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24.12.2024 20:39 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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Red Breasted Merganser on Slipper Mill Pond, Emsworth this morning seen with the Black Throated Diver.

20.12.2024 17:39 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

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