Gary Watton

Green-winged Teal this afternoon at Langstone, Hants. It was in the sea with other wildfowl and waders, and after a while flew into the pond behind me for a bit then onto a nearby flooded field. Nice to meet Jason Crook the finder.
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Hume's Leaf Warbler this morning at Marston Vale Forest Park in Bedfordshire. Had several good views but tricky to get the camera focused on this very mobile bird.
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Nice! That green / blue head stands out.

Finally got round to see the Boat Tailed Grackle today at Holbury, Hants. That journey it had on a ship across the Atlantic - if only it could tell us the full story it would be amazing I'm sure. Thanks to Sue Knight for letting us in her garden.

Isabelline / Red-tailed Shrike at Woods Mill, West Sussex this afternoon. It was always distant but good to see! @rarebirdalertuk.bsky.social
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Two Spotted Redshanks in the foreground, picture taken from the Rushy Hide at WWT Slimbridge. It was a great afternoon in spite of the blusteryconditions. @slimbridge-wild.bsky.social
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Temminck's Stint from the Rushy Hide at WWT Slimbridge
this afternoon. Saw it for ten mins before it flew away. @slimbridge-wild.bsky.social
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Bittern from the Zeiss Hide at WWT Slimbridge
this afternoon, one of 2 birds seen. @slimbridge-wild.bsky.social
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Dusky Warbler at Walsey Hills NOR yesterday morning. Showed well a few times before it disappeared! Nice to meet @shaunevans.bsky.social
Went on to see the Pallas Warbler at Sidestrand which showed well too.
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Tuesday morning saw me dipping the Radde's Warbler at Reculver but walking back to the car I was delighted to find this Yellow Browed Warbler in a small flock of tits. Also saw another one a couple of miles away!
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...of which I saw two with you 😊👍🏻

🤣

Rather than post the usual shots of the Rutland Baird's Sandpiper I thought I'd offer up some alternative angles of what must be currently the most photographed bird in the UK.
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After seeing the Rutland celebrity yesterday we decided to re visit the Greater Short-toed Lark at Snettisham as I wanted better pictures now the weather has improved. It didn't disappoint.
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Still have time hopefully you'll see one somewhere soon 😊

I agree, that pale bluish grey on the males stand out for me.

Brown Shrike at St Davids, Pembrokeshire this morning. At first we saw it by the road with other birders but it disappeared, so I followed a footpath to the east and found it again.

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Luck wasn't on your side 😓 will you be going back?

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.

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 🙏

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 ✅️ no. 363

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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 ✅️

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

Thanks 😊

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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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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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

Thank you 😊