Rob Wilton

Incredible to see two Red-billed Tropicbirds on Fuerteventura today: what a bird! Not often that displaying Houbara Bustards take second place on a day on Fuerteventura

Black Redstart at Kessingland sluice this afternoon.

Just in case there aren't enough photos of White-billed Diver doing the rounds, third time lucky this morning and one came in close at Inverkeithing.

An enjoyable morning at Carlton Marshes, Suffolk, with the highlight the continuing drake American Wigeon. Also seen were a single Tundra Bean Goose and c150 White-fronted Geese.

RSPB has good news on Capercaillie numbers at Abernethy and this great footage ⬇️

More information: markavery.info/2026/02/13/r...

Gamekeeper convicted in landmark Hen Harrier persecution case On 29 January at York Magistrates' Court, Racster Dingwall pleaded guilty to conspiring to kill a Hen Harrier on Grassington Moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

A head gamekeeper has been convicted for attempting to kill a Hen Harrier, marking a rare legal success in tackling wildlife crime:

Reform UK plays down Goldsmith role on green policy - Farmers Weekly Reform UK has sought to distance itself from suggestions that Conservative environmentalist Ben Goldsmith is shaping its agricultural and nature policy,

Reform UK have rejected ‘policies involving the rewilding of productive farmland or the destocking of upland farms’, stating they “are not aligned with its principles or objectives”.’

Lest we be in any doubt about how disastrous Farage would be for nature…

www.fwi.co.uk/news/reform-...

Ring-necked Parakeet in Lowestoft Cemetery this morning.

The American Wigeon on the ARC

Polish ringed 3w Caspian Gull P:6WL on Dengemarsh late afternoon

1w Caspian Gull on Dengemarsh late afternoon

The Scotney American Wigeon on the ARC from Hanson, re-found by Ray O'reilley late morning. At Dengemarsh late afternoon a 3w Polish ringed Caspian Gull P:6WL and a 1w Caspian Gull.
#UKBirding

Tundra Bean Goose at SWT Carlton Marshes this afternoon.

Tundra Bean Goose with Canada Goose.

First Winter Caspian Gull in foreground.

Drake American Wigeon with drake Eurasian Wigeon.

Chinese Water Deer in water.

Highlights of an excellent day at @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social Carlton Marshes. Tundra Bean Goose, Caspian Gull, AMerican Wigeon and a suitably aquatic Chinese Water Deer.

American Wigeon on Peto’s Marsh at SWT Carlton Marshes this afternoon.

Fantastic find by Phil Davison - drake AMERICAN WIGEON at Carlton Marshes. Showing well on Peto's Marsh still.

The Hume's Warbler at Flycatcher Alley, Lowestoft was very mobile this morning, but showed well at times. Quite washed out khaki in colour compared to autumn, but with a brown wash across breast typical of winter birds

Absolutely gobsmacked. One of the most amazing birding sights I’ve seen in Northumberland - here’s some of the 30 Cranes (up to 38 were reported by others) that spent the afternoon in a field next to the A1 just north of Alnwick. #NEbirding #UKbirding #birds

Hume's Warbler at Lowestoft, Suffolk this morning. A very active bird which showed well. A very pale individual with a call similar to a Pied Wagtail.

Lovely Barn Owl asleep in the sun this morning with tail fanned and primaries resting on the deck #BirdArt

Literally, the last place I'd ever consider looking for a Hume's Warbler!

So it may have looked a bit like a huge fluffed-up chicken in foul (fowl?) weather conditions at East Chevington this morning, but this unringed, untagged young White-tailed Eagle was absolute delight #UKbirding #NEbirding

If you see both wild Swans it’s always a good day in the Yare Valley - 2 Whoopers have been on Limpenhoe Marshes most of the winter but 3 Bewick’s Swans on Norton Marshes were seemingly new in to the area and gave the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful Reedham Ferry

This may look nothing like decent bird habitat but this abandoned building plot with buddleia and brambles adjacent to Norwich Bus Station is currently the roost site for 600 Pied Wagtails

As well as the Iceland Gull, there's plenty of other stuff at Sea Palling to see, such as 6 Purple Sands, lots of Turnstones, and 5 Caspian Gulls (4 2cy and 1 adult).

Had a great morning looking at gulls at Sea Palling today. Star of the show was this 2cy Iceland Gull #NorfolkBirding

©Gary Wotton, many thanks. 👍🏻

©Ochruros KayD, many thanks. 👍🏻

©Brian Small, many thanks. 👍🏻

February 1st: 🧾

Around 255 species and 40 subspecies were reported in the UK in January... 😃

Some of the highlights were: Black-winged Kite, Northern Harrier, Killdeer, Zitting Cisticola, Tengmalm's Owl, Siberian Thrush, Baikal Teal and Red-flanked Bluetail. 😉

#UKrares
#rarebirdsUK
#UKbirding

Nesting on the go: incubating White Wagtail travels 2,000 km A breeding pair of White Wagtails travelled all over Slovenia in a lorry in June 2025.

In a remarkable story from Slovenia, a breeding pair of White Wagtails travelled all over the country in a lorry last summer, successfully raising young:

Famously, Brian tried to feed the Upland Sand a worm from his mouth! Somewhere, probably in the BBRC report of the following year, that was mentioned with a waggish comment about refusing a Mars bar...(its weird what sticks in the memory...). After two day twitches earlier in the month (dipping the Garrison Green Warbler, but snagging Robin Chittenden's Parula on trip 1, and seeing the Hugh Town Bobolink on trip 2), my parents agreed to a half term holiday later the same month. That week on Scilly, with my friend Roger Stafford, was complete revelation. Cliff Swallow, Blackpoll Warbler, Pallas's Warbler and several other great (new birds). But the Upland was the best of them all. I'll never forget seeing it from the bus as we came into Hugh Town and we saw it everyday. Touch tame. My mum loved it! Very happy memories, for many happy reasons.

Researching at the mo & I saw this famous shot that I hadn't seen in 30 years ~ a David Hunt classic of Bob Henry giving the epic Upland Sandpiper (on St Mary's, by the hospital) a worm in Oct. 1983. The late Brian Field looks on w/Keith Vinnicombe to the right. An all-time favourite rarity of mine.

London council approves White Stork reintroduction plans Following the decision to approve the rewilding scheme, Barking and Dagenham Council deputy leader Saima Ashraf said the arrival of the birds in the borough would be a

The plans to release White Storks in East London have been rubber-stamped by the local council, with the birds set to arrive later this year:

The UK government didn't want you to see this report on ecosystem collapse. I'm not surprised | George Monbiot It took an FOI request to bring this national security assessment to light. For ‘doomsayers’ like us, it is the ultimate vindication, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

Please spread this far and wide, as stories don't get much bigger than this. When the government blocks even the intelligence services from telling us we're heading for environmental catastrophe, you know we have a problem. A very big problem.
Thank you.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

flat calm once again on the Stour - GND in the reflection of the clocktower

A little look at the process. I was working from a Bluetit on the garden Feeder. #birdart #freehand #bluetit #wirebirdsculpture