Anthony Swindells

Jesus usually you'd settle for quality or quantity...

For once it would be nice if AI could be used to prevent or de-escalate conflict rather than just making us more efficient at killing

That's fascinating! May I ask why you opted for a cartridge with those specific parameters and how those readings indicate a birds health?

That's an amazing piece of field kit, how exactly does the iStat work and what does it measure? What are the key indicators for you when determining the health of an individual?

Juvenile Eurasian Dotterel stood on grassy mound facing towards the camera in the rain

Juvenile Eurasian Dotterel still showing very well off Houndkirk Road this morning #SheffieldBirding

Mission Success! Thanks for the assistance pal!

You're a star, thank you mate! Fingers crossed I get my chance because it's ever such a lovely little bird!

Is there a good place to park for Burbage Moor? I considered parking at Longshaw and then backtracking but I thought I'd ask if there might be something more sensible? 😊

Now I just need one of these for juvenile gulls and rarer species like Caspian and YL Gulls 😂

NOTHING will prepare you for this 45-second story arc. From "I'm just doing this because I love the flag, it's totally grassroots, and I'm not part of anything political"... to who actually gave him the flags the night before.

Anyone who believes it is an innocent movement needs to see this.

I would highly recommend "The Seabird's Cry" by Adam Nicholson to absolutely anyone, educational, entertaining and beautifully written and read

Had to interrupt a team meeting earlier in the year when we had our first Blackcap of the year in the garden

You mean I’m supposed to work when there are birds out there who aren’t being watched?

I can see this was republished in 2020, do you have any thoughts or experience with the 2020 version and whether it's an upgrade to its 2010 predecessor?

Ah fantastic, thank you. I'm not sure I've come across Ian Newton so I'll definitely check this out!

Thanks Tom, this was on my radar, so I appreciate the recommendation. I'll check it out!

Would love to understand more about bird migration and vagrancy and what influences it and changes it. Any good book recommendations for beginners on where to start? #UKBirding

This gets me itching to start drawing again 😁😁😁

Holy shit, the Crab Museum went HARD

Digiscoped picture of Short-Eared Owl perched on fence

@spurnbirdobs.bsky.social Short-Eared Owl showing well from Kilnsea Wetlands car park #UKBirds

There's no greater pleasure or privilege for me than seeing one of these incredibly graceful, beautiful raptors in the wild. The UK would be a much richer place if they were allowed to grow and thrive.

I'll have to do some research and digging then! Thank you for taking the time to respond with your insight 😊

That's really interesting. Are there particular factors in Germany or in German culture / views on raptors which contributes to this lack of persecution that you know of / have experienced?

Hi Mark, following on from your colleague Richard's brilliant safari in NY and your recent Berlin trip, I wondered if you had any insight as to what makes the Goshawks in Berlin so successful and so numerous in urban environments that our Goshawks don't have here in the UK?

So let’s have a little look at the Right wing media feeding off its own ecosystem.

Here’s
@TiceRichard
claiming NET ZERO caused the Heathrow shut down, while sharing a Telegraph article that appears to back up his claim

Must be true then, right??

🧐you know the drill…

🧵
1/

What initially started as quite an unpromising roost thankfully built up quite nicely in the last hour of light at RSPB Old Moor for my first ever #WinGS. Ended with 16 BHG, 1 Common, 14 LBB, 100 GBB, 375 Herring, 3 Caspian (plus one Caspian hybrid) and a single Yellow-Legged.

A cormorant in the water of a lake with a large fish in its mouth

Personal highlight today was this incredibly optimistic Cormorant at RSPB St Aidan's #UKBirding

Hi there, your second picture is of a Herring Gull 😊

Can't tell you how gutted I was when I watched that Iceland Gull build up to that huge call for then nothing to come out, even knowing there was no sound the disappointment was palpable 😂

That's really interesting, I hope it survives the Winter after all this! Do you know where I might find more information on records of wintering Turtle Doves?