Mark Eaton

Adult Little Gull

Incredibly murky today, one of those days when the gloom never lifted. But a couple of Little Gulls dancing over the waves at East Chevington were a ray of light #NEbirding

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

Should’ve known, of course you’ve seen them…

Indeed. You should see them if you get the chance.

That’s a Pinkfoot

Midlake onstage at the Fire Station, Sunderland

Second great gig of the weekend - Midlake in Sunderland. If you don’t know them, listen to ’Roscoe’ on the streaming service of your choice and then come back and thank me 😉.

Absolute bliss

The Unthanks on stage at the Glasshouse, Gateshead

A magical evening… front row at the sold out Glasshouse for the Unthanks celebrating 20 years with a hometown gig. Musical perfection.

Little Egret Population Estimates Producing population estimates for Little Egret A paper in the January 2026 issue of British Birds has described a new approach to estimating the breeding population of Little Egrets in the UK, ...

BLOG: Ian Woodward, senior research ecologist at @btobirds.bsky.social, describes how combining data from the RBBP and the BTO’s Heronries Census has improved our knowledge on the UK’s Little Egret population, as in new @britishbirds.bsky.social paper #birds #ornithology rbbp.org.uk/2026/01/30/l...

The Welsh Bird Report for 2024

Always a pleasure when the @birdsinwales.bsky.social Welsh Bird Report arrives at RBBP Towers. I doubt there’s another report packed with this much info in the UK. Well done, as always, to @penrhynbirder.bsky.social and team for a fantastic job.

First-winter Little Gull at Seaton Point Northumberland

One of three first-winter Little Gulls at Seaton Point at dusk #NEbirding #birds

Three adult Kittiwakes

A first-winter Kittiwake

I rarely see more than one or two Kittiwakes when birding in the winter, so 70+ feeding close inshore at Seaton Point today was a surprise, a consequence of the recent big seas #NEbirding #birds

!

The beach at Buston, Northumberland, covered by wrack, sea coal and dogs

Lobster

Curled Octopus

Rigid Cushion Star Hippasteria phrygiana

The recent rough seas have been hard on its occupants - there was a big dump of wrack, sea coal and lots of dead marine life at Buston today ☹️. 1000’s of crabs, plus dogfish, lobsters, Curled Octopus and a Cushion Star (a new one for me).

Thank you for this

I'm in need of a new bridge camera. Don't suppose anyone has Canon SX70 tucked away in the cupboard they no longer use and looking to sell? Good working order. Thanks
#birdinggear

A female Downy Woodpecker showcasing couture fashion by wearing a snowflake, a one-of-a-kind piece.

🤞

Valleys around the Cheviot are the only place I’d seen them up here before. And, like you said, in the summer. It was a bit of a surprise!

What did Dave Dack get the other year? Good luck, it’ll have to be a better year than 2025. Hopefully I’ll find something for you…

You seem very busy Jack - going for a big year list I presume?

Given the very high density of Pheasants on this site, I suspect it might have survived a Pheasant attack?

Slow-worm

A surprise today - a Slow-worm curled on the path on Greensheen Hill, Northumberland. Torpid, and missing its tail (old injury) but, to my surprise, alive! After googling “Slow-worm hibernation habitat” I found it a sheltered new home for the winter 🤞 #UKwildlife #reptiles

Drake Ring-necked Duck (front) with a female Tuftie

From a drive-by ducking earlier - I had to go through Powburn this afternoon, so stopped at Hedgeley for about two minutes to admire the drake Ring-necked Duck #NEbirding #birds

Misty East Chevington

The murk cleared just enough for an afternoon @webs-gsmp.bsky.social count at East Chevington. Eerily still and quiet, with very few ducks… only the occasional call from courting Goldeneyes, and splashes of a fishing Otter

Great to see RBBP data being used in work led by @btobirds.bsky.social that improves our knowledge on the status of Little Egrets in the UK… there are more than we thought!

Opportunity to go for some sort of sponsorship from Higgidy there?

Sounds like your mum had a unique and special life, and you did her proud. Hope you are okay.

At that price, probably worth getting a couple

Graphic from Sainsbury’s praising my home brand soy sauce buying efforts

Finally, all those Asian recipes have paid off and I get the recognition I deserve 🏆🥇🎖️🏅🍾. #soyboy