Toby Holmes

Thanks for that thorough reply Hugh, really interesting, never heard of some of those being relevant features before!

Great find Hugh and lovely photo, just curious as I’ve never seen one, can you tell this one’s an Oriental just from the colouration around the head / nape? Or is there more to it, in the wing pattern etc?

Is it still around, Geoff?

@birdguides.bsky.social Green-winged Teal still in Black Pipe Bay, St Aidan’s

The Richard’s Pipit near Newport Pagnell showed really well this morning, glad it stuck around until I popped back down south to see family. Great views in bright sunshine and it even called once when it was flushed. First time I’ve got a good look at one and it didn’t disappoint! #rarebirdsuk

My first Eastern Yellow Wagtail gave great scope views this morning, much more distinctive sulphur-y colouration than I expected, great to hear it call a bunch as well. Stopped in on the Blacker Hill Cattle Egret on my way back this afternoon, my first in South Yorkshire #rarebirdsuk

A lovely (if very cold) 2 lifer day in Northumberland today with the Grey-headed Lapwing and the White-billed Diver, both of which were brilliant and showed a lot better than my record shots suggest! Then spent the afternoon failing to see the Ross's Gull #ukbirding

Lovely walk around Summer Leys NR near Northampton yesterday for my first birding of the year. Flight views only of the Glossy Ibis, plus good views of Great Egret, Cetti's Warbler, Black-tailed Godwit etc. 54 sp. total #ukbirding #northantsbirds

Good spot, don't remember seeing them while I was there, but there were quite a few people!

Down south to see relatives and managed to get over to the Yellow Warbler, my first Parulidae species in the UK! Amazingly bright and energetic little bird, calling constantly. Very pleasant twitch, brilliant bird to see on a murky day in the UK! Firecrest was a lovely surprise as well! #ukbirding

Yes Scilly will help with that! I’ve never been. Seems likely the Sora trickled down after an autumn arrival. Seems like an unlikely one to have hitched a ride on a boat! Shame about Ring-billed’s getting rarer, they’re great looking gulls

Wow! Never seen Sora or Ring-billed Gull in the UK before, let alone inland!

It was certainly a bit of a surprise when I saw the news pop up 😂

Wow at Attenborough in Notts?? That’s mad, wonder how it got there!

Nice to see the 2 (presumably non-feral) Snow Geese at Swinemoor yesterday evening, plus the White-front still and some Whoopers over. Really enjoyed watching the Pinkfeet come in to roost in their thousands #UKBirding #yorkshirebirding

What a day around East Yorkshire yesterday! Pale-legged Leaf Warbler (no picture but decent views and heard calling), RB Flycatcher, Siberian Stonechat, YB Warbler and incredible Hoopoe views near Hull! And all by public transport from Sheffield! #ukbirding

Some great inland birds at Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon on Monday: Little Stint, Sanderling, Shag, YL Gull and Black Terns. Absolutely love Sanderlings in this plumage! #ukbirding

Hi that sounds great! Just getting used to how everything works here, thank you!

What better bird to be my first post on here than the gorgeous Golden-collared Tanager! Seen in July at Wayqecha Biological Station in Peru #birding #Peru