Ray Scally

SVALBARD – a Chapter header painting for ISLAND EXPEDITIONS by Nigel Winn, the latest book I am working on, 18 Chapter header paintings for far flung birding destinations around the world, Falklands, Lena Delta, South Georgia to name a few, watercolour on Daler Rowney Langton Prestige Block. #birds

Mick, send it to Swarovski in Surrey by royal mail special delivery, they assess it snd then send it to Austria direct, you will be sent it back direct from Austria by UPS international, you only pay to get it to Surrey.

MIDDLETON MOOR, Derbys. - 2 RINGED PLOVER & 1 LRP juv this morning which gave good comparisons side by side for biro sketches, 1 Sedge Warbler, 3-4 Reed Warbler, 1 Shoveler, 1 Gadwall, 23 P Wagtail, 7 Teal being the highlights @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #ukbirding

TRAFFORD INDUSTRIAL PARK, G Manchester - Nice to see some hope in urban decay on an old warehouse site, 1 RINGED PLOVER, 5 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Med Gull this morning #ukbirding

Mark … if you find a pratincole at Middleton moor and I see it I will be whoever you want me to be 😂

Yes and the finder of the scoter was one of the few to see that

Ha ha Mark, yes! I was thinking I may even go up to Midd Moor now in the afternoon for a dose of reality 😀

AUDENSHAW RES, Gtr Manchester - MEGA!! SURF SCOTER found by Rob Adderley this morning! first for GM apparently
@birdguides.bsky.social
@rarebirdalertuk.bsky.social
#ukbirding

Thanks Steph

WOOLSTON EYES – Cover for the latest Woolston Eyes 2024 Annual Report, should be hitting members ‘in boxes’ in the near future, watercolour on Arches paper, a prolific year for Yellow-browed Warblers at the site, prompted me to use this species as its one that may not turn up in the future. #birds

screen grab of the event Misinformation and the Threat to Conservation from https://members.linnean.org/events/67fd2addd5f1de00084dd431/description

I'll be in London next week discussing misinformation and the #biodiversity crisis with @amydickman.bsky.social and @clarecarlile.bsky.social at an event organised by the ‪@linneansociety.bsky.social ‬https://members.linnean.org/events/67fd2addd5f1de00084dd431/description 🌍

MIDDLETON MOOR, Derbys. - OSPREY was surprise thru this afternoon, 6 Gadwall new in and no wader movement today. @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #UKBirding

MIDDLETON MOOR, Derbys. - Wader morning but all fly thru's, 4 SANDERLING, 13 RINGED PLOVER, 3 LR Plover, 1 Curlew, 1 Cuckoo, 1 HOBBY, 2 Shelduck, 2 Shoveler, 1 Garden Warbler, 8 Linnet #UKBirding @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social

Thanks Steph.

HOOPOE - A rare visitor to the UK, this bird frequented an oak tree on Sandy Lane, Cheshire for a number of days, easily located by its prominent call as it perched high in the tree top, watercolour on @DalerRowney Langton block. #BIRDS #UKBirding

MIDDLETON MOOR, Derbys. - No new birds today, 10 Ringed Plover still from yesterday, 1 Cuckoo, 2 LRP, 2 Curlew, 15 Lapwing, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Redstart being the highlights @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social #ukbirding

MIDDLETON MOOR, Derbys. - Finally after years caught up with a site tick of KNOT courtesy of @andysbutler.bsky.social bird stayed into its second day allowing some sketches today. also 2 Oysterc, 5 LRP, 1 Shelduck, 2 Curlew, 20 Lapwing @derbyshirebirds.bsky.social @waderquest.bsky.social

No idea Mark, my only experience is with colonies in quarries and certainly not just ones and twos they are usually in groups of a minimum 20 birds or so.

MANCHESTER CITY CENTRE - Pair of SAND MARTIN nesting on a canal basin in the northern quarter, COAL TIT also feeding young, SWALLOW early morning, a rare bird within the ring road, Jay and Goldcrest in St John's Gardens and a R N Parakeet right in Piccadilly Gardens #ukbirding #urbanbirding

Thanks Mike

Thanks Steph

PIED FLYCATCHER - Watercolour. One of my favourite birds and pleased to say I have a few breeding areas close to my house in Cheshire & Derbyshire so great to see annually. A lot of birds now back on the breeding grounds and paired up. This illustration will be published next year. #ukbirding #birds

AUDENSHAW RES, Gtr Man - Better today than yesterday, 1 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin, 1 Yellow Wag, 1 Lssr Whitethroat (rare here) 2 Oyc's, 2 Comm Sandpiper, 1 LRP, 70 Swift, 2 Blackcap, 3 Barn Swallow, 40 Sand Martin, 2 Gadwall, 1 Buzzard (scarce here) #ukbirding

AUDENSHAW RES, Gtr Manchester. - Superb morning 8 Arctic Tern thru' first thing, 1 GROPPER, site mega, 1 HOBBY earliest ever site record, 2 Com Sand, 1 Dunlin, 3 Oyster, 7 White Wagtail, 70 Sand Mar, 10 Swallow, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 H Martin, 1 Linnet, 6 Goldeneye #birds #ukbirding

MIDDLETON MOOR, Derbyshire - An influx of new birds this morning, the best being 3 RING OUZEL which flew towards Longstone, singing REDSTART, 1 Shelduck, 5 Tufted Duck, 20 Lapwing, 1 Curlew, 5 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Wheatear being the highlights. #ukbirding

WATERSWALLOWS RES, Buxton, Derbys. - This evening produced this fine RING OUZEL, couldn't relocate the bird when leaving, also 3 Mallard, 8 Tufted Duck, 3 Coot, 2 Lapwing, 2 LBB Gull, 1 Little Grebe, 6 Sand Martin, 4 Swallow, 3 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Meadow Pipit. #ukbirding #birds

MIDDLETON MOOR, Derbys. - 1 KITTIWAKE, a site tick dropped in for 15 minutes, scarce inland bird, 1 Dunlin, 2 Shoveler, 17 Teal, 23 Tufted Duck, 35 Lapwing, 1 Curlew, 75 Common Gull, 4 Lesser B B Gull, 1 Little Grebe, 18 Raven, 4 Skylark, 3 Chiffchaff, 10 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, 3 R Bunting #ukbirding

Send them north west please Jamie!

AUDENSHAW RES, Gtr Man – LITTLE GULL down to one, 1 ROCK PIPIT, 1 BLACK REDSTART a site rarity, the continuing SMEW, 1 Ringed Plover, 5 Little ringed Plover, 1 Dunlin, 1 Sand Martin, 1 Skylark, 2 WHITE WAGTAIL and 1 RN Parakeet being the highlights, full list on ebird #ukbirding #birds

WOODCOCK, winter scene from the Goyt Valley in Derbyshire, using acrylic on gesso board, a rare medium for me, this was done nearly 10 years ago #birds