Alan

Curlew Sandpiper in a wader roost. First record in modern times….

Pacific Diver - 1 of many photos

Absolute scenes! at St Ives Island with @jonesgareth.bsky.social & @liamlangley1.bsky.social with 3 megas in 12 hours. Last night a roosting Curlew Sand. This morning - a Magpie! - followed by a Pacific Diver drifting W on dropping tide. Maybe it will return …
#cornwallbirding #birdsseenin2026

A male Wheatear fresh in looking like he owns the place already.

A male Wheatear off to stir someone else’s soul for the afternoon …

With everything else kicking off around us, that these little guys make the effort to come here for the summer and arrive looking like this … blimey, nothing else really matters, does it? With 3 Sand Martins at a glorious Marazion this am
#cornwallbirding #birdsseenin2026

Showing all the classic winter Boney’s features - short pink legs, light grey ‘shawl’ up the back of the neck, short black bill, slightly darker mantle than BHG.

Lovely small black beads along primary tips - much cleaner than BH. I have another shot of the white underwing.

Garganey doing its best impression of a Wigeon. This is the second Garganey of the winter. The first one was a juv female. Strange times. It’s quite hard to pick out in amongst its Wigeon buddies. Especially at 200 mtrs in the rain and murk.

You can’t get more Iceland than this. Pure white primaries … no hint of any Kumlien’s genes here.

Just spending the day around Hayle paid off. A new (as far as I know) adult Bonaparte’s on Copperhouse popped in, with a pristine adult Iceland earlier on the main drag, an ‘argentatus’ Herring Gull (I think) plus the male Garganey hanging with the Wigeon #cornwallbirding #birdsseenin2026 #gulls

Coffee was spilt, flasks were dropped, stunned silence was heard - when this drifted into view, landed briefly and then ghosted away over the top of a hill

A male Hen Harrier disappearing quickly over the side of the valley.

… a classic view of a male Hen Harrier - a white rump disappearing rapidly into the sun …

Site record 111 RT Diver off St Ives this am going west, east, in & out of the bay with @liamlangley1.bsky.social
RB Gull at Hayle, Great Egret at Marazion, Dusky Warbler at Boscathno (finally, after 10 attempts 🙄) - but the real star today was a male Hen Harrier - With Billy N. #cornwallbirding

This Scaup has been around for at least 2 months. It looked pretty drab when he arrived - look at him now!

Super pleased to find the Pacific for the year. Saw it in December. Still looks pretty smart and was close in. Still has his chinstrap although not as noticeable as it was a few weeks back?

This could have been a great photo … but the PD was very active and fishing/diving constantly. At one point it must have gone over 50 metres underwater. Difficult to keep tabs on it.

Bonaparte’s Gull at Hayle. Fortunately Steve R had already picked it up as I arrived - I would probably have missed it as it disappeared 5 minutes later. Thanks to the finder.

Drake Scaup looking dapper on Long Rock this am after 60 Manx, GND, RTD & 1 BTD off St Ives. Found the Pacific Diver close in at Roskilly - showed way better than my photos suggest - then jammed in on the Bonaparte’s at Hayle before it disappeared in lashing rain #cornwallbirding #birdsseenin2026

Malay Plover adult on the right - 1CY Malay on the left. Like a ‘dinky’ Kentish, rounded head, black ‘collar’ almost meets in the middle, black extends round back of neck/collar.

It waited!! Great performance as it fed in the harbour, washed off Tolcarne Beach and flew to and from the roof of Lidl at Wherrytown.

It’s moulting its imm tail out.

Kentish Plover - larger size, squarer head, no black around back of collar/neck, black on upper breast not close to meeting in the middle

The planets all aligned - 2 days ago it was Malay, Kentish & Tibetan plovers on a beach in Thailand. Today it was a gull in and around Newlyn harbour. It was also 25 degrees cooler & quite a lot wetter… a bit tired now .. #cornwallbirding #birdsseenin2026

Spotted Wood Owl - male.

Collared Kingfisher

Ruddy Kingfisher

Mangrove Pitta

#Thailand … what a day out North of Phuket! 5 sp of Kingfishers, 2 Owls, a load of plovers from Kentish to Pacific Golden via Tibetan & Malay, RN Stint, 50 Oriental Pratincole, c100 Red-throated & Paddyfield Pipit, Osprey …. & 2 Mangrove Pittas … #birdsseenin2026

Black-naped Monarch. A vision of electric blue zipping through the undergrowth

Stripe-eared Bulbul on Mount Phou Si a subtly lovely bird

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher. About the only time one say still long enough.

Another day another Phylosc session. Eastern Greenish for me this one. A Greenish type call, single wing bar, long strong whitish super reaching forehead and towards nape, short primary projection … Mount Phou Si is the best place in Luang Prabang. Easy to get to, central in town, but the 200 steps straight up are challenging

#Laos #birding Luang Prabang, Mount Phou Si is the most reliable place. Early am is the best time (obvs). Rather unsettling, you can buy caged Scaly-breasted Munias for $1 from street vendors to release for ‘luck’. My $30 released c50 of them. I’m not sure I’m the lucky one #birdsseenin2026

White-capped Water Redstart. We found a couple of these.

Scarlet Minivet - quite common in parts of Thailand and across Asia

This is the back end of the spectacular White-rumped Shama … shame my photography skills aren’t.

1 of a possible 38 or so Phyloscs that knock about Thailand in the winter. Two-barred Warbler was the consensus.

Some spectacular birds in Thailand and Laos the past few days. And some less spectacular leaf warblers - several pages of them. Good to know that the locals struggle with them too … #birdsseenin2026

Taiga Flycatcher. Tonnes of these around the reservoir.

I have this down as Thick-billed Green Pigeon on account of its … thick bill but also eye crescent and tail pattern.

I don’t know what this is. Very large pipit or lark? Nothing seems to fit.

The forest & mountain beyond the immediate reservoir. Don’t let the slight Disney-esque feel of the place put you off. At the weekend this is where Chiang Mai people get a bit of R&R. Early weekday mornings it’s pretty empty.

Beautiful morning around Huay Tueng Thao reservoir nr Chiang Mai. 60sp identified. Loads of sp missed! Figuring out what’s what on yr own is part of the fun. But it’s super intense! The need & force to be ID’ing everything is strong within one - but it’s impossible without a guide
#birdsseenin2026

Hong Kong it’s the same - Tree Sparrows all over the place. @stevewg.bsky.social I wonder why?

Commonest Sparrow in BKK. Tree Sparrow. This group was nesting in and around a highway underpass. Why don’t they do this in the U.K?

A Plain Prinia …

Start of Thailand trip - Bangkok. Long way & with an early start to Chiang Mai tomorrow, today was a stroll in the park - Yellow Bittern, Javan Pond Heron, Pacific Swift & Indochinese Roller. Bird of the day? Tree Sparrow. Plenty of them in this vast urban metropolis weirdly …?

#birdsseenin2026

My first Little Owl for several years! Been a bogey bird of mine - just don’t seem to be able to ‘bump’ into them anywhere.

This one performed beautifully - flying between a few coppiced trees. At one point was mobbed by a few Great Tit, Greenfinch, Blackbird but they really didn’t seem to be too bothered by it.

Quite a decent size - I thought they were smaller - however despite being ‘small’ they’re well built and more ‘robust’ than I remember. Maybe that’s why i don’t see them - my search image is all wrong …

Not seen many of these over the years - for many reasons my last one was at least 10 years ago (don’t ask) - so it was cool to connect with one after some gratefully received local ‘gen’. Performed well within small area of water meadow/farmland
#birdsseenin2026
#littleowl
#patchbirding
#bogeybird

It’s not ‘just a big stripey Ringed Plover’. Although it IS big, and it IS stripey .. x

It’s long tailed and funky looking .. and a decent looking bird ..

… but it’s only when preening it suddenly showed all its good features / spectacular tail and orangey buggy rump.

I caved and went for the Killdeer today. Nice bird, a tick ‘n all that - and a good day out via a few other spots - but I got more excited about the Woodcock that flew over the road. There’s a lesson here for me somewhere. 🤔
#birdsseenin2026

That’s quality, Jack! And well done for being persistent and ignoring my Fieldfare suggestion! 🤪

👍

Fieldfare?

As Icelands go - this feels quite a chunky one. Almost Glaucous like … it’s not a Glauc obvs ..

Significant amount of brown in primaries and tail.

Based on bill shading/length, size, expression etc I think this is the same as that on the 14th but different to the original reported bird on the 6th.

Enough brown for Kumlien’s?

Finally managed to find the Newlyn Iceland Gull which I think is the same as reported on 14/1 but different to original on 6/1. Flew into the harbour, spent 5 minutes hanging about the main quay, then lost to view. 6 BT Diver, 1 RTD + several GNDs between Newlyn & Penlee Point #cornwallbirds

The male Marsh Harrier spent a few minutes harassing the imm then flew north.

Imm Marsh Harrier (1CY?) hung around for a few minutes and even perched.

Look at those tongues into the black primaries!!! Caspian Gull on the Hayle before it bailed as the tide came in.

It was Spring-like this afternoon in west Cornwall. Unfortunately the Iceland gull continues to elude me but 2 Marsh Harriers at Long Rock and the Caspian at Hayle were still there with the Curlew Sand, a Blackwit and Water Pipit with @liamlangley1.bsky.social
#cornwallbirding

RSPB launch urgent appeal to help protect Hayle Estuary sites

https://cbwps.org.uk/rspb-launch-urgent-appeal-to-help-protect-hayle-estuary-sites/

A winter plumage Red-necked Grebe sat on the sea below the railings. The bird is largely dark grey with pale flanks and a pale cheek. The bird has a dark cap and a straight, yellow bill.

An excellent weekend on patch started yday morning at the island where I picked up a distant Grebe in flight which promptly landed and disappeared. Half an hour of frustration this stonking Red-necked Grebe appeared below us (pic @lobb66.bsky.social) - an absolute patch mega! #PWC2026 #UKbirding

This Red-necked Grebe flew out of the bay but was lost as it pitched down 2kms offshore …

Miraculously, fortunately, skilfully (?) LL picked it up again just before it Swal around the NCI corner and lost forever

Interesting … ?

Interesting day yesterday - good St Ives seawatch with @liamlangley1.bsky.social who, in 20 mins, found, lost & refound a Red-necked Grebe. Merlin then thought I’d found a RB Gull … & finally I found a male Marsh Harrier nr Madron which might be the same one seen at Marazion
#cornwallbirding

Female RN Duck - this bird doesn’t exactly shout its presence. It likes to sit still in amongst the overhanging trees and vegetation. I know some have struggled to catch up with it.

Male Lesser Scaup. Still present in Helston. Still hanging out within feet of the path.

For a while it was like a blizzard and almost a ‘white-out’. But 5 minutes down the road at the Pallas’s it was blue skies and sunny … #cold

Pallas’s Warbler, 2 Lesser Scaup, fem Ring-necked Duck. The snow made it a very ‘noir’ day. Jammed in on the Pallas’s within minutes of arriving which was great ‘cos it was freezing! #cornwallbirding

About the only time the Garganey wasn’t asleep

Not an easy bird to pick out. It’s habit of spending more time with Wigeon than Teal helps.

Lone Golden Plover in the 300-odd Lapwing. Seems to have damaged its right leg.

No luck with the Boscathno Dusky Warbler. Male Marsh Harrier over Long Rock and the Garganey at Hayle made up for it … kinda …. #cornwallbirding

A typical view of the adult RB Gull

Paler grey mantle than Common, less white in the tertials, yellower, ‘stronger’ legs and a generally bulkier bird.

Caspian Gull - distinct structure and look; long legged upright look (when it walked!); dark, small ‘squinty’ eyes; straight long bill and dark-ish (not quite YL tho’) mantle points to Caspian.

1st Manx Shearwater of the year past St Ives this am with a couple of Purple Sand. Then to Hayle Estuary to wrestle with the roosting gulls - picked out the sleepy Ring-billed Gull and the slightly less sleepier Caspian Gull. #cornwallbirding

Decent first seawatch of the year - with great attendance from the St Ives Crew with @liamlangley1.bsky.social @jonesgareth.bsky.social & Billy N. In other news - Scaup, female Goldeneye still present on Long Rock. #cornwallbirding.

This male Redstart was a real stunner back in early Sept. Hung around for a couple of days and replaced by a female.

A sunrise from Pewley Down

BirdTrack data

Pewley Down. Looks like that’s it for 2025. 200 visits & 88sp. Highlights - H Buzzard, Osprey, Whimbrel, Ring Ouzel, 2 Dartford W, 4 Tripits, 2 Wheatear, Lesser WTs - but bird of the year is Redstart with 25 bird-days of c10 different birds. Next year to focus on the life list & eBird #patchbirding

Female Greater Scaup in terrible light.

Same female Greater Scaup.

7 Black-necked Grebes present - probably more actually but it was cold.

Black Redstart bouncing around by the entrance to the causeway on bank of reservoir. Taken between the railings.

Another vain attempt to locate the Lesser Scaup on Staines Res. Did find 2 female Greater Scaup (or a super mobile one). GND, c7 BN Grebes and Black Redstart present. #patchbirding

Those are both tap-ins for you, Steve …

I’m not the biggest fan of boxing as a concept, but I do think we’re at the point where the only thing that’s going to prove to some people that they aren’t the main character with pro level skills at anything they want is to be punched in the face repeatedly.