Matt Hall

Hooded Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Hooded Merganser - first view of its unringed legs!

Hooded Merganser #ukbirding

The Hooded Merganser that turned up on Pilning Wetland on Monday was not on anyone's radar - @andy-1963.bsky.social caused a panicked scramble from Severnside patchers to get to it before the light faded. Did the right thing for its credibility by summarily disappearing after a day of feeding!

I can do Merlin and hirundines 😂

Trumpeter Finch

Pair of Stone Curlew

Egyptian Vulture

Spotted Sandpiper

Other highlights included Barbary Partridge, Plain Swift, Cream-coloured Courser, Stone Curlew, Audouin's Gull, Egyptian Vulture, Merlin, African Blue Tit, migrating hirundines, Spectacled Warbler, Trumpeter Finch, Berthelot's Pipit, Canary... and filthily twitched AGP and Spotted Sandpiper (3/3)

A special encounter with this Barbary Falcon. Strikingly different to our familiar Peregrines (2/3)

A much appreciated sunny (non-birding 😉) week in Lanzarote produced some excellent birds in beautiful surrounds. I spent two early mornings watching this incredible Houbara - although I unfortunately never managed to capture the bonkers fluffed up running aspect of his display! (1/3)

Was thinking of knocking it on the head for the day, when I decided to take one more look at Pilning Wetland. Glad I did, as this Hooded Merganser had just arrived ahead of a bank of low cloud and drizzle. Needless to say, a patch lifer! Pic: @matthall95.bsky.social #ukbirding

Beautiful crisp morning and stacks of birds at New Passage with @j-dunning.net - 16 White-fronted Goose still, 2 Pintail, 4 Golden Plover, 5 Knot, 400 Blackwit, 3000 Dunlin, 11 Ringed Plover, male Marsh Harrier and Redpoll. Brambling behind Aust Services. Dodgy phone scoped video of the dawn scene

Yes that's the spot - Whinchat seems to range widely on the saltmarsh beyond the pool, often keeping low in the grass

Whinchat on Northwick Warth

Whinchat on Northwick Warth

Cattle Egret near Pilning Wetland

16 Russian White-fronted Goose

Wintering Whinchat, 9 Jack Snipe, 8 Rock Pipit and Common Sandpiper at the north end of Northwick Warth/Cake Pill. And bonus Firecrest at Aust STW! #ukbirding

Penduline Tit at Aust Wetlands

Jack Snipe on Northwick Warth

4 Pochard on Pilning Wetland

2 Bewick's Swan on Northwick Warth flash

Full day out on the Severnside patch produced a bonkers array of species: 2 Bewick's Swan first thing then flew NE, 16 White-fronted Goose, 4 Pochard, Cattle Egret, Barwit and 2 Blackwit at New Passage/Pilning Wetland. The 3 Penduline Tit continue to draw a crowd, plus Barn Owl at Aust Wetland.

The 8 White-fronted Geese on Northwick Warth were totally fearless this morning, happily bathing and drinking from the puddle closest to the seawall. Wonderful to see them so close. Fingers crossed they draw in some Beans over the New Year.... #ukbirding

6 White-fronted Goose

Penduline Tit

Penduline Tit

Cattle Egret

Very pleased the goose influx made it this far west with 8 White-fronted Goose (1 juv) on Northwick Warth this morning. Cattle Egret, Red Kite and 2 Pintail at Pilning Wetland. 1 Penduline Tit at Aust Wetland with the other 2 at Cake Pill in a mixed tit flock in scrub. Pretty amazing! #ukbirding

Merry Christmas! Can I just check - is this a stock photo? Would be very exciting if one of the Aust Pendulines was ringed...

A group of people celebrating at the pub

Happy Christmas from Severnside Ringing (birding/vismig) Group 🪶

Garganey

Unseasonal Garganey plus Ruff, Knot and 400 Black-tailed Godwit at Pilning Wetland. 2 Crossbill, male Goosander and 12 Brent Goose the best of the vismig at Aust. Looks like the Penduline Tit has moved on this morning #ukbirding

Absolute belter of a patch tick in the form of this Penduline Tit! On the reedy pool at the north end of Northwick Warth. Very grateful to the finders! #ukbirding

Belatedly back to Scilly again - 16 October we went to St. Martin's and had a lovely day's birding with plenty of migrants, the best of which were two red-breasted flycatchers both very showy and an absolute treat 😍 #UKBirding #Scillybirds @matthall95.bsky.social @oscardewhurst.bsky.social

Back from a week on Scilly 11-18th October with @matthall95.bsky.social @oscardewhurst.bsky.social @aravindramesh19.bsky.social. The first afternoon was a twitcher's dream on St. Agnes. Off the boat and to the nearest chicken coop for the 1st English record of mourning dove 😂 #UKbirding #ScillyBirds

Rosefinch at Porthellick beach

Spotted flycatcher at Porthellick Down

Leucistic pied wagtail at the riding stables

Rosy starling at Old Town

2nd day on Scilly (12th) w/ @matthall95.bsky.social @oscardewhurst.bsky.social @aravindsrinivas.bsky.social was quieter than the 'day of mourning' on Aggie, and around St. Mary's - highlights inc. rosefinch, rosy starling, spotted fly and a very cool leucistic pied wagtail #UKbirding #ScillyBirds

Mourning Dove

Eurasian Hoopoe

American (buff-bellied) Pipit

Spotted Sandpiper

Decent (!) day 1 on Scilly with a clean up job on Agnes - mourning dove present and correct, plus absurdly showy hoopoe, American pipit, spot sand and lap bunt. Not a bad start with @matthall95.bsky.social @oscardewhurst.bsky.social #ukbirding

Crossbill

4 Grey Plover with Curlew Sandpiper

Enjoyable bit of vismig at Aust Services with 9 Crossbill (group of 8 and single), Yellowhammer, 2 Snipe, 189 Chaffinch and 29 Siskin all SW. My first patch Crossbill I've seen on the deck! Curlew Sandpiper, Knot, 9 Grey Plover, Barwit and Blackwit at New Passage #ukbirding

Pilning Wetland felt extremely dead this morning, until a Ruff lifting off the wader pool was joined by a previously unseen Pectoral Sandpiper. Flew strongly NE calling continually. Frustrating and exciting in equal measures - I do hope it returns @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social

Spotshank

Glossy Ibis

Pintail

Golden Plover with Redshank and Dunlin

Nice variety today on Pilning Wetland with brief Glossy Ibis before flying NE, Spotted Redshank (thanks @severnsidebirds.bsky.social), 2 Golden Plover, Grey Plover, 6 Curlew Sandpiper, 15 Pintail and Yellow Wagtail. 9 Crossbill, 3 Redpoll, 6 Siskin and Red Kite best of the vismig at Aust Services

Redstart

Redstart

2 Whinchat

The Curlew Sandpiper influx continues with 31 in the high tide roost this morning at New Passage, plus 3 Knot, 3 Whinchat, 4 Wheatear, Yellow Wag and Redpoll over. Cracking male Redstart (thanks for the call @severnsidebirds.bsky.social), Whinchat, 4 Wheatear and Siskin at Severn Beach.

Sabs dip feeding. Look at that footwork!

Blockbuster views of Severn Beach's two star birds today - Sabine's Gull and Grey Phalarope. Also at SB were 2 Manx, Med Gull and Common Tern. 2 Curlew Sand, Sanderling, 3 Greenshank and 2 Whinchat at New Passage. Hobby, Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Siskin and 2 Tree Pipit at Aust Services/STW first thing

Sooty Shearwater

Storm Petrel

Grey Phal and Sabs Gull

Grey Phal and Sabs Gull

Mega estuary watch from Severn Beach today. Personal totals: Sooty Shearwater (1st on Severnside for 51 years!), juv Sabine's Gull, 2 Grey Phalarope, 2 Leach's Petrel, 4 Storm Petrel, Black Tern, 3 Common Tern, distant Skua sp, 10+ Manxies, 8 Kittiwake, Med Gull, Hobby and 4 Curlew Sandpiper. Insane

Monster pickup by @matthall95.bsky.social 10 mins ago with a sooty shear off Severn beach @birdguides.bsky.social #ukbirding

Sooty Shearwater off Severn Beach, lingering. Unreal!! @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social

Speculative estuary watch at Severn Beach with @oscardewhurst.bsky.social turned up trumps this morning. Whilst watching 2 Black Tern a Grey Phalarope joined them in the same scope view before all heading downriver. Just amazing! 2 Manx Shearwater and a distant female Goosander/RBMerg also seen