Hrafn Archer 🏴‍☠️

A mooch around some secret spots locally with my Great Uncle this morning. The wild Daffodils were out in force in a few of the private areas we gained access to. I also had my first Brimstone butterflies of the year.

#peakybirders #localpatch #patchbirding #daffodils #wildflowers

Both HUME’S WARBLER & Yellow-browed Warbler just a few miles from home so far this year. RIDICULOUS. Another great find by Rich Walker! #peakybirders #warwickshirebirding #ukbirding 🪶

‘Peaky Birders Curry Night’ followed by doggin’ and ‘jarrin’ on the Chase…. hence the smiles. #ukbirding #peakybirders #cannockchase 🪶

Great call! ⭐️

The quest to obtain every bird species I’ve seen in Britain, in pin badge form. Here are 125 of some the rare and scarce ones. #peakybirders #peakybadgers #ukbirding #birdpinbadges #birdcollector 🪶

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Yep, it certainly matches my current mental state! 🥴

During turbulent times, art and nature help to calm my anxiety. Fresh back from the excellent Ferrers Frames in Derbyshire; ‘Hooded Crows’ original by Daniel Cole, ‘Cross Crow’ woodcut print by Tim Wayne and original ‘Llŷn Peninsula Chough’ by Kim Atkinson. 🪶 #peakybirders #ukbirding #birdart

Stunning views of a DARK-BREASTED BARN OWL (Tyto alba guttata) in Lincolnshire this morning. Close encounters with any Barn Owl are always special but add to the fact that this continental subspecies is extremely rare in Britain, it made the occasion even more thrilling. 🪶 #ukbirding #peakybirders

The highly mobile Great Grey Shrike on Cannock Chase early this morning. It was seen to catch and eat a lizard at one stage. 🪶 #ukbirding #ukbirds #peakybirders #staffordshirebirding #butcherbird #phonescoping

We nailed all three regular breeding British woodpecker species at Middleton Lakes RSPB this morning. Here’s a mega scarce male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming away. You can just about hear another in the background. 🪶 #ukbirding #peakybirders #peakypeckers #woodpecker #phonescoping #warksbirding

A work trip to Scotland provided a few year ticks. I had my earliest ever Sand Martin (#158) at Strathclyde Loch, quickly followed by the RING-BILLED GULL (#159). At Methil I had Eider (#160), Long-tailed Duck (#161) Red-breasted Merganser (#162) and 7 Scaup (#163) among the scoters. 🪶 #ukbirding

Deform UK! 🇬🇧

When hair doesn’t grow atop the head, you need to make the most of it elsewhere. 😆

The first ‘Peaky Birders Curry Night’ of the year. Quality scran, top company, plenty of birding nostalgia and copious amounts of laughter. 🪶 #peakybirders #westmidlandsbirding #ukbirding #currynight

Urban birding style. Territorial Lesser Black-backed Gull and Herring Gull numbers are building up in Birmingham. More importantly, I had my first ‘City Centre’ Raven, carrying nesting material over the office last week. 🪶 #ukbirding #peakybirders #0121birding #urbanbirding #birminghamuk

I woke up in Cornwall yesterday, had two work appointments in Devon and finished the day birding the patch in Warwickshire. I also squeezed in an early morning stroll around Saltram, near Plymouth to ‘year tick’ Mandarin (#156) and Ring-necked Parakeet (#157). 🪶 #ukbirding #peakybirders #CatCbirding

The Cornish PACIFIC DIVER (#155) proved a challenge today in choppy conditions. It eventually showed well off Jubilee Pool, Penzance this afternoon. Other quality species included 6+ Great Northern Diver, Velvet Scoter (#154), Iceland Gull and 3 Bottle-nosed Dolphin. 🪶 #ukbirding #peakybirders

I was working down on the ‘English Riviera’ today. Lunchtime highlights included a few Red-throated Diver, a singing Firecrest and 11 Cirl Bunting (#151). A break at Slimbridge late afternoon provided 2 Whooper Swan, 45 Bewick’s Swan, Spoonbill and 4 Common Crane. 🪶 #ukbirding #fawltybirders

It’s been said before!

BEASTIE BIRDERS - ‘Scoping For Your Right To Party’ - left to right: Dave G, MCJ and Adrockpipit. 🎤 🎶 🪶 #ukbirding #peakybirders #beastiebirders #sabirdtage #nosleeptillrooking #intergullactic #birdymovin’

Staffordshire ‘ghetto birding’ continued. At Chasewater this evening, the adult Iceland Gull (#150) was picked out early on in the roost. Other highlights were a couple of adult Yellow-legged Gull (#149) and an adult Mediterranean Gull. #peakybirders #winterbirding #westmidlandsbirding #gullroost

An afternoon of Staffordshire ‘ghetto birding’. Highlights at Whitemoor Haye included Slavonian Grebe (#148), a couple of juvenile Whooper Swan and a trio of adult Whooper/Bewick’s Swan over. It was then over to Chasewater….. #peakybirders #winterbirding #westmidlandsbirding

We have a lot to thank Tony Robinson and ‘Time Team’ for!

Sixth winter I think. 🥶

I think it may have been there before she started coming. Perhaps she was lured in by his chiseled good looks? 😀

After spending nearly 5 hypothermic hours, shivering away on the edge of the Bristol Channel, the LEAST SANDPIPER (#147) finally flew in at 3pm. This was only my 2nd sighting of this species in Britain. My first was in Staffordshire back in 2002. 🪶 #ukbirding #peakybirders #winterbirding

After dipping the female KENTISH PLOVER (#146) several times at Burnham-on-Sea over the past few winters, we finally connected this morning. The mosaics were created by the Romans around 69AD. 🪶 #ukbirding #peakybirders #winterbirding #somersetbirding #burnhamonsea #yearlisting

There was sign of the Somerset Least Sandpiper en route to Cornwall today. The weather was appalling for most of the day though. I did have a tiny wader flying around with Dunlin at one stage but it could have been a Little Stint OR a Least Sandpiper. 🪶 #ukbirding #peakydippers #leastweforget

At least 3 Jack Snipe were present on the patch today, along with 55 Common Snipe. Other species included 6 Goosander, Pochard and 2 Great White Egret. The only new species for the year was a sad, solitary Yellowhammer (#132) in Seckington. #peakybirders #patchbirding #thermalbirding #alvecotepools