The #BirdOfTheDay theme today chosen by Alan @alan678.bsky.social is #RedOrDead, any bird with red in the capture but not on the bird. I’m very late to the party today because I was out all day birding in Kent. I’ve chosen a lovely Long-tailed Tit standing on the red branch of a Cornus shrub.

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme chosen by @helenbennett.bsky.social is #FabulousWaders An excellent choice of theme by Helen because there is so much scope. I’ve chosen this photo of a Greenshank because I love the reflection. I could almost turn it upside down 🙃 and not notice the difference.

For today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme of #Firsts some of your earliest bird captures, I’ve found this Blue Tit. Taken on 28 January 2024, it was one of the first photos with my then new Canon EOS7D Mk II. It’s too grainy and dark for my liking - F8 1/2000 sec ISO 6400 but I was so thrilled with it.

Rob’s theme for #BirdOfTheDay is #BestOfJuly I’d like to give you my selection of July photos of ‘The young ones’ (cue the Cliff Richard and the Shadows song or the BBC tv comedy series 😉) Clockwise from top left - a Goldcrest, a Cuckoo, a Robin and a Stonechat giving out to its father 😂

@alan678.bsky.social has chosen the theme for #BirdOfTheDay: #OverTheRainbow, a bird looking skyward. This leucistic female House Sparrow visited our garden regularly last Winter. I’ve added a photo of a ‘normal’ female House Sparrow so you can compare and see the loss of pigment in the feathers.

For today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme #EgretsAndHerons, here’s a photo of a Grey Heron which I took at dusk on Tuesday at a local reservoir. For the Alt Theme is #Yellow, any bird with Yellow as part of its plumage, I’ve chosen a coloured pencil drawing of a Great Tit, which I drew a few years ago.

I was stepping outside onto our patio this afternoon and suddenly saw a Hummingbird Hawk Moth hovering around our pots of blue Agapanthus and pink Geraniums. I ran and got my camera and managed to get a few nice shots - it’s the first time I’ve managed to photograph one so I’m delighted. 😊

Alan’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #YourChoice bird capture/ captures you’ve been itching to post. No alt obviously. My choice is this close up shot of the head of a sleepy Mallard duck. The photo was taken a few months ago. I just love the beautiful and varying colours of its feathers.

Rob’s #BirdOfTheDay theme today is #MultiColour, birds with 3 or more colours in their plumage. This is a bit grainy because I didn’t have time to change the ISO setting. But I was pleased I managed to grab my camera and quickly get a photo of this Nuthatch, a rare visitor to our garden.

Today's #BirdOfTheDay Alt theme chosen by Rob is #DucksOutOfWater, Ducks that are out of water but not flying. I’ve selected a female Pochard with various shades of brown plumage, standing on a grassy bank at the edge of a pond.

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme chosen by @alan678.bsky.social is #EmeraldBackdrop – Images where the background colour is green. Here’s a photo of a Meadow Pipit, taken a couple of months ago on the Northumberland coast at Bamburgh. I love those distinctive dark streaks on their breasts.

The #BirdOfTheDay theme today, chosen by @robcrank68.bsky.social is #Grey, any bird with Grey in its plumage. House Sparrows aren’t the most exciting birds perhaps, but I find them inquisitive and friendly, particularly the youngsters.

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme chosen by Alan is #CHE Cormorants, Herons and Egrets. I was amazed that this Cormorant, standing by the entrance track at Elmley Nature Reserve, was unfazed as I stopped the car, wound down the window and zoomed in to get this close up. It’s one of my favourite photos.

A lovely choice by @robcrank68.bsky.social for #BirdOfTheDay alt theme #ForJanet any #Robin. As something a bit different, I’ve chosen to post a coloured pencil drawing of a Robin, which I drew as a Christmas card a couple of years ago, from one of my own Robin photos.

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme from @alan678.bsky.social is: #EyeOfTheWild – piercing eye or eyes as the dominant feature of the portrait. This photo from my archive fits the theme - a close up of a female Kestrel.

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme chosen by @robcrank68.bsky.social is #SittingDownOnTheJob, birds sitting on the floor. The Alt theme is #Yellow, any birds with Yellow in their plumage. I’ve gone with the Alt theme today because I love how the yellow and black feathers overlap on this Great Tit.

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme from @alan678.bsky.social is: #TantalisingTextures Smooth soft feathers of any bird contrasted with rough hard surfaces. Alt: #ArtOfMotion, birds moving but not in flight. I think this fits the theme - a Robin, standing on a rough metal plant container in our garden.

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme chosen by Rob @robcrank68.bsky.social is #Gulls, alt. #Paridae. One of my favourite gulls is the elegant looking Audouin’s gull. This photo was taken on the beach at Puerto Pollensa last September. I couldn’t see the all numbers on its ring unfortunately.

Alan’s #BirdOfTheDay theme today is #SummerLovin, bird captures taken during summer, so here’s an affectionate pair of Collared Doves in our garden last week.

For Rob’s #BirdOfTheDay theme of #Triplets here is my photo of three Cattle Egrets at Albufera Nature Reserve last Summer.

For today’s #BirdofTheDay theme of #ScreenFiller, as chosen by @alan678.bsky.social of a capture where the bird takes up a large part of the image, I give you my photo of a male Pochard, taken as the light was fading on a Winter afternoon.

I’ve just discovered #BirdoftheDay on here - such a lovely idea. My photo for the #Birds&Flowers theme today is a Puffin with sea thrift at Sumburgh Head.

Redstarts, Goldfinches and Stonechats were kept busy feeding their hungry youngsters at Old Lodge, Ashdown Forest this morning. Continuing the youthful theme, this juvenile Cuckoo suddenly appeared in front of me.

I saw my first Common Whitethroat of the year at Beddington Farmlands near Croydon this morning. A Common Sandpiper and several Swifts soaring overhead were also firsts of the year for me.

A very enjoyable holiday in Mallorca last week gave me an opportunity to spend some time visiting Albufera, Maristany and other well known areas. I was rewarded with good views of many birds including this juvenile Western Swamphen, Zitting Cisticola, Black-winged Stilt and Hoopoe.

I had a wonderful few days visiting Shetland and Orkney for the first time last week. The beautiful landscape, fascinating Neolithic sites and the many seabirds seen and heard made it a memorable experience. Watching the Puffins close up at Sumburgh Head was one of the highlights.

This female Red-footed Falcon gave me a wonderful display early yesterday morning at RSPB Dungeness. I then met up with other members of the Bromley RSPB Local Group for a very enjoyable day’s birding. A lovely male Red-crested Pochard gave good views from the ARC Hanson Hide. #RSPB #Kentbirding

Not a birdwatching post, but it was one of the best days of my life watching eagles flying high at Wembley yesterday and a brilliant balloon display by Coughlan’s bakery in Oxted ❤️ 💙 🦅 👏

A short break in Marrakesh last week gave me the opportunity to see the usual suspects there - Common Bulbuls, White Storks and House Buntings, as well as a very pleasing Woodchat Shrike.

I was delighted to catch up with the Hawfinches in the trees behind the churchyard at Penshurst early this morning. Such lovely birds and this species was a ‘lifer’ for me. #kentbirding