Chris Toop
@birdingcyclist.bsky.social
Birds, bicycles, hills, family (not necessarily in that order)
Weekend in the Highlands with the Best Man (24 years ago!), his nephew and my eldest. Couple of #Munros complete with proper river crossing and a wild camp with a view! @walkhighlands.co.uk report on the way
Weekend up north terned out alright (soz), with visits to Farne and Seaton Carew #UKBirding
Popped over to the @nationaltrust.org.uk Farne's, may have got shat on, pecked and got the giggles. Actual bird photos to follow (when I've waded through all the blurred flight shots)
Simply the best birds. Beautiful and charismatic and anyone who doesn't 'get' them needs to give their heads a wobble! #Starlimgs #UKBirding
Plenty of calling Water Rail's @yorkswildlife.bsky.social Potteric Carr this morning, but you don't see them that often.... #chick #UKBirding
Garden Goldcrests are frisky! This one is spending far too long chasing off the rival in the shed window (aka its reflection)! @yorkbirding.bsky.social #UKBirding
Been fairly quiet so far this year for #TansyBeetle with just the odd one or two, but found these this morning, preparing for the next generation.... #BugLife #YNET #RawcliffeIngs #York
Wandered round the more populous part of the patch this morning: Clifton and Rawcliffe Ings. Good to see Skylarks holding territory, 2 Sedge Warblers (very occasional this side of York) and a Cettis singing behind the waterworks. Couple of Kingfishers along the river @yorkbirding.bsky.social
After a few high individuals recently, today really is #Swiftday. 5 or 6 over the Beckfield Lane/ Ouseburn Avenue colony today, including some screamers! #LoveSwifts @yorkbirding.bsky.social
3 Swifts high over Rawcliffe Ings this morning. First bit of calling I've heard this year @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Did my early @bbs-birds.bsky.social y'day and for 3rd yr in a row drew a blank on Tree Sparrows so think the Knapton colony has gone. So headed out to #Bempton. Thought I may as well see the other birds people were there for as well...
First Swift back over Beckfield Lane just now. Always lifts my spirits! @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Female Common Scoter on the canal near the Caravan Park at Baswich, Staffs early afternoon @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social
Been away for Easter but managed a wander on the Ings this afternoon. 1st Sand Martin up the river and 1st Tansy Beetle of the year. Grey Heron nestlings are starting to be visible now and the Egrets are busy. No Osprey for me, but drove past one in the Peaks yesterday! @yorkbirding.bsky.social
The eldest's gf lives near St Aidan's so I kindly offered to give him a lift this morning... A few highlights (not winning any prizes) @rspb.bsky.social #SwillyIngs
First Ings walk of the year with no Redwings. Egrets settling in the heronry but being very shy. Plenty of calling pairs of Treecreeper around, too fast for a pic but a Kingfisher posed @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Quick phone video of this evenings hunting Barn Owl near Rufforth. 10 Fieldfare gathered for departure in a nearby tree were the first I've seen in a while as well @yorkbirding.bsky.social
A few hastily grabbed shots from a partly-flooded Ings. Migration crossroads with feeding Chiffy and Redwings (down to just 8 today), flyby Parakeets and busy Herons. Buzzards, Kestrel and Sprawk about, plus lots of noisy Reed Bunts and a couple of Kingfishers @yorkbirding.bsky.social #UKBirding
What's better than a Siskin on your feeders? Two Siskins! The species that kicked off my interest over four decades ago @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social #Acomb #UKBirding
Chiffchaff singing in the garden this morning! Beckfield Ln @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Short walk on the Ings today with dog and child. Busy herons, busy frogs and around 40-50 Redwings still. Male Sparrowhawk and then 2 Red Kites over Great North Way on the way home @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Spring has sprung! Warm enough to take the dog out without a coat, birds singing everywhere, including full throated Skylarks drifting out from the fields to over Beckfield Lane! Siskin passage overhead and here's one that stopped off for a feed on Monday @yorkbirding.bsky.social
At least 17 Herons back in the heronry, plus 3 Little Egrets on Rawcliffe Ings. 16 Lapwings over Clifton Ings dropped down but then circled up and away again, a full summer plumaged Black-headed Gull on the shrinking flood and too many noisy Parakeets! @yorkbirding.bsky.social #UKBirding
Enjoyed the Acomb Landing-Clifton Ings murmuration tonight, the patterns, the noise of wingbeats and the splat of droppings all added to the atmosphere! @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social #UKBirding
H/lights of an icy visit to @rspb.bsky.social St. Aidan's and Fairburn Ings today. Red Crested Pochard still present, lots of other wildfowl on any bit of open water. Single Blackwit with Curlew, and a Water Rail in flight. Overwintering Chiffchaff feeding on debris in Lin Dyke #UKBirding
Wandered round @rspb.bsky.social St. Aidan's this morning. Finally caught up with the resident Beardies. Ducks were frisky! And 3 Glossy Ibis dropped in #UKBirding
Garden Mistle Thrush enjoying the omens this morning. #ShepherdsWarning #Stormcock @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social #UKBirding
Pleased to see the influx of Blackbirds had finally settled down to the surplus windblown apples, and then this appeared in the garden @yorkbirding.bsky.social #UKBirds
Visited the patch this morning. Chiffys in with every group of tits, calling Bullfinches, 19 Cormorants in River Ouse roost, Cettis behind Acomb Waterworks, Parakeets displaying at nest holes. Then... Short-eared Owl high over Manor School when I was walking home @yorkbirding.bsky.social #UKBirding