Plenty of Emperor Dragonflies around at the moment, can be a challenge to get a decent shot of them as they scoot around looking for prey but quite pleased with this one taken on the River Taff a couple of days ago #wildlifephotography #wildlife
Peter Howlett
@cardiffbirder.bsky.social
Cardiff-based birder and photographer. Posts are my photos of birds, marine mammals and occasionally other critters. Check out @cardiffott.bsky.social for photos of metal flying things
A Blackbird with a beak full of food for it youngsters, in a nest just off the boardwalk at Cardiff wetland reserve, couldn't hear them calling when it dived into cover so perhaps still small #birdingwales #birds
A speedy response from the BTO. It was ringed as a chick at RAF Honington, Suffolk 29.5.19 It was first reported here at Northwick Warth, South Glouceserdhire 3.9.23 Then Rutland Water 10.3.24 So 7 years old and well traveled.
Lovely juv Med Gull in Cardiff Bay on 17/07 and, as it turns out, a fast mover. Ringed as chick in colony near Leipzig 16/06, seen in colony on 07/07 then the 1059km to Cardiff in 11 days #BirdingWales #SuperSeabirdSunday
Our team are at Global Bird Fair this weekend. Call in to say hi and learn about Bird Observatories in the Swallow Marquee (S15&16). Thanks to Limosa/Wildwings for their sponsorship and the £250 prize off any holiday for our quiz.
I think another look back to my visit to New Zealand in 2024 for this week's #SuperSeabirdSunday with this lovely White-capped Albatross gliding overhead on outstretched wings against a clear blue sky
You head to Costa Rica with a bird bucket list. Then along comes a little bird you didn't even know existed and it takes your breath away. Meet the Sungrebe. It's not a grebe and it dislikes the sun. What's in a name anyway! #birds #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #wildlife #nikon #z8
Not much better than a magnificent Wandering Albatross gliding low over the waves for #WorldAlbatrossDay and #SuperSeabirdSunday
A little look back to October 2024 for #SuperSeabirdSunday and my annual visit to the Channel and Celtic Sea with CEFAS. This Cory's Shearwater was living up to its name in the Channel
Got excited about seeing 2 Cory's Shearwaters out in the Porcupine Seabight yesterday, seen more than 70 today between 150-200 miles SSW of Ireland. Likely females from Portuguese colonies on pre-laying exodus #UKbirding #seabirds
Exciting MARINElife survey ahead covering Biscay and the shelf-edge of south west Ireland. Survey dates 25 May - 2 June. Surveyors Robin and @cardiffbirder.bsky.social Follow the action on the blog that will be here, once the survey is live marine-life.org.uk/survey-repor...
Some migration info from 7 Whinchats (Saxicola rubetra) tagged with multi-sensor loggers: kind of loop migration, spring Sahara crossing up to ~5,000 m despite their tiny size (~16g), and unusually prolonged flights both at autumn and spring. 🪶🏔️ Full paper here: doi.org/10.1007/s10336-026-02409-1
A visit to Caerffili common this morning and a little taken aback that the first bird I saw on getting out of the car was an Osprey, drifting over to the north #BirdingWales #BirdsSeenIn2026
📢 New IMR study on movement patterns of #BaskingSharks shows that sharks tagged above the #ArcticCircle in #Norway perform repeated large-scale movements to subtropical waters and actively use the water column across habitats.🧵 1/5 👉 doi.org/10.3354/meps... @whoi.edu @thembauk.bsky.social
Marine Ecology Progress Series@meps-ir.bsky.social · 3mo ago🦤🌐🧪 Year-long satellite tracking of basking sharks revealed ~14,000 km migrations spanning 30° latitude. This includes a transatlantic journey from Norway to the Caribbean highlighting the need for pan-latitudinal research. #FeatureArticle bit.ly/meps15153 @cakloecker.bsky.social
🦤🌐🧪 Year-long satellite tracking of basking sharks revealed ~14,000 km migrations spanning 30° latitude. This includes a transatlantic journey from Norway to the Caribbean highlighting the need for pan-latitudinal research. #FeatureArticle bit.ly/meps15153 @cakloecker.bsky.social
Peru #BirdsSeenIn2026
Peter Howlett@cardiffbirder.bsky.social · 3mo ago5 species of storm petrel in one shot and there's potential for even more in this particular neck of the woods - the eastern Pacific off the coast of Peru #SuperSeabirdSunday #Birds Elliot's Storm Petrel Wedge-rumped Storm Petrel Ringed Storm Petrel Markham's Storm Petrel Least Storm Petrel
5 species of storm petrel in one shot and there's potential for even more in this particular neck of the woods - the eastern Pacific off the coast of Peru #SuperSeabirdSunday #Birds Elliot's Storm Petrel Wedge-rumped Storm Petrel Ringed Storm Petrel Markham's Storm Petrel Least Storm Petrel
A westerly breeze in Cardiff means the Swifts feed over the bushes along the barrage - a better place to try and get photographs than by the ice rink on the west side of the bay #birds #BirdingWales
Lovely adult Peregrine gliding up and down along the cliffs of the Glamorgan coast yesterday #BirdingWales #Birds
Read our summary of April 2026 #C3S Climate Bulletin. Discover the data behind the joint 3rd-warmest April globally, with the 2nd-highest average sea surface temperature on record. Arctic sea ice extent was 2nd-lowest for April & Europe saw marked contrasts in precipitation. Read more ⬇️
These warblers were most cooperative, giving terrific views in Central Park today. L to R, American Redstart, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue and Prairie. #birdcpp #NaturePhotography #BirdsOfblueskyr #CentralPark #wildlife #centralparkbirds #birds #birdsseenin2026 #springmigration #urbanbirds
Also on board Borealis as we approached Puerto Limon, Costa Rica was this this superb Lesser Nighthawk - almost as amazing the Chuck-Will's-Widow which we saw at the same time - but beaten by the fact I'd never seen the latter before #Birds #BirdsSeenIn2026
Chuck-Will's-Widow ranks as one of the most amazing, and least expected, terrestrial birds I've ever seen on board a vessel. This one was on board the Borealis as we approached Puerto Limon, Costa Rica #Birds #BirdsSeenIn2026
Some beautiful light on this Great Crested Grebe off the Mermaid Quay boardwalk the other morning. That and the diffuse background and calm water really makes the bird stand out #BirdingWales #Birds
The first broods of Canada Geese are out and about in Cardiff Bay now. These very new goslings looking particularly cute as they toddled around on the barrage grass tasting different bits of vegetation #BirdingWales #Birds
Rüppell’s Warbler - I found a gorgeous pair at the end of the Kourtaliotiko Gorge. Better views on the second visit with the male singing, calling and eating caterpillars. The female was very furtive in contrast. A long time since I’d seen one, Israel 1989 the last! #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Crete
