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Paul French

@nomadbirder.bsky.social

Birder & secretary of British Birds Rarities Committee

390 Posts1083 Follower737 Folgt
Paul French@nomadbirder.bsky.social · 2w ago

I've always loved Barn Owls, and I'm grateful to live in an area that is particularly good for them. This female is interesting, being on the buff side. Its breast is very striking when perched, but the legs and undertail are clearly white ruling out any thoughts of guttata. It could easily be...

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Paul French@nomadbirder.bsky.social · 3w ago

Views!! After missing the first showing completely due to ploughing a fruitless furrow downstream, I was in the right place to get two really nice 'extended' views over a 4 hour period. Massive thanks to @andrewmkinghorn.bsky.social for the loan of his step-stool, an essential bit of kit at twitches

Lee J@leelj337.bsky.social · 3w ago

It's been a quiet autumn, but it has finally delivered. Rufous-tailed Robin @flamboroughbird.bsky.social this morning

Paul French@nomadbirder.bsky.social · 4w ago

Really enjoyed watching a covey of Grey Partridge today, along with a hedge full of Reed Buntings. It made me wonder what it is about living out in the open Eurasian steppes that favours an orange face and dark belly?? Convergent evolution, but why?

Grey Partridge. Taken today in Yorkshire.Pallas's Sandgrouse. Not taken today in Yorkshire!
Mike Buckland@mcbuckland.bsky.social · last mo.

The Yellow Wagtail at Cley this pm. Superficially striking in its grey & white plumage, was its back a little too brown & the face pattern a little soft for Eastern? All its flight calls sounded Western & the odd more buzzy note was often in alarm. My sonograms seem to bear this out. #UKBirding

The grey and white Yellow Wagtail at Cley this afternoon. A smart and striking bird but was the back a little too brown washed and the face a little too soft? Hard to judge the hind claw as it fed in wet grass. Eastern and Western seem to overlap in most / all plumage features so the call is all important.The grey and white Yellow Wagtail at Cley this afternoon. A smart and striking bird but was the back a little too brown washed and the face a little too soft? Hard to judge the hind claw as it fed in wet grass. Eastern and Western seem to overlap in most / all plumage features so the call is all important. This sonogram, recorded on my iPhone15, over the background chatter and gravel crunching seems to show a simple (Western) pattern without the saw-like tail produced by the more buzzy call of Eastern. This was the most buzzy call I recorded. An alarm call made when the Wagtail was flushed and chased by a Meadow Pipit. Despite the more buzzy note apparent in the sound recording the sonogram looks much the same as the flight calls. Assuming this isn’t a limitation of the recording device then the pattern seems to better fit a Western Yellow Wagtail, perhaps a Grey-headed?
Paul French@nomadbirder.bsky.social · last mo.

It's been a cracking afternoon. Saw a peregrine carrying a tern get attacked by 2 arctic skuas before flying off out too sea still carrying it's prey, 200 Razorbills feeding offshore, bottlenose dolphins, a Whinchat and a presumed grey-headed wag still here. Then, this badger from the living room.

Paul French@nomadbirder.bsky.social · 2mo ago

It's been an eventful week at sea! The weather was kinder than last year on the way out, then our first day in the Canyons MCZ turned into one of the most epic days of rarity finding in UK birding. Further evidence that this area is routinely used by band-rumps and barolos, and the fact this is...

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Paul French@nomadbirder.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Here we go again!! Leaving Falmouth now for 8 nights at sea, heading for the Canyons Marine Conservation Zone on the edge of British waters, over the Explorer and Dangaard Canyons. Feeling optimistic!!

Intrepid (mad) birders on Challenger 1
Paul French@nomadbirder.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Up to over 9kg of blackberries now!! That would cost the best part of £80 from Tesco, so get yourselves some great wildlife habitat and some amazing free fruit!!

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Paul French@nomadbirder.bsky.social · 3mo ago

There are 2 main bramble patches in the garden, and this year seems to be a resplendent one! Nearly 6kg of fruit so far, a lot more to come, and there will still be a load left for birds and mice. If you have space for a bramble patch, please consider it! #wildlifegardening

Paul French@nomadbirder.bsky.social · 3mo ago

There are 2 main bramble patches in the garden, and this year seems to be a resplendent one! Nearly 6kg of fruit so far, a lot more to come, and there will still be a load left for birds and mice. If you have space for a bramble patch, please consider it! #wildlifegardening

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