Oli Beacock

@olibeacock.bsky.social

Professional Ecologist | Birder and Occasional Twitcher from Notts | 26 | MSc Zoology | C-permit Ringer | Amateur Moth-er | Keen but terrible digiscoper

Afternoon trip to enjoy the roost @LWTWildNews Willow Tree Fen this evening. 22 Cranes, 18 Marsh Harriers plus a single Bewick's Swan with the Whoopers. Bonus woodcock out of the treeline opposite the entrance as we were leaving too.

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Male stonechat on the moor at Allt-na-guibhsaich. Striking pale underparts at ~150m. In full song. Orange limited to breast, big white collar, large white rump, and black auxilliaries... Siberian? @ScottishBirding @BirdGuides @RareBirdAlertUK @LeeEvansBirding @docmartin2mc

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Osprey briefly circling over Cuttail Fishing Pond near Kirkby Woodhouse this morning brightened up an otherwise pretty dull BBS this am. Female Wheatear also in the ploughed field by footpath West of Sherwood Park @NottsBirders

Just relocated the drake Canvasback in the large Aythya flock off the end of Lodge Lane. Flock is fairly mobile and has been relatively close to the viewing screen though spending a lot of time across towards Pumping Station. @BirdGuides @RareBirdAlertUK

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Musselburgh today @birdinglothian @ijandrews1 Scoter flock held Stejneger's, drk Surf and probable fem White-winged that avoided usable photos too distant by the time light improved - really striking head pattern and broken nose look hopefully better views can be had... 1/

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@RSPBFrampton at its best today - personal total of 78spp but 90+ across the reserve. Wader bonanza included BW Stilt, Temminck's Stint, sp Spotted Redshank and 4+ Wood Sands. Topped off by finding a drake Blue-winged Teal on Marsh Farm @Lincsbirding @PhilOpus

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My first Notts Hobby of the year during a BBS at Barton in Fabis this am. Other notables included a dapper Green Sandpiper on a small flooded field corner, 6 Yellow Wags, 7 species of warblers and a decent flock of 102 House Martins East along the Trent. @NottsBirders

No better way to de-stress with the absolutely spectacular hoar frost in the Cambridgeshire Fens today and the birds weren't too bad either: 4 LEOs roosting together plus Tawny and Barn, male Hen Harrier and 7 Cranes bugling in the fog - winter birding at its best.

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Pleasant afternoon watching waterfowl at Eyebrook Res and Rutland this pm. Plenty of Smew, 3 Scaup and "the duck-who-must-not-be-named" at the former (plus a funky Aythya hybrid doing its best to look like a Redhead) and added Velvet Scoter and GN Diver at the latter @LROSbirds

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Some more videograbs of the Eastern Stonechat from The Hood, Blakeney yesterday am. Seems to fit the bill for Stej on field marks alone but unfortunately no retrievable DNA before tdisappearing. Would appreciate any comments. @NorfolkBirds @Vaasetter

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Signs of passrine movement early morning at Treswell Wood. Totals of 15 Redwing, 2 alba Wagtail, 7 Skylark, 4 Meadow Pipit and 19 Chaffinch heading South, single Lesser Redpoll calling as it headed low North. Single Chiffchaff in subsong around the car park @NottsBirders

Dawn til dusk @FlamboroughBird today. Seawatching proved quite productive for the morning with totals below. Landbird interest included two Rosefinches, YBW heard at South Landing with Spot Fly, Sedge in Booted Gully and a Lesser Whitethroat at Old Fall Hedge.

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Good day on Yorks coast y'day. Drift migrants plus a couple of headliners with Citrine Wag and RNP at Spurn, South Landing Greenish @FlamboroughBird that caused some panic at first with second wing bar. Ended with frustrating Acro at Bempton, probably Blyth's RW but not certain.

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Juv Purple Heron still at Pittam's Pond, Willington GPs until 15.13 when chased by Grey Heron. Flew SW and appeared to go down into reeds by Platform 1. Heading over there to relocate now. @Derbyshirebirds

Big thanks to @FlamboroBirder, @CraigCThomas1 and others @FlamboroughBird Seawatch Festival for an informative afternoon of seabird ID! All 4 skuas, Manx & Sooty Shears and more. 2 Wheatears at the lighthouse. Shame I didn't wait 10 minutes for the Balearic but can't complain!

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2 juv Black Terns with Arctics/Sandwiches around Aberlady Bay. Plenty of Arctic Skuas too plus 8 Common Scoter W up Forth and single Red-breasted Merganser on sea and a nice selection of waders. No sign of @ijandrews1's Little Terns from earlier this week. @birdinglothian

Adult Roseate Tern close east from Cramond Island early afternoon. Also 3 Sandwich, 4 Common, 37 Arctics (13 juvs) and 10 "Commics" mostly west. 1 Greenshank, 84 Redshank, 53 Curlew, 32 Ringed Plovers, 3 Turnstone, 17 Oystercatchers, 8 Lapwings by causeway. @birdinglothian

Lunchtime detour on way back to office via Daventry CP. Juv drake Ferruginous Duck still present at south end but v. elusive most of the time hidden in the willows. Flew across to the west back near pin just before I left. 3 Common Sand there too #Northantsbirds @MundyStuart

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Earlier Quail aside other highlights from @Bempton_Cliffs this morning included both Turkestan Shrike and BB Albatross in their respective regular spots and 2 juvenile YLGs following the boats. Some light passage evident too with 13 Manxies, Redshank and 2 Whimbrel N, Curlew S.