Neil McMahon
@northantsbirding.bsky.social
Birder, avid bird feeder, Naturetrek.co.uk tour leader, ringer, blogger (Northamptonshirebirding.blogspot.com) and regularly takes a camera for a walk but is certainly no photographer!
Four Honey Buzzards recorded during the course of the day, with one juvenile and three adults. Other vismig included 630 Sand Martin, 140 House Martin, 1450 Swallow, five Tree Pipit and 170 Yellow Wagtail. #kentbirding
#Northantsbirds Beautiful light early evening at NW North EBGP, and some quality birds too. The Glossy Ibis and the Spotted Redshank showed very well, with a supporting cast of at least 7 Green and 3 Common Sand. The reed-fringed muddy edges looked good for Spotted Crake, but no joy.
Spectacular CES11 on Salisbury Plain with the site's 10th Wryneck plus Firecrest & Spot Fly new for the year. 250 birds processed inc 12 Grasshopper, 8 Reed, 30 Sedge, 16 Willow, 15 Garden, 55 Whitethroat, 5 Lesser, 52 Blackcap. Water even fell out of the sky for 30 mins! @wiltsbirdclub.bsky.social
Autumn sedge Warblers are beautiful birds, especially when you get really good close views of one creeping around the bottom of reeds and other vegetation at Cardiff wetland reserve #birds #birdingWales
Handsome Male Redstart what a beautiful bird to photograph.
A brilliant control Sedge Warbler from this morning! This bird was ringed at 05:50hrs yesterday morning at Lychett Bay in Dorset, it was then caught in our first round this morning at around 05:30am! It had travelled 213km within 24hrs. #kentbirding
Seven* of our satellite tagged Cuckoos are south of the Sahara, having made epic migrations from Europe! *Actually, make that eight - Irish bird Brock has 'reappeared' & his signal shows that he is in Chad. Find out more, & follow the Cuckoos' progress: ➡️ www.bto.org/cuckoos #birds #ukbirding
It’s nice to have local long staying redstarts at Clifford hill GP and have them showing well along the hedges in the mornings. I believe one of them is a new male and 1 of the original juveniles has left. #northantsbirds #ukbirding #wildlife #birdphotography #redstart #PWC2026
A trip out with Neil M to Gloucestershire (just) to see the Long-tailed Shrike. It performed perfectly and we had a bonus male Redstart close by.
Summer Leys today’s venue. The Garganeys eventually showed, if only briefly. The Wasp Spiders are increasing in size with every visit. A Snipe showed briefly from the Paul Britten hide top deck and a GWE was on the reverse slope of the scrape. The highlight however was an inquisitive Stoat.
A photo from this morning's candy floss sunrise here in Glastonbury. 🩷
A total of 9 Wasp Spiders found at Summer Leys this morning plus Hummingbird Hawk Moth, Brown Argus, C Blue and Small Copper.
Osprey circling high over Hollowell village this evening, with a large Bream; & being mobbed by the local Swifts. #ukbirding #northantsbirds
A visit to Summer Leys on Thursday morning to look for Wasp Spider was unsuccessful. As was my attempt to photograph Hummingbird Hawk Moth on thistles by the 5 bar gate west of the visitor centre. I did manage Brown Argus though ;-))) C. Sand the only bird of note.
Today 6 juvenile Ravens came and followed me on the 1st 2 hrs of my walk. No sign of the adults until I heard a calling above me to see at least 11 Ravens flying above. No idea what was going on 🤷Just as I assumed the adults weren’t coming they have both turned up for their egg!
Highlights of a few days on the wonderful Skokholm Island, doing the annual storm petrel survey around Ronald Lockley’s cottage, and followed by a brief hello to the beautiful Western Reef Heron at Dale (please park sensibly, etc etc).
A very pleasant day out in rural Northamptonshire (UK) yesterday with a visit to the Wildlife Trust BCN reserve at Lilbourne Water Meadows, and Bucknell Wood near Silverstone later...soooo many butterflies at both! 🪶🦋 @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social
A classic 'snipe on a post shot for today's #BirdOfTheDay #Birds&Bokeh cropped in portrait from @naturetrek.bsky.social Iceland in Spring - Photographic Special #Birds #Wildlife #BirdPhotography #waders #shorebirds
Our @naturetrek.bsky.social adventure in Norway visiting the Lofoten and Vesterlan islands has concluded, so now time to catch my breath and sort through some images! Wader chicks were numerous with large broods of Eurasian Curlews in particular which was great to see.🪶😊🐣 #norwaybirds
A very sunny walk down to the Bird Club Hide at Pitsford Res this morning. A family party of Lesser Whitethroats was an unexpected surprise and along with a GWE the only birds of note. The whole walk was full of butterflies: Marbled Whites 30+, Small Heaths, Painted Lady & S & L Skippers.
We have been most fortunate on the @naturetrek.bsky.social Norway's Lofoten Islands tour to encounter Orcas, a lone Beluga, a Basking Shark as well as typical birds of the Arctic. Today was very special as we were in amongst an active and curious pod of Long-finned Pilot Whales...🐋😊 🪶#norwaywhales
Three more shots for #BirdOfTheDay #birds #InFlight #photography from @naturetrek.bsky.social Iceland in Spring - Photographic Special with Sanderling, Red-throated Diver (Loon) and Red-necked Phalaropes, two females after one male #BirdsSeenIn2026 #IcelandBirds
What a stunner! Enjoyed absolutely incredible views of this Arctic-bound White-billed Diver (aka Yellow-billed Loon) in full breeding plumage at West Burrafirth, Shetland yesterday. #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #Birds #UKWildlife
An Osprey over the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Reservoir this morning was invited to leave by one of the local breeding Black-headed Gulls.
Some highlights from a week in Romania's Carpathian Mountains with @naturetrek.bsky.social. Other sightings included Brown Bears from the hotel, Fire Salamander and a variety of orchids and butterflies. #naturetrek
