Tessera

White-tailed Eagle perched on Patchins Point 09:00-c09:40 & at least 5 Osprey up between there & Wareham channel from the Ham Common Viewpoint this am @harbourbirds.bsky.social

A family holiday to Menorca 2-9/8/26. Rarest find was a Juv Black Stork circling over Cala en Bosc on 7/8/26. Apparently a decent bird for there & could be same bird as one on Majorca at end of July. Plenty of Audouin’s Gull plus Scopoli’s Shears passing with 2 on the sea one morn #menorcabirding

Ian Moore@themoorehen.bsky.social · 2mo ago

As well as gulls (too far for my old Coolpix) Furnace Grange, Trescott was alive with birds this am: A Juv Spotted Fly was a 10k year ✅ as were 3 Green Sand (& the Common Gull). A superb ‘flock’ of 20+ Whitethroat & c10 Yellow Wag in the paddock hedges, ad Hobby over. 10k year up to 119 #ukbirding

2+ Caspian Gull (1cy,2cy+prob near ad) on a plough at the junction of Ebstree Road & Furnace Grange Road, near Seisdon @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social also a 2cy Yellow-legged & 1cy Common Gull present amongst 200+ LBB & Herring Gulls #ukbirding

As well as keeping the 10k year list going I also resorted to ‘bad habits’ in June & July with a couple of twitches for megas within 2.5hrs of home. The Long-tailed Shrike in Gloucs on 25/7 was a success but not the Western Reef Heron on 13/6 as it did a bunk on the Sat for a few days! #ukbirding

Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Sitting in Menorca airport realising I haven’t updated on end June & July for the 10k year. Another 3 added inc two new warblers in the nets at a private ringing site inc 3 Juv Sedge on the 19/7 & a Juv Yellow-legged Gull that dropped in for 10mins on the same morn. 116 by end July #ukbirding

A quick lunchtime 10k ‘twitch’ thanks to a message on the local group resulted in 1-2 Quail singing from a wildflower field opposite Trescott Grange Farm 13:00-13:15 at least. 113 now for the 10k year #ukbirding @rarebirder.bsky.social

Ian Moore @themoorehen.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Despite 20k running & walking yday I failed to add Lesser Whitethroat to my 10k year list, so ended May on 112, 4 up on my pb in 2023 when I didn’t hit that total until 15th Aug! May half-term working from home while my son spotted stuff for me, inc this Broad-bodied Chaser #ukbirding #ukdragonflies

Couldn’t resist a trip outside the 10k to Belvide on 23/5 for the male Black-winged Stilt. My first at the reserve since 2 juvs in Sept 1987 when I was just 12! They’d been raised at Holme, Norfolk & I watched them depart on the last day of their 7 day stay, as I’d been away on holiday #ukbirding

A tip off that a Woodlark had been reported inside my 10k on 23/5 had me out yday before work in hope more than expectation but as I arrived at 06:45 it was singing away! It promptly disappeared but returned to the same spot an hour later & showed well. A full fat 10k ✅ and 112 for year #ukbirding

May has been v busy with work & needs of parents since the 3 x 10k circle year ticks on 2/5 but Common Sand on 3/5 (110) was a bonus as a tricky bird locally & my first in 10k since 12/4/23! A singing Tree Pipit on 24/5 (111) was unexpected as no sign at the site twice earlier in spring #ukbirding

My back survived the #westmidsalldayer on 2/5/26 & I recorded 64sp of team Smestow Valley’s record 80sp while also adding 3 to my 10k year list; this singing Yellow Wag, Little Owl & Hobby to take me to 109. A fem Wheatear & 4 singing Corn Bunting the best of rest over the 12km walked #ukbirding

April ended with me putting my back out on Monday but all was not lost with 2 Swift from home flying NE on 28/4 the final addition to the 10k year for the month. 106 is 5 up on my PB by end Apr! Trying to get back to ‘walking fit’ by Sat for the #westmidsalldayer for team Smestow Valley #ukbirding

For the 10k yday was ‘epic’! A stop at a flood pool on Pendeford Hall Lane after work revealed a pair of Shelduck - a full fat 10k ✅! Inspired by this a walk later to Pool Hall after was fruitless but a stop at Bhylls Floods near home revealed 3 Gadwall (2m,1f) a site ✅ 105 for 10k year #ukbirding

Having added Reed & Willow Warbler, Whitethroat & House Martin to the 10k over the last week I’d hit the 100 mark for the year. A trip to Highgate Common this am added 3 more; 2 duelling male Cuckoo, Garden Warbler & Bullfinch at last! 103 for the 10k year is already a record for April #ukbirding

Took a trip out of the 10k yday evening for the fem Hooded Merganser at Alvecote Pools NR found by @archieraven.bsky.social on Sunday. Having not been for any other potentially acceptable birds, I’m hoping this one makes the cut. A drake Garganey on the same pool was an added bonus #ukbirding

Early am trip out to the SW edge of the 10k to Highgate Common & nearby area produced 3 additions (96sp now): 4+ Brambling (2+m), Oystercatcher & 2 Curlew thankfully back in situ at their last remaining local haunt. Also fem Wheatear, male Stonechat, 3+ Redpoll, 5 Lapwing, ad Peregrine #ukbirding

First quarter of 2026 done & 93sp in the 10k circle, 7 ahead of my previous best at this date. Some real bonuses inc the goose-fest of White-fronts, Barnacles & Pink-footed but some worrying omissions not at their usual haunts inc Curlew, Little Owl & Marsh Tit. 90 of the 93 self-found #ukbirding

Failed with the now near mythical Lesser Spott Wood in the 10k early am (1 seen on 22/3) but 2 drake Mandarin & 3 drumming Gt Spott Wood kept me entertained while I waited in vain to hear their smaller cousin. A singing Cetti’s Warbler on my run yday evening did take the 10k year to 93sp #ukbirding

Caught up with my first hirundines of the year this afternoon at Pool Hall Fishery in the light rain, surprisingly for March here the balance was in favour of Swallow with 4 v a single Sand Martin. Always a pleasure to see the first of the Spring skimming the water. 92sp for 10k year #ukbirding

A morning walk on Highgate Common yday produced little bird wise except a Red Kite but 2 Slow Worm & 3 Common Lizard impressed the family. Nearby no sign of any Curlew at the only previously reliable local spot. So sad for a species I took for granted on the local farmland as a youngster #ukbirding

The 10k year hit the 90 mark this evening with my first Wheatear, a cracking male, on the north side of Wombourne, found earlier by @jamesthorpe1.bsky.social . The 21/3 produced two additions; a chance fem Merlin by road between Orton & Lower Penn and finally a Reed Bunting at Pool Hall #ukbirding