One of the most remarkable summaries of notable birds in Oxfordshire in summer that we will ever see! Superbly written by @conormackenzie.bsky.social as always. #Oxonbirding #ukbirding #AreYouShetlandInDisguise?

Conor MacKenzie@conormackenzie.bsky.social · 5d ago

The usual summer lull of birding in Oxon was well and truly upended this year. Two county firsts and a slew of rarities adding to an already growing highlights reel for 2026. Bring on the autumn! Round up for the summer period now up on - oxonbirding.blogspot.com/2026/08/summ...

Great to talk about the “Birds of the Lye Valley” at the Friends of Lye Valley AGM this evening. Their work is critical in maintaining this important SSSI urban site, more details here: www.friendsoflyevalley.org.uk @friendlyevalley.bsky.social #ukbirding #patchbirding #oxford

New guidelines advise that you should not use AI tools to edit bird photos if you intend to upload them onto eBird #ukbirding #eBird

Alexander Lees@alexanderlees.bsky.social · last wk.

New guidance from the eBird Team - summarising - don't use AI tools to edit your bird photos! ebird.org/news/threat-... link to original paper: rdcu.be/ftx6h #Ornithology #UKBirding 🧪🌎

A flyover Cuckoo this morning is only the fifth patch record and the first ever in autumn. This species was not recorded between 2020 and 2026 and is an exceptionally rare bird in the city. Also the first Yellow Wagtail of the year overhead 👌🏻 @friendlyevalley.bsky.social #ukbirding #Oxford

Fantastic views of at least three Hummingbird Hawkmoths feeding at Rousham in Oxfordshire today #moths #HummingbirdHawkMoth #Oxford

Never mind the issue of cheating, the real story here is why do Saltburn CC have a White-bellied Sea Eagle as their club logo? An Australian species no less! #ukbirding #cricket #clickyponting www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/j...

Saltburn suspend fielder accused of cheating in ‘Clicky Ponting’ incident

Saltburn have said the player from viral video ‘will not play again in foreseeable future’

theguardian.com

I can hear a collective sigh of relief from eBird Reviewers 🤣

We have received a brilliant guest blog post from @tombedford.bsky.social on his Lye Valley #patchbirding escapades, deep into Oxford. Why not head over to the blog now and have a read? patchworkchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/07/tom-...

Tom Bedford's local patch - Lye Valley, Oxford

This guest blog post is written by diligent patch birder Tom Bedford about his Lye Valley patch. A huge thank you to him for writing this ex...

patchworkchallenge.blogspot.com

A rare journey to the Oxfordshire/Gloucestershire border to see Britain's third-ever Long-tailed Shrike, and what a bird for my 250th species for Oxfordshire! An incredible inland record enjoyed with @tmbirding.bsky.social, Mark and Jason. #OxonBirding #RareBirdsUK #Long-tailedShrike #UKbirding

I always enjoy reading these write-ups of great local patch finds. This year I enjoyed writing one too! Have a read of them all and then vote for your favourite.

Patchwork Challenge@patchbirding.bsky.social · last mo.

We have now compiled the best find submissions for January to June #PWC2026, so please do head over to the blog to check them out and to cast your vote! There are three Patchwork Challenge pin badges up for grabs! patchworkchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/07/best...

Basking in the 24hr sunshine at Barrow, Alaska, a familiar bird in less familiar plumage

For many birders, keeping a patch list is a personal pursuit. However, a new study from Australia demonstrates how decades of carefully recorded observations can provide valuable insights into changing bird populations and habitats:

Long-term patch records reveal dramatic changes in urban birdlife

Patch birding can make a real scientific difference. A 40-year study of urban birdlife in Australia reveals how long-term bird records help track population changes, habitat restoration and wider conservation trends.

f.mtr.cool

I spent two minutes with the Best Bird in the World last week. It was fantastic: www.outofthebluesky.co/code-crimson... #ukbirding #BestBirdInTheWorld #Wallcreeper

Code Crimson: Wallcreeepers in the Swiss Alps

I arrived at the Barrage de la Grand Dixence at 7:15am. The group of teenagers I was chaperoning had been up past 2am last night and would be asleep until mid-morning. It was time to try to find a …

outofthebluesky.co

An early start for my Waterways Breeding Bird survey for @btobirds.bsky.social along the River Thame from Cuddesdon. Great to hear 12 singing Reed Warbler, a site record due to habitat improvement by @riverthamect.bsky.social. 2 Hobby were also notable 👌🏻 #ukbirding

If you’re in the Oxford area next Friday, 12th June, I’m talking about the “Birds of the Lye Valley Area” at 1:45pm, with lots of pictures and sound recordings. Lunch is also available (but is not compulsory!): www.bullingdoncommunityassociation.co.uk/articles/com... @friendlyevalley.bsky.social

Lovely to find this 1st-summer female red-footed falcon at rushy common this morning. Thank you to all who helped with the ID. Hope it will stay around for others to enjoy.

Incredible views of a migrating Common Quail as it flew past the ship in the English Channel! @sophieshrike.bsky.social

This is turning out to be an incredibly year for Painted Lady butterflies, they were everywhere in the Lye Valley area, Oxford, today. These pictures were taken in the Churchill Hospital car park! @friendlyevalley.bsky.social @ouhospitals.bsky.social #paintedlady #butterfly

Craziest bird during field work, a Wilson's storm-petrel far from its natural habitat. At first I thought "weird how that swallow is behaving like a storm-petrel!" 🤯

Greater Flamingos at Cervia, on the Adriatic coast of Italy, on the TV coverage of today’s stage of the Giro d’Italia #giro #ukbirding #birdingbybike #BirdsOfTheGirod’Italia

Could be a game changer on the next Big Day by Bike, @sheldonbirds.bsky.social?

BirdGuides@birdguides.bsky.social · 3mo ago

AeroPress Go review This wonderful bit of kit delivers consistently good coffee with minimal fuss while out in the field, says Ed Stubbs: https://bit.ly/4ubo98K

We have now published the April #PWC2026 review on our blog! Click this link to head over and see where you ended up in the league tables, as well as all the interesting patch birds over the month: patchworkchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/05/apri... Thanks to everyone who has taken part so far!

The Great Glen skua portal opened up today, amazing to see Long-tailed Skuas thermalling over Loch Linnhe like giant Bee-eaters up to 1000m before whizzing northeast towards Inverness! 🪶 #ornithology #highlandbirds

A write-up of an excellent find on Otmoor last week: one of the very few Oxfordshire Black Kite records.

Thomas Miller@tmbirding.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Obligatory blog post, written from Copeland #ukbirding tmbirding.blogspot.com/2026/05/otmo...

Another excellent monthly round up from @conormackenzie.bsky.social 👌🏻

Conor MacKenzie@conormackenzie.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Another excellent month of birding in Oxfordshire, a county 3rd and 6th. Unfortunately another month I find myself writing about a county mega I missed! #UKBirding oxonbirding.blogspot.com/2026/05/apri...

A Gadwall, the first I’ve recorded in the 12 years that I’ve surveyed the River Thame at Cuddesdon, was an intriguing record on the river this morning for the Waterways Breeding Bird Survey. ebird.org/checklist/S3... #WBBS @riverthamect.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

In addition to my own blog, I've been tasked with rejuvenating Adam's original Port Meadow Birding blog. Have now done a few patch updates, quite an impressive list of sightings last month - want it to be more like a log book than my blog #ukbirding portmeadowbirding.blogspot.com/2026/05/apri...

April 22nd-May 5th

Male Sparrowhawk What an exciting period of birding on the Meadow! Despite the continued anticyclonic conditions and northeasterlies, the fl...

portmeadowbirding.blogspot.com

A singing Lesser Whitethroat was the first spring record in four years in the Lye Valley area of Oxford: macaulaylibrary.org/asset/656178... Whilst more common in rural areas, this is a rare bird in the city in spring. Species #79 for the year. @friendlyevalley.bsky.social #PWC2026 #ukbirding

1/ A fantastic Oxon Big Day by Bike yesterday, with @sheldonbirds.bsky.social @tmbirding.bsky.social & Max Buckley. 115 species is 3 short of our record, weather was too good this year! Covered 175km by bike, 15km on foot: www.outofthebluesky.co/oxon-big-day... #UKbirding #BirdingByBike #BigDay

🤯 #1 in the UK with 93% of last years species total already recorded on my urban Lye Valley patch, by mid-April 🤯 Even more motivation to get out and find more. The more you go, the more you find and the better it is! ❤️ patch birding Thanks to @patchbirding.bsky.social for organising 🙌🏻 #PWC2026

Patchwork Challenge@patchbirding.bsky.social · 4mo ago

The March #PWC2026 round-up is now live on the blog! Head over to see where you and other competitors have finished the first quarter of the year! To take a look, click this link: patchworkchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/04/marc... We hope you enjoy reading it!