Mike Pollard

A very poor quality snippet of video of the two Red-necked Grebes yesterday, but at least a record of them. Great find, Julian 👍.

Crossbills are pretty scare at the moment, so especially nice to find a singing male in Clocaenog Forest earlier this week, plus my first sighting of a Red Squirrel in Wales, in the same area. #birdingWales @northwaleswt.bsky.social @birdsinwales.bsky.social

Rayed Trough Shells

Hi Mark
I doubt it. I walked in from Aberwheeler along the public footpaths, about 20mins or so. The flock was right on the riverside path so you need to approach them with care if you take that route.

#Turnstone feeding on a Rayed Trough Shell at Gronant Beach yesterday. Hundreds of these shellfish had been washed up along the tideline providing a great seafood buffet for at least nine Turnstones. @birdsinwales.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk #birdingWales

A flock of c.63 Russian White-fronted Geese in the Clwyd Valley near Denbigh yesterday, with a single Barnacle. Part of the big influx from northern Europe in recent weeks. @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

The drake Bufflehead at Llyn Coron, Ynys Môn this morning; gave some fab views feeding on its own in a sheltered bay. #birdingWales

Some great bird survey training opportunties availailable locally from BTO, and they are free! #birdingWales

So often we overlook Mallard, but just now the drakes are very splendid indeed, especially with a bit of sunshine to bring out the bottle-green.
This drake at Big Pool Wood @northwaleswt.bsky.social Sunday pm.
#birdingWales

A couple of Dark-bellied Brent Geese (left) with the more common Pale-bellied Geese at Y Foryd near Caernarfon yesterday.

#Turnstone on the shore at old Colwyn yesterday afternoon during a welcome spell of warm sunshine. #birdingWales

The Velvet Scoters

Fab afternoon to be watching seaduck off the North Wales coast. Plenty of birders out looking. Really nice views of four Velvet Scoters at Llandullas, then two drake Surf Scoters at Old Colwyn. My best views of both species along this coast so far 😀. Thousands of Common Scoter too. #birdingWales

Several male Surf Scoters swimming in a line. These scoters are recognizable by their large, brightly coloured beaks of red, orange white and black. The adult male also has a large white spot on its forehead and the back of its neck (not visible in this shot).

Feeling unusually organized today, NOT, but I do have all my ducks in a row!
Surf Scoter, Dipper Harbour, #NewBrunswick, #Canada
#birds #nature #wildlife #birdphotography

Thank you 👍

The wintering female Black Redstart at Horton's Nose, Rhyl, this morning in some welcome☀️.
Feeding succesfully around a small patch of pebbly dune habitat that is protected with chestnut paling fencing (that also makes a useful perch), with a couple of Stonechats for company. #birdingWales

Delighted to catch up with the first winter Lesser Yellowlegs @ the Clwyd Estuary this morning. Feeding mostly in the saltmarsh, and occasionally on the mudflats. A little smaller and more dainty than the Redshanks nearby. @alexhj.bsky.social @birdsinwales.bsky.social #birdingWales

#Dippers are remarkably hardy birds - this one was repeatedly diving into freezing water and perching on ice & snow. Good to see it finding lots of food too. Photo taken on the River Dee at Mar Lodge near Braemar at the weekend. #birdingscotland

More Short-eared Owl pics from yesterday afternoon on the Dee Estuary.

Nipped over to England today @rspbburtonmere.bsky.social where nice to see a Willow Tit - very agitated due to the presence of a Stoat! Also Lesser Whitethroat (possibly Siberian). Finished off at Little Neston where at least fabulous 5 Short-eared Owls hunting across the marshes.

Screenshot: "Success! Your files have been uploaded"

Cover of Welsh Bird Report 2024, volume 4 issue 3 of Milvus, the journal of the Welsh Ornithological Society. Image is a Kingfisher (a female judging the streak of orange on the lower mandible) perched on the top of a post, with a small fish held at the very tip of its bill. Droplets of water are flying off the fish as it shakes it, before presumably swallowing it. The image is by Alun Lambert.

Final proofs of @birdsinwales.bsky.social Welsh Bird Report 2024 uploaded to the printer in Treorchy. Many thanks to Ian Spence for his design work and Alun Lambert for the cover photo. Christmas holidays mean that it won't arrive with members until next month, but hopefully worth waiting for...

One of four #Turnstones feeding around puddles in the car park at Pensarn Beach this afternoon, catching the last rays of sunshine. #birdingWales @waderstudy.bsky.social

Yes that’s fine. I assume you credit all photos. Best wishes.

I’ve created a North Wales Birds 2026 Calendar using my favourite photos from the past year. £10 each includes postage. Message me if you’d like one. Pics from Great Orme, Connah’s Quay, Cilcain, Gronant, Anglesey, Bardsey (cover). A4 & plenty of space to write on 😀. #birdingWales #northwales

Pleasantly suprised to see six Pale-bellied Brent Geese feeding on the saltmarsh quite close to the beach car park at Point of Ayr. This area is often used for dog walking but thankfully it was undisturbed for much of this afternoon. No sign of the Bufflehead, though. #birdingWales

Exciting to catch up with the drake Bufflehead that graced Point of Ayr #RSPB over high tide today. No sign of rings & behaving like a wild bird.
@rspbcymru.bsky.social @britishbirds.bsky.social #birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social @rspbburtonmere.bsky.social @penrhynbirder.bsky.social

Black-headed Gull with a shrew captured as the high tide flushed small mammals from the saltmarsh at Flint Castle, Dee Estuary.
Jack Snipe (record shot) flushed by the rising tide, then landing in grass within the castle for a few minutes before heading off up the estuary. #birdingWales

Fabulous 👏

#Curlews feeding on pasture beside the Dee Estuary at high tide this morning. This one has an impressive bill - must be a female. @birdingWales @birdsinwales.bsky.social @curlewaction.bsky.social

#Curlew feeding at very low tide at Llandullas this afternoon. 4000+ Common Scoter offshore, plus two Surf Scoter - adult drake and a 'female type' - quite a long way out & diving synchronously much of the time. Also Kingsfisher hunting the rock pools. #birdingWales