I can't believe how many times this Water Rail has been out and about. I have watched it for up to 15 minutes at a time and even saw it take a bath! It got camera shy then though :-)

Water Rail in the sleet today. I watched it for around 15 minutes, previous record was 13 seconds 🪶🇮🇲

Female Merlin last week
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They are such characters. My pleasure!

Beautiful day for BTO WeBS on the Isle of Man today Nice to see these Chough digging for bugs in the sunshine
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@btobirds.bsky.social
@webs-gsmp.bsky.social

Fantastic to see a Shore Lark at Point of Ayre yesterday. A lifer for most of us there, great find by Peter Christian. Still present today. 🪶 🇮🇲
#rarebirds #birding
#Birdwatching

I have watched this pair of Ringed Plover perform a "scrape ceremony" 4 x this week. I'd never heard of it until I researched the behaviour, I thought he was shielding her from the sun with his wings and tail, but he creates a canopy while tossing around bits of shell and stone for decor. 🪶🇮🇲

Great Grey Shrike playing hard to get on the Isle of Man yesterday! I looked for 3 hours with no luck, had a last glance before heading home and finally it appeared. A first for me, and the first Shrike on island in approx 20 years.
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There was an American Wigeon spotted at the location I found the wing at a few years ago, locally known as Wigeon Pool. I have yet to see one, I am on the Isle of Man though!

Fantastic footage, and it helped me figure out the half wing I found today was a Wigeon (Eurasian) so thank you!

Oh well done! I hear them a lot but have yet to actually set eyes on one.

That's really interesting. I am imagining more a chase and grab than a precision stoop on such tiny birds :-) It's good to have a varied diet. We have a few pairs on cliffs, but they tend to head into town for the pigeons mostly

I didn't think a Blue Tit would be worth the effort of catching it

It's #waderwednesday
Ringed Plover, Ruddy Turnstone and a single Dunlin

Ring-Necked Duck yesterday, Isle of Man. 🇮🇲 🪶
Hoping to get better pics if she stays!

Stonechats seem to like people-watching too. If I sit quietly in one place, one will appear in the bush next to me and check me out!

It has taken me a verrrry long time to realise this, but the drum roll at the start of Rossini's Thieving Magpie Overture is mimicking the alarm call of the Magpie. I came to birding late, and bird calls/songs even later in my defense.

It disappeared like a puff of smoke the second it was free :-)

The only time I ever saw one still for long was when a Nuthatch flew in all guns blazing and tried to clear one off a seed feeder. The Tit got it's head stuck inside the feeder, bill base against the plastic. It took 20mins to free it in the end scraping marg under the bill with my pinkie nail!

Beautiful pic, they don't stay still for long. I heard my first singing Coal Tit of the year yesterday

Lovely pic. Ha, thought it was just me! Waders in flight is definitely an area I need to improve on. Actually, most birds in flight 🤣 I'm always happy when they call as they go over and help me out

A bit of video of the Cattle Egret feeding today round a herd of bulls. Using it's wings for control in the wind, and to stay away from under their feet!
It catches a juicy worm at 36secs 🪶🇮🇲
I muted the sound as the strong wind was distorting the mic on the P1000
#Birding

Cattle Egret as a BOP went over today.
Doing it's best Muppet impression with crest and chest puffed out 🪶🇮🇲
All the gulls flushed, but this bird stayed pretty cool
#Birding
#IsleofMan
#RareBirdsUk

Red over red left Tibia, red left tarsus
At least one white right Tibia
Struggling to find the project if anyone can help, have reported to Manx Ringing Group so fingers crossed!

Spent 45 minutes trying to get the colour ring combo on my 1st cr Dunlin this morning. Camera and scope pointed into gusty wind, and frequent flushing by dog walkers didn't help. That and the fact this bird likes to feed in water. 🪶
#waders #Shorebirds
#ColourRingedBirds

I bet! What an absolute treat, but also kinda terrifying that they are so close by

Wow, goosebumps on my goosebumps! What an incredible recording and an absolute privilege to hear. I can only imagine how that must feel live!

Grey Heron on the wet beach with a Brown Rat in it's dagger like bill

The Heron stands thigh deep in the sea, the rat hanging from it's huge bill by it's head, tail dipping in the water. The rats little pinks paws are bunched in front of it

The Heron stands tall and has the rats body entirely in it's bill, with the tail hanging out

Last gulp! The Heron has a bulging chin and bill base as it finally manages to get the rest of the rat head first down

Throwback to December when this Heron landed on the beach in front of me having caught a Long-tail (we can't say R.A.T. on IOM!)
Unable to swallow it, he dunked it in the sea a few times like a digestive biscuit in a cup of tea and finally got it down.

Silhouette of Merlin on rocks by the sea, with the sun behind it. Probably using the sun to shield it from potential prey.

It landed with the sun behind it, I think falcons use the light to help conceal them from prey. I know JA Baker talks about how many times the PF stoops with the sun behind them in his wonderful book, The Peregrine. I highly recommend the audiobook narrated by David Attenborough. Perfection!

Silhouette of Goldeneye sitting on the water showing the peaked crown, and steep forehead shape

A small, streaky falcon with yellow talons perched on rocks. It is looking straight at the camera, but a bit out of focus

A plump, sticky, grey shorebird - Red Knot - it is in quite deep water with legs and underbelly hidden by the sea.

Goldeneye, Merlin and Knot Derbyhaven yesterday 🇮🇲
Challenging light and shaking hands (from too much ventolin!) causing issues, but nice to get the Merlin staring down the camera. 🪶