Ashley Howe

Still relishing this first-winter drake Harlequin from County Donegal, two weekends ago. It's now residing a little further east but continues to offer great views. Probably not long before it heads back North again.

At the beginning of the year I set myself a few wildlife related targets for 2026. Now spring has sprung I can finally get started on them. In Kent, a pristine Large Tortoiseshell basks in the sun. One of 3-4 comfortably seen.

@james_sellen For sure! Thanks James.

@Ashley_Howe1990 @BirdGuides @RareBirdAlertUK @CBWPS1 It's a stunning gull - excellent photos 👍

Ross's Gulls are the best! Fact. I couldn't resist not trying for this one in Cornwall yesterday as it performed admirably in Newlyn Harbour. I can only dream of seeing one of these within a colony in the high arctic.

@ArlyRes @readbirdphotos @SelseyBirder I agree! You need to up your game. Only yourself to blame 😂

@readbirdphotos @SelseyBirder Poor from you that…! Gotta be faster

Well that’s a new thing… I Twitched a bird today that was seen in 1986… before I was born. 40 years too late 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ Please check your dates when uploading historical bird reports.

@Scott99057763 Aha not even close 🤣 Sab’s is a closer second place.

@Ashley_Howe1990 @BirdGuides @RareBirdAlertUK @CBWPS1 They are amazing… but better than an ivory gull?! 😳😁 Great images, love the first

A good show of Divers in Cornwall on Tuesday including this very confiding Great Northern Diver fishing for crabs below the fish quay in Newlyn.

Last Saturday dawned at a wet and windy Galway where this Pied Crow gave itself up at Cregal Art. It's been hanging around this area for months now, but annoyingly we couldn't locate it three weeks ago when @LewisStuff and I initially tried to find it.

@01000011S That’s the dream Cliff!

Enjoyed some truly fantastic views of this Lesser Scaup pair on Coronation Lake near Helston. Normally we'd dismiss these as plastic for showing so insanely well, but this is Cornwall and typical rules don't apply here.

Some appreciation for some of the scarcer wintering Gulls currently in Ireland. The brute of a Glaucous Gull remains at Spiddal (Galway), whilst the 1st-winter Ring-billed Gull could be found at Quayside, Sligo, and the long-staying adult at Enniskillen.

The Donegal first-winter drake Harlequin Duck gave us some splendid views over the weekend. Although flighty we seemed to work out its circuit at high tide and were afforded some rather nice flybys; during a much appreciated gap in the weather.

Good to get rolling so early on in 2026 with a recent trip to Ireland for its second Redhead. A truly rare bird this side of the Atlantic - this one feels as good as they can get! Video footage courtesy of @LewisStuff

India Day 11 cont: what’s better than a Tiger? 3 Tigers! A mum with two cubs giving several viewing opportunities as they crossed the tracks. And as if that wasn’t enough, we also saw a Sloth Bear cross the road right infront of us!

India Day 11: Having surpassed expectations in seeing all our target birds in super quick time, we changed plans last minute and opted for a very early start and headed to Jim Corbett NP. Lets just say it was the best decision we could have made for our final morning.

India Day 10 cont: pleasantly surprised to find a Chestnut Thrush at this elevation, probably owing the recent snowfall in the area, a Golden Bush Robin performed nicely, while it was pleasing to finally find a Black-throated Accentor at last.

India Day 10 cont: We continued to do well with our targets and enjoyed some fantastic views of a stonking male Himalayan Rubythroat, a more subtle Upland Pipit at point blank range and a Scaly-bellied Woodpecker probing the burnt grass.

India Day 10: Another Pheasant missed 10+ years ago was Koklass Pheasant. This male strolled within 2 metres of us as we laid on the ground trying to photograph it under a gate.

India Day 9 cont: Having missed Cheer Pheasant nearby 10+ years ago I was particularly keen on trying to find some now. A cracking male was beside the road at dusk, but a family party of 6 the next morning put on a good (noisy) show but were reluctant to cross the road.

@Bhrigzz Maybe. You’ll have to wait till day 11 to find out 😂

@Ashley_Howe1990 Awesome. Did u visit the jungle for some stripes?

India Day 9: some of us opted for a few extra days in the Himalayan Foothills NE of Delhi on the way home from Bangladesh. A morning along the Kosi River was fruitful with great views of 4 Ibisbill, Crested Kingfisher, Rosy Pipits to a name a few.