Ben Collins-Smith

@NarwhalSh Hi Shaun, I would be grateful if you could send eBird trip reports & any other relevant info, thanks

Just home from an amazing independent trip to Japan. Wonderful country, friendly, polite, respectful, safe, clean, incredible infrastructure. Where did we go wrong? Very easy and a lot of fun to do independently. Happy to share e-Bird trip reports, please ask. Here is a taster

He’s back in the country so compulsory birding at Oare with @ajcollinssmith_ this morning. 61 species inc. Bittern, Barn Owl & Bearded Tits. Later we refound the Pallas’s Warbler in Faversham @KentishPlover

Some bits from the last few days in the highlands of Costa Rica - Resplendent Quetzal, Talamanca Humminbird & Volcano Hummingbird 🇨🇷

@acorncarver Some steps on here that may be useful bluesky-migrate.com

Ok this blue sky thing. I have an account but how do you find all the people who I used to follow on here. Do I have to laboriously actively search for them?

A few birds from the last few days of my Northern Peru tour; White-winged Guan, Lesser Nighthawk & Tumbes Chat-Tyrant

We’re lucky to have a colpa (clay lick) at @hojanueva which allows us to see some of the parrots at close range. Red-and-green Macaws are by far the most common with 30+ pairs. Scarlet, Blue-and-yellow, Chestnut-fronted and Red-bellied have been limited to a few pairs each

Halfway through my stay with @hojanueva, volunteering with their research, rehab and rewilding efforts. Some of the mammals on show daily below; Bolivian Red Howler Monkey, Saddle-back Tamarin & Brown-throated Sloth

🇵🇪 Peru day 1 - explored the parks and bars of Lima, stumbled into a few birds too - photos of Belcher’s Gull, Blue-grey Tanager, Long-tailed Mockingbird & Saffron Finch

Spotted Crake showed well for 40 minutes at New Downs, Sandwich this morning, albeit in poor light. Was lucky to connect with the 3 Dotterel at St Margaret’s on the way home before the flew south over the road.

Snuck off from the family holiday for half a day of birding in Albania with @ajcollinssmith_. Connected with our two targets of Sombre Tit (2) and Western Rock Nuthatch (5+) near Gjirokastër. Supporting cast of 20+ Golden Oriole, Lesser Grey Shrike, Blue Rock Thrush

@01000011S @DungenessBO Didn’t expect it to actually happen 🤣 thankfully not something I still need

The last 3 times I’ve been out of the country @DungenessBO has had Eastern & Western Bonelli’s Warblers and Iberian Chiff. I’m off to Albania tomorrow so if anyone fancies finding a rare warbler, you know where to go…

@appleton_andy @DungenessBO Hopefully it sticks a bit longer too 😂

@BenCollinsSmith @DungenessBO 🤣 I think it’s Olive Tree Warbler time of year so you never know… … whatever it is I hope it shows better than the EBW.

The Pectoral Sandpiper was still in the SE corner of the ARC pit at @RSPBDungeness this morning. Also, Peregrine, Cuckoo, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Avocet & 4 GWE feeding in front of the hide

Margate to Broadstairs this morning: Leucistic Herring Gull still in Margate Harbour, Peregrine, Wheatear, 2 Fulmar, Curlew & Whimbrel

Autumn migration well and truly underway with these post-breeding Green Sandpipers dropping-in briefly at Oare Marshes KWT last night, as I was busy searching for practicoles and stuff with @ajfossey and @BenCollinsSmith .. @waderquest @KentishPlover @KentWildlife @rachel_lennard

River Medway from Tonbridge to Rochester: 8 hours, 49km, 62k steps, 8 pubs, no bins but 49 bird species inc. fem. Mandarin, 6 Kingfisher, GSW nest, Reed Bunt, Yellowhammer @KentishPlover

🇪🇪 Estonia day 6 - caught up with Booted Warbler and Lesser Spotted Eagle today, bringing our final trip list to 172 species. Photos of some of the observation towers:

🇪🇪 Estonia days 4 & 5 - travelled south and east to try for some warbler targets. 3 River, 5 Blyth’s Reed, 8+ Marsh Warbler around Tartu. Also Golden Eagle, Corncrake, Penduline Tit, Golden Oriole were highlights @ajcollinssmith_