Simon King

Walrus! Calshot Castle Hampshire. Swam out into Southampton water c. 1205. Amazing!

Common Rosefinch Martin Down (Sat 23 May). Perfect timing of my return from overseas on Friday to connect with the first twitchable Rosefinch in Hampshire. I am glad it returned early evening allowing some photos as I had arrived only to hear it sing and see it fly off south.

A busy bank holiday weekend back in the UK - I couldn’t resist the Ross’s Gull in Essex (my 10th in UK although I have not seen two in the same year before 2026) and Lesser Kestrel in Cornwall (my last one in the UK was in 2002 although I was watching them in Spain last week…..

@GaryWatton1 @LandguardObs @RareBirdAlertUK @BirdGuides @SuffolkBirdGrp Nice one!

I'll tell you a funny story. I arrived at Landguard at 6.50am today to see a few birders looking into the fenced area. And there was this Tawny Pipit in front of me on the grass before the fenced area! @LandguardObs @RareBirdAlertUK @BirdGuides @SuffolkBirdGrp

@cranky1456 @ajac0712 @HantsIWWildlife @HOSbirding Thanks

@UKTwitcher @ajac0712 @HantsIWWildlife @HOSbirding Great series of captures Simon

A very showy and confiding Hoopoe in Basingstoke, Hampshire yesterday (19/04/26). @HantsIWWildlife @HOSbirding

@Photos2Print @HOSbirding @HantsIWWildlife Thanks Mark. I feel very lucky to have got these.

@UKTwitcher @HOSbirding @HantsIWWildlife Great captures Simon👍🏽

American Golden Plover, Hook-with-Warsash LNR, Hampshire (06/04/26). I went back to try for better photos today and got lucky with a flyby as the tide came in causing it to relocate. @HOSbirding @HantsIWWildlife

@denmor77 @HOSbirding @HantsIWWildlife Thanks Dennis. Certainly the best I have ever had opportunity to take. A very lucky encounter considering this bird mostly gives distant views.

@UKTwitcher @HOSbirding @HantsIWWildlife Best flight shots of an AGP I've ever seen, Simon 👏

@scoopwibbler @HOSbirding @HantsIWWildlife Thanks

@UKTwitcher @HOSbirding @HantsIWWildlife Holy smoke. Ace shots!

@Sibe4me @HOSbirding @HantsIWWildlife Thanks

@UKTwitcher @HOSbirding @HantsIWWildlife Cracking pics🤩

@Carlssonphotos @HOSbirding @HantsIWWildlife Thanks Dave

@UKTwitcher @HOSbirding @HantsIWWildlife Great photos Simon. Good to meet you this morning.

@Matthef18 @HOSbirding @HantsIWWildlife Thanks!

@UKTwitcher @HOSbirding @HantsIWWildlife Nice photo

American Golden Plover, Hook-with-Warsash LNR, Hampshire (01/04/26). We have been lucky with species in Hampshire for the last two years - I have seen one in both April 2025 & 2026. Although this years bird is more distant & the photo below is heavily cropped. My 6th in Hants.

Forster’s Tern, Poole Park, Dorset. Tues 10 March 2026. A few more photos attached. It finally showed mid afternoon and was worth the wait giving the best views I have had of this annually returning bird over the last 4 years. @DorsetWildlife @DorsetBirdClub

Forster’s Tern, Poole Park, Dorset Tues 10 Mar 2026. Having seen it on 3 Mar 2026 but mostly distant out in the harbour I decided to return since the bird had been ‘reliably’ visiting Poole Park at closer range. An 8 hour vigil was finally rewarded at c. 3pm. @DorsetWildlife

@dartfordtrapper Nice photos James. Great to catch up yesterday and I am glad you guys got back quickly and connected with the Forster’s Tern. It flew off again just as you were driving away…..

A jaunt down to the South coast started well with the Salisbury plain Great Bustards, but was followed by a 5 hour war of attrition at Poole boating lake when the Forster's tern finally showed just after we left the site! It all ended well in the end thanks to @UKTwitcher!

@mikebarthbirdin @aquilabirding @CBWPS1 @BirdGuides @RareBirdAlertUK @ArthriticPeak Thanks! Yes luckily it was relatively close in.

@UKTwitcher @aquilabirding @CBWPS1 @BirdGuides @RareBirdAlertUK Nice one Simon. Managed views of it yesterday afternoon with @ArthriticPeak but not quite as close as your views 👏

Pacific Diver giving good scope views off Penlee Point, Newlyn, Cornwall yesterday Fri 27 Feb 2026. Even though relatively close in, it was a little far out for photos however it was great to see this bird after failing to locate it earlier in the week. @CBWPS1

@hobbylovinglife @CBWPS1 @BirdGuides @RareBirdAlertUK Thanks Karen, a great bird.

@UKTwitcher @CBWPS1 @BirdGuides @RareBirdAlertUK Great photos Simon 👌🏻

The rather stunning 1w Ross’s Gull performed well in Newlyn, Cornwall on Tuesday (24 Feb 2026). I love seeing these dainty gulls - My 2nd in Cornwall and 9th in the UK. @CBWPS1 @BirdGuides @RareBirdAlertUK

A few more photos of the superb 1w Ross’s Gull at Newlyn Harbour, Cornwall. These were taken during a return visit on Fri 27 Feb 2026 although raining at times. The trip also yielded Pacific Diver, Iceland, Bonaparte’s & Ring-billed Gulls which I did not see earlier in the week.

@dogdoughty @CBWPS1 @BirdGuides @RareBirdAlertUK 😎🤣 @01000011S

@UKTwitcher @CBWPS1 @BirdGuides @RareBirdAlertUK I think my attempt was more of a Cliff Smith effort