Steve Blain

I’ve gone to Bluesky…

There is a funky looking Marsh Harrier fledgling on RSPB Otmoor. Well worth a look at despite it staying fairly distant over the reedbed. @BirdGuides @OOSbirding @Natures_Voice @BBOWT @TVERC1 @BBCSpringwatch

The rather incredible Wood Warbler at Harry’s Wood in Northants this morning. Singing continually and amazingly confiding. #Kowascoping @KowaOptics #phonescoped #Iphone #Northantsbirds

A rather striking Spotted Flycatcher found by @birdingfox yesterday! Not something you see everyday! @bardseyobs @RareBirdAlertUK

Who doesn't love a Lapwing? This one was chasing a crow this morning at Broom GP. @OMSYSTEMcameras

We're hiring! Come and join our team! BirdTrack Organiser, based at our Nunnery HQ in Thetford. Apply by midday on 4th March. …shtrustforornithology.postingpanda.uk/job/520250 #conservationjobs #Thetford #Norfolk #environmentjobs #charityjobs

@iankenmoore Drop @thebigbearnash a line. Would be good to know exactly where at Flitwick Moor your had it so others could have a look, although we’ve had quite a few Mealy this winter in Beds already. Always nice birds to get on to though. 👍

@steveblain hi Steve, had a really good candidate for Mealy Redpoll at Flitwick moor this lunchtime. Who do I email, tweet at the Beds bird club? Help me Obi Wan, your my only hope.

Help required from any Bird Ringers who may have Ringed a Mealy Redpoll at any point this winter up to early January. Photo's appear to show a ring reading BJA 3_ 83. The J could be an M. Bird has been present for 2 weeks at Brogborough Hill, Bedfordshire.

@BirdingDad Ta. Had a drive round and couldn’t find them. Will try again tomorrow. 👍

My @BirdTrack stats for 2023. My 171 visits to GLE yielded 113 species for 2023 same as my last day trip to Norfolk in Oct! However only 3.6% of my breeding-season recs had breeding evidence and I only submitted breeding evidence for 13 @ukrbbp species- still room for improvement

@macg33zr You win. It’s a Peregrine 😀

Other half said Sparrowhawk at the time over fields near Wrestlingworth / Eyeworth Bedfordshire but it didn't look right to me - checking photo I'm calling Peregrine. I wondered why a flock of Golden Plover were up in the air!

@robwillmartin I sent your tweet round the local WhatsApp group when I saw it yesterday, just to alert people. We get very few egret at Broom but it could come in to one of the local roosts or be anywhere along the Ivel valley with all the flooding currently. Hope it gets refound 🤞

Will submit it, which would be easier if someone finds it again! Maybe Broom? Or further up the A1? @steveblain

@Hertsbirds this dark-type assumed Little Egret just flew NNW over my Baldock house. Mostly dark grey, with whitish face and foreneck. Might be trackable, though likely will be in Beds shortly.

@BedsGulls @MattAmes6 Looks like it could be the same individual on wing pattern?

@MattAmes6 Nice photo Matt. The Stewartby Lake fourth-winter cum adult Caspian Gull is still showing well at Stewartby, this morning on the sailing club jetty.

There was an absolute beast of a Caspian Gull at GLE, Broom GP this lunchtime. Gorging on a dead carp and bullying everything in sight! Almost the size of the Canada Geese, almost. 😉#Monster #Gulling

A work in progress. Just need to find one in the open now. #JackSnipe #ThermalBirding

@bonxie That’s a remarkably chunky Crossbill Mike!

A steady run up to Christmas … in the #Northantsbirds Newsround, 16th to 22nd December northantsbirds.com/2023/12/23/new…

@iankenmoore No the Great Barford bird was found by @RossAhmed - I just started the seed pile so us mere mortals could see it!

@steveblain Did you not find the Great Barford bird as well? Saw that one. Northants needs one next.

Sometimes you gotta make your own luck. This flew over me calling on my local patch this morning. Second for Beds! Little Bunting at Broom GP.

@thebigbearnash It’s no Radde’s Warbler but it improved the weekend! Great you and Matt saw it too, and so close.

@steveblain Brilliant find ! Star bird from a star birder !

@Adamdbassett Thanks Adam. It’s nice when it all comes together and you can get some photos and sound recordings of a rarity, especially of a passerine.

@steveblain I’ll have to look at that app, new to me. Great all round record of a great find.

@alanhitchings59 Thanks Alan. Hope you are keeping well.

@steveblain Congratulations Steve, what a superb bird to find in Bedfordshire. Great birding that. 🙂