Tim Jukes

Had a lot of self-doubt over solo sighting of BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER at WWT on 29/8, but 1 at CVL on 31/8 adds much credence (same bird?). Thanks birding community for ID advice 🙏 Maybe hurricane Erin played a role in transportation to our shores 🤔 @slimbridge_wild #GlosBirds

Nice annual trip to the Great Bustard Group for a Day Visit. 6 males and 15 females seen 👍. Abundant Corn Bunting also. Interesting to hear all about the birds and project (plus good beer in the shop thereafter 🤣🍻) @bustardgroup

Awesome few days birding the New Forest & Poole Harbour area 🙌. Highlights: 2 White-tailed Eagle, Forster’s Tern, Red-necked & Black-necked Grebe, Great Northern Diver, Bearded Reedling, Woodlark, Crossbill, Dartford Warbler, Firecrest, Little Gull, Adder & more! Great trip 👍

Wonderful view of the local Dipper today. It even had a bit of a sing (not heard that before) 🎶 Wishing them a good breeding season.

WWT Estuary Tower: 9 Common Crane (7 unringed & Oakie+Sherbert), 169 White-fronted Goose + 2 Barnacles. 85 Barnacles + Hybrid & Ross’s, 73 Canadas. 13 Shoveler, 7 Teal, 2 Shelduck on scrape. ~200 Golden Plover over. 2 Oycs, 24 Curlew, Peregrine. @slimbridge_wild #GlosBirds

WWT Robbie Garnett: Spoonbill, 2 Avocet, 8 Redshank, 8 Mute Swan, 71 Shelduck, 959 Wigeon, 76 Teal, 60 Shoveler, 16 Pintail, 12 Tufted Duck, 5 Pochard @slimbridge_wild #GlosBirds

WWT Zeiss Hide - 2 Marsh Harrier (m&f), Peregrine, 16 Avocet, Cetti’s Warbler @slimbridge_wild #GlosBirds

WWT Estuary Tower - 126 White-fronted Goose on Tack Piece + 56 on Dumbles/Estuary & 2 Barnacles (182), Chiffchaff signing, 166 Barnacles & Ross’s Goose, 29 Pintail, 12 Shelduck, 12 Shoveler, 518 Wigeon, 52 Teal, 2 Oystercatcher, 8 Pied Wagtails @slimbridge_wild #GlosBirds

WWT Robbie Garnett - Spoonbill still on Tack Piece. Martin Smith: Curlew, Redshank, 19 Teal, 4 Shoveler, 9 Wigeon, 2 Canadas, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Moorhen, Coot @slimbridge_wild #GlosBirds

WWT Rushy - The 2 Whooper Swan still with the Bewick’s, giving nice ID comparison @slimbridge_wild

Well, even the most sure-footed get it wrong sometimes. Who needs arms when you’ve got a bill like that though? 🤣

Love these little guys! Such wonderful birds, Purple Sandpiper. Definitely brightened up a cold and drizzly morning. Presumably will return to the high Arctic tundra pretty soon. Good luck little dudes and hopefully catch you next winter 👋

Final post of some endemic highlights from recent trip to Central and West Mexico. Citreoline Trogon, Black-throated Magpie-Jay, Red Warbler & an elusive Happy Wren (honest!). 175 species in 8 days, plus Monarch butterflies & Humpback whales. Great trip with @naturetrektours 👍

Some mangrove species around San Blas in West Mexico 🇲🇽. Rufous-necked Wood-Rail, Boat-billed Heron, Common Pauraque & Northern Potoo. Check out those crazy eyes on the Potoo - bizarre! @naturetrektours

WWT Martin Smith - good amount of Siskin on site today. Flock of c80 in the alder trees near entrance to Estuary walkway. @slimbridge_wild #GlosBirds

WWT Martin Smith - Spoonbill on Tack Piece @slimbridge_wild #GlosBirds

Great boat trips watching wildlife in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. 40+ Humpback #whales - several mothers with calf, plus groups of males competing for a mate. Abundant Brown & Blue-footed Booby, Brown Pelican & Magnificent Frigatebird. Heermann’s Gull and Royal Tern too - awesome 🙌

Overwintering Monarch Butterflies in Mexico. 4th generation insects, the superstars of their multi-gen annual migration. They travel 3000+ miles from 🇨🇦 Sept, 🇲🇽 Nov-Mar, then Texas 🇺🇸 April, where they breed and die. Next 3 gens work their way back to 🇨🇦 May-Aug. Incredible!! 🤯

WWT Zeiss Hide - 119 White-fronted Goose plus 2 Barnacles on Bottom New Piece, plus ~20 flew out to Estuary. Great Egret also. @slimbridge_wild #GlosBirds

WWT Estuary Tower - Bit murky but 16 Tundra Bean Goose + Pink-foot, 113 Barnacles, 690 Wigeon, ~150 Teal, 2 Oyc, 1000+ Lapwing, 760 Golden Plover, 150 Dunlin @slimbridge_wild #GlosBirds

WWT Robbie Garnett- 85 Bewick’s, 1380 Golden Plover, 31 Black-tailed Godwit, 265 Dunlin, 32 Redshank, 2 Oycs, 3 Curlew, Ruff, 14 Shelduck, 30 Pochard, 7 Tufted, 18 Shoveler, 1230 Wigeon, ~400 Teal, ~2000 Lapwing. Fox, 2 Roe Deer. Rushy- 2 Whooper Swan @slimbridge_wild #GlosBirds