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Alan Tilmouth

@alantilmouth.bsky.social
1.5K followers 1K following 5.7K posts

ornithologist, low-carbon birder, occasional writer, Bulletin Editor for NTBC, lover of the light and European. Memento mori.

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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
A good timely shout by Joe Cockram of two Great Egrets moving S in Druridge Bay this morning allowed me to get to a good vantage at N end of Newbiggin Moor to intercept them on a beautiful autumn morning. Some Pink-feet moving too, though just Wheatear and 8 Chiffchaffs to show for a longer walk.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Gusting 45mph winds in Borrisdale this morning and I shit you not I had to slow down for a bloke with a leaf blower on the way out 🤯
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Nice gentle crossing from Ullapool to Stornoway this evening. Single ad Pom, nine Great Skuas and a dark morph Arctic plus 2 Sooty Shearwaters and 5 Storm Petrels the seabird highlights but 35-40 Common Dolphins stole the show.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Another day, another Casp (hat trick for August).
Juvenile Caspian Gull Juvenile Caspian Gull
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Another day, another Casp.. and second shrike helpings.
Juvenile Caspian Gull in field Red-backed Shrike among rose hip stems
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Tidy late morning at Newbiggin munching blackberries, highlight was a brief 1w Red-backed Shrike along with supportive cast of two Whinchats, Spotted Flycatcher and Siskin.
Red-backed Shrike in burnt gorseEurasian Siskin on thistlesWhinchat on horseSpotted Flycatcher
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Another day, another Casp on the local pond.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Brilliant, brilliant find by Tariq Farooqui this afternoon at Bothal Pond. Looks set to be the first confirmed continental limosa record for Northumberland. Got there a full 7 mins before it legged it along with Neil Osbourne and Lee Gregory. Thanks to @markgolley.bsky.social for input.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Wonder what could be the driver?
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Saddletramp🇪🇺 @saddletramp.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
It’s getting hotter but which political party receives nearly 70% of its donations from the fossil fuel industries and promotes the burning of gas and oil and denies that they contribute to global warming?
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
I hope my final memory is of an early Autumn morning at Newbiggin, sun warming in the East, blackberries to sweeten the tongue, the scrub alive with the soft calls of Chiffchaffs and Whitethroats. Two Lesser Whitethroats among 25 Common, Sedge Warbler, Blackcap and lots of Chiffs this AM.
Sedge WarblerLesser Whitethroat Common WhitethroatCommon Chiffchaff
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New School of the Anthropocene @nsota.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
“I can call [the climate crisis] out as a political leader, but you [the media] also has a role to play... the contrast between how much we hear about whatever Nigel Farage or Reform want to talk about versus how little we hear about the climate and nature crisis is pretty glaring.” Quite.
bbc.co.uk
Burnham failing public over heat threats, says Green leader
Zack Polanski has accused ministers of a "dereliction of duty" in response to this summer's heatwaves.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
One good tern deserves another.. Coquet Island immediately firing back at The Farnes Bridled Tern with a splendid adult Sooty Tern. Barely minutes after my first juv Caspian Gull of the year on the local pond. August is such a dull month..
Distant adult Sooty Tern at Coquet IslandJuvenile Caspian GullJuvenile Caspian Gull in flight
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East Anglia Bylines @eastangliabylines.co.uk · 31/07/2026
No human lives were lost. But for the wildlife of Dunwich Heath, the consequences have been catastrophic. Read this very personal reflection by birder, David Jobbins, on the cost of one of Suffolk's worst wildfires ⤵️ #birds #wildfire @davidj2024.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social
eastangliabylines.co.uk
What we’ve lost at Dunwich Heath
Dunwich Heath has burned. The wildlife may take decades to recover
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Mr and Mrs Trellis @thenorfolkcoast.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Net Gains: The UK's Net Zero Economy in 2025. CBI Economics reveals the UK net zero economy delivers £105bn in GVA, with worker productivity 48% above average and 1.1m jobs.. www.cbi.org.uk/articles/net...
cbi.org.uk
Net Gains: The UK's Net Zero Economy in 2025 | CBI
New analysis from CBI Economics and ECIU reveals a £105 billion sector generating high-wage jobs across every UK nation and region.
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marchogdu.bsky.social @marchogdu.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
So really it's not a cost of living crisis, its a corporate profit crisis, not only do we need to tax wealth, we need to tax massive profits made off our backs!
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TG42Birder🇵🇸 @tg42birder.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Size of 140 football fields now Hundreds evacuated. Large areas of heathland habitat destroyed. Dartford Warblers, Woodlark, Nightjars etc. News reporter described Nightjars flying over the area. Climate change is rapidly outpacing conservation. It will only get worse. 🤷‍♂️🙄 #ukbirding
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Dunwich Heath on 🔥, incredibly sad that we’re continuing to do too little too late. www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...
mirror.co.uk
Massive wildfire near UK nuclear plant as hundreds evacuated and 999 crews swarm
Hundreds of holidaymakers have been evacuated overnight from a caravan site in the path of the flames as people living nearby are warned to keep windows and doors closed
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Inland for a change of scene today, four Crossbills, Spotted Flycatcher and Redpoll in a 4km loop in Harwood. Further W a surprise four Ospreys in the air over a quarry site and a distant perched Goshawk nearby (prob juvenile). Crossed paths with a Giant Wood Wasp!
Giant Wood Wasp
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Channel 4 News @channel4news.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
‘There are a lot of corporate interests’ in pushing back against climate policies – former diplomat
channel4.com
‘There are a lot of corporate interests’ in pushing back against climate policies – former diplomat
We spoke to Nick Bridge, a former diplomat who was the UK's special representative to the UN on Climate Change from 2017 to 2023.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
A brisk westerly didn’t exactly inspire but a juvenile Redstart along the Wansbeck nr the coast was a starting pistol for autumn passerines. Early PM I moved N to check out a ‘Curlew Sandpiper’ but only found a Knot. All not lost as an adult Hobby sped through N. Ended with a Roseate Tern on rocks.
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TG42Birder🇵🇸 @tg42birder.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
We can’t have a liveable planet and keep flying. It’s just maths now. It is beyond obvious that we have to change, and there is life after flying, believe it or not. vimeo.com/488449939?fl...
vimeo.com
Why Flight Free?
There are lots of things we can do to reduce our carbon footprints, like eating less meat, using renewable energy, or driving less. But did you know that just one flight could wipe out all those savin...
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Steve Tallantyre @tallantyre.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
The Keegan news is affecting me much more than I expected. I'm not an overly sentimental person and I never met the man. Yet I feel like I've lost a friend or relative. He was special. For Newcastle fans of a certain age, no-one will ever be able to replicate how he made us feel. #nufc
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
I lived through the joy and the heartache, so much collective joy and watched a city lift itself off its arse and believe in itself. Wherever he is I hope he’s walking along singing a song in a Keegan Wonderland. He will always be one of us.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Another v quiet early sea-watch produced just a single Arctic Skua and a handful of Manx north. A call from the other Alan alerted me to a Black Redstart along the coast. A late morning recce was successful with distant views as it sat up along the fence-line. Two Graylings nearby were nice.
Grayling butterfly on ragwort.Female-type Black Redstart on metal fence.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
First Bonxie of the year (for me) this AM, so scarce now post-HPAI. Elsewhere little of note, returning Goldeneye on the local pond, ad Knot at Druridge and a smattering of Black-tailed Godwits, Green Sand at Cresswell. The year slowly drifts on.
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Alexander Lees @alexanderlees.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Our new commentary rdcu.be/ftx6h in @natecoevo.nature.com written with folks from @inaturalist.bsky.social and @cornellbirds.bsky.social shows that use of AI to manipulate existing or create new wildlife images undermines the huge value of vast citizen science databases. 🌍🪰🪶 #Ornithology 🧵 1/10
rdcu.be
Citizen science platforms must mitigate against the threat of generative AI
Nature Ecology & Evolution - Citizen science platforms must mitigate against the threat of generative AI
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Had a spare few hours today so have stuck a pin in the map in S Northumberland’s prime Black Kite breeding habitat for some vantage viewing to search for the county’s rarest breeding raptor 😉.
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The Green Party of England & Wales @greenparty.org.uk · 01/07/2026
The Green Party has a plan to make bills affordable: 1. Move policy costs off bills before winter saving £150 2. Break the link between electricity & gas 3. Scale up renewables 4. Insulate homes 5. End profiteering
Green Party campaign poster reading "Real hope. Real change." and "Cut energy bills by £150" in bold white text on a green background, with two stylized hands pinching letters and the Green Party logo at the bottom.
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Grace Blakeley @graceblakeley.substack.com · 30/06/2026
Humanity isn't separate from nature - so let’s stop acting like it 🌍 💚
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Scribbler Pen @scribblerpen.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Half of UK welfare is pensions, 1 in 3 people on Universal Credit are in work, disabled people are disabled, more of them since Covid hit, but the welfare bill as % of GDP is stable (lower than most developed countries) and is forecast to stay stable and below OECD average for the next 5 years.
Chart from the Resolution Foundation of Social security spending as a proportion of GDP by category, Great Britain. The chart from 2007-2008 shows social security spending falling since 2013 from a peak in 2008-2009, pensions rising to account for the biggest share, and disability and incapacity spending rising in the post-Covid years from 2023.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
The Birds of Israel by Hadoram Shirihai Excellent condition. Written by Israel's foremost field ornithologist and authority on Israel's birds. Over 500 species described. 679 pages plus 96 colour plates 1996 Hardback 1st edition £65inc UK P&P (money to Andy McLevy Memorial Fund) DM for sale.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Farnes day with @naturetrek.bsky.social
Atlantic Puffin by burrowTwo adult StarlingsSeabird stack at Farne Islands
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Damp day with @naturetrek.bsky.social on Holy Island, though spirits were lifted with Osprey and Peregrine from the causeway as we crossed and good views of the summering Black Guillemot offshore plus Rock Pipits feeding young, Little Tern, Gannets and some interesting mammal encounters.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Nice gentle start to a week with @naturetrek.bsky.social up here in Northumberland. Thunder & Lightning late afternoon but still turned out rosy!
Adult Rosy Starling
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Looking forward to a deep dive into the newly published ‘Birds of Budle Bay’ by @budlebirder.bsky.social in the coming days. Detailed patch accounts are always full of interest and expect this to be a great example.
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Stephen Barlow @steb77.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Anyone would think that the same corrupt vested interests, are running Reform, the Conservatives, and the right wing of the Labour Party. Maybe its just pure coincidence that they all have the same policy objectives, which only benefits the very rich and big corporations.
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MetJam @metjam.co.uk · 01/06/2026
This spring was the warmest in the Central England Temperature series that started in 1659, 367 years ago - this is the third consecutive spring that has been the warmest on record, with a mean temperature of 10.72ºC. There has been a distinct warming over the past few decades.
Scatter chart showing Central England spring (March–May) mean temperatures from 1659 to 2026. Each grey dot represents one year's spring mean temperature, showing considerable year-to-year variability. A blue 30-year smoothed mean line shows a clear long-term warming trend, rising noticeably from the mid-20th century onwards. A grey dashed linear trend line shows an overall increase of +0.33°C per century across the full record. A red dashed horizontal line marks the previous record of 10.41°C set in 2017. Three red dots connected by a line highlight 2024, 2025, and 2026, each of which set a new record in consecutive years: 2024 at 10.66°C, 2025 at 10.68°C, and 2026 at 10.72°C - the warmest spring in 367 years of records. A bold annotation notes these are 3 consecutive record-breaking springs. The 2026 dot sits visibly above all others with a red glow, annotated as the warmest spring in 367 years.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Early morning wader survey out west, thoughts just turning to breakfast when AP wrecked my plans with Newbiggin’s first Dotterel this century.
Dotterel amongst stonesDotterel among stones at beach
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
This, by @jonathan-watts.bsky.social, is a brilliant, fascinating and definitional article. If you want to understand what's happening around the world, you should read it. www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
theguardian.com
The American epoch of oil is collapsing. What comes next could be ugly | Jonathan Watts
China is dominating the energy transition with astonishing result, while fossil fuel fascists in the US try to turn back the clock
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Tyne Kittiwake Partnership @tkp-kittiwake.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Wed, 22 April 2026 A busy day checking River Tyne kittiwakes with > 1,500 at Newcastle-Gateshead quays. Some rested quietly, others called together or collected nesting material. Recorded 790 on Tyne Bridge, 248 at @balticgateshead.bsky.social (photo: today). Enjoyed tea & scone at the Glasshouse.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
An upland wader survey made a welcome change from Breeding Bird Surveys yesterday. The lunch stop venue on the way home offered some smart Yank Aythya views and a Coronation Chicken seeded bap followed by Turkish Delight. #livingthedream
Drake Ring-necked DuckCommon Redshank in summer plumage in an upland meadow
Male Norther Wheatear in sheep pastureNorthern Lapwing sat on nest amongst molehills in upland pasture
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Bylines Network @bylinesnetwork.co.uk · 10/04/2026
Doughnut Economics says: feed everyone, protect the planet, stay in balance. Prof Richard Murphy asks – why is our system built for endless growth? @eastangliabylines.co.uk @richardjmurphy.bsky.social
eastangliabylines.co.uk
Is this how we make economics sustainable?
As part of a series on current economic thinking, Richard Murphy outlines Kate Raworth’s argument for a sustainable economic model
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Nursery Web Spider enjoying the Spring sunshine on an old weathered length of wood in garden earlier.
Nursery Web Spider on weathered wood.
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
Go Samba!
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Alan Tilmouth @alantilmouth.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
At 60 times around the sun I did something new today. My 25 year old fence partially collapsed with a tree-fall during Arwin and went further some time later. After having some tree work done last week I retained the brash and began to lay a dead hedge. Needs doing in stages to keep dog in so 1/3.
A dead hedge A dead hedgePosts laid out for a dead hedge
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Flight Free UK @flightfreeuk.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
One flight can wipe out the carbon savings from many everyday changes. For people who fly, it’s often the biggest part of their carbon footprint. Choosing trains, ferries or coaches can make a huge difference. #FlightFree
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Martin George @jannerbirder.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Six of Britain’s wild bird species are set to be better protected under proposals set out by the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments. The new rules would restrict the shooting of Woodcock, Pintail, Goldeneye, Pochard and Snipe, and introduce a close season for Woodpigeon. www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
Stronger protections to help protect threatened wild birds
New proposals to restrict recreational shooting of threatened wild birds
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Stopping gas dictating UK energy price could cut bills by £200. Renewables are the cheapest but Ofgem's pricing links electricity price to gas, enables profiteering. Gas produced energy must be decoupled from the rest. Public ownership is even better for ending profiteering and lower bills
theguardian.com
Stopping gas dictating UK energy price could cut bills by £200, thinktank says
Iran war has increased gas price, with effects on UK energy bills that could be avoided, Common Wealth says
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BirdGuides @birdguides.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Europe's Common Buzzards may be losing their remarkable variation in plumage colour, according to a new study:
bit.ly
Decline in colour variation among Common Buzzards in Europe
A continent-wide study using some 100,000 citizen-science records has revealed that the striking colour variation of Common Buzzard is declining, with intermediate plumage types becoming increasingly dominant.
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