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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

PM up on t'Moor with the Folks for an amble and a flapjack. Wonderful views and very clement; felt more like August than October {20°.!!}. Mostly Mipits, but 2 Swallows came by close and low, which was nice. Cue pretty scenery; ⛰️

Looking WNW.
Warren House Inn and its hordes, Birch Tor, Fernworthy, a whole heap of tors.. Quite a view!

Looking more N. Cosdon Beacon high in the distance, Shapley Tor much lower and closer. If not for the cloud, you'd get a fair view of Exmoor from here.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Grounded{ish}: 25+ Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 8+ B'cap, 10 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch, 1 Chaffinch, 5 Stonechat, L Egret, 16 Oystercatcher. Over; 9 Rook, 14 Swallow, 5 alba Wagtail, 16 Mipit, 10 Linnet, 4 Skylark. Also a mirage of Fraggle Rock.! 😲😁 🦉

Portland Bill {Fraggle Rock to anyone who doesn't live there ;) } seen from sea level. Note the lighthouse to the right; this is not a patch of low cloud. This is a mirage!!

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Sunday Patch-bashing in the AM was not unlike Saturday, down to fellow Irregular @shiphaybirder.bsky.social 😄 Slightly fewer grounded Phylloscs, more Sylvias, & a little more overhead. Clouded Yellow most numerous butterfly still {This year..?! 😲} from Red Admiral. Grey Seal showed nicely, too. 🦉🦋🐬

Hope's Nose, the South Side. Note shadows of Backward and Shiphay Birders {hoping for a vagrant warbler or something to pop up on a bush....}

Glorious female Sparrowhawk; maybe the reason all the rare passerines were hiding?

Clouded Yellow. Similar numbers to the day before, but no helice this time.

Grey Seal, Hope Cove {having just missed an angler's Mackerel!}
Look at those eyebrows!!

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Also some beetle-y goodness for you! Nothing fancy, but every one I catch on record is cause for celebration 😁 🐞

Another view of the Hypericum Leaf Beetle; books say it's a June-July species, so I guess the sustained heat this summer is responsible?

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

More post for more pics. Numbers moving incl. notably 3+ H Sparrow {Nose rarity!}, 5 Goldfinch, 2 Linnet, 3 alba Wagtail, 6 Mipit. 28+ Chiffchaff & 2 W Warbler grounded, Stonechats back for winter, Nuthatch {uneven presence}, 16+ BHG, 19 Oystercatcher, 6 Rockits playing chase below the Geo. 🦉

17 of 19 Oystercatcher present {unless you can see more?}

The same helice on a different flower {Hawksbeard? maybe?}

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Patch this AM mostly involved the Nose, as per. Light o'head passage of usual spp., many grounded Phyllosc {99%Chiffs} from night showers, also @shiphaybirder.bsky.social 🙃 Plus unusually showy Clouded Yellows {5+ incl THIS helice woo!} Pics ensue; 🦉🦋 🌼

Clouded Yellow form helice. Looks like a White in flight!

Autumn Lady's Tresses. This one has gone over, but that's a good thing.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Been out on the Patch today; an update will be up when photos are uploaded {I post happily; got something good for once!*} {*Not a Rare bird - that would get instant news - untwist thy knickers 😉}}

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Slightly late one, meant to post this a while ago. {oops 🙄} About my Patch, there are two species of 'crests to be seen {or more often, heard}. These days, Goldcrests are the rarer one.! 😲🙃 🦉

Goldcrests! 2 of at least 5 with a band of 9+ tits. Sunny suburban area of my Patch last Friday {no not yesterday, the one a week ago...}

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I watched 0755-0955, headed over to but just missed @shiphaybirder.bsky.social, then worked up the sheltered North side of the Nose & IMD. There were Chiffs, lots of Chiffs. Willow Warblers in the Geo, 'something' below IMD {not photo'd, those are Chiffs}, & then found a stowaway in my car.! 😆 🦉🐝

The Geo {it's a vegetated cleft leading to the sea, only viewable from above via a cliff edge and sometimes there are birds; thus Geo}, viewed from Quarry cliff, with Brandy Cove in the background.
There are Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, assorted Wrens, Robins, tits, and who knows what else in that scrubby stuff.

Ivy Bee! Hitch hiking, or possibly just hiding from the rain.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Commitments meant I was required to Be Good at the Nose today: 2hrs seawatch, 1hr vs bushes. Sea went better; 1 juv LT, 1 Pom, 2 Bonxie, 17 Arctic Skua, 8 Com Tern, 35 Balearic, 4 Manx, 913 Gannet, 308 Kitt, 369 auks. 34+ Chiff, 2 W Warbler & 1 warbler sp. I could not pin down, around lee slopes. 🦉

Light morph Arctic Skua, {{looking rather like a pterodroma in this shot.!!}}. For me, this is a good photo....

Arctic Skua, about to vanish behind the Ore Stone.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

After a slightly grey start, the Sun came out & so did the inverts! Two flies & two caterpillars for you. If anyone can ID the stripey caterpillar I'd be grateful; it bailed off grass or possibly Bracken & hid very quickly. 🤔 Flies {normal & hover} total posers, so had to be papped & uploaded! 🙃 🐛🦟

Noon Fly. Determinedly hoovering up the spill from my mugging by bumblebee {{Wait, what!?!?}} Of which more in a future post!

A fairly large green caterpillar with two yellow stripes running down each side.
I'd have loved to get a better pic but it buried itself in the grass so quickly and thoroughly that I couldn't get to it without risking hurting it.

Hoverfly, female, probably Eupeodes luniger.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Actual birds! Hordes of Meadow Pipits allll over the shop; it's Autumn, folks! 60+ is being very conservative and generously assuming the 50+ flock which went past me late on near Whiteworks were already-seen-birds. Not that late though, as there are still a couple of Wheatears about 😍 🦉

Sitting and waiting allows birds like this gorgeous Wheatear to come close. Ok, closER

"Check out those fringes, aren't they brilliant?"

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

It wasn't all rotated rocks yesterday {though more will be seen}. First up, I'd have liked to have ID'd all these for MushroomMonday 🍄 But Field Mushroom and {possibly} Field Blewitt aside, I'm stumped 🤷 Scroll down for actual birds and other things.

Broad pale cap with dark stem in an open area of grassy Moorland? Field Blewitt possibly? It looks maddeningly familiar... {But not a Deceiver, c'mon...}

I think this is a bonnet of some kind {Mycenae}

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

StandingStoneSunday I was going to be all different and use the end stone of the row, but this shot of the tallest stones of the Hingston Hill stone row on Dartmoor just came out so much better.. 😍 🗿

The tallest stone {taller than you, frosted with lichens} and stretching away into the distance, most of the Hingston Hill Stone Row, Dartmoor.

The sky is blue, the grass is green {the mud is black}, oh it's art, I tells you.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

For FungusFriday While not finding a Purple Heron at Slapton, I did find these Spectacular Rustgill {I think; light a bit iffy..🤷} 🍄

Spectacular Rustgill, though looking a little less golden than I'd expect. Light was fading and under thick canopy, flash does stuff to colours, too, so I think I'm right.?

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Finally, something a little different! Here, we see that local landmark Lincombe Keep has been updating its security; cameras to be expected, but the cannon are new..!! 🏰🏹 And some street art of a kind that appears hereabouts now & again. 🙃

Lincombe Keep, a private residence - photo'd from the pavement see gaggle streetview - in the style of sheer mediaeval cool. Note dragon gargoyle {functional}. Now with extra security cameras and a pair of cannon.
Yes, that is a portcullis. Yes, it works.
Like I said, sheer cool.

I'm not jealous.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The Sun came out and so did the insects. Lots of Ivy Bees, including nesting agglomerations on fresh sandy bits, at the Nose and the inevitable Clouded Yellows. 🐝🦋

Bundle!! Ivy Bees engaging in vigourous interaction around nest burrows, Hope's Nose.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Was a Good Birder on Sunday & stayed on Patch. 😇 The Nose one stop in a long mazy loop, with early 100++ hirundines {90% HM} over IMD slightly eclipsed by a deluge of Firecrests! 40+ across all areas, incl. a party of 9 😲😍 @shiphaybirder.bsky.social's Wheatear perhaps hiding from this Kestrel 🦉

Kestrel keeping the passerines in hiding. No sign of reported Wheatear {or Mipit} and a brief juv Whitethroat eluded my camera {ratses}

The only Firecrest I hit! {they were all chasing each other around; great to see and hear, hard to photo...}

Hirundines over Ilsham Marine Drive. Mostly House Martins, several Sand Martins, but note Swallow in view here.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

But that's not all. While a small but very happy group of birders at the viewpoint watched the Otter show off, not one but two Osprey also turned up! {+ & - rings}, as did a Hobby, which sat down and struck a pose. Then later I had {maybe} another Osprey, too {or is that three? 😉} Joy 😃 🦉

Osprey inna tree. This one had a blue ring on left tarsus, but unable to get any read on it.

Ringed Osprey flew up the valley. Then this unringed one appeared and did the same! Note Rudd {I think}

Later, I was sat down at the upper viewpoint, finishing my coffee and hoping the Purple Heron would fly by, when another {or not? Though none seen going back?} Osprey came over, with another unlucky fish!

Adult Hobby. This one you can see what it is and everything!

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

PH had been seen more than once around Ireland Bay, so I spent most time there {right up to Deer Bridge}. 7 Greys only. 🤷 BUT if I hadn't persisted, I wouldn't have been treated to a ridiculous display from this OTTER, which tarted about in the open - catching & eating 2 Eels - for 45 minutes!! 😲😍 🐾

Otter! With the teeths and the tail! Here chomping up the first Eel like Homer Simpson with a club sandwich.!

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Delayed post due to being out late yesterday then going out birding today {I have my priorities!} Sat: Beesands & Slapton to not see Purple Heron {though more others who'd seen it}, but getting out after yearticks paid off bigtime, as you will see. Beesands had this Kingfisher & lots of Gadwall; 🦉🌼

Three of at least 49 Gadwall present. Recent arrivals, I understand.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

While in transit between viewpoints, I was not entirely lost in a funk of woe. Lots else to see and hear. 🙂 Of note, a vast array of Clouded Yellow Butterflies; the most numerous butterfly species!! Also many bees and hoverflies once it got brighter. Pictures; 🦋🐝 3/.

Clouded Yellow. Note damage to wings from emerging in confined space. This butterfly did not hatch far away!

Three species on one Devil's Bit scabious! {Yes, the bees are different}
I should look them up, really I should. I know that bumblebee mimic hoverfly is one I've tried to catch on pixels a couple of times this year.

Third bee species. Again, needing to be looked up...

Small Copper. Included mostly because this one gave me such a run-around...

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

So I spent the rest of the day scouring Roadford's vast array of slopey bits for small waders that at range look a lot like rocks when they're not moving. I did find a lone Ringed Plover {& 2 Com Sands}, but the other Ringos, Dunlin, & of course the fragging B-BS, vanished into the aether... 😔 🦉 2/

Ringed Plover, inlet north of Grinacombe, Roadford Res.

Common Sandpiper, nr. Grinacombe, Roadford Reservoir.
Note intervening vegetation, due to application of fieldcraft.

Four Egyptian Geese. Also found while seeking in vain.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Roadford. Arriving at Grinacombe this am, the Buff-breasted Sand was the first bird I laid eyes on ::faints::, right below the 🅿️ with 4 Dunlin next to it. Delight became horror as before I could even get set up a family & their dogs came frolicking along the waterline... 🤬 I did not give up. 🦉 1/

Roadford Reservoir, looking NEish from Grinacombe towards where 5+ Dunlin, 5+ Ringed Plover, a Yellow Wagtail, a variety of alba Wagtails, 4+ Rock Pipit... oh yes and a juv Buff-breasted Sandpiper have just disappeared.

Three blobs, er, sorry, waders. Being flushed by a family and their dogs [who were on leads, at least at first], while the parents called to their children "oh look at all the little birds flying".

I was VERY good.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Today I decided to try dipping @wisebirding.bsky.social 's Ortolan around a very windy Budleigh golf course. After much meandering, I found the 40+ mix of buntings, finches, & 3 Wheatears just before the rain found me. If only a Sprawk hadn't found them, too... 😖 Best efforts {both types} below; 🦉

Sheltered stubble field corner - viewed from public footpath - where the birds {12+ Cirl, 2+ Yellowhammer, 15+ Chaffinch, 4+ Greenfinch, 5+ Linnet, and x} have just all been flushed away by a 1cy Sparrowhawk... AAAAAAARGH.

There are two Wheatears in this photo. No, really.
Much better through the Big Scope.

The third Wheatear; I was able to apply some fieldcraft {by crawling along a footpath!}

And this is the best I could do.
I believe a record shot is only that if you can see and ID without prompting.
The male Cirl Bunting is the point of reference; as I could just make out his stripey bonce through my viewfinder.!

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Oops! Forgot to include a poor lone Guillemot past South, and a group of 4 confused Swallows, who came in/off from the SE... 🦉

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Also, some actual wildlife! Lookit, itsa baby {ish} gull! And moths! Aaargh! 😁 Also an Unidentified Arthropod, which crawled up my rucksack..... 😱 🦉🦋🕷️ 4.

Mediterranean Gull, first year, plus a bit of an Oystercatcher!

This Mottled Rustic took shelter under my brolly. I relocated it to the underside of a leaf, only to find as I packed up that it had made its way back to the underside of my stool {or perhaps another did}

A bit - ok a lot - worn, this was basking on the First Slope path. Don't know what it is.

Possibly the young form of.. er.. something?

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Gratuitous double shot of the SWBCM's work. 3/

A lot of people really don't like storm overflows - despite their being rather important until we get modern sewers - but they do have their uses [away from rivers and beaches].

Usually a storm means SW winds and the slick going off to Lyme Bay {bringing in many nice birds}, so this is quite different.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Some pics of the interesting weather. 2/

It got rather rainy after a not-so-soggy start. Still very calm, so under the brolly.

A band of rain departing, note raindrops on lens and the slick from the South West's Biggest Chumming Machine.

As the last of the rain came through, the wind woke up and got a little frisky.

Blazing sunshine and waves from the now brisk wind. It was rather warm going back up the Slopes, of course...
A bevy of rain-grounded migrants - 14+ Chiffchaff, 2+ Willow Warbler, a Blackcap, and a warbler sp. - made things bearable!

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Far too late to the Nose today, where rain but no wind made for interesting viewing.! Details in the Alt. Cliffnotes; 4hrs, 1350 mixed shears, 7 skuas, 700 Gannet, uncountable Kittiwakes, 11 terns, single Whimbrel & C Scoter! Many cetaceans visible in early död kalm, 18+ warblers on way back up 🦉 1/

View from Hope's Nose at the criminally late hour of 0800...
Note the flat calm {and excuse the X-files reference in the post}. You may or may not be able to tell that there are thousands of Kittiwakes in this photo. On the sea and on the Ore Stone.
Glonk Corner, 0800-1200.
Manx/ Balearic. 1313 S / 36 N, Great Shearwater 1 {0850}, Storm Petrel 1 {0845}, Pom Skua 1, Arctic Skua 4 S / 1 N {different bird}, Bonxie 1, Common Tern 9, Sandwich Tern 2, Common Scoter 1, Whimbrel 1, Fulmar 5, Med Gull 11, BHG 26, Little Gull 1 {with Kitts}, Kittiwakes uncounted due to flying around and going back N and being 'thousands of 'em', Gannet 662 S / 36 N.
11+ Risso's Dolphin, Common Dolphin 8+ and 20+, Harbour Porpoise 3+ and 2+ {close to Common Dolphins}, Grey Seal 1 {calling early on; lovely!}. 1 Turnstone on Lead Stone, 9+ Oystercatcher on Sole platform.
Flat light and birds coming through over a 3km front at a rate of ~7k/hr while using the same flight action meant I had to abandon attempts to pick Manx from Balearic {you could ID them but one at a time, and well...}. This happened when several large rafts of birds all decided to move at the same time. 3 Arctic Skuas may have had an effect on matters.!

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

3/ Sunday. Went for an amble up on t'Moor. It was quite warm, to say the least, but the frisky wind meant it was very walkable. There were Wheatears and it was Good. 🦉🐉🦟

Wheatear, Yes Tor, Dartmoor. Could be Greenland race, perhaps?

Yes, it was glorious up there.

{This is a punne, or play-on-words}

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

2/ Saturday. Late morning; watching at least 4 Willow Warblers working the trees across the road. Nice. Then turned on the computer for first time in ~24hrs. Then hit the road to the Black Hole. Pectoral Sandpiper showed gloriously, also Wood, Curlew, & Common Sand, Spotshank, Ruff, M Harrier 🦉

Ruff and Pec Sand doing the guidebook illustration thing. Woo!

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

1/ Friday. A short, sharp, and superb seawatch before I had to be Somewhere. 0650-0920, Hope's Nose; LT, Bonxie, 3 Pom, 11 Arctic Skua; 2 Sooty, 144 Balearic, 53 Manx; Sabine's Gull; 2 Arctic, 7 Sarnie, 85 Common Tern; 932 Gannet; 1309 Kittiwake; 13 Razorbill; 3 Dunlin; 4 Med Gull 🦉

There's a very good bird in this photo, and if my camera hadn't thrown an exquisitely-timed hissyfit, just flat-out refusing to zoom, you'd be seeing a blurry crap pic of it.

You can see where the visibility line is rather well in this one!
View from Glonk Corner; Lead Stone on the left, Ore Stone on the right.

Just a few Kittiwake on the Ore Stone...

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

You may have noticed a slight gap in my posting in recent days. My apologies. 🌋🎂 overdose does funny things to one's Muse, it appears. A 🧵 of days ensues; 0/

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

News that @jacob-wood.bsky.social had found an Ortolan Bunting at Froward Point {🎩} caused a sudden change of plans. Unfortunately, someone had chosen today to make things as difficult as possible.. 🚜😲 Lots on offer, still. Though birds required a little work to get more than flypasts. 🦉🦋

"There's a rare bird sitting up in the hedges around this field? You don't say? Here, let me flail the lot. Twice. Just to be sure."

Scores of Red Admiral and Painted Lady on Ivy flowers.

Fieldcraft - and yes, no small amount of patience - could get you some nice views of assorted species.
'Only' a juvie Chaffinch, but you put up what will sit still when the camera is behaving.

That blob is a flyover bunting sp., and the closest I got to what I was after. Not that I knew it at the time....

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

And also at the Black Hole, Seaton, this unspeakably cute 1cy Rabbit. Which was completely unbothered by my walking right past it to get a better angle.! 🐇

Itsa Bunny.
All together now... "Awwwwwwwww"

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Today at the Black Hole. Weather got a bit frisky {couldawouldabeena Seawatchin', but Life and so on...} so had to face into the blast to get shots of the Wood Sandpiper and Curlew Sandpiper there. @stephmurphy.bsky.social , I am not. See what they are, you can. 🙃 Also Common Sand, + more in alts 🦉

Curlew Sandpiper, juvenile, with a Dunlin.

Better if more distant comparison of Curlew Sandpiper vs Dunlin.
Birds also present included Wood and Common Sandpiper, 4+ Oystercatcher, 4+ Lapwing, 14 Dunlin, 3 Ringed Plover, 3 Greenshank, 71 Redshank, 77 Black-tailed Godwit.

Wood Sandpiper, juvenile.
Stayed up-wind and up-light and as far away as it could. Also very mobile, actively feeding. Ie., a right bugger to photo!

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Monday morning at Bowling Green. {Post slightly delayed due to forgetting to do it...} 2 Ruff, 7 Knot, 30+ Greenshank. 0 Curlew Sandpiper. 🤷 4 Spoonbills.... Awaken!!! 😱 Behold the Terror; 🦉

One..two..Three...Four! Four Spoonbills Mua-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaaa

{Ahem}
Plus Little Egret and a Redshank.

There are two Ruff in this photo. No, really.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Also at the Nose, this mature female Emperor got me going; her bright blue abdomen base made her look like a Lesser as she zipped past... {Drat} She is eating an Ivy Bee, which I watched her catch with casual aplomb. Also shown; a Common Blue, & it was 2for1 on Grey Seals at Thatcher Rock. 🐉🦟 🦋 🐬 2/

'Overmature' female Emperor Dragonfly, blue form, eating an unlucky Ivy Bee.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Suffered the consequences for getting up Too Early after working Lates, 🤕 but still managed to patrol the Patch today. Sea much quieter, onshore a Chiff actually gave a decent pic, as did a Clouded Yellow & a First For Patch ✨Keeled Skimmer✨! 😃 🦉 🦋 🐉🦟 1/

1cy Chiffchaff shows inexperience by actually letting a Backward Birder get a decent pic.!
{Fresh, pointed tail feathers - backlit nicely - showing age.}
Oh, if only you were more Greenish.....

Clouded Yellow, striking a pose for me.
I hardly had to wade through any Gorse and only kneel in a Bramble to get this, too!

Keeled Skimmer! Adult male.
I am pretty sure I've never had one of these heathland boggy bit specialists anywhere on Patch before. Certainly at the Nose. {Black-tailed Skimmer yes, many times, but not Keeled}

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

2/ And for those of you who are, here's some more bad pics of seabirds in the rain. 😆🦉

'Just a few' Kittiwakes by the Ore Stone.

Three Common Terns and a Kittiwake passing behind the Lead Stone {with Shag}

Juvenile Common Terns. Blurry thing on right is a diving tern!

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

For those of you not so interested in seawatching, bad pics of birds, and multiple versions of the same bit of scenery, here are some pretty flowers from t'Nose {and very nearby}; 🌼🐝

Autumn Lady's Tresses with a Common Carder Bee, near Hope's Nose {where they do grow, but are harder to get photos of as pretty as this one}

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

And even more, with some more scenic views of the variable weather. 😄 3/

The South-West's Biggest Chumming Machine activated. Many terns and Kittiwakes came in!

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

More from the Nose, and look out, it's a Bonxie! Also a nice close juvie Yellow-legged Gull, though not quite posing ideally 🦉 2/

Juvenile Great Skua flying behind the Ore Stone.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

At last! Proper weather! 🌬️🌧️🌊 Seawatching @ Hope's Nose from 0645 opened with a Sooty 😄, then a Cory's @ 0648 😃 Big shear fest failed to follow, but a horde of terns + lots of skuas {by today's standards, anyway..} made up for it. Assorted horrific pics ensue, with details in the alts; 🦉 1/

View from Hope's Nose. Lead Stone on the left, Ore Stone on the right. There are ~270 Kittiwakes sat on the Lead Stone, though you'll be lucky to make them out in the gloom!

Suddenly, it got lighter! Visibility still ~1km, though with probably thousands of shearwaters and petrels and albatrosses passing by unseen in the gunk... {Ok, maybe not, but there was stuff out there, I know it!}

Told you there were lots of Kittiwakes on the Lead Stone.

Common Tern, adult.

Ok, numbers;
Six hours, all passage South.

Gannet 1385, Kittiwake 1200 {undercount}, Manxie 338, Balearic 100, Cory's Shearwater 1, large shearwater sp. {prob Cory's} 1, Sooty Shearwater 3, Common Tern 802 {undercount}, Sandwich Tern 43, Arctic Tern 4, Black Tern 2, Guillemot 59, Razorbill 52, Arctic Skua 13, Pomarine Skua 3, Bonxie 2, Long-tailed Skua 2 {1 adult, 1 juv}, Fulmar 6, YL Gull 4, Med Gull 1, small waders prob. Dunlin 26, small waders prob. Sanderling 8, hirundines 28

A lot frenetic at times, with birds passing at all ranges {thus tern undercount} and visibility yoyoing - it was lots of fun!

@shiphaybirder reckoned 1000+ Common Tern and I wouldn't be surprised at all. I was counting what I could ID {thus no commics}. Though when they came in at zero range {as many did} that wasn't so hard.!

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Big Boss 🎩 to you. 👍 Here's the closest thing I could find;

This is not a Greenish Warbler. Or even a warbler. Oh well...

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Hearing from @shiphaybirder.bsky.social that he'd found a Greenish Warbler at the Nose, I had to have a try. 🤷 Knowing phylloscs like to filter along the North Slope, I looked there, & found a bunch of mostly Chiffs busily feeding. Assorted pics below. 🦉 {Spoiler: I failed. You're shocked, I know}

It's a Phylloscopus warbler!
This is a Chiffchaff. Probably.
There was at least 1 Willow Warbler present, and something greenish {note lower case} flicked between two treetops once, but that's the closest I got.

"Hey, I'm green and whitish, and I've got a long super, two-tone bill, and one wingbar!"
This 1cy Firecrest got me going nicely before I finally got a better view....
Then it just posed in the open to rub it in, the fiend.

What's this? Another frickin' juvie Firecrest.

Most Chiffchaffs were evenly olive-brown, giving the near bisyllabic 'migrant call'; always helpful.

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

2/ My failure to give up {I got up to Colyford Common & back..} was rewarded when, as if by magic, the Red-necked Phalarope re-appeared! 😃 Views were wonderful, {if not as close as for @stephmurphy.bsky.social }, though the bird's erratic movements made pics.. Iffy. 🤷 What a bird, though! 😍 🦉

Red-necked Phalarope, plus raindrops, showing good wake!

RN Phal. You can just about make out the wonderful knitting needle bill in this one.

Scope views were brilliant. Digiscoped attempts... not so much. But you can see more detail on the upperpart markings; twin Vs of golden diamonds {very nice}

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The Backward Birder @backwardbirder.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Circumstances meant I couldn't try for a Devon✅ Red-necked Phalarope until Tuesday morning. Arriving at The Black Hole to find that the bird HAD been there but had flown off was.. Vexing. I did not give up {Patience & Persistence are there for a reason, after all} & there were things to see: 🦉🐉🦟 1/

This Snipe was foraging waaaay out in the open. This is Not Usual, and I suspect a sign of how bad the drought has dried things out...

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