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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 16h

Shetland 2026 Summary 2/2 Purple Sands, Jack Snipe, Scaup, Slav Grebes, Curlew Sand, Merlins, Minke Whale, Porpoise, Mountain Hares, Otter - 1 Lifer.

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 16h

Shetland 2026 Summary 1/2 SibeBRobin, TwobGreen, Lancy Warbler, OBP, 4x BBSands, King Eider, SibeChat, Citrine Wag, GGShrike, 2x Barred Warbler, 3x RbFly, 2x Rosefinch, YBWs, Firecrest, LapBunt, Pied Flys, Spot Flys, Redstart, GNDs, Red Grouse, 22 Sooty Shears, 5 Manx Shears...

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Shetland 2026 - Day 10 Challenging weather again. Surprised to find the Buff-breast Sand in its usual field with another two by the A970 nr Fleck. GGShrike finally gave itself up to everyone at Bixter,(check out it's hover!). RbFly at Ollaberry(thanks to Steve(?) for BOC). Red Grouse, 2 Redpoll

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Shetland 2026 - Day 9 Hardly saw anything, should have stayed in bed 😅 Brief & poor view of the OBP at Maywick with a YBW there too. Lesser W'throat nr Aithsetter where MC flushed the Quail. Several Porpoise in Mousa Sound. Red Grouse, ♂️ Merlin, 3 Mountain Hare at Bixter.

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Reposted by Paul Baker

Darrel @darrelbryant.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Nice to connect with the Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler @gibpointbirdobs.bsky.social Yesterday afternoon. Picture by John Edwards #RareBirdsUK

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Shetland 2026 - Day 8 Surprisingly quiet today. The highlight being the Firecrest, a rare bird up here. Went back to the King Eider & SibeChat. Scratched around for Merlin, YBWs, Bramblings, Siskin, Red Admiral at Kergord. GNDiver & 2 RtDivers - Lerwick Harbour. PalebBrent at Virkie.

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Shetland 2026 - Day 7 Wow 💥 Standout highlight was of course the Siberian Blue Robin ✔️ with a Two-barred Greenish showing quite well nearby. Add in SibeChat, BBSand, 2 Barred Warblers, 2 Rosefinches, several YBWs, Reed Bunts and Bramblings, 2 HHMoths and a Red Admiral - What a day! 💪

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Shetland 2026 - Day 6 Dull with 50+mph wind & heavy rain late pm meant sites needed to be chosen carefully. Otter at Boddam. RbFly at Sumburgh Hotel with Redstart in quarry. YBW, Brambling, Wheatear at Toab. YBW, Spot Fly, Pied Fly, 2 Goldeneye at Wadbister. Photos by JD

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Shetland 2026 - Day 5 More birds on the island meant more dips today 😅 Pied Fly & 3 Purple Sands in Lerwick. 25 Redpoll & a few Siskin in Sound. RbFly & YBW at Lower Voe, with 20+ Goosanders on the loch. Finished the day with relatively good view of Lancy on the deck at Aswick.

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Shetland 2026 - Day 4 Very quiet but scratched around for a few bits. 3 Purple Sands at Melby, Magpie at Sandness, Spot Fly at Garth, YBW & Garden Warbler ringed at Geosetter. Goldcrests, Blackcaps and a Kestrel the best of the rest, & £122 of diesel to fill up the car 😱

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Shetland 2026 - Day 1 None of our bags arrived 😱, so no 'scope, no clothes, no coat, no wellies, no toiletries - same pants & socks beckon for tomorrow 🤣 Birding wise, relatively slow... Buff-breasted Sand, ♀️ King Eider, Red Grouse, Pinkfeet - not much else 🫤 Photos by JD

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Shetland 2026 - Day 2 Finally connected with the Citrine Wagtail at Quendale this afternoon at the 4th attempt. Other highlights: Buff-breasted Sandpiper nr Fleck, Pied Fly, 2 Merlin, Sparrowhawk, 4 Slav Grebes, ♂️ Scaup, Jack Snipe & a Minke Whale 🐋 - & my luggage arrived 😊

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Shetland 2026 - Day 3 Quiet on the birding front & very windy. Lapland Bunting at Eshaness the standout highlight, although 22 Sooty Shears & 5 Manx in a few hours late pm were notable. Otherwise GNDiver, Bonxie, Sprawk, Knot, Barnacle Goose best of the rest.

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

The Citrine Wagtail at Quendale, Shetland, finally gave itself up this evening at the 4th attempt. #RareBirdsUK

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I'm surprised there aren't many photos of the juvenile Red-footed Falcon in Lowestoft 🤣 Here's my phonescoped video during a very brief stop on my way home from Cromer this afternoon.

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

The Purple Sandpiper at Gunners Park, Shobury showed very nicely over high tide this evening 😊 #EssexBirding

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Bit of a fun 'twitch' to look for the Rainham A13 White Stork this evening. It was roosting on it's favoured lamp post. I quite like the industrial landscape married with the setting sun and the silhouetted stork. #EssexBirding @neilchambers78.bsky.social

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

A totally unexpected mid-summer garden tick today. A fem/imm Black Redstart feeding on my south Essex driveway, nowhere near any historic breeding site!! I didn't have my phone on me, but here's a snippet from the CCTV #EssexBirding

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Thanks Mark, that's really kind, I appreciate that 👍 It's just a phonescope video grab, but I do like the composition 😊

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

The beautiful Long-tailed Shrike today at Crail. It was even seen and heard singing this morning. Good views of Peregrine, Tree Sparrows, Yellowhammers and Corn Buntings too. #RareBirdsUK

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Black-winged Kite still roosting yesterday near Sea Palling at 06:30. Was then well placed for the news of a Caspian Tern at Hickling where Bitterns, Cranes, Spoonbills, Hobbies, GWEgret, LRPs and Bearded Tits made for a very pleasant and productive 30 minutes. #NorfolkBirding

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Westleton Heath yesterday with Neil C The rather mobile male Red-backed Shrike, a family of Little Owls, Stone Curlews, Dartford Warblers, Woodlarks and SSBlue Butterflies - not bad! No sign of Red-footed Falcon but found a SD CARD from a Canon EO6 R6 ##SuffolkBirds

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Not only did I get the date wrong, but the location as well. This was of course at Caernarfon within sight of the castle. That'll teach me for posting on here after a long day!

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Hi Simon, I saw from your posts that you were there yesterday, shame we missed one another. I didn't get there until 16:30 and watched it continuously through to 17:30 at which point it took a fly around & landed out of view, so we left. 10 mins later I hear it's flown off over the castle!

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Surprised that there aren't many photos or videos of the Western Reef Heron in Caerphilly....😅 So here's a video from 17:30 on 17th June. #RareBirdsUK

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

You'll have to trust me on this one! It was quite a surprise to see an Osprey from my house this evening, flying east to west along the ridgeline to the north of Blue House Farm. Can't imagine there's too many, if any in Essex currently. #EssexBirding

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Short-eared Owl still patrolling the seawall at the bottom of my south Essex garden just now. #EssexBirding

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Calling Cuckoo from my house this afternoon in south Essex. He arrived back on 30th April. #EssexBirding

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Great to still have a Short-eared Owl lingering into May here in south Essex. Seen from my house this evening. #EssexBirding

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Love the low angle on that photo 📸 👍

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Really didn't anticipate a Ross's Gull on a lake today, 30 minutes from home on a warm and sunny day in Essex! Great to see all the Essex birders turning out for this county first and thanks to @ETilburyBirder for the excellent find.

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

The Tawny Pipit at Landguard showed superbly this afternoon to myself and NC #SuffolkBirds ##RareBirdsUK

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

The Tawny Pipit popped up in front of us this afternoon at a very blustery Landguard with NC. Never expected views this good! #SuffolkBirds #RareBirdsUK

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Thanks Simon, no I haven't had time to build one however I do have a large, undisturbed corner with logs, planks, grass cuttings which might work as a poor substitute.

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Feeling very fortunate to have Adder as a regular garden visitor now. This female looks to have eaten recently and was tasting the air as I approached. Taken in south Essex.

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Nah! Managed to glimpse one a few years ago when a pair spent a few weeks there 😀. I will still be looking out for this one, although unfortunately I'm not at home all day until this evening.

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

An excellent house tick this evening with a White Stork flying west along the Crouch over Blue House Farm. They look almost prehistoric in flight! #EssexBirding

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Not often you get to hear a Woodpigeon described as 'wonderful'!

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

The first day of sunshine in what feels like ages, and I was thrilled to see the Short-eared Owl was still around at the bottom of the garden. 5 Yellowhammers, 3 Red Kites, singing Corn Bunting, Song Thrush and Cetti's made for an uplifting afternoon. #EssexBirding

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Reposted by Paul Baker

Mike Gaston @impatientbirder.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Rather modest record shots of Red flanked Bluetail near Gressenhall, this morning. A 'lifer' for me. A popular bird, and my thanks to the knowledgeable local birders helping to spot this mobile bird to visitors. #Norfolkbirding

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Despite viewing being somewhat obstructed by my new found friend 🕊😂, an impressive 106 Corn Buntings were atop their favoured tree this evening. A pair of Yellowhammers around the garden included a singing male. Earlier, 3 Red Kites & 7 Buzzards were airborne together. #EssexBirding

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

Some of the 93 Corn Buntings adorning the tree by my garden which borders a setaside field. Poor quality photo as taken at an angle through double glazing. There's a partial leucistic Corn Bunt in the centre of the photo too. Also, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunts, Stonechats and Barn Owl. #EssexBirding

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

2 of 2 Espied 4 White-fronted Geese on Blue House Farm this evening from my house. No sign of 'my' Short-eared Owl this evening in poor weather but...friend and birder Matt got this cracking photo of it yesterday evening with the Brent in the background - just so evocative 😍 #EssexBirding

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Paul Baker @bakerboybirding.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

1 of 2 Barn Owl came out again during the brief lull in the rain this evening. Phonescoped from indoors. #EssexBirding

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Reposted by Paul Baker

Hugh Harrop @hughharrop.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

The Bittern obeying the RSPB rules and regs at Loch of Spiggie, Shetland... #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #UKWildlife #Birds

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