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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

This hunting Short-eared Owl near Over this evening did a close fly-by: footage on my iPhone. Thanks to the finder, Andy Wood

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Yes, so good to have a 100% reliable modern photo rather than having to rely on those pesky sharp-eyed human observers.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Some footage of the stunning juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper ...

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

What’s going on here? The 14th Pectoral Sandpiper I’ve found in East Anglia (11 in Cambs & 3 in Norfolk). This one a pristine juvenile. It’s only the 2nd recorded at RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes - and my 1st sighting there.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

The 8th Red-backed Shrike I’ve found in the UK but only my 2nd juvenile. This one just west of Holkham Nudist Beach at; 52°58'29.9"N 0°47'12.5"E. However, it appears to have moved on just before the rain began. I’ve not seen it for the past 45mins.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Unbelievably my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year locally today. There used to be several breeding pairs around Over but only one pair I’m aware up until last year and now none this year.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Lovely juvenile Wood Sandpiper at Moore Lake, RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes this evening.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Thought my luck was in when I first saw this sandpiper distantly at Ferry Mere, RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes last night (21/08) - but aside from the very short tail relative to wing length, I can't find any other pro-Spotted Sand features, so presumably it's a Common Sand (re)growing its tail.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Always nice to see juvenile Whinchats in August locally at RSPB Ouse Fen. I still haven’t seen a Spotted Flycatcher locally this year though: they were a locally common breeder here 10 years ago.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

The @OctopusEnergy team fitting my heat pump finished for the day so we settled down to watch the #OctoEclipse using the colander

Partial eclipse pattern generated through a colander

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Great to see a pair of Lesser Emperors in tandem ovipositing at RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes today. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Nice Black-necked Grebe at RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes this evening

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Lovely vocal juvenile Common Cuckoo near Horningsea, Cambs this morning.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Southern Emerald Damselfly: my first and - I think - first Cambs records. Fantastic find by Andrew Maddocks. Also Clouded Yellow and several Southern Migrant Hawkers in the same area @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Our regular adult Caspian Gull has been back at Ferry several days now. I think it’s the third summer it has visited RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Slightly different pose with that annoying twig in front photoshopped out

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Couldn’t resist going … the Long-tailed Shrike gave scorching views this morning to the assembled crowd. Many thanks to everyone involved with organising the parking etc. #RareBirdsUK

Long-tailed Shrike on Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire border

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

And a snippet of a moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper from 15th July.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

A stunning leucistic Bar-tailed Godwit at RSPB Snettisham on 14th July. #LeucisticBirds #UKBirding

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Related to the above: my wife took this photo of a swan family at Tombstone TP, Yukon, Canada last month. The insets of the adults show the lh bird is a Trumpeter and the rh bird is a Tundra Swan. @jenteo.bsky.social #birdhybrids

Pair of swans plus 5 cygnets in Canada: one adult is a Trumpeter Swan, the other a Tundra Swan

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Second year running for me to bump into a Semipalmated Sandpiper at RSPB Snettisham. This one from Rotary hide last night (15th July)

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

The Temminck’s Stint at Rainton Meadows, Durham late afternoon. Rather better views than the one I saw at RSPB Ouse Fen earlier in the spring !

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Finally got around to going for the Black-winged Kite in Norfolk: it put on a good show catching its breakfast

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

2CY Caspian Gulls seem to be becoming a regular feature in May locally: population shift or we’re just more familiar with their appearance? This was one of two at RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes this morning.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Appalling heat haze but my first Black-winged Stilt at RSPB Fen Drayton - unless, like the last one, it turns out to be an escape. If not, only my 2nd self-found BwS in the UK #RareBirdsUK

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

I've adjusted the colour levels to give a closer impression of how it appeared in the field. The whitish covert fringes, few black belly markings & distinct dark bill tip allegedly favour Russian WFG - but see the November juv Greenland WFG in here: www.birdguides.com/articles/ide...

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

My first Wood Sandpiper of the spring, just before it got run over by a Lapwing: RSPB Berry Fen yesterday.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Bittern at RSPB Ouse Fen today (19th April): it spent at least 5 minutes sat out in the open at Lockspit Mere

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

A short-clip of said goose. My gut reaction is it's a Greenland WfG, but happy for someone to point out whether that's correct or not.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

An interesting 2CY White-fronted Goose at South Huish Marsh, Devon, today: likely the same individual that's been in the Slapton Ley/SHM area since November 2025. First reported as a Greenland WfG, it is now being reported as a Russian WfG. The bill is orange but it has a small dark tip.

White-fronted Goose, South Huish Marsh, Devon.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

An adult Ring-billed Gull on Slapton Ley, Devon, this afternoon was a much appreciated UK find. It flew off north and was lost to view at 16:03.

Adult Ring-billed Gull, Slapton Ley, Devon, 01/04/2026

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

This young swan hanging around with the local Mutes has been causing some headaches. Inset shows it’s Bewick’s-sized but bill pattern (especially lhs) & head/bill structure closer - but not quite right - for Whooper. Could it be a hybrid? #birdhybrids

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

And this is the same view through the phone camera

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

This is how it appeared in the thermal

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

It was almost unthinkable prior to thermals to find a Jack Snipe without flushing it first

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

Somewhat surprised to find an adult dark-bellied Brent Goose this afternoon at Radford Meadows, Staffs. Apparently a site first. @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

Our semi-resident female "Ferruginous Duck" on RSPB Berry Fen today. I'm still not 100% convinced it's not a hybrid: the pale U shape on the bill is just a bit too well-marked.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

It’s only taken me 43 years to see Eurasian Eagle-owl again: this one in a park in Madrid, Spain

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

A bit surprised when a Glossy Ibis walked out at cell 10, RSPB Ouse Fen this morning: I’d already been waiting 90 minutes to confirm the identity of 5 Ringed Plovers and a juv Little Stint. Amazing how birds hide away there.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

A few bits and pieces from birding around RSPB Ouse Fen and Fen Drayton Lakes yesterday: (clockwise) Whinchat, Whinchat flying, distant pair Cranes, adult Caspian Gull, Glossy Ibis (one of two).

Birds from RSPB Ouse Fen and Fen Drayton Lakes on 18/09/2025

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Just watched the superb Yes Minister where Hacker accepts the job of Transport Supremo, tasked with developing an Integrated Transport Policy - so no surprises when I awoke to find my train was no longer stopping at the station I’d bought a ticket for!

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

Just back from a few days at RSPB Snettisham, recording a remarkable 25 species of waders. Love the place!

Flock of Sanderling with a Ringed Plovers, Dunlins and a Little Stint

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

Wonderful to meet my old mate Mike Carr at RSPB Ouse Fen recently: good job he recognised me as I didn’t recognise him. It must be more than 30 years since we last met and both of us are showing a few miles on the clock @mike-carr.bsky.social

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

Same bird? A 2CY Arctic Tern I videoed on 27th July at RSPB Snettisham

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Video grabs of White-rumped Sandpiper at RSPB Snettisham this morning. It appears the individual pre-high tide (l) is different to the one post-high tide. @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Adult White-rumped Sand showing well on mud in front of benches RSPB Snettisham 10:40 @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social

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