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Ouse Fen Birder

@brickert.bsky.social
179 followers 210 following 134 posts

I think therefore I bird. Local patch RSPB Ouse Fen and RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes. Achieved birding ambition of seeing a representative from every bird family worldwide in 2024.

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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Yes, it came out of the same patch of rough grass as one roosted in a year or two ago.
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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 · 04/09/2026
Migrating through: I think the nearest breeding birds are miles away, in the Brecks
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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.
Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper
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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
And a spot of video too.
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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 · 25/08/2026
Can't quite believe it ... a Nightjar hawking insects at Middle Fen, RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes this evening: Patch Gold!!
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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.
Spotted Flycatcher
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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.
Juvenile Whinchat on barbed wire fence
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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
Black-necked Grebe
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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Another nice picture
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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Lovely vocal juvenile Common Cuckoo near Horningsea, Cambs this morning.
Juvenile Common Cuckoo and
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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
Southern Emerald Damselfly image
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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
Corr!
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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
#RareBirdsUK
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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
A still from the above video
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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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Reposted by Ouse Fen Birder
Jeremy Lindsell @jeremylindsell.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Ridiculous birds and wonderful. Black-winged Stilt at Fen Drayton, Cambs today found by @brickert.bsky.social #UKbirding
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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 · 23/04/2026
Well done Andy to get the pix to prove this bird's origins. I don't know how many WTEs known not to be from reintroduction projects have been recorded in the UK this century but I bet it's not many.
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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 · 12/04/2026
Brilliant - thanks Andy: I was only going on the ring colour, I couldn’t get any code characters. A Dutch origin is super fantastic news - it means it’s of wild origin and thus a superb UK self-found mega-tick!!
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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Superb photos btw!
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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Andy - I saw the eagle at Fen Drayton the evening before (and the following day as it headed to Ouse Washes). I’m very interested in its origins. I understand Tim Mackrill has asked you for high resolution images of the rings. My initial research suggests it may be a German-ringed wild bird.
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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, 01/04/2026Adult Ring-billed Gull, Slapton Ley, Devon, 01/04/2026Adult Ring-billed Gull, Slapton Ley, Devon, 01/04/2026
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Ouse Fen Birder @brickert.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Having looked at lots of Bewick’s photos, I finally found one of a juvenile with two yellow points on its bill (although no yellow across the bridge). So, it appears this bird is an extreme example of variation in Bewick’s
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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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