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Dr David W. Smith

@drdavebirding.bsky.social
132 followers 57 following 93 posts

Birder, Ecologist & Wildlife Conservationist. Views my own. Born when CO2 was at c.337 parts per million. #selffoundbirding #kentbirding

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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Highlights over the last two days around Reculver/Minnis Bay have been a male & female bearded tit yesterday, a dartford warbler today. Plenty of chiffchaff, a few blackcap, the odd firecrest. Butterflies still on the wing, including wall brown, clouded yellow & small copper. #kentbirding
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Alexander Lees @alexanderlees.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Shifting baselines #UKBirding
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Lovely morning birding Reculver today, highlights being spotted redshank, black and bar-tailed godwits, 2 raven and a good sprinkling of chiffchaff. 2 hummingbird hawkmoth, 2 clouded yellow and several wall brown. #kentbirding
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Record shots of Pectoral Sandpiper found by John Young at Beacon Pools, Spurn #spurnbirds @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
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Dungeness Bird Observatory @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
A brilliant control Sedge Warbler from this morning! This bird was ringed at 05:50hrs yesterday morning at Lychett Bay in Dorset, it was then caught in our first round this morning at around 05:30am! It had travelled 213km within 24hrs. #kentbirding
The Sedge Warbler from Lychett Bay, photographed in the hand at Dungeness
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Highlight today, whilst working. #kentdragonflies
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
My wife's definition of birding: "Birding consists of either being out birding, or scrolling and being grumpy about what others have seen and/or found, but you haven't.".... thoughts?!
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
@lesserspotnet.bsky.social #kentbirding @ukrbbp.bsky.social
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
It's coming to the end of lesser spot season, and chicks are fledging. Listen out for calling chicks if you're in the woods. Video by Paul Cox (thanks Paul for permission to use).
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
This past fortnight, I've managed to see a few mammals around Kent, from brown hare, pipistrelle bats emerging from their roost - to beaver, a family of fox and rabbit.
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
To anyone birding in Kent, please remember to take & submit good notes of the UK Rare Breeding Birds you see. For ducks look out for male/female pairs, females and ducklings. #kentbirding #ukbirding @ukrbbp.bsky.social
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
Some heavily cropped photos of the adult female red-footed falcon I found today at Reculver. #kentbirding
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
... more Sylvia warbler photos. #cyprusbirds
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
...and finally some more wheatears. #cyprusbirds
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
More wheatears! #cyprusbirds
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Back home and reviewing some of my photos from Cyprus. One of the best birding locations I've experienced in Europe/Western Palearctic. Lots of amazing birds, including a wonderful selection of stunning wheatear, with lots of variation too. #cyprusbirds
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British Ornithologists’ Union (BOU) @bou.org.uk · 01/04/2026
🔊 WE'RE RECRUITING Would you like to play a central role in delivering our journal IBIS and engaging with the #ornithology community? Join us as our Journal and Engagement Manager! ⏰ Apply by 14 April bou.org.uk/vacancy-j... 🪶
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Is this where some of the orchids are? Loss of habitat for reptiles, breeding birds, invertebrates and lots more. There are better ways to manage flood risk whilst safeguarding nature. Poor show.
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Savi's warbler from earlier in holiday. All the birds I heard reeling were from dense scrub. #cyprusbirds
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Highlight from yesterday was watching 2 little crake, and as I was leaving a small flock of blue-cheeked bee eater flew over. #cyprusbirds.
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
A wonderful selection of Mediterranean birds this morning, at Greco, Cyprus. #cyprusbirds
Spectacled WarblerFemale collared flycatcher Male Semi-collared Flycatcher Woodchat Shrike
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
Some other highlights from yesterday's afternoon arrival, all within a stroll from the holiday digs. #cyprusbirds
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
orca.org.uk/species-sigh... Some info, should I be correct. But I still recommend seeking other views as I could well be wrong.
orca.org.uk
Sowerby's beaked whale
ORCA protects whales and dolphins in waters around the world
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
I'm on holiday at the moment, so don't have access to my id books, but the location of the teeth is key to id. It is a beaked whale.
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
As per my direct reply, and I'm a little rusty now on cetacean id, but maybe Sowerby's. If you pause the video when you see the jaw line, it looks like you can see teeth mid way along jaw.
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
Maybe Sowerby's beaked whale. When you see the jaw, looks like teeth mid way along the jaw. I'm a little rusty on cetacean id now. Worth asking for 2nd opinions
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
...but I'd welcome id thoughts on for or against. Got good birding mates, who have different views.
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
Got lucky this afternoon when I found this stunner, during a bit of fall. Turkestan shrike. #cyprusbirds
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Nice late afternoon find near the holiday digs. #cyprusbirds
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
After playing hide and seek, and then deciding to head back to the car, the masked shrike decided to fly and land in front of me. ##cyprusbirds
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Always a good day when you find a bluethroat on migration. This is from today, but probably the same bird from yesterday. Cape Greco #cyprusbirds.
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Enjoying my morning strolls and bumping into a few of these beauties each morning. Across 3 visits to Greco I've seen the following sylvia warblers (all well): eastern subalpine; ruppell's; eastern orphean; cyprus; sardian; spectacled; lesser whitethroat; whitethroat & blackcap. #cyprusbirds.
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Today, I fluked a pic of the bird in flight. Showing distinctive white rump/ upper tail.
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Jonathan Dodds @jdbirder.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
What a weekend! It was a privilege for Kent to host 2026 @lesserspotnet.bsky.social workshop in the Blean! Interesting discussions had between different regions, good connections made, exciting things ahead. Some Lesser Spots didn’t go a miss either @kentishplover.bsky.social @ukrbbp.bsky.social
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Paul Cox @paulc090316.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
@lesserspotnet.bsky.social took five hours to locate this little fella - The Blean, Kent, 21st March
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Ed Horncastle @edhorncastle.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
I saw some early signs of excavating at the weekend and come hail or shine this male lesser spot was busy excavating today. My earliest views of excavation. @lesserspotnet.bsky.social #Birds @angusrobin.bsky.social
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
Away from the adopted holiday patch, we bumped into two great spotted cuckoo. A species high on the UK self-found dream list. Targets corvid nests, particularly magpie. #cyprusbirds.
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
One of the birds of the day from Cape Greco. #cyprusbirds
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
One of my highlights from today whilst out for a late afternoon stroll with my wife in Cyprus. Wasn't expecting such a corker. #cyprusbirds.
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Simon Gillings @simongillings.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
Back from a great @lesserspotnet.bsky.social weekend in Kent discussing the monitoring, ecology and conservation of our smallest woodpecker. Infectious enthusiasm and a wealth of skills and experience shared, topped off by actually seeing them! xeno-canto.org/1086062 #ornithology
xeno-canto.org
XC1086062 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dryobates minor)
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Mark Eaton @markaeaton.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
Had a superb weekend in Kent courtesy of @lesserspotnet.bsky.social’s workshop, hearing of all the exciting developments in Lesser Spotted Woodpecker monitoring & research, topped by great views of the birds themselves 😍 - my first for a decade!
Male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, KentFemale Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kent
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Mark Eaton @markaeaton.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
4+ Water Pipits commuting between cut reedbeds at Westbere and the water meadows to the south this evening, as viewed from the north bank of the Stour #kentbirding
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Mark Eaton @markaeaton.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
What a thrill, my first 🇬🇧 Beavers! Saw two along the River Stour east of Fordwich, Kent this evening - located in the darkness by the loud wood-munching sounds! #ukmammals #uknature
BeaverBeaver
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Dr David W. Smith @drdavebirding.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
Success! Lesser spotted woodpeckers, a male and female pair. The morning after the lesser spotted woodpecker workshop. @ukrbbp.bsky.social @lesserspotnet.bsky.social
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The Rare Breeding Birds Panel @ukrbbp.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
It’s nearly March, spring is springing, and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel has emerged from hibernation again to encourage you to get out recording rare breeding birds #UKbirding #ornithology
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petermaton.bsky.social @petermaton.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Bossenden Wood last couple of days: Lesser Spot, Great Spot, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Firecrest, Goldcrest, Stock Dove, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Blue Tits, Great Tits and LT Tits. #kentbirding
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Jonathan Dodds @jdbirder.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
And we’re off! With conditions less than favourable so far, it was good to get out to the Blean. Between 5-6 birds, including drumming and two territorial females ‘chittering’ started the LSW season off nicely #kentbirding @lesserspotnet.bsky.social
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Craig Sammels @eastkentbirder.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
I’ve now set up a YouTube channel called Kent Birding with some poorly taken videos of some things I have seen, very rough no editing. Here is my latest uploaded, follow if you like! #kentbirding youtu.be/6ejXbcCjfMI?...
youtu.be
Bewick’s Swans, Pink-footed Geese & Tundra Bean Geese - Walland Marsh, Kent, UK. 6th February 2026.
YouTube video by Kent Birding
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Ian Searle @forstal.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
This Thursday evening’s talk at Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory is about wardening for a year on the island of Bardsey All are welcome #kentbirding
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James Bullock @jmbecologist.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
New book on rewilding! A curated collection of 27 articles published in British Wildlife over the last 5 yrs So, accessible & nicely produced for a broad readership And I’m one of the authors. Cheap at the price (£16.99)! www.britishwildlife.com/wilding/
britishwildlife.com
wilding - British Wildlife
Wilding for Conservation: An Exploration of Rewilding in Britain The complete collection of articles from British WIldlife‘s acclaimed Wilding for Conservation series – an unflinching appraisal of the...
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