iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

20 years ago today! Imagine easterlies with rain mid August these days...

Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

A total of nine Roseate Tern seen on Seaton Snook tonight (7 ad, 2 juv) by 8pm. Decent number of Sandwich Tern but very little else and again very, very few waders. Sadly no Sooty or Bridled Terns either…🙄 #NEBirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Very quiet out on Teesmouth tonight but some smart looking Waders arriving/passing through. Very few Terns about but of 62 Sandwich Tern on view 32 were juvs, so an indication of a good breeding season? #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull from Saltholme this morning. Well grown and looking very smart. Will presumably be on the wing very soon! A great breeding record for Cleveland/Co. Durham. #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 28/02/2026

Two Tundra Bean Geese from Saltholme West this morning. The last month or so has produced an influx of this species into Britain. Cleveland has seen an impressive arrival of maybe 40 birds? #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

With news that the Northumberland White-tailed Eagle was heading south Jamie Duffie and myself positioned ourselves by Hart Village in the vain hope we would connect with it. Incredibly of all the fields, it appeared over the very field we were overlooking! Superb views as it headed south #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

. @ianfouk.bsky.social Is this bird known to you? Presumably it’s a regular? #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

Three Scaup seen at Bowesfield Marsh this afternoon. A scarce bird in Cleveland these days. Nice to see after a blank 2025 for me! #NEBirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

Glaucous Gull and two of the three Waxwing seen at Bowesfield Marsh this afternoon. I think the Glaucous Gull could be the same bird seen in Acklam on 11th January? #NEBirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

Two Cormorants on Archers Pond, Bowesfield Marsh today, nicely showing the difference between “Sinensis” (L/H Bird) and “Carbo” races. A pair of Goldeneye also present. #NEBirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

A few record shots taken in murky conditions of the four Tundra Bean Geese I found at Cowpen Bewley today. Nice to get in on the recent influx. The first in Cleveland since early January 2023! #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

A second visit to Acklam Cemetery was in order today when Martin Blick found this superb Glaucous Gull on an adjacent sports field! Seen later a bit closer from the Avenue Of Trees off Hall Drive. A very rare bird for Middlesbrough! #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

Finally managed to get a decent view and photographs of the long staying Hooded Crow in Acklam Cemetery, Middlesbrough. No longer classed as a full species but still a great bird! #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

Black-throated Diver from Jackson’s Landing, Hartlepool yesterday and still present today. A classic site for the species in Cleveland. Cracking looking bird and great to see after failing to see one at all last year. Best I could do as it was always very distant! #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

Paid the South Gare Bluethroat another visit this afternoon. Had gone missing, but soon found it feeding around the Fisherman’s Cabins. The bird shows incredibly well at times! Such a great bird! #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

Black Redstart also seen at South Gare this afternoon, in the classic location of the Boat Yard. #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

A couple more of the South Gare Bluethroat. In the second photo it’s doing its very best to look super rare… #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

Bluethroat from South Gare, Cleveland this afternoon. A very late record. Think we were all surprised by this one! Very rare birds these days, so an opportunity not to be missed! Thanks to the finder. #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

A few pics of the superb adult winter Slavonian Grebe found in M’bro Dock this morning, taken in poor conditions. Middlesbrough’s 3rd record following birds on Hemlington Lake Feb/Mar 1981 and a very popular bird on a small pond by the Law Courts in the town centre Jan 1996. #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 08/11/2025

Olive-backed Pipit from South Gare today. Cleveland’s 5th record following hot on the heels of the 2023 Hartlepool bird. This one showed very well at times and a nice “grip back” for a few locals that missed out previously. A well marked bird, just look at those legs! Great find by NAP. #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

The Middlesbrough section of the River Tees was very productive today. Along with the pair of Velvet Scoter, we also had three Long-tailed Duck fly towards the Riverside Stadium! Whooper Swan and Great Crested Grebe also seen. If only it was always like this! #NEbirding #Urbanbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

A pair of Velvet Scoters on the River Tees today. Initially showed very well before lucky doing one loop of the river up to the Riverside Stadium before heading back downstream again and landing in Stockton, then Redcar waters! Another new species for Middlesbrough! #NEbirding #Urbanbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

American Wigeon from Stoneybeck Lake, Co.Durham late morning. Finally got round to paying this bird a visit. Moulting out of eclipse and starting to look quite smart! Also 8 Pochard and a Goosander flew over. #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

Grey Partridge feeding on the recently mown grass verge, precariously close to the road by the start of the Zinc Works Road this morning. #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

A peach of a Curlew Sandpiper seen on Seaton Snook this morning amongst the 100’s of Dunlin and Ringed Plover. Was also joined by a brief Little Stint. #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 23/08/2025

Great photo of a great bird in typical South Gare habitat! 19 years ago though!

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

Been watching a pair of Oystercatchers that nested by the Transporter Bridge (North side). Started off on June 1st with three young, this had reduced to just the one by the 8th, still going strong on 14th and starting to look the part today! Guess one out of three is a success? NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

Two Wood Sandpiper seen at Saltholme today. Showing rather well! #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

Was very fortunate to find Cleveland/Co.Durhams 2nd record of Pacific Golden Plover tonight. 30 years since the 1st! A few pics that show most of the identification points. I can remember being only a few hundred meters away from the 1st bird when it was found back in August 1995! #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

A few different takes on today’s Song Sparrow at Thornwick Bay, East Yorkshire and a crowd shot taken as I left at 17.30, a great afternoon off work!

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

Song Sparrow from Thornwick Bay, East Yorkshire this afternoon. Went from being skulking and elusive to showing really well at times! Not a British Tick but my 1st since the Seaforth Docks, Liverpool bird way back in Oct 1994! #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Glossy Ibis still present on Bowesfield Marsh, Cleveland tonight. Great to see after a blank 2024 for this species. Once a real County Mega but now almost expected! I can still remember my first at Haverton in May 1992! #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

Two Adult Kittiwake flew upstream past the Transporter Bridge, Middlesbrough this morning. Quite a scarce bird for the Borough! Although four were seen on 21-04-25 and one on 26-04-25 along the same stretch of river, could a pair or two be nesting not too far away? #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 10/05/2025

Time flies...10 year ago today started with a dash to Norfolk for Britain's 2nd Citril Finch (my 500th British Tick at the time), then a very frantic dash back home for the superb Red-throated Pipit (a Major Cleveland Grip Back) on Seaton Common found by @coldodsworth.bsky.social quite a day...

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

Black Redstart and Wheatear from South Gare tonight. The Black Red was very elusive, only managed these two pics before it flew and vanished! Seen between the Bomb Hole and Pilot Station. #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

My first view of the White-tailed Eagle watched from the Middlesbrough side of the Transporter yesterday! Totally fluffed getting decent pics by switching from Bins to Camera too much! It now appears there were two WTE on Teesside yesterday, so certainly reintroduced birds as expected! #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Goosander from the River Tees, just downstream of the Tees Barrage tonight. This bird has been hanging around for quite a while now and was joined by a Drake Red-breasted Merganser yesterday. #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

The Haverton Hill Road Iceland Gull made a surprise reappearance today. I don’t think I’ve seen it since March 29th! #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Two pair of Egyptian Geese on Cowpen Marsh today. They were showing very well tonight. Hard to believe some people think these are ugly! Will be interesting to see if they breed again this year. #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Two Spoonbills on Cowpen Marsh tonight. Another species that could potentially breed locally in the near future? #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Three Great White Egret seen on the North Tees Marshes yesterday. Surely a contender for the next new breeding species for Cleveland/Durham? #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

Last weekend walking around Nunthorpe, several Comma, a couple of Peacock and three Brimstone Butterflies seen. Was told today Brimstone are quite a good Butterfly for Cleveland! Sorry for not reporting earlier, I had no idea! #UKButterflies

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

Very pleased to find a pair of Eider on the River Tees by the Riverside Stadium this morning. Presumably 2 of the 4 seen along here on March 25th. Great birds to see so far up the river! A real Mega for the Borough of Middlesbrough! #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 29/03/2025

Mega distant views of the two Ruddy Shelduck beyond Back Saltholme, watched from the road early afternoon. Presumably the two birds that have been wandering around the North East for the last couple of years or so. Others were seen in Co. Durham (6) and Yorkshire (4) today…#Cat C5? #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 29/03/2025

Iceland Gull still present on Haverton Hill Road this morning. Been around on and off for 71 days now! #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

This Cracking looking leucistic Curlew was on Cowpen Marsh this morning! Also Ruff and Spoonbill present. #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

The long staying Iceland Gull (1st found on 18th Jan) was again present on Haverton Hill Road today! Can’t remember a longer staying Iceland Gull in Cleveland? #NEbirding

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Ian Foster @ianfoster1971.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

A quick visit to the “south side” (of Cleveland) today produced very little, but was an opportunity to take a close look at some Red Grouse Lagopus scotica. Recently split from Willow Ptarmigan. Maybe Britain’s only endemic species? #NEbirding

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