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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Highlight of today's dragonfly transect on RSPB Ham Wall definitely 2+ Willow Emeralds (by the South Drain opposite the Old Station cottage if anyone's interested). Still rare in Somerset, though definitely colonising. Lots of Common Darters and quite a few Migrant Hawkers otherwise.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Brilliant day round West Coast NP with Rockjumper Tours, including 5 Black Harriers, 4 S Black Korhaans, 8 Blue Cranes, and various larks, cisticolas, etc. Best of all was at Tsaarsbank where a S Giant Petrel was followed by close views of 2 Antarctic Terns! (Photo'd and confirmed by local expert.)

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

24 hours into South Africa trip and 5 new birds already just walking around Hout Bay on my own - tour group I'm joining due to arrive this pm. Yellow-billed Duck from this am and the scenery's not bad either.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

I wasn't expecting much seawatching off Burnham this evng. Yday's odd C Scoter reappeared, then at 5.04pm a skua came in, which immediately looked light in build and flight action, esp when it joined a (subad) Arctic. Better views as they both headed S up the Parrett proved it was a juv Long-tailed!

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

🥳🥳🥳Brilliant result - well done to all!

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

V pleasant few hours around Steart Marshes today. No small waders at Wall Common on falling tide, but 3 Yellow Wags over. Then found 2 different, pristine male Southern Migrant Hawkers (following 3 or 4 seen by @marshallpaul.bsky.social earlier on Stockland Marsh) doing the inquisitive hawker thing.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Can't resist reposting more pics of this stunning, stunning bird. Absolutely love the head-on pic!

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Still giving flight views and occ deck views like this until midday at least. Later (c.1.30pm) seen flying towards Noah's Lake, I'm told. Thanks Jason and Howard - I've been trying to see this b*gger for weeks.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Still present 5.40pm viewed from old hide site.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Lovely all-purpose visit to PBO late afternoon: Med Brocade and sev other good moths in the fridge, Scarce Blue-tailed Damsel in Crown Estate Field and Turtle Dove in Obs garden. Near-obligatory Red Kite just in Somerset on way home. Enjoyable mix after another day prepping for house move.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

Anyone else having trouble installing the (seemingly mandatory) update to WhatsApp this morning?

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Big Year 30 Years On: No rarities on 4 May 1996, just a potter round Somerset with Hobby, Garden Warbler, and Wood Warbler the year ticks. But an interesting illustration of how spring migrants are arriving earlier: this year I year ticked each in Somerset on 19, 18, and 18 April, respectively.

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Reposted by Julian Thomas

Andy Mears @andyfmears.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

Wood Sand today on Tealham Moor👍 Also LRP, the male Channel Wag and several Yellow Wags (perhaps as many as 8)

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Big Year 30yrs On. Few days late for these, but 2 huge birds on 17/18 Apr 1996: Am Coot and Calandra Lark. I wrote this up as one of the original Birding Tales. And yes, the title is a homage to the classic and v funny 'Tales from the Coot and Corncrake'. birdingtales.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-...

birdingtales.blogspot.com

The Coot and Calandra

In mid-April 1996, Paul C left for Antigua and his brother’s wedding, and promptly two ticks broke for him on consecutive evenings: the bird...

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Big Year 30 yrs on: 14 Apr 1996. I was part of one of many crews who headed up overnight to Girvan, Ayrshire to see two female Harlequin Ducks. Dubbed the Harlequeens, they showed ever so well - still the only ones I've seen anywhere. Only other year tick was an early Swift over the M5 on way back.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Big Year 30 yrs on: 31 Mar 1996. Ring Ouzels still bred on Exmoor back then so I went looking at Chetsford Water: I found one in the combe, then a quickly moving passage flock of 15 at the top! The last one was a wacky, partially leucistic bird, with largely white secondaries + one white primary.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

1996 was my biggest of Big Years, finishing on 355 BOU (I'm unlikely to ever attempt it again, for various reasons). March had already provided Wb Diver, Redhead, Pine and Little Buntings, and Ross's Gull, but today (30 Mar) was a little more prosaic, with a bunch of early common migrants in Devon.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Not a bad little evening trip up to Chew. Flight views of an Osprey over the east side from Herons Green Bay. Then stared at the drake Scaup in HGB which was giving off Lesser Scaup vibes, despite being mostly asleep. Eventually it and the female with it woke up - a pair of Lesser Scaups!

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 07/03/2026

Forster's Tern showing well on post on E side of boating lake, Poole Park 9.38am + 2 Sandwich Terns. #UKBirding

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

On way home from a grand day out in Northumberland. Great views of White-billed Diver, 30 yrs to the day since my lifer excellent views of one at Tattershall Bridge, Lincs. Other highlights today; Eiders, Pinkfeet and Whitefronts among other geese, flock of Twite, and a fine drake Smew.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Best birds on a day of welcome sunshine once the early rain had cleared were a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and a singing Dartford Warbler on the Quantocks. #somersetbirding

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Another twitching anniversary today: 19 yrs to the day since a lot of us ticked the 1st Pacific Diver for Britain, on a private pit at Farnham, Yorkshire. Many thanks to the managers at the Treves factory alongside the site, who allowed us to park and view from their grounds - v much appreciated!

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Caught up in other things, so forgot that yesterday was the 30th anniversary of me seeing this bird. Thought it looked a bit weird for a Bonxie at the time, but didn't know enough (nor did many others, seemingly). Took 25 years before I could tick it - still much needed by many other birders.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Mind-blowing message from Dave P this evening - he's just found a new live nest cam in NZ - Kakapo! And there was I thinking my 1st British Killdeer for 32 years was going to be bird of the day. www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfGL...

youtube.com

Kākāpō Cam: Rakiura the kākāpō – 2026 nest

YouTube video by Department of Conservation

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

Fun raid down into Devon today, despite the weather: Red-necked Grebe, 9 GNDs, 9 Com Scoter off Broadsands, plus c.15 Cirls in the 2nd car park. GND in Brixham harbour and Grey Seals showing v well. The Little Stint and 2 Spoonbills still on Big Marsh North at Otter Estuary NR (formerly LORP).

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

Wet Moor absolutely on fire this pm: Bonaparte's Gull, 3 Bewick's Swans, 50+ Whitefronts, 5 Tundra Beans, Garganey, and plenty of Cranes. That after a brief Penduline Tit at Shapwick Heath this am (on 30th anniversary of my 1st ones at Dungeness), plus a Firecrest. Not a bad day!

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 28/12/2025

Tundra Bean Goose still behind west pool at Dunster Hawn 11.45.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

OTD 24 Nov 2001. A surreal but generally successful day's twitching round East Anglia: an oiled Snowy Owl in Felixstowe, what would become the 1st modern-day accepted Baikal Teal at Minsmere, dipping Ross's Goose by 30 mins in Norfolk, but seeing the v late 1st-winter Gull-billed Tern at Titchwell.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Desert Wheatear still by Bridging Camp 1.20pm favouring dung heaps by footpath and showing v well. Also Black Redstart. #dorsetbirding

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Reposted by Julian Thomas

Dave Dawe @exmoorbirder.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

2 of the 3 Snow Bunting seen at Bossington today #somersetbirds

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Brilliant it was too, even though the rest of my carload stayed in the car out of the biting wind until I banged on the door and yelled 'I've got it!' Great artwork as ever, Stew.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

Nice views of the Red-breasted Flycatcher behind Avalanche Road Hump c.4pm today, depite the foul weather.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Wryneck, Firecrest, and Marsh Harrier the best of a relatively quiet few hours for me @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social today.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

Good to hear that European fans at the Ryder Cup have been giving the American fans (some of whom overstepped in their shouts on the course) a good taste of football chants, e.g. (according to BBC website): 'Stand up if you're seven up' 'Sacked in the morning' 'Can we play you every week?' 😀

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Little Owl calling just outside the garden just now - 1st I've heard here for at least 3 years.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Rn Phal views fairly distant this am but in direct comparison with Grey Phal, so differences obvious. My 4th in Somerset (Meare Heath 2006, Steart Marshes 2015, Holnicote 2020) with good views of the Rb Shrike at Portbury later too. Cheddar has been on fire recently. Somerset yearlist now up to 210.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

Burnham seawatch not as varied as yday but 3 Grey Phals at 2.05pm and 2 more at 3pm, plus Manx. If all diff individuals I've seen 12 Grey Phals in Somerset in last 2 wks and found 8 of them! Would swap a few for @burnhambirder.bsky.social's "Sab's flushed by L-t Skua' at low tide this am though.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 15/09/2025

V enjoyable seawatch off Burnham, esp the hour up to HT: Leach's Petrel, juv Sab's Gull, Bonxie (flew off inland), Grey Phal, plus juv Marsh Harrier, Peregrine and at least 1 (poss 3+) Harbour Porpoise.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Cheddar Res this pm: Little Tern 2, Black Tern 1, Glossy Ibis 7, Curlew Sand 3, Little Stint 3, Ruff 4, Knot 1, Blackwit 2, Common Sand 3. Plus 15+ Ringed Plover, 7+ Dunlin, and 54 Great White Egrets.

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Reposted by Julian Thomas

Karle Burford @karleburford.bsky.social · 31/08/2025

Fantastic trip from Falmouth with @ak_cruises. Others have posted numbers and photos of birds. 1000’s of birds in changeable weather. Wilson’s Storm-Petrol, Euro Stormie, Cory’s, Great Shearwater, Scopoli’s Shear, Sooty Sheat, Fulmar, Manx, Balearic and Sunfish.

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

V hot dragonfly transect at Ham Wall this am/early pm. Highlight 20 (!) Lesser Emperors, including 2 ovipositing pairs. 25+ Brown Hawkers, 12 Emperors, 3 Southern Hawkers and 1st Migrant Hawker of year. Temp in car on return to car park read 42 degrees!

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Julian Thomas @julianthomas19.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

OTD 2 yrs ago in Taman Negara: Gould's Frogmouth, Garnet Pitta, but only heard Rail-babbler. OTD in PNG 1 yr ago a fabulous morning's birding up the Telefomin Rd, with Sooty Shrikethrush being a lifer for Birdquest, never mind our group. Lots of goodies: Splendid Astrapia lived up to its name too.

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