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Matthew Pollock

@mattp1975.bsky.social
376 followers 490 following 234 posts

North Warwickshire birder - mainly on foot or by bike 🚲🦉🐦‍⬛🦆🤓 #birdingbybike #lowcarbonbirding #warksbirding #ukbirding

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Reposted by Matthew Pollock
George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Here's today's column on the astonishing, ongoing mistreatment of people with #ME/CFS. Please spread it far and wide: the only thing which can break the media's wall of indifference is seeing an article about the issue go viral. Thank you. 1/2 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Abandoned, dismissed and gaslighted: there is no excuse for the way ME sufferers have been betrayed | George Monbiot
Changes in guidance and science seem to have little impact on millions of devastated lives. It’s a social crisis playing out behind closed doors, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Distant footage of the Pectoral Sandpiper this afternoon - Jubilee North, RSPB #middletonlakes #PWC2026
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
UPDATE from the ELWIND project regarding the satellite-tagged Little Gull that has been present at Kingsbury Water Park, North Warwickshire since 31/08/26 👀 #warksbirds #ukbirding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Kingsbury Water Park - Little Gull (fitted with a tracking device), Red-Necked Phalarope, YL-Gull (Bodymoor Heath Water Kingsbury Firing Range - 9x Chiffchaff, 2x Goldcrest, Blackcap, Red Kite , 14x RLP, 7x Buzzard, 2x Raven #warksbirds #lowcarbonbirding 🪶
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Thought my trainers were gonna get nibbled at one point 😎 Red-necked Phalarope (juv) feeding a few feet away from the shoreline of Bodymoor Heath Water car park - Kingsbury Water Park this evening #warksbirds #lowcarbonbirding 🪶
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Kingsbury Water Park - found a⭐️Red-necked Phalarope⭐️ on Bodymoor Heath Water this evening 🙂 #warksbirds #PWC2026 #lowcarbonbirding 🪶
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Kingsbury Water Park - Black Tern on Bodymoor Heath Water this evening #warksbirds #PWC2026 #lowcarbonbirding🪶
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
#middletonlakes RSPB this morning: Fishers Mill - 2x Common Sand, 2x Green Sand, 5x Snipe, 3x LRP Jubilee - Green Sand, 2x Snipe 4x Ruff, 4 Great Egret. Also Stonechat (juv) #staffsbirdnews Middleton Hall Lake - Great Egret, Marsh Harrier #warksbirds
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Reposted by Matthew Pollock
TG42Birder🇵🇸 @tg42birder.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Won’t be great for their mental health when they discover the reality of how bird populations have been decimated and how climate change is turning the future into a sterile hellscape. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Gen Z flocks to BirdTok as birding takes flight: ‘It’s a craving for something real’
Social media and Shazam-like birdsong apps drawing young people to hobby as they seek a gentler connection to the outside world
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
A couple of hours #birdingbybike this afternoon. Kingsbury Firing Range - 4x Common Redstart (3m,1f), 2x Nuthatch notable, Red Kite Bodymoor Heath Water - Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull HS2 - Sedge Warbler, 7x Whitethroat #warksbirds #lowcarbonbirding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Kingsbury Firing Range this evening - Whinchat, Spot Fly still, Cuckoo (m), 3x Kestrel, 200+ Corvid, 5x Reed Bunting, 6x RLP, Skylark, 36x Canada Geese, 50+ Wood Pigeon/Stock Dove #warksbirds #lowcarbonbirding #PWC2026 🪶
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
2 new ✅'s for the #PWC2026 3km patch list at lunchtime. Whinchat & Spotted Flycatcher - both at Kingsbury Firing Range. Both site firsts for me. Also this week - Common Redstart, and flushed a covey of 4+ Quail on Weds lunchtime. #warksbirds #lowcarbonbirding 🪶
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Reposted by Matthew Pollock
George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Direct, full-time jobs opening Rosebank oilfield would create: 450 D, f-t jobs opening Jackdaw gasfield would create: 27 D, f-t jobs in UK's net-zero economy: 300,000 + 400,000 more on the way D, f-t jobs in the rest of the green economy: 600,000 Is that really the hill Burnham wants to die on?
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Went looking for Nightjar on Cannock Chase this evening. Didn't manage any flight views but at least 4 birds churring away at dusk. 🪶
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Productive hours walk at Kingsbury Firing Range this am. Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, Hobby,2x Kestrel, 4x Buzzard, 2x Mistle Thrush, 2x Chiffchaff, 30x Linnet, 9x RLP #warksbirds #lowcarbonbirding🪶
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Decent morning #birdingbybike between Dosthill NR and Cliff Pool. Reaquained myself with Cliff Lakes, and called in at RSPB for a look at Jubilee. 2x Dunlin at the latter - new for my #PWC2026 10km list, Hobby over Cliff Pool, c20 Common Tern, c20 Sand Martin, 4x Swift #lowcarbonbirding 🪶
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Reposted by Matthew Pollock
TG42Birder🇵🇸 @tg42birder.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
A couple of days of low-key press releases, a few people commenting, and then it’s over. Dotterel - going with a whimper, not a bang. news.sky.com/story/mounta...
news.sky.com
Mountain-breeding dotterels could be first UK bird lost to climate change, RSPB warns as population falls 89%
"Dotterel are in steep decline, and we are seeing them disappearing before our very eyes," the RSPB's Dr Leah Kelly said as a survey showed the dotterel's remaining numbers are restricted to the easte...
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Spent the morning #birdingbybike around my 10km #PWC2026 patch Highlights: Kingsbury Range - 2x singing Quail, brief flight views of one bird Hurley - 2x Yellow Wag, 3x Y'hammer, Green Woodpecker Bodymoor Heath GP - 6x LRP, 12x Oyc, 12x Pied Wag, 60+ Lapwing, 50+ BHG #warksbirds #lowcarbonbirding 🪶
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Just having a first look at this superb publication which arrived today. As site guides/reports go, this is top drawer quality. I'll be studying this over the next few months, ahead of my next visit to "The Bay" in the autumn. Do your self a favour and pick up a copy from @budlebirder.bsky.social
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
A singing Common Quail was a nice find this morning at Kingsbury Range. A Red Kite and a dozen or so displaying Skylarks also. Lea Marston Lakes had 100+ Swift, which has increased to 300+ this evening. Cliff Pool - Cuckoo still, 300+ BHG 🪶 #lowcarbonbirding #warksbirds #PWC2026
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Reposted by Matthew Pollock
Chris Knox @budlebirder.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
226-pages with colour photos maps graphs & info from one of Northumbs most impt birding areas. 💷 Special price for NTBC/NNBC members: £15 + £3 postage 📩 Non-member price avail on enquiry. PLS REPOST To order send a Direct message to @budlebirder.bsky.social #NEbirding #BirdingScotland #UKbirding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Marsh Harrier bothering Skylarks at Kingsbury Range at lunchtime. Nice to get some footage albeit distant. 2nd sighting in as many weeks. 2x Hobby, 2x Mistle Thrush also. #warksbirds #lowcarbonbirding #PWC2026
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
This is great to see. Every reserve should have some form of accessibility scheme as standard. Not the norm though. I can count 4 membership-based nature reserves in my locality (Tame Valley) and my wife cannot get beyond the car park (if at all) in any of them - even in her off-road powered chair🪶
bbc.co.uk
'RSPB Accessibility trail changed my life'
Sue Just said she's had her
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
Out #birdingbybike again this morning around my #PWC2026 10km patch. 67sp noted. Highlights: KWP - Cuckoo, 6x Common Tern, Lesser Whitethroat Cuttle Mill/HS2 - Wheatear, Common Tern Whitacre Heath NR - LRP, Cuckoo Kingsbury Range - Red Kite, Yellow Wag, Hobby 🪶 #warksbirds #lowcarbonbirding
Cliff Pool - KWPKingsbury Firing Range / Hurley hills Common Whitethroat - Lea Marston Fisheries/HS2
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
A Grey Plover was a nice find this morning whilst out #birdingbybike. Other notable bits on my #PWC2026 3/10km patches - 3x Cuckoo, 3x Yellow Wagtail, 3x LRP, c20 Swift, Lesser Whitethroat, 10+ Garden Warbler singing Lea Marston Lakes/K'bury South. 64sp #WarksBirds #WarksBirding #LowCarbonBirding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
A few more shots from this week in Northumberland #NEBirding
Sanderling - Beadnell Bay, NorthumberlandPuffins - Farne Islands, NorthumberlandGuillemot - Farne Islands, NorthumberlandFulmar - Seahouses
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
This Spoonbill was nice to see at Budle Bay earlier this week. One of several in the north east recently #NEBirding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
A couple of recently returned Little Tern at Low Newton filmed earlier this week. Watched these two fishing in the shallows of Football Hole before they parked up for a rest #NEBirding #LowCarbonBirding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
2x Wood Sandpiper still 4pm #LadywalkNR from Bittern hide #warksbirding #PWC2026
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
A long walk around my #PWC2026 3km patch this morning was relatively quiet - 55sp. Highlight being 6x Wheatear (1x female, and later 5x male), which takes my spring tally for patch Wheatears to 25x across 6 different sites. #warksbirding #lowcarbonbirding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
Not much change locally over the last few days. Found a few Yellow Wags, several White Wags, the odd Wheatear and a couple of Whitethroat. Sedge Warblers the most noticeable with 7 still holding territory in one 300m stretch of bramble. #warksbirding #lowcarbonbirding #PWC2026
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
A decent fall of migrants on the doorstep overnight. c1000 Sand Martin shared between Kingsbury South and Lea Marston Lakes. Mill Meadow - 7x Sedge Warbler, c40 Sand Martin, 4+ Swallow, 3x House Martin, 10+Blackcap, 5+Willow Warbler Knowle Hill - 11x Wheatear #lowcarbonbirding #warksbirding #PWC2026
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Called in at a few local birding spots whilst out and about today. (AM) KWP - c300 Sand Martin, a few Swallow and House Martin Shustoke Res - same as KWP + 2x Common Tern (PM) Alvecote Pools - Hooded Merganser, Garganey Mancetter Hills - 2x Wheatear #ukbirding #PWC2026
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
First trip of the year to #middletonlakes this evening. Didn't disappoint bird wise. LSW showing well in the car park at 17:45, 17x Avocet, 4x White Wag, Yellow Wag, 9x Blackwit, 7+ LRP, 3x Redshank, Barnacle Goose #ukbirding #PWC2026
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Late afternoon rain brought in 6x new Pied Wag, 2x White Wag and a Wheatear (f) to Mill Meadow, Kingsbury. The latter being my first record for the site. Also a Common Sand was nearby at Hemlingford Water at lunchtime, 60x Sand Martin, the odd Swallow and 2x Red Kite. #lowcarbonbirding #warksbirding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Pretty sure I've never been this close to a Wheatear before. Mancetter Hills, N.Warks this evening. Nothing else of note, Ring Ouzel seen yesterday so I was told by another birder #warksbirding #PWC2026
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
2x Common Redstart (m+f) - Kingsbury Firing Range, N.Warks at lunchtime #warksbirding #lowcarbonbirding #PWC2026 🪶
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
c60 Sand Martin this morning at Kingsbury WP turned into c300 by this evening. A few House Martin and Swallow in the mix also. A Willow Warbler by Hemlingford Water was my third in as many days locally. #lowcarbonbirding #warksbirding #PWC2026
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
Lovely few hours around Mancetter Hills and quarry this afternoon. Was half-hoping for some migrant action, but "Dave" has not brought any birds with him as yet. Peregrine, Red Kite, singing Mipits, and a few Sand Martin the best. #warksbiding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
Big 36km ride around the #PWC2026 10km sq patch today. Explored some new routes, revisited places I've not been for a while. Took sarnies and everything🥪 Bird wise - 67sp. Willow Warbler, Red Kite and Marsh Harrier combo thru Shustoke Res the best. Cracking day👌 #lowcarbonbirding #warksbirding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Managed a brief view of the early arrival Sedge Warbler this lunchtime. Mill Meadow - Kingsbury #warksbirding #PWC2026 #lowcarbonbriding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
A bizarre sight this morning watching a ⭐EURASIAN SPOONBILL⭐ circling Kingsbury South, then elegantly fly low up a stretch of the dirty AF River Tame. Would've made quite the photo. An hour later I was watching two quad bikes cause chaos to a nearby Lapwing and Skylark nesting site. #birding2026
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
2x distant Wheatear were the highlight of a cold and windy afternoon around the #localpatch today. #PWC2026 10km list creeps up to 94sp, 3km still on 91sp. #lowcarbonbirding #birdingbybike #warksbirding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
Spent a few hours #birdingbybike around the #localpatch this afternoon. Highlights - Sand Martin again (KWP), 18x Meadow Pipit, 2x Yellowhammer (Whitacre Fields), Peregrine (Hams Hall), Humes Warbler (Lea Marston) #warksbirding #lowcarbonbirding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
c20x Sand Martin - Hemlingford Water, Kingsbury Water Park - 1pm #warksbirding #localpatch #lowcarbonbirding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
A walk from Kingsbury Meadow LNR up to Hurley STW and back this morning produced a few firsts for the year - Blackcap (male in subsong), 5x Golden Plover, 2x Snipe - also 60x Skylark, 18x Lapwing, 2x Meadow Pipit, 4x Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 15x Linnet, 2x Reed Bunting. 45 sp. #warksbirding
WallflowerSpring Crokus
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
Couple of hours #birdingbybike around the #localpatch this afternoon. 63 sp. seen. Highlights - 5x Grey Partridge, 2x Yellowhammer, 21 x Meadow Pipit, 4x Bullfinch, 14x Little Egret. No sign of any WFG, or the 3x Cattle Egret despite a good look #warksbiridng #lowcarbonbirding
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
A lunch hour trip to Lea Marston was in order today after news of ⭐Hume's Leaf Warbler⭐ broke late yesterday evening. Managed 3 decent, but brief views of the bird, also called occasionally. Just outside my 3km #localpatch boundary, but a solid addition to my #PWC2026 10km list #warksbirding
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Reposted by Matthew Pollock
George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Most of the media, most days: Morning: "Capitalism must go further! further! further!" Afternoon: "Oh my God, how did that happen?"
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Matthew Pollock @mattp1975.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
2 different #birdingbybike routes around my #PWC2026 #localpatch this weekend. 66 sp. seen across the two days. Highlights - Siberian Chiffchaff, 6x Chiffchaff, Common Gull, 3x GWE, 21x Little Egret, 7x Bullfinch, 9x Goldeneye, 70x Pochard, 2x Redpoll, 60x Siskin #warksbirding #lowcarbonbirding
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