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Michael Huggins

@miceal.bsky.social
140 followers 237 following 352 posts

Former historian, retired bolshevik, ex italofilo and one-time fell runner. Currently very grumpy about the state of the world; birding to maintain my sanity. Co. Donegal, Ireland.

PostsRepliesMedia
Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
#donegalbirding There’s been an outbreak of old-school grumpiness on the county WhatsApp group over the use of Merlin. I remember how it alerted me (in Italy) to the presence of the unfamiliar Western Bonelli’s Warbler, leading to a sighting I would certainly otherwise have missed. It’s not all bad.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
#donegalbirding Another welcome American visitor in the form of a semipalmated sandpiper at Blanket Nook, found today by the non-stop Donegal bird-finder general @delboydonegal.bsky.social
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
#donegalbirding Nice influx of American waders this autumn. Since the Pectoral Sandpiper out west, @delboydonegal.bsky.social has been turning them up on his patch. Baird’s Sandpiper has been around a few weeks and now an American Golden Plover at Inch.
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Alexander Clarkson @aphclarkson.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Guys, Cofnas is clearly trying to trigger responses on here and the other site to build a victim narrative he needs for a successful career around Reform or Restore
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
We are indeed through the looking glass … while the birthplace of Thomas Paine witnesses mob attacks on immigrant homes, a hotel in Thetford named after him is advertising on GB ‘news’. @hopenothate.org.uk
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
The Co. Donegal 2025 bird report by @delboydonegal.bsky.social is available to read and/or download via zenodo.org/records/2124... #donegalbirding #irishbirding #irishrarebirds #UKBirding #BirdingScotland
zenodo.org
Donegal Bird Report 2025
This, to the best of my knowledge, is the first annual bird report available for County Donegal. It details the rare and scarce birds seen within the county.
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WWN @waterfordwhispers.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Trump Lobbies FIFA To Give USA First Touchdown In Game Against Belgium
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
@delboydonegal.bsky.social has written and today published a great account of scarce/rare birds in Co. Donegal during 2025. Much of interest to birders in Ireland and Britain. Hopefully the start of an annual county report. #donegalbirding #irishbirding #irishrarebirds #UKBirding #BirdingScotland
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delboydonegal.bsky.social @delboydonegal.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
#donegalbirding Here is a link to the report on OneDrive.. 1drv.ms/b/c/5d061cfd...
1drv.ms
Microsoft OneDrive
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
@delboydonegal.bsky.social has written and today published a great account of scarce/rare birds in Co. Donegal during 2025. Much of interest to birders in Ireland and Britain. Hopefully the start of an annual county report. #donegalbirding #irishbirding #irishrarebirds #UKBirding #BirdingScotland
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
#donegalbirding An article in a recent @btobirds.bsky.social members’ magazine demonstrates the range expansion of Honey Buzzard (pernis apivorus) in Britain. How long before they’re setting up home here?
Breeding distribution change of European Honey Buzzard (pernis apivorus) 1968-2011. BTO News 359 (Summer 2026), p. 9.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
#donegalbirding Had a lengthy battle identifying my first Bonaparte’s Gull on patch this morning, despite @delboydonegal.bsky.social reporting (and filming) it last night. A 2cy bird, it was far off and bright sunlight made bill change colour as bird moved. Also a couple of smallish undeveloped
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
#translations What an intro: Many tributes have been paid to Dessie Sheridan from Tattyreagh, who was killed on the Tullycunny Road, near Ballynahatty, on Friday evening.
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Paul Murphy TD @paulmurphy.pbp.ie · 18/06/2026
Save our Sorting Office! We can't accept this removal of essential public services in our communities. We had a strong protest on Saturday against the Dublin 16 sorting office being moved out to Lucan right beside Amazon.
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Robert Vaughan @robertvaughani.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
I am looking forward to leading a Nature Art Walk and Workshop this Wednesday as part of Le Chéile don Dúlra Biodiversity Festival in Glenveagh National Park. Although the event is free, booking is advised and can be done through the Glenveagh National Park website.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Despite the bright plumage, male golden oriole can be heard more readily than seen. A frustrating and unsuccessful graft today, peering hard into the oak woods from the balcony, enchanted by the mellow clarinet-toned song.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
#donegalbirding Harlequin and Pacific Diver both at Trá na gCloch this afternoon. First time to see the duck in a while and it’s now looking especially lovely. I was pleasantly surprised at how apparent the fine structural differences were between Pacific and Black-throated diver. Also very obvious
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
#donegalbirding
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Sean Cronin @seancronin1973.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Harlequin Duck, Co.Donegal, Ireland. The first record of this species in Ireland.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Wikipedia is being cruel about Tottenham Hotspur and Igor Tudor: In March 2025, he returned to Juventus in the position of manager but was sacked in October after a poor start to the season. In February 2026, he joined Tottenham Hotspur. In May 2026, he relegated them.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
#donegalbirding Plans have been submitted for a large oyster farm development in Lough Swilly, a Special Protection Area of international importance. www.donegallive.ie/news/letterk...
donegallive.ie
Plans lodged for significant expansion of oyster and mussel farming on Lough Swilly
Applications for 13 locations covering a combined 750 acres includes a new cluster of oyster farms at Manorcunningham
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
#donegalbirding A Pacific Diver has joined the Harlequin in residence at Trá na gCloch, just beyond Magheraroarty, if you need any further motivation to go there.
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Nick Lloyd @spaincivilwartours.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
Close-up of the head of a bison from the Altamira Cave, Cantabria, Northern Spain. Picasso saw these ancient creations, one of the greatest assemblages of cave paintings in prehistory, and declared "After Altamira, all is decadence".
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
#donegalbirding An immature wing-tagged white-tailed eagle has turned up in the county (again). Let’s hope it can play its part in the re-establishing of this magnificent species in Ireland with no interference from people or wind turbines.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
#donegalbirding A couple of Russian white-fronted geese at Burt, courtesy of @delboydonegal.bsky.social
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
#donegalbirding After what has so far been a quiet start to 2026 in the county, a yellow-legged gull turned up at St John’s Point yesterday.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
#donegalbirding A quiet weekend of iWebs surveying at Blanket Nook. Missed a big flock of c. 200 pink-footed geese which were found later in the day by @delboydonegal.bsky.social but the Taiga Bean geese seem to have gone.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
#donegalbirding As predicted on this thread but a few hours ago, @delboydonegal.bsky.social has hit the ground running in 2026 with a singing #chiffchaff at Burnfoot F93 KN7X.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
#donegalbirding Congratulations to @delboydonegal.bsky.social on identifying a remarkable 205 species in the county in 2025 and writing up a fascinating account of his birding year. It’s the morning of New Year’s Day 2026 and I bet he’s already clocked up a few for this year. Go to it Derek!
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
#donegalbirding Is this the furthest anyone has travelled to twitch the Magheraroarty Harlequin Duck (which is now showing its very smart male plumage, as the recent video by @delboydonegal.bsky.social shows)? Congratulations @helsinkibirder.bsky.social
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
#donegalbirding Those Taiga Bean Geese in the fields behind Blanket Nook are keeping me awake at night.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
#donegalbirding Nothing of note at Blanket Nook today but lots of goldeneye; always beautiful.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 30/11/2025
#donegalbirding After many hours wasted/spent (delete as appropriate) seeking the long-staying bittern at Inch, I finally saw it this morning, courtesy of Mrs H, who located it on a couple of brief flights among the reeds. Only the third modern era record for the county.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
The genius of the digiverse: Apple Music can’t distinguish between Birgit Nilsson and Harry 😂.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
Summing up the UK in one cartoon. #moderntoss
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
Watching an item on BBC local news from Newcastle upon Tyne. Boss of Cambridge University was encouraging people from the north-east to apply there. The reporter couldn’t work out why only 2.4% of Cambridge undergraduates are from the north-east of England. Nothing further m’lud.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
#donegalbirding After a recent spat on the county WhatsApp group about what you might describe as ‘birding ethics’ I searched on line with the following results. If you’re unsure I think the highly-respected British Trust for Ornithology is a good starting point. duckduckgo.com?q=birdwatchi...
duckduckgo.com
birdwatching ethics at DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 16/11/2025
#donegalbirding A report this morning that the two bitterns are still in residence at Inch.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
My sister has just tried to put a blanket over my dad’s knees for a bit of warmth. He asked her what she was doing that for: ‘it’ll make me look like an old person’. He is 97 tomorrow.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
#donegalbirding Some posts with the #donegalbirding hashtag have disappeared from my view of the feed. Anyone else having this issue?
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 01/11/2025
#donegalbirding After I spent a fruitless hour and a half searching around the bay in ‘breezy’ conditions, the Harlequin finally made an appearance, close inshore opposite a park bench 250m north of Port Arthur pier.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
#donegalbirding Some of the papers on HPAI in this are open access. bsky.app/profile/rich...
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
This flow chart is where I’m at.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
#donegalbirding An unsuccessful search this afternoon for the taiga bean geese recently found by @delboydonegal.bsky.social around Inch Level turned up a number of pink-footed geese, which I would certainly have overlooked if I hadn’t been looking more carefully than usual. There’s a moral there 🤷🏻‍♂️.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
#donegalbirding At least 9 ruff among a large flock of c. 500 black-tailed godwit from Tready hide at Inch this morning.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 27/10/2025
#donegalbirding From Robert Vaughan: There is a radio documentary on at 3pm today on rte1 about the Ring Ouzel. It was recorded in Donegal during the summer, and is about the decline of the species, and the work being done to help them. www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
rte.ie
Nature on One - RTÉ Radio 1
Nature on One is a series of natural history documentaries produced by the Mooney Goes Wild team, that will air on public holidays on RTÉ Radio 1.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 26/10/2025
#donegalbirding Desperately sad that HPAI (bird flu) seems to be back at Inch, with the NPWS collecting multiple corpses.
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
@simoncalder.bsky.social I have enjoyed reading your work for many years. Just received your weekly e-mail dispatch about Nicosia in, I quote: ‘Europe’s last divided nation’. Can I suggest you try Ireland some time, part of which is also under long-term occupation?
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Michael Huggins @miceal.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
#donegalbirding While not all our birders will favour a ban on fox hunting, this will probably be of interest to many. my.uplift.ie/petitions/pe...
my.uplift.ie
Petition to Ban Fox Hunting in Ireland
Can you support this campaign to bring in legislation banning the hunting of foxes using packs of dogs and horses?
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