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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Really interesting behaviour from this group of juvenile Little Stints and Sanderling (but not the Dunlin) feeding on floating flotsam this morning at Snettisham. An almost petrel-like feeding action as they hovered over the water - not something I can recall seeing before #BirdingNorfolk

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Four juvenile Little Stints were showing ridiculously well at Snettisham this morning on the rotting seaweed below the concrete sea wall. It’s been a brilliant few days for them in Norfolk with Cley hosting the biggest numbers. Hopefully lots more of them still to come! #NorfolkBirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

A great few days on the North Norfolk coast as the first proper flush of autumn migrants arrived on an easterly airflow. Love these August falls when there are just lots of birds to look at, common or rare! #NorfolkBirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

First visit of the ‘season’ down to Snettisham this morning with Nick P. Outrageous views of this Pec Sand on the walk back, pottering around on the seaweed on the tideline! Such a mega species to see up close and probably my best ever views of one in Norfolk #BirdingNorfolk #UKbirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

Moussier’s Redstarts are just the biz! Saw at least 8 yesterday - evidently much easier to see it here than Morocco. It was a lifer for me but I have to admit to being slightly scared by the females - wouldn’t fancy doing one of them in the UK! All in the Zaghouan area

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

House Bunting ‘in habitat’ at the Berber village of Takrouna, Tunisia. Lots of migration going on too with Yellow Wags, Nightingale, Tree Pipit, Alpine Swift, Hoopoe, RR Swallow, Monty’s, Booted Eagle etc all moving through

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

Great to go birding with @birdingtunisia.bsky.social for a day out yesterday in the Zaghouan area. Logged around 80 spp with highlights being Moussier’s Redstart, Black Wheatear, Spectacled Warbler, House Bunting, Little Swift, Marbled Teal, Barbary Partridge, White-headed Duck, Lanner + migrants

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

March is always a good time for seeing Grey Partridges. This one was right by the roadside in the late afternoon sun the other day near Great Snoring. Love the neon orange facial skin! #NorfolkBirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

A short thread on a couple of Black Brant x DBB hybrids in the Wells Beach Road flock this week which may be of interest to some! #NorfolkBirding 1/7

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

A heart in the mouth moment while guiding today, when we popped into Morston to check the quay for Greenshank! This fine adult Red-breasted Goose was in amongst the Brents from the entrance road - also found independently by visiting birders Karen Leonhardt & Malcolm Royal #NorfolkBirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

Some top gulling at Sea Palling today with Caspians of various ages, a couple of Meds and a smart juv Iceland Gull riding the breakers at high tide #NorfolkBirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Eiders have declined a lot in Norfolk and these days we tend to see only the odd one or two. These drakes in Brancaster harbour this morning gave probably the best views I’ve ever had in the county! #BirdingNorfolk

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

On my visit to Wayqecha in Peru one year ago I was delighted to see Red and White Antpitta for the first time but now that they are feeding it close to Manu Road below the biological station it is a bit easier to photograph!

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Having not been seen since Sunday I was really surprised to hear the Hume’s Warbler calling at Wells Woods this afternoon. It was back in its favourite sycamore and showing superbly - love how it can look like a tristis one moment and a Greenish the next, but not really like YBW! #NorfolkBirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

Pallas’s Warbler at Wells - it might just about be the final vagrant of autumn but they really are a case of ‘saving the best til last’ #UKbirding #NorfolkBirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

A top morning on patch at Wells Woods started when I heard a wagtail-like call coming from the top of a birch along the edge of the pines, and as suspected a Hume’s Warbler popped into view! Fresh in, it flew and joined a tit flock and settled along North edge of The Dell… 1/2

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

Dusky Warbler at Stiffkey Campsite Wood this lunchtime with @mcbirder.bsky.social Sound recording also here: xeno-canto.org/1052718 #UKbirding #NorfolkBirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

This cracking juvenile Long-tailed Skua was the undoubted highlight of a pelagic trip out of Wells yesterday. Certainly made all the effort feel worthwhile over recent summers! Superb comparison shots with the young Arctic Skua taken by Steve Cale #NorfolkBirding #UKbirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

I was enjoying the waders at Snettisham this morning when I heard Black Terns calling somewhere way up in the blue sky. These four barrelled down, circled the pits briefly, and then continued North along the shoreline. Migration in action! #norfolkbirding #ukbirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Just back from leading the @oriolebirding.bsky.social Colombia tour where we saw 11 species of Antpitta and heard a further 2. A couple of new ones for me takes my personal tally to 32 - Crescent-faced being a personal fave! Only another 40-odd to see plus future splits 😂

Clockwise from top left - Ochre-breasted, Crescent-faced, Slate-crowned, Equatorial, Chestnut-crowned, Brown-banded and Cundinamarca (centre)

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Yesterday evening I had brief views of an adult Black Brant at Thornham Harbour in fading light. I went back this evening and thankfully it was still about and showing much better, close to the seawall halfway along to Holme. A smart bird! #norfolkbirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 20/01/2025

I very rarely get close views of Great Northern Divers in Norfolk but this young bird that has been wintering in Gun Hill channel at Burnham Overy has been showing really well the last few days #NorfolkBirding #UKbirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Drake Green-winged Teal at Holkham today. Presumably last years bird returning, though still a very nice surprise. In each of the previous zillion times I’ve looked through a flock of Teal thinking “be nice if there’s a Green-winged”, there hasn’t been!

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Reposted by Ashley Saunders

Oriole Birding @oriolebirding.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

Read our new blog post via the link below following an epic fact-finding trip to Peru. Look out for a new itinerary coming soon for late 2025 but you can pre-register your interest now by emailing us www.oriolebirding.com/birding-diar...

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

Our previous two-day attempt to see Red and White Antpitta had resulted in only brief glimpses so we decided to try again on the way back up the Manu Road today near Wayqecha. Bosh!!! 😮‍💨👌🏻 #PeruBirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

Really pleased to finally connect with Tiny Hawk yesterday on the trails at Manu Biological Station. It’s a species which has been on the list at most of the places I’ve been in the Neotropics but nobody ever seems to see it! A beautiful rufous morph juv too - and yes it is tiny!

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Incredible session at an Andean Cock-of-the-Rock lek by Manu Road this afternoon. Have been to leks before where it’s semi-dark and the birds won’t perch in the open but this was different gravy! Lekking on branches at eye level just a few metres away 🤯

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Pearled Treerunner has been pretty common in the mixed flocks as we’ve descended Peru’s Manu Road - a very smart little furnarid!

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

Gould’s Jewelfront jazzing things up at the lodge feeders during a rainstorm at lunchtime Manu Biological Station (Villa Carmen), Peru

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

Now down in the Amazonian lowlands of Manu staying at Villa Carmen, so it’s time for some crap photos of ant-things with sticks in the way. Antpittas hit 8 for the trip with the hyper-elusive Amazonian, but better views of White-browed, Chestnut-tailed and White-lined Antbirds

Amazonian Antpitta. Incredibly elusive and involved losing a pint of blood to mosquitoes but put us on 8 Antpittas for the trip plus another heard

White-lined Antbird. These antbirds were part of a 50-species haul along one short stretch of trail close to the lodge early morning that also included Bamboo Antshrike, Pygmy Antwren, Stripe-chested Antwren and Cinereous Tinamou

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

And here’s a few more random final highlights - Long-whiskered Owlet, Yellow-scarfed Tanager, Lulu’s Tody Flycatcher (these three all endemics) and Golden-headed Quetzal all along the Alto Mayo Road area. 4/4

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Then there was the incredible Marvelous Spatuletail. Views down to mere inches thanks to the fantastic set up at the small private reserve, Al Refugio del Colibrí Espátula 3/4

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Other antpittas were available… Here’s Rusty-tinged, Pale-billed and Chachapoyas, the latter being one of the ‘Rufous Antpitta’ splits. Both these last two were up in the cloud forest above 3000m and favour areas with stands of bamboo. Rusty-tinged was at Fundo Alto Nieva 2/4

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

The northern section of my Peru trip is done, now heading down to Cusco and the legendary Manu Road. Here’s a few highlights from the Pomacochas area from the last few days starting with the fantastic Ochre-fronted Antpitta at Fundo Alto Nieva 1/4

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

A solid start on antpittas on my trip to Northern Peru. Some at feeders, some still old skool ‘sit and wait inside a thicket and hope it perches in a spot where you aren’t blocked’! The latter being the case for Pale-billed, my most-wanted of the trip. What a monster!

Rusty-tinged Antpitta at a feeding site at Fundo Alta Nieva

Ochre-fronted Antpitta at the same feeder at Fundo Alta Nieva

Chachapoyas Antpitta near - Chachapoyas! A fantastic trilling song unlike any of the other ‘Rufous’ splits

Pale-billed Antpitta - absolute unit but hard to see inside dense bamboo thickets at 3000m

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Long day travelling and a delayed internal flight meant that there was only time for night birding on the first day of my Peru trip but we made it count - Long-whiskered Owlet in the bag!

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

The mighty Amazon from 33,000ft above Brazil, close to São Paulo de Olivença #aerialphotography

River Amazon near São Paulo de Olivença from KLM flight from Amsterdam to Lima

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

I think there’s something utterly fascinating about seeing familiar places from the air, especially when they are also birding spots! West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly seen just now while en route to Peru #ukbirding #aerialphotography

Isles of Scilly seen from the air, taken from KLM flight from Amsterdam to Lima

West Cornwall seen from the air, taken from KLM flight from Amsterdam to Lima

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Reposted by Ashley Saunders

James Lowen Wildlife @jameslowenwild.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

The first proofs of my the second edition of my #Pantanal #wildlife travel guide are in... A heady, heavy few days ahead. Pantanal Wildlife/2 will be published by Bradt Guides in February. Jaguar photo by @oriole-ashley.bsky.social (who should be very pleased with himself).

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

So in answer to my own question, @howardvaughanbeb.bsky.social & myself have now had 5 different GWEs in D&G in the last 3 days. This bird, 1 Caerlaverock (where 2 reported), 2 Loch Ken/River Dee and 1 Crook of Baldoon. I must admit I’m surprised they’re that common here! #ukbirding #birdingScotland

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Whoopers, Barnacles and Yellowhammers among the highlights while guiding with @howardvaughanbeb.bsky.social on the Solway today around Caerlaverock #ukbirding

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Ashley Saunders @oriole-ashley.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Nice end to a days guiding for @oriolebirding.bsky.social Dumfries and Galloway with @howardvaughanbeb.bsky.social with a Great White Egret at Castle Loch (award winning photo attached) - not sure how regular they now are in this part of the world? #UkBirding

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