iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Lovely to see this Semipalmated Sandpiper up close at Keyhaven this week, often shadowed by a Little Stint #hantsbirds #patchbirding #ukbirding

1280

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Always a privilege to get close views of waders. Juvenile Little Stint and Knot from Keyhaven/Pennington recently #ukbirding #patchbirding

0180

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

The second Red-necked Phalarope I've seen in Oxfordshire this year - thanks to Nick Marriner for this great find on his golf course patch #ukbirding

2633

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Lewis Hooper @lmhooper.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

My evening dog walk yesterday on Hayling Island took a turn for the better when this Bonaparte’s Gull turned up in the growing feeding flock offshore. An extremely unexpected find!

0323

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

The Port Meadow Ring-billed Gull blog post is now out, photos will be replaced in due course with better versions as I don't currently have the computer I usually use for image processing with me. Some identification pointers inside #ukbirding tmbirding.blogspot.com/2026/03/a-da...

tmbirding.blogspot.com

A day to remember

No words can describe watching this! Sunday 7th March. After a few days on patch with little to show for it, I must admit that something did...

3576

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 05/10/2025

A nice fly-by from this 1w Caspian gull at Keyhaven today. My 5th individual in the last 4 weeks. #patchbirding #ukbirding

0201

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Tom Lowe @saloplarus.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

To the meres tonight hoping for storm-driven waifs, and hit the jackpot with a juv 💥SABINE'S💥 on The Mere, #Ellesmere 🤩 Just the 3rd modern #shropshirebirding record! It stayed to roost alongside an adult #CaspianGull, 10 YLGs & 5,400 LBBGs #happydays #loveautumn #ukbirding

Juvenile Sabine's Gull between two Black-heads

Juvenile Sabine's Gull in front of roosting Lesser Black-backed Gulls and an adult Yellow-legged Gull. Doesn't get much better than that!

All too brief wing stretch showing that distinctive tricolour Sabine's upperwing

31257

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Matt Hall @matthall95.bsky.social · 15/09/2025

Mega estuary watch from Severn Beach today. Personal totals: Sooty Shearwater (1st on Severnside for 51 years!), juv Sabine's Gull, 2 Grey Phalarope, 2 Leach's Petrel, 4 Storm Petrel, Black Tern, 3 Common Tern, distant Skua sp, 10+ Manxies, 8 Kittiwake, Med Gull, Hobby and 4 Curlew Sandpiper. Insane

0926

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

With @tmbirding.bsky.social finding so many Caspian Gulls at Portland, I was hopeful some might make it to Keyhaven (still scarce here). At least two 1w birds yesterday and a third today, plus a bonus distant Grey Phal #patchbirding #ukbirding #hantsbirds

1461

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

The Portland Caspian Gull deluge continued today with at least 3 new birds (3 seen together at Culverwell + another or one of the same on this morning's seawatch). Wrecked Sabine's in Chesil Cove also good to see after fleeting views of one off the Bill earlier this week #ukbirding

0534

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

I was about to give up in the miserable weather on Saturday when I noticed an unusually large roost of gulls on Keyhaven Lagoon. Persistence led to patch gold - Bonaparte's Gull! Appears to be the 1st for the reserve. #patchbirding #ukbirding #hantsbirds

Bonaparte's Gull (centre) accompanied by Black-headed Gulls

1693

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Conor MacKenzie @conormackenzie.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

After our summer break here is the Oxon birding review for the last 2 months. Nothing too unexpected, but with the Crossbill irruption gaining pace and some early Wader action there’s been enough to keep us going. That being said, bring on autumn! #UKbirding oxonbirding.blogspot.com/2025/08/summ...

oxonbirding.blogspot.com

Summer review

Highlights After our usual summer break, I had hoped to be discussing a local mega disrupting this usually very relaxed birding period. In...

0131

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Interesting to watch these Starlings evading a hunting Marsh Harrier in Oxon this week. The evening sky made for a nice background. #ukbirding

0171

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

Nice to find this very smart Lesser Yellowlegs on an impromptu walk around the Lymington-Keyhaven reserve yesterday evening. Presumably the individual seen in West Sussex on 19/06. Tricky shooting into the light but a very obliging bird. #ukbirding #patchbirding #hantsbirds

0360

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Lesser Spot Network @lesserspotnet.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

Fantastic news 19 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker nests found and being watched/monitored by our volunteers so far. Most have 4 chicks, well fed by the adults. Nests are so difficult to find & these are only a tiny proportion of the several thousand LSW pairs in Britain, but all very positive this year.

Three Lesser Spotted Woodpecker chicks in their nest cavity in a dead Oak tree

08413

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Hobby catching mayfly taken whilst unsuccessfully looking for the Red-footed Falcon a couple of days ago. One of my favourite images from the OM1 so far #ukbirding

Hobby with legs extended about to catch a mayfly

616521

Reposted by Steve Lavington

frannobirder2024.bsky.social @frannobirder2024.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

Nice to find a Hudsonian Godwit at Titchfield Haven this morning.Awful light but top bird 👍

4433

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Lengthy write up of the candidate 3cy Baltic Gull + other local finds in latest blog post. Lots of thoughts on moult and plenty of non-gull photos as well #ukbirding tmbirding.blogspot.com/2025/05/two-...

Annotated image showing moult limit in candidate 3cy Baltic Gull

3357

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 04/05/2025

Finally managed to salvage this abysmal spring - Temminck's Stint was a nice find at Northern Cross Valley Way this morning. Not a regular bird in the county, with the last record 2023 and prior to that 2018 #ukbirding

Temminck's Stint standing by water's edge

1424

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

Redstarts! After recording my earliest ever on the New Forest patch this year (23/03), the last couple of days have seen a significant arrival. Wonderful to have at least 16 singing males in the area this morning #ukbirding #patchbirding #hantsbirds

1280

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

Point blank views of this Spotshank and Greenshank duo at Keyhaven on Monday @hosbirding.bsky.social #ukbirding #patchbirding #hantsbirds

0392

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Hampshire Ornithological Society @hosbirding.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

Our AGM and Members' Day will be taking place this Saturday, 29 March, at St Swithun's School, Winchester. Great variety of talks including on Woodlarks, Roseate Tern breeding and an update on White-tailed Eagles. Free for members, £5 non-members. No need to pre-book www.hos.org.uk/welcome-to-t...

hos.org.uk

Members' Day 2025 - Hampshire Ornithological Society

HOS Members’ Day 2025 will be held at St Swithun’s School, Winchester SO21 1HA, on Saturday March 29th. It includes the HOS AGM – details of which can be downloaded here. Admission is free for HOS mem...

093

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Still pretty static migration-wise but this Little Ringed Plover over northeast was displaying some rather odd behaviour, flying around the floods with its legs extended in an almost petrel-like fashion - photo stack to show the sequence #ukbirding

Composite photo stack of Little Ringed Plover flying with its legs extended

1222

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

Not the best pics, but surprised to see this Red Kite tucking into a Long-tailed Tit in the New Forest recently. Whether it was caught alive or as carrion I can't say #ukbirding #patchbirding

0383

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Some sunset Cattle Egrets and a Tufted Duck x Common Pochard hybrid at RSPB Otmoor on Tuesday #ukbirding #BirdHybrid

090

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

A flight shot of the Eurasian Wigeon x Northern Pintail hybrid from a recent visit to Keyhaven, Hants #ukbirding #patchbirding #BirdHybrid

1280

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Port Meadow Birding @pmbirding.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Latest Port Meadow blog update has now been posted with the first Sand Martins and LRP's now on the year list. There is still some good gulling with plenty of Caspians, YLGs and Med Gulls to be seen. portmeadowbirding.blogspot.com Photos courtesy of @tmbirding.bsky.social

0332

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

Whilst Common Snipe have been plentiful on my New Forest patch this winter, Jack Snipe have proved tricky. Very pleased to finally get good views of them on the last couple of visits #ukbirding #patchbirding

1200

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

A lovely afternoon for a wander at Keyhaven - 87sp, the highlight being great views of this Slavonian grebe, which is starting to get its 'horns'. The Spoonbill was very confiding too! #ukbirding #patchbirding

0180

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

This smart Pintail x Wigeon hybrid (Pingeon? Wigtail?) was showing well at Keyhaven today. Now present for its 4th winter. #ukbirding #patchbirding

1463

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Afonso Rocha @rochafonso.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

Last week, 56,000 #btgodwits were counted in the rice fields of the #Tagus estuary, the highest concentration of the species in the EAF. In this rice field alone, 36K godwits were recorded by drone! #LifeGodwitflyway

16521

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Raptor Persecution UK @raptorpersuk.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

The threat is considered severe enough to require significantly increased biosecurity measures for captive birds and yet the chasing of potentially infected gamebirds across the countryside can still continue.....bonkers. #Ornithology #BirdingScotland raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/01/27/n...

raptorpersecutionuk.org

National Avian Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZ) declared across England & Scotland

Following an increase in the number of detections of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in wild birds and other captive birds, the Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer from Scotland and Chief …

38435

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Trevor Codlin @trevorcodlin.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

Another fab session at Eastleigh SF, we caught 115 birds, 81N & 34 rt/c. Chiff 65N 25RT 2C, goldc 3N 4RT, wren 5N 1r/t, bluti 1n 2R/t, lotti 2 & treec 2, & 1 ea cetwa, firec, sparr. Eight of the r/t chiffs were from previous years between 2 and 5 years ago. #ukbirding #birdringing

One of the 92 chiffs caught yesterday, 65 new birds, 25 retraps and two more controls. We have not retrapped 12 birds from previous winters, the oldest over 5 years old. We have also had 10 controls

Male firecrest, stunning birds, even better on a dull and dreary day

This is a map of all our chiff controls over the last 10 winters at Eastleigh SF

0263

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 04/01/2025

This showy Red-necked Grebe was a long overdue patch tick for my Keyhaven-Pennington list. A ringtail Hen Harrier heading through the solent gave me a 2nd patch tick a few minutes later! Along with Thursday's Lesser Yellowlegs, a great start to 2025 #ukbirding #patchbirding

1280

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

Not the best shots, but great to see this Hen Harrier on a very frosty morning in the New Forest #ukbirding

0100

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

White-tailed Eagles are a pretty regular sight on the Hampshire coast these days, but I still get a thrill each time I see one. Especially when they fly straight over you, scattering 1000s of waders and wildfowl! #ukbirding #patchbirding

0220

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Hugh Harrop @hughharrop.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

Lovely views of this pristine adult Iceland Gull along with a first winter Glaucous Gull at Boddam 👀 Voe, #Shetland this afternoon. #BirdingScotland #ukbirding #RareBirdsUK #birds

11438

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Bart Hoekstra @barthoekstra.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

Our @batumiraptorcount.org Autumn Report is now online! Ever considered coming to Batumi to watch the incredible migration of 1+ million raptors 🦅, either as tourist or volunteer? Let our richly illustrated reports convince you to come next year. www.batumiraptorcount.org/autumn-repor... 🪶

A male Pallid Harrier giving impeccable views as it rapidly passed the count station. The bird shows its characteristic almost black-and-white plumage with the thin black wedge at the wingtips, and stands out clearly against the dark backdrop of the Batumi bottleneck.

1249

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Bart Hoekstra @barthoekstra.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Happy to say that this year's @batumiraptorcount.bsky.social Autumn Report will be bigger, better and more beautiful than ever. Coming soon. Making it has inspired me to share more of my #raptor #birdmigration photography here, so a teaser of some of the pictures I've contributed this year. 🪶🦅

A Hobby (the species of falcon) beautifully lit against a dark background, carrying a prey — likely a Short-toed Lark.

An adult male Marsh Harrier flying in front of a faint moon. This is probably quite an old bird, with wingtips so faintly marked and even some barring appearing.

A backlit Montagu's Harrier (a male) flying against some golden mountains during sunrise.

A mixed flock of Honey Buzzards and Black Kites flying in between the count stations of the Batumi Raptor Count. In the background Station 2 is visible, but it's photographed from Station 1. The weather pretty grim so the image gives a muted, ‘black and white’, impression.

1387

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

Classic winter birding at Keyhaven yesterday with 92 sp; highlights including Water Pipit, GND, Long-tailed Duck, close views of Merlin, 203 Knot (a good count here) and a sizeable Marsh Harrier roost #ukbirding #patchbirding

0150

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Conor MacKenzie @conormackenzie.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

A round up of Novembers birding in Oxon. A surprisingly busy month for the county bookended by county megas - albeit of differing scales of national rarity. Booted Eagle, Velvet Scoter, Snow Bunting and Bearded Tit the major highlights. #UKbirding oxonbirding.blogspot.com/2024/12/nove...

oxonbirding.blogspot.com

November Review

Highlights Well well well! Which of us had Booted Eagle on our radars for the Oxon list?! And in November no less?! Oxfordshire has ofte...

0255

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

Lovely to watch the feeding behaviour of this Long-tailed Duck up close at Keyhaven yesterday. It frequently had its alula extended (apparently part of their diving action), and tended to surface with a very muddy bill! #ukbirding #patchbirding

1310

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

This 1st winter Long-tailed duck was a nice surprise at Keyhaven today, feeding close in on one of the lagoons with the Tufted Ducks! #ukbirding #patchbirding

0280

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

I've spent a lot of time looking through the gulls at Keyhaven in the past month for scant reward, so was very surprised when this 1st winter Caspian Gull flew straight past me! Just enough time to grab some record shots, and it was gone. #ukbirding #patchbirding

1290

Reposted by Steve Lavington

Portland Bird Observatory @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social · 01/11/2024

Siberian Chiffchaff trapped in the Crown Estate Field - two photos of the same bird in shade vs bright sunshine

1706

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 15/10/2024

This Dartford Warbler sat contented for a good few minutes after tackling a sizeable caterpillar #ukbirding #patchbirding

0180