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Steve Blain

@steveblain.bsky.social
1.5K followers 666 following 87 posts

Birder, Bedfordshire, nocmig, vismig, digiscoper. Views my own. #BedsBirding

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Reposted by Steve Blain
Richard K Broughton @richardkbroughton.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Dogshit alley. Every nature reserve has one, on the paths nearest the public entrance, where the public bring their dogs to defecate, and spoiling it for everyone.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Beds 1st Lesser Yellowlegs appeared in front of me at Broom South Quarry this morning. LONG overdue and much anticipated, it flew off and disappeared for an hour and a half before returning and showed nicely this afternoon. Added Med Gull and my annual Beds Osprey this evening made it a decent day!
A brown and white wading bird, looking left, in a small muddy pool
A brown and white wading bird, looking left, in shallow water
A crowd of birders overlooking a gravel pit
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Had even better views this evening.
A Kentish Plover facing left standing on some gravel
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Well that livened up a dull bank holiday Monday! Nothing quite like finding a local mega on your patch. Amazing to see so many familiar faces come and go. Another splendid evening at Broom GP. Kentish Plover, 4th May 2026 #BedsBiding
A Kentish Plover facing right sat on a gravel islandA Kentish Plover facing right sat on a gravel island with a Little Ringed Plover flying above
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
Ha! Can’t imagine they have too many resightings so great you got the code. I struggle to read them even when I see them at Blunham.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
That Wigeon might have only come as far as Blunham as I think that the colour they have used in the past. Glad someone is birding Paxton and putting the news out!
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Thanks. Have put it out to local birders.
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Reposted by Steve Blain
Mark Avery @markavery.bsky.social · 09/11/2025
Sunday book review: The Birds of Bedfordshire by Tony Ploszajski Review: markavery.info/2025/11/09/s... Publisher: Beds Nat Hist Soc 'Excellent' The last Northants avifauna is 130 years out of date... #bedfordshire #birds @wildlifebcn.org #Sandy #TheLodge @rspb.bsky.social @steveblain.bsky.social
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 09/11/2025
Lesser Scaup finally falls. Bedfordshire’s first today at Broom GP. Nice to have another Beds first on the local patch. Well done Matt Burgess for the find on his @webs-gsmp.bsky.social count. #BedsBirding
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 01/11/2025
If your data are all in BirdTrack the Stats tab in the app can show you data for any county (or country) for your list, year or month. It is brilliant!
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Reposted by Steve Blain
Mongabay @mongabay.com · 01/11/2025
Nearly half of the United Kingdom’s most commercially valuable fish populations are either overexploited, critically low or both, according to a new report warning that the government continues to set catch limits above scientific advice.
news.mongabay.com
UK fish stocks in trouble as catch limits exceed scientific advice: Report
Nearly half of the United Kingdom’s most commercially valuable fish populations are either overexploited, critically low or both, according to a new report warning that the government continues to…
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
I’ve been burnt by similar before so yesterday spent all day with the recorder running just in case. It certainly paid off!
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
We then followed the calling bird along the hedgerow for over 100m piecing together the bird from snatched views often on the ground. It was a Dusky! A fitting end to a brilliant day. And I see the Hume's has been confirmed this morning, well done @jamesrmccallum1.bsky.social!
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
We headed back along the coast path towards the car only to stop near the bench for a scan over the saltmarsh. Andy picked up the Glossy Ibis flying around but while we were chatting a warbler started tacking in the hedge behind us.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
We then spent some time looking for the Yellow-brows at Garden Drove. A lovely Firecrest showed nicely here too. After a while @jamesrmccallum1.bsky.social popped up and said he'd got an interesting warbler which was calling like a Hume's. We all got on to it but the light was already going.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
No sooner had we got on to the coast path when a Red-throated Pipit went over calling! We then had it three more times before losing it near Garden Drove. Unfortunately only seen in flight but at least we had the recording gear running.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
An amble along Gypsy Lane near Titchwell got us a flyover Woodlark and Crossbill but the sea was rather quiet. We then spent all afternoon wandering from North Point Pools to Warham Greens and back. Here's where it got really interesting.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
Some vismig at Hunstanton with @sconebirding.bsky.social and @norfolkbirding.bsky.social produced some good passage with lots of Chaffinches heading north, unusually. A walk to the beach at Holme produced a ringtail Hen Harrier over and plenty of Blackbirds and Robins for company.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
A day in north Norfolk yesterday with Matt Burgess and @agrimsey.bsky.social . And what a day! We started at South Wootton for the Lesser Yellowlegs in its bizarre location on the edge of a new housing estate.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
#BedfordshireBirding
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
Unfortunately I didn’t get a view or any video of the upper wing so couldn’t check for other things like any black on P4. If the only view you had of this bird was at distance in a roost it would certainly look the part and pique interest. It is certainly unusual. I wonder where it’s from?
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
On reviewing the video the head streaking wasn’t dense enough and looked rather sparse around the lores and forehead, with the fine streaking also going down the nape. Also the amount of black on P8 didn’t make it to the edge of the primary coverts.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
This gave me a shock last night at Broom GP. Superficially an Azorean Gull (hate the name Azores Gull!). However despite the hooded appearance, dark blue-grey mantle, stocky appearance, and mucky bill it didn’t quite stand up to scrutiny.
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Reposted by Steve Blain
Dr Adrian Colston @dartmoorac.bsky.social · 27/09/2025
St Agnes today - pale / albino / leucistic Rock Pipit on Periglis and and a cracking Wheatear on Wingletang
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
The first Redwings of the autumn dashed west over the Pinnacle this morning. Just five but it’s a start. Looking forward to more. #vismig #BedsBirding
A panoramic view from the Pinnacle, Sandy overlooking the Ivel valley
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
I think a lot of birders need to read this!
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
Says phones up to 95mm wide so I would think so Bill. Best to check though!
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
Have to say the Hawke is the best phonescope adapter I’ve tried, and for 25 quid what is not to love! This one just seems to work. Highly recommend. #digiscoping
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Reposted by Steve Blain
Abigail Lowe @abigaillowe.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
Do you do moth trapping in the UK? We'd love your help! 💡 At @ukceh.bsky.social we're training & testing AI to detect multiple moths in a single image. Send us top-down photos of multiple moths on egg trays to support this work. More info & form: forms.gle/e3HzBPEd7RVV... #mothsmatter #TeamMoth
A top-down image of 12 various moths on a green egg carton.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
You can’t beat a Dotterel. It’s even better when there are four of ‘em. Today at Nanjizal #CornwallBirding
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
Go for a fishing chair. Very comfy, and because of the adjustable legs you can get nice and level. Something like this: www.anglingdirect.co.uk/ngt-xpr-chair
anglingdirect.co.uk
NGT XPR Chair
Key FeaturesSturdy, two tone chair with armrests four fully adjustable legs with mud feet Great chair for both long and short sessions Velcro strap for rod support Adjustable Legs and Arm Rests
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
Try Arge ochropus, one of the sawflies: www.sawflies.org.uk/arge-ochropus/
sawflies.org.uk
Arge ochropus (Gmelin, 1790) - Sawflies
Species account for the Arge ochropus sawfly including distribution map and certified images where available.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
@astrokev.bsky.social Hi Kevin, would you mind following me so I can PM you about a photo I believe you took a few years ago of a melanistic Montagu’s Harrier near Broom in Bedfordshire? Many thanks, Steve
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Reposted by Steve Blain
Julian Hughes @penrhynbirder.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
How many people contribute records to county and local bird reports in Wales? How much data do those county recorders manage and through which channels? How wide is the coverage? More detail in Alt Text. Number-wrangling while I'm writing the @birdsinwales.bsky.social 2024 report. #BirdingWales
Slide shows the number of bird records (not including those from structured surveys) contributed by birdwatchers in Wales to the national record through a variety of channels in 2024. Of 637,636 records, 67% were collected through BirdTrack, 27% through eBird, 4% directly to county bird recorders, 2% through the four Local Environmental Records Centres and the LERC Wales mobile app, and <1% through iRecord (figures are rounded). It is estimated that around 4000 people contributed records, making counts equivalent to 5.6 million birds. A map - produced by the British Trust for Ornithology - shows all the locations in Wales from which BirdTrack and eBird records were submitted. There was almost complete coverage around the coast and in the main river valleys but far fewer in the uplands of mid, west and north Wales. In total, records came from 277 of the 282 (96%) 10-km squares. The two main recording apps provided 26,089 complete lists which is the most useful way of providing records, during 49,573 hours of recording effort. Massive thanks to everyone who contributes, even bigger thanks to county recorders who manage all this data. My thanks to Simon Gillings at BTO, Sarah Woodcock at BIS on behalf of LERC Wales and all the county recorders who provided estimates.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Have done a couple of Woodlark surveys in the last couple of days in Bedfordshire. No Woodlarks or Dartfords but habitats have been decent and the weather lovely. Bumped in to a few Woodcocks including four this morning at the Lodge. @btobirds.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social
A view over some heather dominated lowland heathland in Bedfordshire A view of an open tree planted area amongst pine woods in near Woburn, Bedfordshire
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
Pleased to find a pair of vocal Marsh Tits in my local woods this morning. #BedsBirding
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
You can do it all on the mobile app if you wish 👍
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
You can use @birdtrack.bsky.social to record worldwide, and have done for at least ten years!
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Reposted by Steve Blain
Ian Hayes @ianhayes.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
"Interesting" Magpie at Perranuthnoe on Monday. Picture courtesy of @paganbirder.bsky.social
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Reposted by Steve Blain
Martha Henson @marthasadie.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
Ooof this might be one of the most terrifying things I've ever read. The damage from climate change is already in effect and not even the pristine Amazon is escaping it. The fact that we are still talking about it as a future problem is wildly misguided.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 03/01/2025
A short visit to GLE this afternoon, with 36 Pochards, the long-staying Goldeneye and around 100 Greenfinches roosting in a roadside bramble. Then 11 Woodcocks heading in to the arable at dusk nearby #BedsBirding #ukbirdinf
A view over Gypsy Lane East pits from the south at duskA bright dusk sky with the moon and Venus showing
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 03/01/2025
Yes Willow Tit probably went over 20 years ago from Beds, with breeding Woodcock and Tree Pipit around the same time, with Wood Warbler and Redstart probably a few years before that. Corn Bunting slipping away rapidly!
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 02/01/2025
A quick visit to Blunham Lake this lunchtime. Quite a few duck present but the most interesting bird was this third-winter Caspian Gull. This bird first turned up in the Ivel Valley last winter and looked a bit odd and hybridy. However it looks better the older it gets. #BedsBirding #ukbirding
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 01/01/2025
Thanks. Yes and there are many other declines I didn’t mention. Species like Yellowhammers, Redshank, Snipe, Shelduck, Cuckoo, Swift and Lesser Whitethroat which are getting trickier as each year passes. Sad times!
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 01/01/2025
Thanks Jeremy. Yes the Wryneck was one to savour and perhaps never to be repeated, at least not in my lifetime. Hope you are well!
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 01/01/2025
The Beds 100 species-a-month challenge was quite fun. What will 2025 bring? We shall see! Happy birding everyone.
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 01/01/2025
Lastly it is Great Black-backed Gull. The closure of the local tips has seen this species drop of a cliff in numbers. A count of 10 at Stewartby Lake on 6th Jan a massive high count for recent times and one which may not be repeated for a long time (and I forgot about in my recent post of 27th Dec!)
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 01/01/2025
Golden Plover - it seems like the days of flocks of several thousand birds in the fields of Bedfordshire are probably over. Finding this species has become rather a chore but I expect we have climate change and warmer winters to thank for that. Still managed to winkle out a few. flic.kr/p/2qD1SFc
flic.kr
Golden Plovers, GLE, Broom GP, 31st October 2024
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 01/01/2025
Ruff - this used to be a very frequent wader to bump in to but the last few years has got very difficult so one for two days at GLE in September was nice to see flic.kr/p/2qD3QYp
flic.kr
Ruff, GLE, Broom GP, 22nd September 2024
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Steve Blain @steveblain.bsky.social · 01/01/2025
Spotted Flycatcher - although still 'easy' around the Lodge this has also gone from the myriad of locations local to me which had the species breeding only a few years ago.
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