Bill Aspin 🇺🇦
@billaspin
Birder based in east Lancashire.
Nice to confirm successful breeding of Cetti’s Warbler at Brockholes for only the second time. Further detail in ALT. #LancsBirding
Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Bill Oddie. His books, particularly these three classics, and birding TV series were pivotal in my development as a young birder in the 1980’s. RIP.
1CY Willow Tit trapped and ringed at Brockholes LWT, Lancs on 21st July. #LancsBirding
A 2CY drake Common Scoter slowly drifting down the River Ribble at Brockholes y/day. #LancsBirding
Enjoyed watching the insects attracted to the sap oozing from the bark of a Wych Elm at Brockholes LWT, Lancs. At least 8 Red Admiral, Specked Woods and a Hornet attracted to it. #Insects #Butterflies
The Black-necked Grebe’s keep coming at Brockholes LWT! This adult on No1 Pit being the third record since 30th June! 🤯 #LancsBirding
A cracking juv Black-necked Grebe at Brockholes on No1 Pit this morning. Never heard one call before, volume up. Remarkably, the third record this year totalling 5 individuals! #LancsBirding
And a Hummingbird Hawk-moth showed well for a time on Thistle. #TeamMoth
A very enjoyable session at Brockholes today with a Spoonbill > NE, the Willow Tit still present and last but certainly not least, finally, a confirmed breeding record of Water Rail! 💥 See ALT. #LancsBirding
A few images from Brockholes, Lancs in past few days. Details in ALT. #LancsBirding #Odonata #Butterflies
Nipped outside on stroke of half time whistle… Decent size flock of Scoter immediately picked up heading NW. Feniscowles, Blackburn. #LancsBirding #EnglandvNorway
An alert from a friend in Gtr Man with news of 210+ Common Scoter NW over Bury at 21:18 saw me abandon the World Cup Football to spend 1.75hrs scanning the sky from the garden in Feniscowles, Blackburn. It paid off big time with some superb Scoter flocks heading west 22:22-22:49. #LancsBirding
… Back home I was welcomed by a noisy Peregrine family over the garden, the two juveniles depicted. #LancsBirding
An eclipse drake Red-crested Pochard at Brockholes today is only the 6th record totalling 10 individuals 1998-2026. Whatever you think about RCP, I like them when they turn up. In Odonata news, two male Lesser Emperor and a Norfolk Hawker seen on the reserve over the past two days. #LancsBirding
This Bittern at Brockholes this morning was the first July record 1999-2026, leaving April/May/June the only months of the year with no records. #LancsBirding
Willow Tit at Brockholes today. There were five sightings in 2025, two of which definitely involved the same retrapped juvenile in July, with other sightings in Aug, Sept and Nov. Unknown how many individuals involved in ‘25 but erring on the cautious side, possibly just one bird… #LancsBirding
A stunning Black-necked Grebe on No1 Pit Brockholes, best viewed from M6 Hide/Path. #LancsBirding
This Red Valerian was planted less than thirty minutes ago, its sole mission to attract Hummingbird Hawk-moth! 💥 - Pure joy! 😎 #TeamMoth
Can’t remember the last time I actually saw a Quail. You can hear it with the volume up. #UKBirding
Pleased to locate a second brood of Redshank at Brockholes today. In Dragonfly news, the male Lesser Emperor still present from the Visitor Village. #LancsBirding
Male Lesser Emperor and a male Red-veined Darter Brockholes LWT, Lancs on Meadow Lake from Visitor Village mid-pm, 16th June. #Odonata #Dragonflies
A Lesser Emperor at Brockholes, Lancs this afternoon, 14th June, patrolling around the Visitor Village. #Odonata #Dragonflies
A selection of some of the 2CY Med Gulls being seen daily at Brockholes currently. Rarely do I see one barely a year old with such a complete adult summer hood as the bird in the lower left pic. #LancsBirding
A 2CY Caspian Gull was a June surprise at Brockholes today. The first record for the reserve. #LancsBirding