Scott Staffs Wildlife
@scottstaffswild
All wildlife, especially birding. Volcano spotter. Love exploring wild planet 🌍. BTO, RSPB, Staffs WT, North Wales WT, WMBC, WOS, WWT Worked in Saudi Arabia 2015-23. Background pic: Incubators at the Chengdu Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding, China.
I had a good evening of Nightjar watching last night in Staffordshire - although I had to tell-off two teenagers who had started a campfire on the heath, and watch them put it out 🙄 Sound up, more video / pics in comments. @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social @thermal4birding.bsky.social
Distant views of Yellow U7 (and rabbit friend) in the fields near the Glaslyn Marshes tonight. This Curlew is 20 years old and was first ringed in South Yorkshire. @birdsinwales.bsky.social
Yellow HP was in the fields near the Glaslyn Marshes again last night. @birdsinwales.bsky.social
I love finding colour-ringed birds as it feels like I'm helping with real science. Today I found 2 C-R Curlews amongst a flock of 20 on the Glaslyn Estuary. Amazingly, I saw U7 last October in nearly the same field. HP is a special find (see note from T.Cross, ringer). @birdsinwales.bsky.social
Dragged Ken Summers down to Eastleach to see the Long-Tailed Shrike this afternoon. After a 20 minute wait it showed very well but was a bit heat-hazy for photos Cracking bird which looks to be moulting some primaries And, yes, it's tail is long 😊 Video in comments @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social
Had a nice day at Cemlyn Bay today. Sandwich, Common and Arctic Terns, 2 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls and a Black Guillemot in the bay. Late bonus of two singing male Quails in a Barley field at Hen Borth when I left. @birdsinwales.bsky.social @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social
Plenty of Nightjar activity in Snowdonia tonight 😊 @birdsinwales.bsky.social @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social @thermal4birding.bsky.social
Went out for the evening with Colin and Jess and the @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social Young Birders Academy. We had a very successful few hours seeing a close pair of displaying Nightjars, Long-eared Owls, Woodcock, Spotted Flycatchers, Tree Pipit and a fat Cuckoo chick being fed by a Mipit.
This is my BTO BBS square in Eryri. Two wading river crossings, unexploded muntions, mineshafts, steep mountain slopes and more ticks than you can shake a stick at. There's no point living on a dangerous planet unless you go to see it 😂 @birdsinwales.bsky.social @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social
Mom shepherding the four kids whilst dad plays peek-a-boo. In-between the Cat and Fiddle and Wildboar Clough. @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social
Lots of youngsters in my BTO Breeding Bird Survey square in the hills between Bala and Trawsfynydd this weekend. Wheatear, Whinchat and Stonechat. @birdsinwales.bsky.social
Spotted Flycatcher, Cannock Chase @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social
The obligatory Western Reef Heron, Foryd Bay, Gwynedd. More pics pllus a heat-hazy shot from the Gulf 3 years ago in the comments. @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social @birdsinwales.bsky.social
Caught up with the female Woodchat Shrike sheltering in a cottage hedge below RSPB South Stack. @birdsinwales.bsky.social @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social
Nightjar catching a moth and descending to it's song post. Filmed in Snowdonia last night after a beautiful clear sunset ringed by mountains. @birdsinwales.bsky.social @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social @northwaleswt.bsky.social
A heap of Sandwich Terns (a good name for a group I think 😂), Common Tern, Arctic Tern and Mediterranean Gulls at Cemlyn Bay. No sign of the Roseates @birdsinwales.bsky.social @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social
Black Guillemot flashing past on the far side of the fish quay at Holyhead. Guillemots and Razorbills at South Stack. @birdsinwales.bsky.social @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social
Had a really good quick visit to Belvide with Ken Summers today. Got the Bonaparte's Gull and Scaup. The reserve was teeming with other birds as well. Garden Warbler doing his thing. Video in comments Sedge Warbler (with a ring) in the thread @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social
Redstart singing his heart out in an ancient oak wood in Snowdonia early this morning. The video is a bit poor because it was pretty much still dark under the canopy. @birdsinwales.bsky.social
Good days birding today. Started at Camp Lane Pits this morning, then Belvide in the afternoon. Eight warbler species at CL which was nice. Black-necked Grebes, Little Gull, Common Terns, Dunlin, LRP, Greenshank, Wheatear and Yellow Wagtails at Belvide. @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social
Beautiful male Bullfinch in the Snowdonia garden this afternoon. (Wouldn't sit still for it's portrait 😊) @birdsinwales.bsky.social
Save the date! After last year's fantastic @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social Open Day, we are returning to Middleton Hall on Sat 16th May. See attached poster for details. Book early for the guided walks and photo walks as they were very popular last year. The event is free and open to all!