The Early Birder

The Wirral

2026-04-09T15:15:00.005+01:00

The sun came out and I made an early start on the Wirral. I was hoping to see my first Wheatear of the year, but that didn't prove to be successful. However, as always in this area, there was plenty to see and I went home happy.

Starting at Burton Marsh, there were plenty of Egrets (Great White and Little) to see. A Marsh Harrier flew over and Chiffchaffs, Song Thrush, Meadow Pipits and Reed Buntings provided a nice background chorus as I walked the path. There were still hundreds, if not thousands, of Pink-footed Geese out on the Marsh. Moving on to RSPB Burton Mere, I heard and then saw my first Willow Warbler of the year. Other firsts for 2026 included Spotted Redshanks and Med Gulls. All in all a very nice morning out in some very nice weather for a change.

Come with me on my walk here:

Avocet

Black-tailed Godwit

Lapwing

Long-tailed Tit

Marsh Harrier

Mediterranean Gull (bottom centre) Common Gull to its left

Ruff

Water Vole

Willow Warbler

Kingfisher

2026-03-27T16:27:00.010+00:00

A couple of weeks ago I spent a day in a Kingfisher hide. Yes, a hide set up specifically to photograph these wonderful but hard to spot birds. I arrived at the site in Shropshire and was in place by 8:30am. After that it was a case of getting comfortable and being ready for the bird when it turned up. It wasn't a long wait, and within just 15 minutes a male had been in and landed on the perch before diving to catch a fish. After that he can every hour, before tailing off the visits in the afternoon.

It was a very special day and a very special bird, one of my favourites, and I managed to get my best every shots too. Normally there are branches in the way, or it is a long way in the distance. That day was just magical.

Come and relive my day here:

Patch Birding

2026-03-21T07:04:00.005+00:00

The weather has turned recently (for the better) and it is beginning to feel as though Spring is finally on the way. The sun has been out and the temperature has risen a little. I've noticed the Blackthorn is in blossom, along with cherry and the Magnolia. Chiffchaffs are here and singing and even some butterflies are on the wing again. There is light at the end of what feels like a very long winter.

I've taken some very nice walks on my local patch at Woodford, where there is a real cross over of the seasons, with winter Thrushes still around and Daffodils and Summer migrants singing. It has lifted my mood and put a real spring in my step. Add into that mix an early afternoon Barn Owl, and you can imagine my excitement. Can't wait to see what the next few weeks bring in.

Come with me on my trip around my local patch here:

The Barn Owl came out to enjoy the late afternoon sunshine.

Curlew

Redwing

Ring-necked Parakeet

Stonechat (female)

Stonechat (male)

Dippers

2026-03-13T20:58:00.008+00:00

I spent some time recently looking for and checking out the local Dippers. I've not been to see them since before Christmas, but I knew that at this time of year, they should be pairing up and looking for nest sites. Always a good bird to see, but not always the easiest, as they are spooked easily and they only need sight of you before they're off. So it was no surprise that on my first visit I didn't find one. I went back the next morning and I found a pair, and even better, I was able to watch as one was plucking moss from the rocks and taking it away to a potential nest site, which was great news. I then had the pleasure of watching and listening to one sing as it stood on a rock in the brook. Truly magical, and I look forward to following their progress in the coming weeks and months.

You can see my Dipper adventures here on my YouTube video:

Dipper

This male Pheasant kept me company

A pair of Red Kites flew over, but the light was poor for good shots.

Lancashire Birding

2026-03-07T07:40:00.004+00:00

I took an early morning trip to the North West coast near Southport recently, as there were a number of good birds in the area, and there are always good numbers of geese and swans to see here too. I started at RSPB Hesketh Outmarsh, where I had good views of many Tree Sparrows in the hedges, and Whooper Swans in the fields. Then I had a Merlin overhead trying to catch another bird. Moving on to RSPB Marshside where I was looking for a Smew that wasn't there. I did find a Scaup though, which is not very common here, so that was a bonus.

There were hundreds of Lapwings and Geese on the Marsh. These were mainly Pink-footed, but there were lots of Canada and Greylags too. Oystercatchers, Black-tailed Godwits, Tufted Ducks, Wigeon and Shelduck made for a good supporting cast.

I moved on to Southport where I was fortunate enough to watch a flock of 30 or so Twite. This is a bird that I've really struggled to find over the years, but was in the right place at the right time. So that concluded a very good morning.

You can see more of my trip here:

Grey Heron

Pink-footed Goose

Pintail

Poor, distant images of the Scaup

Shelduck

Distant possible Snow Goose

Whooper Swans

Norfolk Coast part 2

2026-02-27T14:09:00.007+00:00

Day 2 of the Norfolk trip included a terrific little bird that had been around since before Christmas, and was high on my list of birds to see. Sheringham has a good record of over-wintering Black Redstarts, but this year they had one that that was of Eastern race that is usually found in Asia, rather than Europe.

It had been a very wet day, and you can tell by the state of the poor thing. Really bedraggled and looking rather sorry for itself. That said, it was feeding well and no worse off for the soaking it had endured. A great bird to eventually see.

Click here to see my vlog of day 2 of my trip:

Eastern Black Redstart (rather wet)

Little Egret

Meadow Pipit

Oystercatcher

Norfolk Coast

2026-02-20T13:22:00.000+00:00

We had a good weekend in Norfolk with my parents recently. There were plenty of birds to see and lots to add to the 2026 year list. Cley is always where I gravitate towards and there is always something to see at all times of the year. From the thousands of geese overhead and in the fields to wintering wildfowl and waders. This trip was no different, and we even had the pleasure of the sun joining us, although it was bitterly cold.

Highlights on day one were really good views of a Common Snipe and Redshank from Bishop's hide. Avocets had returned from their wintering grounds and were resting up. Hundreds if not thousands of Lapwings were across the marsh, and Marsh Harriers were doing their usual fly-bys to put everything up in the air. It was a great start to the weekend, and day 2 was just as fruitful. Part 2 to follow.

Click here to see my vlog of day 1 of my trip:

Avocets in a line, with a Lapwing in flight (left) and also a Black-tailed Godwit in the group.

Brent Geese

Common Redshank

Common Snipe keeping a look out before dozing off again.

Burton Mere Wetlands

2026-02-12T19:34:00.000+00:00

On what was yet another cold grey and overcast day. Lisa and I brightened the mood by visiting RSPB Burton Mere for our winter fix of water birds. There was a good variety as always here, and we were greeted in the car park by the sound of overflying Pink-footed Geese. There was lots around and some good birds added to the Year List, with the likes of Knot, Curlew, Green Sandpiper and Dunlin.

The highlight was a Great White Egret dropping just metres away from us while standing at the Bridge Screen.

You can see more of our visit here:

Great White Egret

Dunlin

Knot and Black-tailed Godwit

Redshank

Long-tailed Tit

Mallard

Teal

Redesmere WeBS Count

2026-01-31T07:11:00.001+00:00

On a grey and murky day at Redesmere I carried out the WeBS monthly bird count. It was a pretty quiet affair to be honest, with the usual suspects of mainly Canada Geese, Mallards and Coots. Sprinkled in were a fly over Great White Egret, a Little Egret, some Goldeneye and a few species of gulls. The majority of the gulls were Black-headed, but there was one Common Gull and a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Always nice to see something not so common here.

You can see more of my sightings and here:

Common Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Martin Mere

2026-01-23T11:51:00.000+00:00

A week or so ago, I went to Martin Mere to see the Whooper Swans and Pink-footed Geese. There were a couple of bonus birds too though, in the shape of a Glossy Ibis and a Ring-necked Duck. It was a lovely cold, frosty and sunny morning and we got quite lucky with the amount of birds we saw. We managed all 3 Egrets, with 2 Great White Egrets, 3 Cattle Egrets and a Little Egret to complete the set. Plenty of ducks and some Snipe on the water, while the usual woodland birds were hanging around the feeders. Over the marsh, there were Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and 2 Marsh Harriers. All in all it was a great way to spend a Saturday.

You can see more of my visit here, on my YouTube channel: My YouTube Channel

Black-tailed Godwit

Glossy Ibis

Ring-necked Duck

Moorhen on ice

Pheasant

Tree Sparrows in the Frost

2026-01-16T17:23:00.004+00:00

A nice cold frosty morning meant that the weekend got off to a great start. I had a target bird in mind to get on the 2026 Year List, and that was the Tree Sparrow. Not a common bird anymore unfortunately, but I know of a site locally that holds a good number.

The sun was out and thankfully it was in the right position to shine good light on my subject. It's not an easy task to get a bird that you want to photograph to sit nicely on a branch or to be free of leaves and clutter, and the Tree Sparrow more often than not likes to stay inside bushes. I got lucky just a couple of times, and these are my efforts.

If you'd like to see what else I saw on my walk, click on the link below and you can come with me. 😀 If you like it, subscrube to see me on more of my birding walks.

My You Tube video

Tree Sparrow

White-fronted Goose

2026-01-03T06:00:00.002+00:00

I used some time off between Christmas and New Year to see if I could make any late additions to my year list. High on my list of "possibles" was the White-fronted Goose. With some cold Easterly winds blowing in from Russia, there had been a bit of an influx in the previous week. Nothing had been reported locally, but I thought there'd be a good chance to find one in amongst the local flocks of Canada and Greylag Geese. I managed to find a few last year, so I knew where would be a good place to look.

As it turned out, I got extremely lucky. A wrong turning took me somewhere I had no intention of going. I got out of the car just as some geese flew over my head and landed in the next field. It looked like mainly Greylags, but always worth being thorough and checking them all. BINGO!!! One Russian White-fronted Goose. It didn't make it easy as it kept ducking down and walking behind the Greylags. When your luck's in, your luck's in. A final addition to the Year List, which finished at 196.

White-fronted Goose (centre with the striped belly)

The white front above the bill just visible, and distinctly smaller than the Greylags.

I'm Also Now on YouTube

2026-01-01T16:00:00.001+00:00

I'm going to try something new this year. I thought as well as doing my blog, I'd try to do some videos of my escapades. I'll being including details of where I've been and what I've seen, whilst also including pictures and videos of what I see.

I'd love you all to join me, take a look and if you like what you see then subscribe to my channel and like or comment on my videos. I'd love to know that people are enjoying my content, or any suggestions for future videos. It's new venture for me, but I'd like you all to come along for the ride with me. It could be fun. 😀

My channel link to Adam Jones Photography is here: https://www.youtube.com/@adamjonesphotography

And here is my first video: https://youtu.be/ke21VVRtavk?si=-81dk3XC7ZfHxREf

Happy Holidays.

2025-12-27T17:19:00.001+00:00

Merry Christmas to you all, and thank you for visiting my page in the last year. It's great to know that people like to connect with my blog and leave comments. They are all read, and it means an awful lot to me. I am aiming to get out a lot more in 2026, so I hope I can bring you more regular posts than in 2025. I am also looking to do something exciting next year, that will involve video as well as pictures. So please stay tuned for updates as I have them.

As it is pretty cold here at the moment, I've chosen to add some pictures of warmer times for my last post of the year. These pictures were taken at RSPB Bempton Cliffs back in May, when I was walking about in shorts and a t-shirt. How I long for these warmer days, and some quality birds.

Puffin

Gannet

Redesmere Gulls

2025-12-20T14:56:00.003+00:00

Redesmere doesn't really get many different species of gulls through the year. Black-headed are the most common by far, with the odd Lesser Black-backed some months, and even rarer here is the Common Gull. During the winter months there can be 100+ Black-headed gulls on and around the water. Some of these have been ringed birds, and traced back to Lithuania. The records show that they travel from Redesmere to Lithuania to breed and then return to entertain me for the rest of the year. It's quite amazing really when you think about it.

Common Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Stonechat

2025-12-14T09:46:00.002+00:00

I'm fortunate to have a few pairs of Stonechats locally. They're one of the birds that really triggered my interest and excitement in birds again over 20 years ago. Unlike most other birds, they allow you a few opportunities to ID them, as they will often sit up nicely on a branch, bush, fence or fence post. Regularly dropping down to pick up a snack.

This pair were doing what they do best along the East Bank, Cley Marshes. Luckily for me the sun was out, and they were not too far away.

Female Stonechat

The male. So frustrating that the blade of grass wouldn't blow out of shot.

Jack Snipe - Cley Marshes

2025-12-06T10:04:00.000+00:00

A bird that I'd only set eyes on twice before was the Jack Snipe. Once at Spurn and once at Snipes Pool, Cley. On both occasions the views were distant. The first bird was asleep for the duration, while the second bird did give me it's bouncy bobbing dance for confirmation. (Well worth a Google if you get a chance). Just a couple of weeks ago I got my third and best look at this cracking little wader, from Bishops hide at Cley. It was asleep most of time, but being probably no more than 10 feet away, it was not a problem. Every 5-10 minutes it would bob a little and then pop it's head up to have a look, before assuming it asleep with one eye open position.

I was chuffed to be able to get some decent pictures.

Jack Snipe. Asleep with one eye open.

During one of it's fleeting awake moments.

Goyt Valley

2025-07-11T18:08:00.000+01:00

Early mornings in the Goyt Valley have been stunning this year. So many weekends have started in full sunshine, no cloud cover and no rain. This is great for me wanting to see and photograph birds and nature, but not so good for the ever decreasing water level. The reservoir is as low as I've ever seen it. I'd like some rain, but obviously if it could fall at night that would be really helpful.

Blackcaps have been in good voice, and as ever, making it difficult to spot them as they sing from within the leaf cover. Every now and again they show themselves. I just have to be ready when they do.

Male Blackcap

Common Sandpiper on the shoreline of the ever retreating water line at Errwood Reservoir.

One of the several Cuckoos that have been singing around the valley. Not often I get to see them perched up like this.

Marsh Warbler - Cley

2025-06-28T10:28:00.005+01:00

Just a few weeks after adding the Woodchat Shrike to my UK life list, I managed to add another lifer last weekend, in the form of a Marsh Warbler. This super little bird that was constantly singing it's heart out was in the reeds at Cley. Just a couple of hundred yards from the East Bank, it was hard to miss it's song, that was a repertoire of mimicry of other birds. I counted at least a dozen different bird songs and calls, from Blue Tit, Sparrow, Swallow, Swift, Bearded Tit, Linnet, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warbler and even the Oystercatcher. It was fantastic to stand just metres away and watch and listen. A super little show off of a bird. The short phone video is a must to listen to at the bottom of this post to appreciate it's mimicry.😀

Pied Flycatcher, Redstart

2025-06-20T08:00:00.001+01:00

Well, these beauties have been back here for the last couple of months, and in fact they are now feeding their fledged young (look out for some more photos of these soon). Always a highlight off my year when the Pied Flycatchers and Redstarts return. I spend quite a lot of time waiting and watching. I know where they should be and where they like, so it's best just to sit, blend in and let them come to you when they know you are no threat. The males do all the singing and the females seem to work much harder at finding nesting material.

Male Pied Flycatcher

Male Redstart

Woodchat Shrike - Daresbury

2025-06-14T19:09:00.002+01:00

Last week, I made an after work dash to go and see a rare visitor to these shores, and an even rarer visitor to Cheshire. A stunning male Woodchat Shrike. Just the 6th record of one in Cheshire. This was found along a canal in Daresbury and was mostly seen on an electricity pylon waiting for passing bees. It should really be down in Southern Europe or the Middle East at this time, but I was grateful that it ended up just 15 miles from home.

I actually saw my first ever last year while on holiday in Ibiza, so it was great to get it on the UK life list too. A great bird, and the photos don't really do it justice, but I was just delighted to see it and enjoy being nearby. 😀

Changing of the Guard

2025-04-12T07:15:00.002+01:00

It's that time of year, when I get a bit twitchy and excited about what might be turning up nearby. Each year my search for migrants gets earlier and earlier, in the hope that something unusual might just pop in on the off chance. This tends to just leave me frustrated and moaning that 'everything is late this year'. In reality, it's just me being impatient. With all that said, by me getting out there and searching hard, I do get to see quite a few other birds that I might overlook on regular days. Then there are also some I haven't seen for a while and enjoy watching, knowing that they will be doing the reverse and leaving our shores until the autumn/winter months.

One such bird is the Fieldfare. I'd seen very few over winter, but on several early mornings recently I've seen flocks of over 100 feeding on the ground. A really good looking Thrush. Can't wait until I hear their call again in the Autumn, but not before I've ticked off all our summer migrants first.

Fieldfare

Goosander

Great Crested Grebe

Grey Wagtail

Long-tailed Tit

Cattle Egret

2025-02-04T07:52:00.001+00:00

Cattle Egrets used to a real rarity in this country. They're probably still the rarest of the Egrets, but like the Little and Great White Egret are becoming more numerous and something that I'm likely to come across without going too far out of my way. That said, they will be in twos and threes as a rule.

At Cley last Autumn there were extraordinary numbers of Cattle Egrets in the fields and wetlands. At one point there 20+. This picture below has 14 in view, and that was all I could fit in. Quite amazing really, and not something I imagined I would ever see.

Cattle Egrets

Meadow Pipits on one of the hides roof

Nuthatch

2025-01-30T07:59:00.001+00:00

A goal of mine was reached in October last year, and that was to attract a Nuthatch to my garden feeder. I've had feeders for an awfully long time, but not had a Nuthatch where I live now. It was just one of those moments, when you look out of the window to see what's there and the shock that hit me was immense. I had to go and get the binoculars for a better look, but there it was in all it's finery. 😃

It stayed around on and off for a week or so, which allowed me to grab my camera a few times to get some pictures. Now all I want is a Woodpecker. I'm sure there will be something else after that too, but I'm not being greedy.

Nuthatch

Purple Sandpiper - Sheringham

2025-01-25T18:45:00.002+00:00

A cold and very grey morning at Sheringham saw me checking the rocks at high tide for the winter visiting Purple Sandpipers. Two had been reported in recent weeks, but sightings were over a few different areas, and it was just a case of checking each time I was there. On my two previous visits I'd not seen any, but it proved to be third time lucky. I'd already scanned the rocks to no avail, and had walked up and down a couple of times looking, but it was on my way back that I spotted that lovely purple sheen and orange feet and bill. It was too cold to hang around, but I got a few shots to satisfy my annual craving. I really love these birds, and it may be the last time I see any until the late Autumn months again.

Purple Sandpiper