Birdingprof
@birdingprof.bsky.social
1K followers 410 following 12K posts
Actual Birder, sometime Twitcher, nascent Moth-er. 2025 Garden Bird yearlist 1️⃣0️⃣7️⃣ VC 26 - West Suffolk. Where Breckland meets Fenland.
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birdingprof.bsky.social
I won’t breathe a word.
birdingprof.bsky.social
I always enjoyed the previous generation of birder’s tales of yore. That’s why I share (and to wind up the yoof, obvs.😚)

I remember a long gone birder telling of his discovery of a Pallas’s’ Sandgrouse at Stodmarsh in 1964.

I’m sure there’s still a few 1962 Macqueens Bustard veterans around.
Reposted by Birdingprof
hcbirding.bsky.social
Couldn't believe it when we found a Death's-head Hawkmoth caterpillar on the Isles of Scilly. A serious wildlife ambition achieved! @sophieshrike.bsky.social #TeamMoth
A large green caterpillar clings upside down under a branch
birdingprof.bsky.social
3/…OTD 40 years: wandered across the island, and lost CB contact for a while. Dangerous! Told of a rumour about a Black-billed Cuckoo. Scanned across the island only to see a crowd of 1,000 tightly packed birders. Eek!
Quickly grabbed a cab…✅

To be continued tomorrow…
Black-billed Cuckoo near Telegraph, Scilly 1985

📸 unknown
birdingprof.bsky.social
2/…OTD 40 yrs ago: walked to Hugh Town when news broke of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Holy Vale. Ran there (so much running) got ahead of the crowd. ✅
Later found a Richard’s Pipit ✅.
p.m. & the Rose-breasted Grosbeak present, but missing all week gave itself up. Tree climbing was involved. ✅…3/
Yellow-billed Cuckoo top end of Holy Vale in 1985.

📸 unknown Rose-breasted Grosbeak near Longstones, Scilly 1985.

📸 unknown
birdingprof.bsky.social
Deep breath.

OTD 40 years ago: Probably my purplest of purple patches.

Literally ran (I could do that on those days) from I.o.S. airfield to get the Yellow-rumped Warbler ✅ at the school. Then ran back up the hill, as an American Golden Plover ✅ had just been found there…1/
Yellow-rumped Warbler seen at dawn behind the school on Scilly 1985.

📸 unknown American Golden Plover on St. Mary’s airfield, Scilly 1985.

📸 unknown
birdingprof.bsky.social
I guess that’s why the Canadian record was not accepted as wild too.
birdingprof.bsky.social
Delayed my garden amble this morning, to avoid the fog. A good job I did. #107 Woodlark, in fact 3 of them, flew over ⬅️ @ 08:45

Not quite annual, but 14 birds in 7 years, mostly in Oct.

This ties with my best year - with annual Yellowhammer still possible, maybe something else…
Reposted by Birdingprof
alexanderlees.bsky.social
Indicative of what proportion of birds are missed on Scillies that a pigeon could basically evade detection in the 1.48 km2 of St Agnes despite lots of people looking #UKBirding
hcbirding.bsky.social
American Mourning Dove finally in the bag!!! 3 days of searching put to rest. Tiny little thing. #UKBirding #RareBirdsUK #IoSBirding #IslesofScillyBirding @sophieshrike.bsky.social
A rare dove sits on a wooden pallet amongst a polytunnel frame
birdingprof.bsky.social
I had this, which was accepted. Seems similar.
Stigmella aceris
birdingprof.bsky.social
The local Peregrine is roosting fairly irregularly, at least on the two sides of the church that I can see from my window, lately.

Also, I’m never sure which one I’m seeing, when I do see one.

This lunchtime it was a lot easier - male & female - together on the South side.
Two Peregrines on the South side of St. Mary’s church, Mildenhall. Male Peregrine on the South side of St. Mary’s church, Mildenhall. Female Peregrine on the South side of St. Mary’s church, Mildenhall.
birdingprof.bsky.social
Another target achieved. 🎯

TL77C tetrad list was a lowly 122 sp, I aimed to add another 122.

Last night’s Meal Moth was #122.
When I start trapping, in 2026, I would like to see if I can add another further 122.

Happily another Mother is recording in my Tetrad, so it will be more of a challenge.
birdingprof.bsky.social
When I started down the slippery #teammoth slope, earlier this year, I gave myself some targets.

See 10% of British Moths. ✔️
Find 150 species in the garden, (before getting a Moth trap.) ✔️
Double the Moth list of my tetrad.
Add 10 species to my Hectad.

#150 NFM/NFG Mallow, also new for tetrad.
Mallow in the garden this morning.
birdingprof.bsky.social
This was way out at the back of the garden. Strangely we don’t get many Moths in our place. Spiders - that’s a whole other deal. Also Harlequin Ladybirds in the Autumn.
birdingprof.bsky.social
Noting much happening this morning. Fortunately I had something waiting for me in the fridge. NFM/NFG Meal Moth. It’s also new for my tetrad.

As soon as I saw the shape last night I knew it would be a goody.

#teammoth
Meal Moth (Pyralis farinalis)
birdingprof.bsky.social
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and November Moth agg. were both photo improvements from this morning at Lakenheath.

#teammoth
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing. November Moth agg.
Epirrita dilutata agg. November Moth agg.
Epirrita dilutata agg.
birdingprof.bsky.social
www.dutchbirdalerts.nl/alerts/197817

Pacific Diver off the Dutch coast today. One to get the East coast sea-watcher’s pulses going.

📸 Lars Buckx
Pacific Diver.
Reposted by Birdingprof
coldav1.bsky.social
Barra's first coal tit for 2 years has sulphur yellow cheeks & appears to be of the Irish race P.a.hibernicus. I have no experience of this race & no idea what the liklihood is of it reaching Barra. Comments welcome. @birdguides.bsky.social @rayb126.bsky.social #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK
Coal tit possibly of the Irish race P.a.hibernicus Coal tit possibly of the Irish race P.a.hibernicus Coal tit possibly of the Irish race P.a.hibernicus Coal tit possibly of the Irish race P.a.hibernicus
birdingprof.bsky.social
A small Moth with folded wings, at Lakenheath, was always going to be interesting, so imagine my grief when it escaped - twice!
All was well in the end, and it proved to be a Red Twin-spot Carpet, one which I had not photographed before.

#teammoth
Red Twin-spot Carpet.
birdingprof.bsky.social
Finally, I spotted this little fellow scuttle under the egg boxes as soon as the trap was opened at Lakenheath.

I knew it was going to be new. And so it proved, a NFM Double-striped Tabby.

#teammoth
Double-striped Tabby.
birdingprof.bsky.social
I’ve seen a bunch of these on Scilly, and I would say yes.
Somebody needs to submit one.
birdingprof.bsky.social
One of the first Moths seen this morning, once we’d flicked the ubiquitous Clifden out of the way, 😚 was this impressive and NFM Blair’s Shoulder-knot.

#teammoth
Blair’s Shoulder-knot.
birdingprof.bsky.social
I thought Sallow was new for me this morning, but it turns out I’ve had it before. However, this NFM Barred Sallow at Lakenheath did the trick.

#teammoth
Barred Sallow.
birdingprof.bsky.social
Saving the best till first with the @rspb.bsky.social Lakenheath Moth trap. In fact, this was on the outside. A NFM Cypress Carpet. Probably 5 new Moths for me, this morning, in a decently varied haul. #teammoth

Nice to see c.50 Whooper Swans too, my 1st of the Autumn.

By the way - I hate Swifts.
Cypress Carpet.