@simonjohnno.bsky.social
Yorkshire born. Manchester based. Birder. Vis Migger. 🦆 social butterfly 🦋 🏳️🌈 vino lover 🍷
Still Baltic conditions at Elton res. 480 Pinkfeet, 96 Fieldfare, 167 redwing NW and 131 lapwing sw possible signs of cold weather movement. On the small patch of unfrozen water 12 gadwall, 9 goldeneye, 2 GCG & 9 little egret.
January 9, 2026 at 7:21 PM
Still Baltic conditions at Elton res. 480 Pinkfeet, 96 Fieldfare, 167 redwing NW and 131 lapwing sw possible signs of cold weather movement. On the small patch of unfrozen water 12 gadwall, 9 goldeneye, 2 GCG & 9 little egret.
Another freezing morning at Elton res with even parts of the river Irwell freezing over! Jack snipe in the feeding station stream the best. 5 snipe, 6 gadwall, 90 tufted, 30 teal, 2 goldeneye and 2 Cettis best of the rest #birds
January 6, 2026 at 11:12 AM
Another freezing morning at Elton res with even parts of the river Irwell freezing over! Jack snipe in the feeding station stream the best. 5 snipe, 6 gadwall, 90 tufted, 30 teal, 2 goldeneye and 2 Cettis best of the rest #birds
Ended the day with 72 species on the local Bury patch. Highlights being Curlew, Dipper, 30+ Siskin, Barn Owl, increase in wildfowl (Elton, springwater & Heston park) walked 11.5 miles #birds
January 4, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Ended the day with 72 species on the local Bury patch. Highlights being Curlew, Dipper, 30+ Siskin, Barn Owl, increase in wildfowl (Elton, springwater & Heston park) walked 11.5 miles #birds
A very cold Elton res this morning! Increase in waterfowl with wigeon, 101 Teal, 6 shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 86 Tufted Duck, 12 Goldeneye, 18 Goosander, Little Grebe, 10 snipe, Woodcock, 48 Lapwing & 20 mute swan. The GWE & Cettis remain
January 4, 2026 at 2:19 PM
A very cold Elton res this morning! Increase in waterfowl with wigeon, 101 Teal, 6 shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 86 Tufted Duck, 12 Goldeneye, 18 Goosander, Little Grebe, 10 snipe, Woodcock, 48 Lapwing & 20 mute swan. The GWE & Cettis remain
Last bit of 2025 birding for me at Elton this am with a respectable 64 species !!
Woodcock, 2 snipe, 500+ lapwing Barn owl, buzzard, spahawk and kestrel, 6 gadwall, 2 shoveler, 30+ teal, GWE, 8 little egret, 2 Cetti’s warbler, water rail, 100+ Fieldfare, 200+ redwing
good birding for 2026
Woodcock, 2 snipe, 500+ lapwing Barn owl, buzzard, spahawk and kestrel, 6 gadwall, 2 shoveler, 30+ teal, GWE, 8 little egret, 2 Cetti’s warbler, water rail, 100+ Fieldfare, 200+ redwing
good birding for 2026
December 31, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Last bit of 2025 birding for me at Elton this am with a respectable 64 species !!
Woodcock, 2 snipe, 500+ lapwing Barn owl, buzzard, spahawk and kestrel, 6 gadwall, 2 shoveler, 30+ teal, GWE, 8 little egret, 2 Cetti’s warbler, water rail, 100+ Fieldfare, 200+ redwing
good birding for 2026
Woodcock, 2 snipe, 500+ lapwing Barn owl, buzzard, spahawk and kestrel, 6 gadwall, 2 shoveler, 30+ teal, GWE, 8 little egret, 2 Cetti’s warbler, water rail, 100+ Fieldfare, 200+ redwing
good birding for 2026
They say that a man’s best friend is a dog! Well this one bucks the trend the best family support system after loosing our dad just before Xmas 😢
December 27, 2025 at 11:11 PM
They say that a man’s best friend is a dog! Well this one bucks the trend the best family support system after loosing our dad just before Xmas 😢
16 Swans flew west over heaton park this morning. 15 where Whooper swans The flock split into 3. The straggling 2 birds had a significantly smaller swan tagging along with them. Too distant to get positive ID but did wonder if it could be Bewicks 🫣
December 24, 2025 at 6:24 PM
16 Swans flew west over heaton park this morning. 15 where Whooper swans The flock split into 3. The straggling 2 birds had a significantly smaller swan tagging along with them. Too distant to get positive ID but did wonder if it could be Bewicks 🫣
Staying near Mossyard in Dumfries on a non birding break but had 600 skylark, 200 linnet, 77 swallow, 70 alba wags, 3 crossbill, 80 chaffinch, 30 Siskin, 178 mpipit and 180 Pinkfeet all heading west in an hour over the caravan
October 10, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Staying near Mossyard in Dumfries on a non birding break but had 600 skylark, 200 linnet, 77 swallow, 70 alba wags, 3 crossbill, 80 chaffinch, 30 Siskin, 178 mpipit and 180 Pinkfeet all heading west in an hour over the caravan
Whooper Swans at heaton park res today.
October 5, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Whooper Swans at heaton park res today.
My first Pinkfeet of the autumn with 1000+ east over heaton park. Also Juv Arctic Tern, GWE, 400+ mpipits, 5 skylark, 24 Siskin, 100+ swallow all heading south
September 22, 2025 at 7:16 PM
My first Pinkfeet of the autumn with 1000+ east over heaton park. Also Juv Arctic Tern, GWE, 400+ mpipits, 5 skylark, 24 Siskin, 100+ swallow all heading south
The patch finally delivered today. 3 black tern, 2 Greenshank, 2 little stint ringed and little ringed plover. 6 little egret, 4 wigeon, 16 shoveler, 500+!swallow and 10 Siskin south
September 7, 2025 at 6:51 PM
The patch finally delivered today. 3 black tern, 2 Greenshank, 2 little stint ringed and little ringed plover. 6 little egret, 4 wigeon, 16 shoveler, 500+!swallow and 10 Siskin south
Finally a good morning on the local patch with an Osprey SW at 7:58 am over heaton park res. 510 swallow, Swift, 26 Sand Martin, 269 House Martin, 150 goldfinch and 5 Grey Wag S/SW also Ringed plover west and a Hobby east
September 5, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Finally a good morning on the local patch with an Osprey SW at 7:58 am over heaton park res. 510 swallow, Swift, 26 Sand Martin, 269 House Martin, 150 goldfinch and 5 Grey Wag S/SW also Ringed plover west and a Hobby east
Nice to get out of Manchester and see some birds yesterday Zitting cisticola and Black Stork both showed well. Really need to start keeping track of my UK list .. no idea what it’s on 🤷🏽
August 7, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Nice to get out of Manchester and see some birds yesterday Zitting cisticola and Black Stork both showed well. Really need to start keeping track of my UK list .. no idea what it’s on 🤷🏽
Start of the evening Scoter watches. None tonight as think still a bit early. Had a juv little egret, 4 common tern, lapwing and teal at Elton res
July 11, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Start of the evening Scoter watches. None tonight as think still a bit early. Had a juv little egret, 4 common tern, lapwing and teal at Elton res
Kingfisher on heaton park res this morning. 3rd record in 20 years of watching there! Also Common Sand and 5 Little Ringed Plover
July 4, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Kingfisher on heaton park res this morning. 3rd record in 20 years of watching there! Also Common Sand and 5 Little Ringed Plover
Trip to spurn with a well behaved pooch today! Spoonbill, hobby, Peregrine, marsh harrier, Greenshank, common sand, Barwit, RT diver and sedge warblers everywhere!
May 5, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Trip to spurn with a well behaved pooch today! Spoonbill, hobby, Peregrine, marsh harrier, Greenshank, common sand, Barwit, RT diver and sedge warblers everywhere!
Nice to see some lapwing chicks at Elton res this morning. Also the first 7 swift , 3 shelduck, 5 LRP, 10 Whitethroat, 2 lesser whitethroat, 3 sedge warbler & 1 Gropper
April 26, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Nice to see some lapwing chicks at Elton res this morning. Also the first 7 swift , 3 shelduck, 5 LRP, 10 Whitethroat, 2 lesser whitethroat, 3 sedge warbler & 1 Gropper
Elton this am. Redshank heard flying through, common Tern, 2 lesser Whitethroat, Gropper, 3 Whitethroat, 2 sedge warbler, 300 sand Martin, 60 swallow, 6 house Martin, snipe, lrp, 3 oystercather, 2 teal, 4 gadwall, 2 wheatear and 3 RN parakeet
April 21, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Elton this am. Redshank heard flying through, common Tern, 2 lesser Whitethroat, Gropper, 3 Whitethroat, 2 sedge warbler, 300 sand Martin, 60 swallow, 6 house Martin, snipe, lrp, 3 oystercather, 2 teal, 4 gadwall, 2 wheatear and 3 RN parakeet
Black Tern on Elton this morning. 1st one in years!
April 16, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Black Tern on Elton this morning. 1st one in years!
Baltic at Elton in a blasting NE wind. A cracking Osprey North at 10:25 saved the morning. 266 Sand Martin, house Martin, 13 swallow and 91 meadow pipits north. Scaup still on the res. Blackcap and 3 willow warbler in the bushes
April 5, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Baltic at Elton in a blasting NE wind. A cracking Osprey North at 10:25 saved the morning. 266 Sand Martin, house Martin, 13 swallow and 91 meadow pipits north. Scaup still on the res. Blackcap and 3 willow warbler in the bushes