My latest Blog Post - Post 14 - Day 17 - You Dirty Old Town

Suffice to say I wasn't impressed with walking around Palermo with how much rubbish there was on virtually every street during another shore run on our Saga cruise in Jan/Feb 25
birdingpooleharbourandbeyond.blogspot.com/2025/10/5-fe...

Doing the tourist bit at Sete Citades today and delighted to find an endemic! 3 São Miguel Goldcrest (R.r. azoricus) in the lakeside trees. Call more piercing than our Goldcrest, a bit more Firecrest like. Also found a drake Ring-necked Duck, no idea if it has been seen previously?

Supporting ORCA isn’t just about volunteering - even a one-off donation makes a real difference.

Every £10 adds up to real-world impact:

Your donation helps fund research, education, and conservation - giving whales and dolphins a louder voice where it matters most!

Once pushed to the edge of extinction by commercial whaling, southern right whales still face serious challenges today.

Their population remains low and they are now threatened by pollution, ship strikes, and entanglement in fishing gear — all of which put their slow recovery at risk.

Nick Clegg says its OK for companies worth billions to steal artists property rights, so those companies can make a lot of money in the future off the backs of those artists
A man who lost his moral compass many years ago

MEGA - White-throated Needletail earlier this pm at Tophill Low, E.Yorks

First mainland record since 1991 😲

No sign at the moment but make sure you have the BirdAlertPRO app if its re-found.

Get a 30-day free trial here rarebirdalert.co.uk/realdata/bir...

📷 via tophilllow.blogspot.com

At least 15 Cattle Egrets between East Holme floodplain and the village ford at 1400 with cattle
@harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social #DorsetBirds

Snippets from South Haven, Studland this AM per Graham Armstrong
Black-throated Diver 1 into PooleH. A nice early record
Crossbill 14 North across harvour mouth (2 parties of 7)
@harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social #DorsetBirds

Fast rising tide at Middlebere with highlights being:
7 Curlew Sandpiper
20 Knot
1 Spotted Redshank
480 Avocet,
240 Blckwit,
16 Pintail
1 Green Sandpiper.
24 Shelduck
1 Peregrine
@harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Azores is quite stunning. Grackle aside, I've also seen American Wigeon, Spoonbill, 15+ Waxbills, Azorean ssp of Chaffinch, Grey Wag and Large White. Highlights today were 6 Sei Whale and 200 Spotted Dolphin. Lots of Cory's and Azorean Gulls. Several Grass Webworm flushed underfoot yesterday.

Meet the northern bottlenose whale!

With its distinctive bulbous melon, curved dorsal fin, and unique W-shaped tail fluke, it’s a truly unmistakable species.

Often seen logging or swimming slowly at the surface, these fascinating whales are a special sight in northern waters.

100+ spoonies again today... wonderful sight to see them feeding actively all over the lagoon 🩵 #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

By overlaying our sightings data with factors like bathymetry, sea-surface temperature, and chlorophyll levels, we can identify the preferred habitats of marine mammals - even in uncharted areas.

This data-driven approach helps pinpoint Important Marine Mammal Areas, supporting stronger protection.

Nice one Mike @bexbirder.bsky.social

Gutting to see our regular group of 100+ spoonbill have all been flushed by kite surfers out of bounds in the harbour this afternoon and haven't returned. Really hoping they decide to come back tomorrow #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

URGENT ALERT: the invasive YELLOW-LEGGED ASIAN HORNET has reached the Isles of Scilly.

#CornwallBirds #BirdsInCornwall #CBWPS #Bird #Birds #Birdwatching #ConnectWithNature #BeautyAndWonderOfNature #Nature #Wildlife #WildlifeMatters #WildIsles #BritishWildlife #WildCornwall #Cornwall #Kernow #UK

Another example where Rat removal on islands is a great way forward for conserving island species

My latest Blog Post - Post 13 - Day 15 - Going back in time on Crete
Pleased to visit the Knossos: the centre of the Minoan civilisation
Some early 1900s reconstructions from Arthur Evans which are being improved with better knowledge
birdingpooleharbourandbeyond.blogspot.com/2025/10/3-fe...

Chris Packham exposes the slaughter of up to 500,000 songbirds in Cyprus

www.express.co.uk/news/world/2...

Forster’s Tern briefly from our Autumn Safari cruise this PM in the Wareham Channel, also 1 Glossy Ibis, 2 BN Grebe, 1 WT Eagle, 3 RB Merg’s (first of autumn), 113 Spoonbill, 3-4 Marsh Harrier, 2 Spotshank @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

Nice aerial photo of Poole Harbour

The Studland golf course culled the Ring-necked Parakeets about 2-3 years ago. Another case of gold courses not always being beneficial to wildlife @martinwood60.bsky.social

Details in my Blog Post on why yesterday's Parakeet from my garden is one of the last of the Studland Parakeets
@handsinthesoil1.bsky.social
birdingpooleharbourandbeyond.blogspot.com/2025/10/2-oc...