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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 7d

Quick turnaround for a blog post about today's Bluethroat event in Oxfordshire, written from Flamborough #ukbirding

tmbirding.blogspot.com/2025/10/last...

Last days in Oxford

1w male Bluethroat, Otmoor Up until today I was pretty certain that my last few days as a permanent resident of Oxfordshire would end with a...

tmbirding.blogspot.com

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 9d

Dual blog posts summarising local birding and some trips away over the past couple of months. Now I've got the backlog cleared can hopefully be a bit more timely with future trip reports this autumn! #ukbirding

tmbirding.blogspot.com/2025/09/loca...
tmbirding.blogspot.com/2025/09/non-...

Non-local birding

Rainbow over Portland Bird Observatory I've had some rather good birding trips away from Oxfordshire over the last few weeks, which I'll aim...

tmbirding.blogspot.com

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Reposted by Thomas Miller

Joe Stockwell @joestockwell.bsky.social · 9d

Yellow-browed Bunting trapped, ringed and released at the Swannery. It's flown to the hedge which runs alongside the Swannery grounds and the bird may be viewable from the permissive path heading west from Grove Lane.

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 10d

Getting in on the influx - Glossy Ibis just flown low west over Port Meadow just now, photo taken straight into the sun! Think this is the 7th one I have seen on patch #ukbirding

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Reposted by Thomas Miller

James Hammond @jamesehammond.bsky.social · 11d

Collected leaf-mines of Dialectica scalariella on Viper's Bugloss/Echium vulgare from Freshwater Bay, Portland (VC 9) on 13th Sept - adults emerged on 25th Sept

@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Mine of Dialectica scalariella on Viper's Bugloss (Echium vulgare)

Larva of Dialectica scalariella, exposed from its mine

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 14d

Had this bird at Ferrybridge on 13th- it's a really nice one isn't it!

Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 17d

Some good vismig on patch with the change in wind over the past two days so decided to go out ringing yesterday with @plewin.bsky.social and caught over 200 birds. 81 Chiff, 33 Blackcap, 33 Mipit, a late Whitethroat and the first Stonechat ringed on site being the highlights #ukbirding

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St Kilda World Heritage Site NTS @stkildawhs.bsky.social · 20d

LESSER KESTREL on #StKilda! Retrospectively identified from Will Miles' excellent images on 16th Sept. We'd recorded a Kestrel from 12th, possibly the same bird, but sadly not relocated today.
@birdguides.bsky.social
@scottishbirding.bsky.social
@hebridesbirds.bsky.social

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 21d

Nice - something seriously odd happening with Casps in the southwest this year...

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Reposted by Thomas Miller

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · 25d

With @tmbirding.bsky.social finding so many Caspian Gulls at Portland, I was hopeful some might make it to Keyhaven (still scarce here). At least two 1w birds yesterday and a third today, plus a bonus distant Grey Phal #patchbirding #ukbirding #hantsbirds

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 26d

The Portland Caspian Gull deluge continued today with at least 3 new birds (3 seen together at Culverwell + another or one of the same on this morning's seawatch). Wrecked Sabine's in Chesil Cove also good to see after fleeting views of one off the Bill earlier this week #ukbirding

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 27d

A new and rather pristine-looking cachinnans today. Pied Fly best of the rest of this morning's efforts #ukbirding

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · 28d

Seemingly a small influx of Caspian Gulls at Portland in amongst thousands of gulls brought in by inclement weather - 3 in the area including this massive male showing point blank off the Bill @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social #ukbirding

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Reposted by Thomas Miller

Portland Bird Observatory @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social · Sep 8

BOOTED WARBLER trapped in the Crown Estate Field

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · Sep 4

Sadly not but feel free to message me any further questions

Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · Sep 4

Yes - 250 is way too low for all but the most stationary birds in bad light. Shutter speed is the most important variable which is why I don't recommend using any of the P, A, or S dials. In M mode you can keep aperture the same, have auto ISO and then just change shutter speed depending on light

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · Sep 3

You want s-is (sync image stabilisation) on as well, especially when using such a low shutter speed

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · Sep 2

Yeah tbh I wouldn't recommend aperture priority at all for bird photography. Go into manual mode with auto iso. Shoot wide open (so at F4, no need to change). Shutter speed between 1000 and 2000. Adjust exposure compensation if dark bird against bright sky. That'll do you well for most scenarios

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Reposted by Thomas Miller

Port Meadow Birding @pmbirding.bsky.social · Sep 2

Stonking Oxon county Mega on Friday in the form of a Marsh Sandpiper. Write-up here:
oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2025/09/oxon...

Photos courtesy of @tmbirding.bsky.social

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · Sep 2

Not the storm-driven small gull (or spinny wader...) that I was hoping to find, but these are always such a delight - adult winter Little Gull currently at Farmoor, dip-feeding on F2 #ukbirding

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · Sep 2

What settings/mode are you using and what lens?

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Reposted by Thomas Miller

Steve Lavington @sl-birding.bsky.social · Sep 1

I was about to give up in the miserable weather on Saturday when I noticed an unusually large roost of gulls on Keyhaven Lagoon. Persistence led to patch gold - Bonaparte's Gull! Appears to be the 1st for the reserve. #patchbirding #ukbirding #hantsbirds

Bonaparte's Gull (centre) accompanied by Black-headed Gulls

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · Aug 29

It's not possible but realistically there will be people in the hides tomorrow I think

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Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · Aug 29

That looks really super - interested in exactly what tripod plates you've used, so will message

Thomas Miller @tmbirding.bsky.social · Aug 29

Have done!