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Chris Townend (Wise Birding)

@wisebirding.bsky.social

390 followers 250 following 140 posts

Tour Leader / Freelance Ornithologist. Love all wildlife, particularly birds, the challenge of rarity finding & searching for elusive cats, especially Lynx & Snow Leopard. Bird & Mammal Tours: www.wisebirding.co.uk Beaver Walks: www.devonbeavertours.co.uk

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Reposted by Chris Townend (Wise Birding)

Dave Hobson @seedsnipe.bsky.social · 3d

Common Paradise-Kingfisher
one of ten species of Kingfisher recorded in West
Papua Sept 2025
@wisebirding.bsky.social
#wisebirding

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Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · 4d

Wow! Cracking shots by Dave from our recent West Papua tour👇🏻👇🏻

Dave Hobson @seedsnipe.bsky.social · 5d

One of the first Birds of Paradise we saw in West Papua was the Twelve Wired BOP

Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · 4d

Dave Hobson @seedsnipe.bsky.social · 4d

Male Magnificent Riflebird, we only had a limited amount of time with this stunner as the mother of rain storms descended upon us.
@wisebirding.bsky.social
#wisebirding

Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · 5d

Cheers Dave and good to hear from you. All good here thanks and hope I can possibly see you in January? I’ll message you later in year……

Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · 6d

Cheers Dave. A late in the day bit of excitement for sure!

Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · 6d

Great patch find!

Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · 6d

Nice 👌🏻

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Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · 7d

Nice to find this Rustic Bunting with the Mrs this evening on St Martin’s, Isles of Scilly. A subtle bird, in some ways, compared to obvious autumn males. Looks to be same bird found on St Agnes yesterday when comparing feather details. #ScillyBirding

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Reposted by Chris Townend (Wise Birding)

Colin Bushell @colinbushell.bsky.social · 13d

The @wisebirding.bsky.social West Papua tour is drawing to an end with 17 species of Birds of Paradise recorded. We finished our last full day in the field on Merparti Island, where Violet-necked Lory was the star attraction amongst a variety of new birds for the tour #WiseBirding #WestPapua

View from Merparti Island, West Papua 25/9/25

Violet-necked Lory, Merpati Island 25/9/25

Violet-necked Lory, Merparti Island 25/9/25

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Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · 16d

Beautiful sunny and clear day in the SW today. A lovely evening on the patch with M Harrier, Osprey, 3 Curlew Sand, 1 Little Stint and then 9 Glossy Ibis dropped in at dusk. Possibly start of a new wave of birds? Now at least 18 this year for the Otter Estuary.
#DevonBirds #Birds

Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · 17d

Likewise Paul 👍🏻

Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · 18d

Certainly wasn’t expecting this on the high tide on the patch this evening! Lovely juvenile Baird’s Sand. 😮 Great find by Steve Windle. Pretty sure it’s a first for the Otter Estuary.👍🏻 Still present at dusk on Little Marsh. #UKBirding #DevonBirds

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Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · 18d

The Arfaks in West Papua. Certainly a highlight of a visit to West Papua. Follow Colin for more updates!😊
#Birds #WestPapua #WiseBirding

Colin Bushell @colinbushell.bsky.social · 19d

Female Black Sicklebill in the Arfak mountains of West Papua yesterday. We watched the male displaying in the early morning gloom, performing ‘avian aerobics’ and ‘whiplash’ calling before disappearing into the lush montane forest @wisebirding.bsky.social

Female Black Sicklebill, Arfak mountains (West Papua) September 2025

Reposted by Chris Townend (Wise Birding)

Colin Bushell @colinbushell.bsky.social · 24d

Although overshadowed a little by the Birds of Paradise in West Papua, pittas are always a firm favourite. This Eastern Hooded Pitta showed extremely well for the @wisebirding.bsky.social team yesterday afternoon

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Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · 23d

Our West Papua Tour is getting off to a good start. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 #Birds #WestPapua #WiseBirding

Colin Bushell @colinbushell.bsky.social · 24d

Weather and birds been kind at the start to the @wisebirding.bsky.social West Papua tour at Nimbokrang, with Twelve-wired and Lesser Bird of Paradise, Papuan Frogmouth and Common Paradise Kingfisher in the first couple of days.

Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise pair in courtship, West Papua

Lesser Bird of Paradise male, West Papua

Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · 28d

I just love sifting through wader flocks and for me not much beats a pristine juvenile Curlew Sandpiper.😍Two of 3 birds on tonight’s rising tide on the Otter Estuary NR, Budleigh Salterton.
#DevonBirding #Birds

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Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · Sep 7

Like buses!😂Now 38 for the patch.
Six birds just dropped in this evening on the Otter Estuary NR, East Devon.
#DevonBirding #Birds

Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · Sep 3

A nice surprise on the patch tonight to mark the start of autumn. My 32nd Glossy Ibis on the Otter Estuary NR 😂
#DevonBirding #Birds

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Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · Aug 29

I always love getting straight back on the patch after a long overseas trip. This pristine Juv Whinchat was a welcome sight this evening and a reminder of the potential excitement of another autumn ahead.🤞🏻
#Birds

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Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · Aug 27

A clear highlight of a short birding tour around Bolivia’s Santa Cruz department, the critically endangered & endemic Red-fronted Macaw. A must visit lodge & community conservation project. Join E-Newsletter for news on Bolivia tour in preparation: tinyurl.com/8cxvk9ws
#Birds #Bolivia #WiseBirding

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Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · Aug 25

The endemic Bolivian Brushfinch in the rain. #Birds #Bolivia #WiseBirding

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Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · Aug 22

The location of Refugio Los Volcanes has to be one of the most spectacular birding hotspots in Bolivia. A truly magical location to stay with so many fantastic birds within walking distance of your room. #Birds #WiseBirding

Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · Aug 22

Black-streaked Puffbird, Refugio Los Volcanes, Bolivia. 🇧🇴 #Birds #WiseBirding

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Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · Aug 21

Our Bolivia Mammals & Birds tour has now ended with 35 species of mammal and a great selection of iconic & range restricted birds. The cats stole the headlines with 4 sp. Jaguarundi, Ocelot, Jaguar and Puma. We return next year, but now time for birding. Stay tuned!😜 #Mammals #Bolivia #WiseBirding

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Chris Townend (Wise Birding) @wisebirding.bsky.social · Aug 20

A nice distraction whilst watching the Blue-throated Macaws in the Motacú Palms were these two Great Rufous Woodcreepers. #Birds #Birding #Bolivia #WiseBirding

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