Finally got round to sorting photos, but in September I was lucky enough to teach on a Durham BioSciences field course to Kenya that I was a student on in 2019. Had such an amazing time, with great company. 164 birds, 42 of which were lifers, plus plenty of mammals.

Avian highlights from Kenya were a distant Secretarybird, Violet-backed Starling, Buff-crested Bustard, Verraeux’s Eagle Owl, African Scops, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Ostriches, Hamerkop, Marabou, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse and many many more.

Really great to see Red-billed Duck, Barn Swallow, Northern White-crowned Shrike and Blacksmith Lapwing while I was away.

Plenty of thrushes passing through today.

Some really nice blackbirds moving through atm. Along with plenty Redwing and Fieldfare still. Although the fieldfare are eluding the nets.

I’m over on the other place too

Written in 1995. The kites and great reeds lagging behind the stilts slightly.

Not the most obscure, but there are fossils of jewel beetles from Messel (Eocene Germany) that still shine 🪲✨

Got a few ID mysteries from Kenya (Laikipia) in September if anyone has any ideas? Red-winged Larks? Pipits?

7 Little Auk on Holy Island today, 2 flew into the harbour calling and then carried on over the island. The other five hung around the castle for a bit. Plus a porpoise past its best.

Looking forward to presenting at #BES2024 tomorrow. Last talk of the conference again!

That’s a wrap! Thanks so much to everyone that came!

Absolute highlight of the year was getting back to Kenya, teaching on field course with Uni. Also spent a lot of time ringing at my own site since getting my C. Tripit, breeding spotfly and redstart the best. Ended on 200 species, exactly, in the UK, 12 of them new.

First lifer of 2025! So glad it reappeared after my car was snowed in yesterday.

So Ross’s Gull becomes my 800th bird. I know it’s nothing in the grand scheme of things but v happy to get there.

Great ringing session this morning. An 8-year old Blue Tit, a colour-ringed Bullfinch control, a leucistic Blackbird and 3 Nuthatches.

Whilst looking at flycatcher specimens today at LANHM these 5 extinct birds were laid out: Carolina Parakeet, Eskimo and Slender-billed Curlews, Passenger Pigeon and Ivory-billed Woodpecker

I’m visiting Brisbane in June for a conference and staying out there for two months afterwards, wondering if anyone had any recommendations for possible ringing opportunities or just birding generally, planning on travelling about a bit and going to NZ as well.

Lush to be back in Cambridge this week presenting my poster on predicting avian hybridisation at #SCCS25.

Great to present my talk and poster at #ICCB2025 in Brisbane today. Great to chat to so many people and appreciate all the lovely comments!