The fluty but languid song of the Mistle Thrush is beautiful even if this one's choice of song “tree” is less so. This one was singing right at the top of a pylon at Hilfield Res at lunchtime today. Also a Green Sandpiper there. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull in the Hilfield Res roost today. Looks to be the same bird that has been at Aldenham Res during the day and that I saw in the Hilfield roost on 4th Dec. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

Not for the squeamish, but fascinating watching this young peregrine feeding on, I think, a pigeon at Hilfield res. After feeding, it moved to its post-prandial perch on the adjacent pylon. The last grainy phone-scoped still shows the full crop. #hertsbird #londonbirds

A somewhat challenging day guiding, there’s a long-eared Owl in first pic, it’s lower half😡& a Glossy Ibis in the second ! At least the SE Owls played ball, (3 in total) plus roadside Whooper and Bewick‘s Swans and several smart drake Goosanders, so not a bad day overall !

Birding somewhere in Another place today. Travelling up to Ormskirk so stopped at Crosby to see Antony Gormley news Statues. Cool! 😎 Sanderlings, Pink footed Geese, Common Scoter, singing Skylarks and lots of gulls to look through. Great to meet and chat to Austin Morley too 😊👍

What a difference some sunshine makes. Several signs of spring this morning at Hilfield Res - a Peacock butterfly, a Buff-tailed Bumblebee and a Chiffchaff (which has wintered) giving some song. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

This smart drake Goldeneye was at Hilfield Res this morning - my first adult male there since Jan 2021. Also Peregrine and a beautiful pink-flushed Redpoll. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

Our long term study of Common Nightingale received a fantastic boost today. In November 2019 we deployed 5 geolocators on 5 different Nightingales. We had given up hope of retrieving any data after two and a half years but today we retrapped one Nightingale carrying a geolocator

This is the drake of a pair of Pintail at Hilfield Reservoir this evening. Watched for 20 mins as the sun went down. Then a quickening of neck stretching and head flicking and they were in the air and off to the east. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

This Aythya hybrid was at Hilfield Res this morning – found by Barry Reed. Heavy crop and adjustments to bring out the chestnut tone to the head. Looks quite like the “Pochard x Ferruginous?” in the Collins Guide, but quite a headshape Bird Hybrids #londonbirds #hertsbirds

I’ve been photographing birds for 30 years and, incredibly, it seems to have taken me that long to take a picture of a Jay. Far too focused on scarce birds and gulls. This was taken through the kitchen window in January and starts to put that right.

Terrific spring birding at Wood Farm in Stanmore early this morning. First a Whinchat, then a Wheatear in the same spot. A Raven over is still quite unusual here and finally a singing Lesser Whitethroat (didn't want to show for a photo) #londonbirds #woodfarmbirds @harrowncf

Nice mat of Biting Stonecrop at Hilfield Reservoir today. I also had a Redshank which flew up and did a circuit at 9.20am but eluded the camera and wasn't seen again. @hmwtbadger

Great fun watching these and many other young Blue Tits feeding acrobatically at Hilfield res yesterday morning. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

The first Whinchat of this late summer at Wood Farm. I was becoming worried that the site was going to miss out this year despite good numbers elsewhere. It was associating with a Stonechat, making for a good comparison. #londonbirds #woodfarmbirds @harrowncf

I enjoyed watching this Grey Wagtail at Hilfield Res this morning which seemed totally oblivious to me. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

I watched this fox skilfully stalk a small flock of wigeon grazing at Hilfield Res. It crept up the dam, ears pricked, hunting by sound alone, until the last moment. Sad for the wigeon, but remarkable to watch. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

Even though the thaw is imminent, Lapwings were moving through west at Hilfield Res – no doubt a cold weather movement. Here are a few of the 30 I saw in total during the morning. Also a Goldeneye tucked away. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

The two Whooper Swans at Hilfield Reservoir late this afternoon. They were head bobbing about 15 mins before they left high NNW perhaps agreeing it was time to move on. Let’s hope they have a safe flight back to Iceland. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

Three different ages among ten Little Gulls that dropped into Hilfield Res at lunchtime today. Also 12 Swifts, and a singing Lesser Whitethroat and Willow Warbler. #hertsbirds #londonbirds