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This Glossy Ibis has been making occasional visits to Kenfig Pool for over a week now. It allowed a nice close approach this morning before flying a little further up the shoreline.

European Stonechats seem to have had a very good breeding season with some fairly recently fledged juveniles on show all over the reserve.

White-tailed Lapwing, Armash Fishponds, Armenia in May 2023. This bird was showing very nicely, but seconds after this shot was taken, the bird was in distress as a cow stepped on its nest breaking all of the eggs. Hopefully, they laid a replacement clutch.

A breeding plumaged Myrtle Warbler deep in a Canadian forest in June 2023. What a stunning looking bird!! One of the more regular transatlantic vagrants here in the UK, but most often after autumn storms when they are in first winter plumage.

Red-breasted Flycatcher near Czerlonka, Podlasie, Poland. Even on the breeding grounds, a lot of the singing birds are first summer birds that don't have a red breast, so to get a full adult male is always a treat!

Coal Tit is a regular but sporadic autumn and winter visitor to Kenfig Pool in small numbers. Today there were seven present which is a decent count for the site including three that were trapped and ringed.

A drake Long-tailed Duck in Nemuro Harbour, Japan taken on my visit in February & March 2023. A common bird around the coast, but not often close enough for my camera, so I was very pleased to get shots of this bird in early morning sun.

I was lucky to be stood in the perfect spot when this beautiful Eastern Yellow Robin popped out of the undergrowth for a final feed at dusk in the rainforest at O' Reilly's Lodge, Queensland, Australia. What an amazing place packed full of great birds and stunning scenery.

Its the time of year when numbers of European Robins are swollen by incoming migrants from Europe and their tick calls can be heard from deep within the bushes at first light. I always have a sense of anticipation when an arrival happens as you never know what might be with them.

After a very slow October at Kenfig NNR, I was pleased to finally get my first of the year [3] Dark-bellied Brent Geese that I found on a rock pool. They were a bit distant for photos while I was there, so here is one from the same site from February 2023.

The first rain for weeks is keeping me at home today and thinking of warmer climes... This Jouanin's Petrel gave us a very close fly by on a pelagic off Mirbat, Oman in November 2024; a much wanted species that I didn't expect to see at such close quarters.

Our boat trip on the Yellow River in Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory passed right underneath this White-bellied Sea-eagle as it rested in the morning sun. It was a little unnerving looking directly into that cold, black eye...

A nice morning on Devon's #Dartmoor looking for the #MountainBlackbird #RingOuzel. Pleased to see at least 14 individuals, including a group of 11 together. Today's birds were a little distant and mainly adults.

This Pine Marten walked out of a Polish Forest and stopped to say hello before wandering off across the road and into the other side of the forest. Taken near Budy Lesne, Podlasie back in June 2021

incredible birds Mark!

Sticking with the mammal theme, I'd always wanted to see a Sable and had no hesitation in abandoning breakfast when I heard there was one on the snow outside our hotel window in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan in March 2023

The gorgeous Violet Copper has a very patchy distribution in Europe and is usually found in small colonies in damp meadows and bogs. This individual was photographed in the Hajnowka Meadows, Podlasie, Poland in July 2020

A couple of adult Mediterranean Gulls have been at Kenfig Pool sporadically for the past week or so, showing at close range either on the poolside posts or in the East Pool Fields where this shot was taken.

An enjoyable couple of hours at Sker this morning produced two new species for the year - a female/immature type Long-tailed Duck flying west, close in off Sker Point and a Black Redstart in the garden of Sker House. Photo taken previously at Sker on 08/11/2019.

I wasn't able to get a photo of yesterday's first winter Little Gull that was briefly at Sker Point, so here is one from nearby Kenfig Pool taken in November 2022. They really are delightful little birds!