Paul ward
Interested in nature, twitcher, gardener and lover of travel
- Day trip to Norfolk for some year ticks. Titchwell yielded tawny owl, lt duck and two woodcock. Three glossy ibis at Stiffkey showed well. Water pipit at Cley was elusive. Few other bits and pieces got me 14 year ticks and up to 127 for the year. Not a day for photos! #ukbirding #norfolk #yearlist
- Went to Staines reservoir on a dull day. Greater scaup pair were close in. Great northern diver and black-necked grebes were middle distance and the lesser scaup drake was in another galaxy! Stopped at Woodoaks farm on the way back where the little owl was perched in its usual tree. #ukbirding
- Filthy twitching for the killdeer (very rare US wader) in Hants today. Showed well but at a distance on a horrible grey day (excuse for poor photos!). Lifer taking me (back) to 417 on the UK list. Pottered down the coast year-ticking afterwards before rain stopped play #ukbirding #birds
- Good trip today - tundra bean goose, yellow-browed warbler and firecrest all seen. Good crowd at the YBW/ firecrest twitch with lots of non-birders now educated on rare birds! Geese were easy but the YBW and firecrest were tricky to photo. Year has got off to a good start #ukbirding #hertsbirds
- Last trip out this year and it was a good one. Black-winged kite (lifer) in Norfolk. Took three hours to give itself up properly and then was pretty distant but well worth it. Loads of cranes around as well. May well be back in a few days for the 2026 list! #ukbirding
- Was a bit quiet at @maplelodgereserve.bsky.social yesterday. This female sparrowhawk might be the reason! #ukbirding #hertsbirds
- We are on applecross in west Scotland All day skeins of pink-footed geese have been flying over. They are migrating from Greenland and Iceland to their wintering grounds in the U.K. - perhaps north Norfolk! Winter is coming!!!
- Fan-tailed warbler/ zitting cisticola showed well at Walberswick this morning. Called frequently with song flights. Always very distant but good scope views. #418 on my UK list. I at least managed to get a photo where you can see it's a bird!!! #ukbirding.
- A wasp spider finishing off its meal at @maplelodgereserve.bsky.social this afternoon. #spider #wildlife #waspspider
- We paid a visit to Rye Harbour in Sussex. Lots of terns around but only a few chicks. One in front of the hide was particularly sweet ,exploring the shingle and the water. Amazing to see it flattening itself onto the pebbles when spooked - it disappeared! #ukbirding #rye #birds #terns #sussex
- A juvenile kingfisher learning its trade at Maple Lodge NR this morning. Hopefully it carries on being as successful as it was and can get its own territory. #ukbirding #hertsbirds #kingfisher #wildlife #birds
- Don't annoy a badger when its having its dinner #foxoftheday
- Black-tailed godwits from RSPB Frampton Marsh last week.
- Red squirrels from Anglesey. Amazing to have an encounter with this now very rare native mammal. You get a real feeling for how much smaller they are compared to the imported greys. Big thanks to the people of Anglesey for aggressively protecting this isolated population. #wildlife #squirrels #wales
- Terns from Cemlyn Bay. About 2500 pairs of sandwich terns with 150 of arctic and common terns plus one of roseate terns. The birds were flying in over your head loaded down with food for their youngsters! @rspbcymru.bsky.social #ukbirding #wales #wildlife
- Pratincole still at frampton marsh from reedbed hide #ukbirding #rarebirdalert
- Roseate tern showing well on large island at cemlyn bay #ukbirds
- Pied flycatcher and wood warbler from Wyre Forest today. First time I've been here and won't be the last! Tree pipit, redstart, willow warbler as well but no dipper...Thanks to @robclipson.bsky.social for excellent directions. #ukbirds
- I see you!
- Just some cheetahs in Madikwe generally messing around. Ashia with her 5 juvenile bundles of trouble from April before she was sadly killed by a hyena pack. They enjoyed jumping on each other and chasing tails up trees. Playing or learning?? #madikwe #safari #Africa #wildlife #cheetah #bigcat
- Just some cheetahs waking up after a hard nights sleep. This is Ashia (with the collar) and some of her family of 5 male cubs in Madikwe. Sadly a month after these were taken she was killed by hyenas and the cubs taken into care #wildlife #southafrica #madikwe #cheetah #safari #africa #nature
- Wild dogs on the hunt in Madikwe reserve in SA. The pack of 9 dogs caught an impala in the deep bush. We were fortunate to be close by when the action happened but missed the actual kill #wildlife #madikwe #huntingdogs #wildlife #safari
- The lions of Madikwe. We were fortunate to have some outstanding encounters especially with two families of different ages. The similarity to domestic cats is amazing in their behaviour and mannerisms, although you have to remember they are top predators. #wildlife #lion #safari #africa #cats
- Three photos of the great reed warbler at Ouse Fen yesterday. Was very vocal but hard to see amongst the reeds. Shame its spending so much effort with so little chance of success #ukbirding #birds
- Four studies of black and white rhinos from Madikwe in South Africa. The black rhino was the calmest we've ever come across, approaching to within a few metres but in a totally non-threatening way! The whites were more numerous but very characterful #madikwe #southafrica #safari #wildlife #rhino
- Elephants from Madikwe reserve in South Africa. A great destination with some marvellous lodges and quite intimate game viewing. #safari #wildlife #elephants #madikwe #southafrica
- Trip to Staines this afternoon. Lots of arctics still around plus a supporting cast of black and the odd common. Little gulls were hawking over the water and my first swifts of the year were also seen. Also garden, sedge, reed warbler and sand martin at Rickmansworth NFY #ukbirds #birds
- A young lion practicing his roar in Madikwe park , South Africa
- Spent a couple of hours this morning at @maplelodgersrve.bsky.social. Definitely the feeling of spring in the air. The gulls seemed like nesting is reaching top of mind for them! The long-tailed tit was part of a pair in an area we've had them nesting before so fingers crossed!!!
