Zak Spaull
Birder, naturalist & conservationist from North Wales.
- A relatively slow Winter season for scoters locally so far. Three Surfies over the last month, a 2w drake staying faithful to Porth Eirias and a drake+female pair initially off Llandulas before moving to the Old Colwyn flocks. Very few Velvets, no LTDs and poor numbers of large gulls! #birdingwales
- A day looking at ducks down the Lleyn. This 1cy Sabine’s Gull at the Afon Dwyfor mouth wasn’t on my radar for 10th Dec! Yet another ‘why did I leave my camera in the car’ situation… #birdingwales
- I had pretty much given up on passerines and switched to Winter birding early, so wasn’t really expecting to bump into this Red-breasted Flycatcher whilst checking the scoters in Lunan Bay. A Red-necked Grebe was offshore and the Tundra Bean Goose remains at St Cyrus. #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk
- Nice start to the day. Just found this Tundra Bean Goose along approach road to St Cyrus NNR. #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk
- Cracking flock of ‘trumpeting’ Northern Bullfinches along Tayock side of Montrose basin just now. At least 3 males and a female. #birdingscotland
- Great views of European & Oriental Turtle Dove side by side at Hillwell, Shetland this evening. #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk
- As was initially suspected, they are actually both Oriental Turtle Doves.
- The easterlies looked good so I headed up to Shetland last weekend. So far slightly dissapointing but enjoyable birding nonetheless, with lots of common migrants to keep the interest. Cool to see Northern Bullfinch and always nice bumping into YBWs and Sibe Chiffs. #birdingscotland
- Good numbers of migrants over last couple days on Barra after a quiet week. Pleased to find this Red-breasted Flycatcher at Glen this morning (1 of 2 on the island). My first Yellow-browed Warbler of the year was a nice surprise in North Bay plantation yesterday. #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk
- First full day on Barra. Fantastic place and great to be on a new island. Common Rosefinch at Scurravel this afternoon the only find of note - hopefully more to come! #birdingscotland
- Great birding in Western Ireland this week. Largely focused on waders but the seawatching was pretty good too. Highlights of Laughing and Sabine’s Gulls, Semipalmated and White-rumped Sandpiper, 2 American Golden Plovers, Glossy Ibis, Wilson’s Petrel, Long-tailed Skua and Great Shears. #irishbirding
- Nearly stepping on this Grey Phalarope was a nice bonus on the last day. A shame I left my camera in the car! #irishbirding
- Trabeg estuary: 2 ad AGP, 1 Glossy Ibis W end, Laughing Gull still E end. #irishbirding
- AGPs viewed from Doonshean maps.app.goo.gl/trC4cSZSCmiR... @birdguides.bsky.social
- After a fantastic season at Cemlyn, it was a welcome surprise to come home and see 2 Death’s-head Hawkmoth caterpillars devouring the garden potatoes this afternoon! (VC49) #teammoth
- Reposted by Zak SpaullThe season is over! Had an amazing time at Cemlyn with @zspaull.bsky.social this summer. This video I made covers some of the highlights along with a blog we wrote which is more in depth. Really excited about the future of the Roseate Terns at Cemlyn after the two pairs attempting this season 🐦
- It’s the end of another season at Cemlyn! Thank you to Nick and Zak for their dedication and to everyone who visited and donated to the reserve this year, and to our volunteers for dedicating so much of their time to the terns this summer. 💙 www.northwaleswildlifetrust.org.uk/cemlyn-terns
