Stuart Malcolm

A very windy 45 minutes at Selsey Bill this afternoon. About 25 Little Gulls the highlight. Such a gorgeous bird. Next challenge is to get white-winged Little & Med Gulls in the same shot.

Great news!

‘Long-tailed Shrike’ acrylic, 15 x 22 cms. For sale, please enquire. In July there was a remarkable inland occurrence of this very rare species. It was only the third time one has been seen in this country and followed hot on the heels of the second ever bird, which was in Scotland. #shrike

Nice weather with a chill north wind for the Chichester RSPB group at Pulborough Brooks this morning. Very little water on the reserve but despite that the best birds were 2 WF Geese with the Canada’s on South Brooks. 2 Peregrine showed well, a WT Eagle was less showy. A lot of rain needed!

three bar-tailed godwits at a very windy North Gare this afternoon, at times the wind was blowing so much sand that I could hardly see the birds, the last picture was taken when the bird was just about visible through it all #birds #ukbirding #ukwildlife #birdphotography #naturephotography

Just had a brilliant evening watching Laura Lexx in Portsmouth! A true master of her craft, both of audience engagement and a perfectly executed show. Heartily recommended if she’s anywhere near you! (👋 from the late arriving House Husband & Tax Accountant).

Right, people of Hastings… make your minds up are you coming or not? As the numbers stand with that show I’m going to have to pull it. I’ll decide tomorrow… the show is on Wednesday and it’s not viable on current numbers so if you’re coming - please book. www.lauralexx.co.uk/live

This shows how much pointless extra hassle Brexit was! #keepmusiclive

My latest article is now live on Substack: on looking for a rare bird… robyarham.substack.com/p/being-ther...

Really surprised that even in my suburban new build in Chichester I’ve got to 100 species of moth in just a couple of months of trapping. And #100 was the best so far, a truly stunning Merveille du Jour! What a spectacular creature! #teammoth #ukmoths #sussexmoths

You’ve been seeing very large #bumblebees on the wing for the past while. Why? Okay I’ll tell you why in this quick thread if you promise to #repost as the more people who know that these are queens the more likely that someone will help some out meaning more colonies next year. Deal? 1/15 #bees

Half of the moths in last nights garden trap (Chichester) were Lunar Underwings. There was a nice range of colour variation. #teammoth

It's the 1st of Ducktober! So, for those who celebrate, here are some, well, ducks. xx 🪶 #Ducktober www.edwardphilips.co.uk/birds.html

A significant movement of Northern Nutcracker is taking place in Scandinavia this autumn, with a bird found in the Netherlands this week hinting that Britain could be next:

Jeremy McClements wins Photo of the Week for his excellent shot of a vagrant Semipalmated Sandpiper in Hampshire:

Pied Hoverfly was a new one for the garden list today. What a smart little insect!

Morning all. Today I'm launching a new range of colourful & 'fun' bird posters celebrating a bird's essential piece of kit: the good old beak. There are over 16* BEAKY BIRD posters + 1 group portrait with more in the pipeline. xx Check 'em out: www.edwardphilips.co.uk/beakybirds.h... * i.e. 17

Saw this on YouTube just now. Poppyslop season gets earlier every year. 🤮

This is a great band. A couple of superb albums and brilliant live. If you follow @punkrockhistory.bsky.social you’ll like MM&TSU!

A nice FOY Grey Phalarope at the Ferry Pool at Pagham Harbour this afternoon. Not much else about in the strong wind though.

@heathenwright.bsky.social @piatpod.bsky.social Time to go back to the days of Pirate Radio and do the podcasts offshore?

This Sunday, Mark Wright led 25 of our members around Ardingly Reservoir. They encountered 34 species, including Sand Martins, House Martins and Spotted Flycatchers. If you'd like to join us for a walk this autumn love to see you there. Pls see our Events page. Read more: sos.org.uk/news/a-walk-...

Blue skies on my Chichester Harbour @webs-gsmp.bsky.social count this afternoon. 340 Oystercatchers the main bird of note on the very high tide. Masses of Sandwich Terns in the harbour (200+) showing what a good breeding season was had at Pagham. Too windy for many small birds though.

Zero counts count! 🦸‍♀️ With the dry weather that much of the UK has experienced this summer, many of our wetland sites have dried up. We ask that counters still continue visiting dried up WeBS sites, as counts with zero birds is still incredibly important data. #zerohero

Refusing to be upstaged by the other animals at Taronga Zoo, these wild Australian Wood Ducklings said "You want cute? WE'LL SHOW YOU CUTE!" #birds

The lollipop gang are still here. They always fill each minute clip with 60 secs of cuteness run. 🤞 They're are resident here, or hereabouts, throughout the winter - but they are great wayfarers along the hedge lines here in dairy country and may be away for days, on a round trip. #Long-tailedTits

The government's public consultation on fireworks is open NOW. If you agree with us and believe fireworks should be heavily restricted, take a minute to fill in our handy consultation tool. protectthewild.org.uk/fireworks-co...

An amusing moment at the Volunteers Thank You lunch at RSPB Pagham Harbour today when this Vestal moth decided that pretending to be a necklace would be a good hiding strategy. “Don’t move, this will be a fun photo!” #teammoth

Welcome to Super Seabird Sunday where we ask you to share photos, videos & artwork of seabirds. Here is my contribution; a young Puffling exercising its wings before release having got lost on way to sea overnight #SuperSeabirdSunday

A set of Sussex Bird Reports since 1968 is available at no cost. Let me know if you would like to have them. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

Bursary opportunity! The aims of the Eric Hosking Trust are to sponsor natural history and ornithological research through the media of writing, photography, painting or illustration. erichoskingtrust.com/apply/ Deadline 30 September - please apply!

Tim White's marvellous Red-necked Phalarope image is the latest Photo of the Week winner!

A real treat - 'Honey-buzzards and Hawfinches in Sussex' a talk by Mark Mallalieu on Weds 2 Sept at 7:30 in Chichester, details www.chinats.org.uk A joint meeting of Chichester Natural History Society and Chichester RSPB Group, non-members welcome entry £3. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

After the seemingly never-ending summer, the rain has finally come, and so have some favourite birds. My latest article on Substack, on birding, ‘twitching’, favouritism, and waiting for an Osprey... #birds #autumn #fall #birding #osprey robyarham.substack.com/p/serendipit...

Spent 3 days at the British Nationals squash at St George’s Hill. Two high quality finals yesterday. Here #2 seed Jas Hutton plays a shot whilst #1 seed (and eventual winner) Gina Kennedy looks on. Two of Britains (and the world’s) finest athletes - they should be household names!

I don't normally take photos of people, but there was something so tranquil about this person and their four legged friend walking through this avenue of trees.

I bought a basic moth trap and I’ve been amazed at what I get even in my suburban new build. I’ve only been using it for 2 1/2 weeks and I’ve still got at least 84 species with 43 in one night the max. It doesn’t compare to many but shows what is about even in the concrete jungle! #teammoth #moths

Just published: Golden Days - on the arrival of some of my favourite birds and the promise of autumn open.substack.com/pub/robyarha... #birds #wildlife #nature #birdmigration #autumn #fall

Selsey Bill 2026 review compiled by JA is here: selseybirder.blogspot.com/p/selsey-bil...

It’s actually raining a little bit in Chichester. First time in c6 weeks!!! (Not sure we’re going to get enough to make much difference but at least I won’t have to water the garden tonight).

Tracey Jolliffe produces another stunning Common Kestrel photo to net her second winning Photo of the Week of 2026!

It’s been a (long) while, I know, but I’ve written something - on birds, naturally, but also on something I’ve needed after the wildfire at Dunwich… hope #birds #housemartins #dunwich #minsmere open.substack.com/pub/robyarha...

Nankeen Night Heron

RIP Bill Oddie. His ‘Little Black Bird Book’ was a brilliant read in my formative birding years, and “Birding with Bill Oddie” was such a great tv series. Hopefully the BBC might finally reshow it as a fitting tribute.

COMMON TERN The pair of common terns on the Rushy made for some great back-lit captures first thing. WWT Slimbridge @wwtsightings.bsky.social @wwtworldwide.bsky.social

Vagrant Darter This species takes its English name from its habit of appearing as a rare vagrant north of its normal range. Another name for it is Moustached darter/Sympetrum vulgatum. OM1 mkii and Leica Elmarit 200mm f2.8 SS1/2000 F8 ISO1000 #macro #dragonfly #panasonicleica #elmarit #nature

I believe this is an Olive-tree Pearl in my garden this evening (studiously ignoring the Olive Tree 3ft away). A new species for me. #teammoth

✏️ Here’s something I made earlier, and finally I can share it with you! An original colour pencil drawing of a Common Kingfisher, on A3 220gsm smooth grain drawing paper. Ready to fly to his new home now! katiefullerart.etsy.com/listing/4544...

If you think photographing birds in flight is difficult, you want to try moths!😅 This is a wonderful Hummingbird Hawkmoth, photographed yesterday from my bedroom window, just as it banked around to change direction!😀😍 Just look at that proboscis 🦋 (The moth looks a bit like a fish doesn't it!)😁