Brian Stretch

India is home to five of the world's eight forktail species - a charismatic family of small birds found along rocky streams and forest pools. White-crowned is the most range restricted and seeing it in Arunachal Pradesh earlier this year finally completed the set. #IndiAves #BirdsSeenIn2026 #India

The adult male Wheatear remained on a fogbound North Hill #MalvernHills this morning - pic from last Sunday. No sign of the Snow Bunting but plenty of Redwings heard moving west through Happy Valley. #WorcsBirds

The Snow Bunting was still favouring the summit of North Hill #MalvernHills this evening. #WorcsBirds

The adult male Wheatear on North Hill #MalvernHills this morning. Unusual to see one on the hills in this plumage at this time of year - note the deformed bill. Occasionally it was in same view as the Snow Bunting. #WorcsBirds

The first-winter female Snow Bunting was still favouring the summit of North Hill #MalvernHills this morning. Also an adult male Wheatear on North Hill, Brambling over Worcestershire Beacon and a few Redwings, Redpolls & Siskins through Happy Valley. #WorcsBirds

With a brisk north-westerly wind continuing for a second day I was hopeful of finding a Snow Bunting on the #MalvernHills. Et voilà! This beauty was favouring the summit of North Hill. Also my first Bramblings, Redwings, Redpolls & Siskins of the autumn through Happy Valley. #WorcsBirds

Two Wheatear on North Hill #MalvernHills late this afternoon; the bird present on Sunday remains and has been joined by a paler individual. #WorcsBirds

Common Waxbill at Olhão, Algarve, #Portugal last month. Native to sub-Saharan Africa there are naturalised populations all around the world including Brazil, Hawaii and Taiwan as well as the Iberian Peninsula. #BirdsSeenin2026

The Eurasian Stone-curlew still at Ryall Court Pits, Upton-upon-Severn this morning. Distant views but thanks to the power of a Nikon P1000 and some AI sharpening, the photographic results were better! Also 11 Golden Plover over, Dunlin, Green Sandpiper & Pintail. #WorcsBirds

This Wheatear in Chat Valley, North Hill #MalvernHills this morning was a new arrival. #WorcsBirds

Ring-necked Parakeet at Pitmaston Park, St John's, Worcester this evening. Heard it calling distantly while visiting my parents, so we went around and there it was. Occasionally feeding on holm oak acorns. Still a scarce bird in the city. #WorcsBirds

Two Cattle Egrets (adult & juvenile) at Powick Wetland briefly this afternoon were my first for the site. Also of note were a pair of Stonechat along the west hedge. #WorcsBirds

A single Wheatear remained on North Hill #MalvernHills early this morning. A couple of Swallows and a few House Martins heading south were the only signs of any movement. #WorcsBirds

Two Wheatear on the north #MalvernHills this morning - singles on Worcestershire Beacon (pictured) and North Hill. Otherwise quiet with just a few House Martins heading south. #WorcsBirds

The Eurasian Stone-curlew at Ryall Court Pits, Upton-upon-Severn earlier today. Its cryptic plumage blended in perfectly with its well chosen surroundings. A superb and well deserved find by @andywarr.bsky.social. #WorcsBirds

Normal service has been resumed on a return visit to North Hill #MalvernHills this evening. This brightly plumaged Wheatear was showing in exactly the same spot as this morning's Dotterel. #WorcsBirds

It has been many years since I saw a Dotterel on the #MalvernHills so was very pleased to find this juvenile on North Hill early this morning. #WorcsBirds #BirdsSeenIn2026 @waderquest.bsky.social

Juvenile Dotterel on #MalvernHills early morning. Initially on North Hill before relocating to adjacent Table Hill and still showing at 7.55am. #WorcsBirds

Zitting Cisticola (or Fan-tailed Warbler in old money) at Lagos, #Portugal a couple of days ago. A common species in suitable habitat throughout the Algarve and easy to see, especially at well trodden tourist sites like Ponta da Piedade where they appear completely fearless. #BirdsSeenIn2026

This immature Black-winged Kite has been present for some time along the railway line just west of Olhão, #Portugal and gave fabulous views early this morning. #BirdsSeenIn2026

This juvenile Woodchat Shrike was showing beautifully in the evening light at Olhão, #Portugal a few days ago. #BirdsSeenIn2026

Three Wheatear were fresh in on the northern #MalvernHills early morning; 1 on Sugarloaf Hill & 2 on Worcs Beacon. A steady stream of southbound hirundines was enlivened by the presence of several Sand Martins - a species I've never seen flying along the high tops before. #WorcsBirds

Tough conditions on North Hill #MalvernsHills early morning contrary to the weather forecast, naturally. A Red Kite and Swallow south was as good as it got in over 4 hours. #WorcsBirds

Wheatear still on North Hill, #MalvernHills early morning and 2 Tree Pipits briefly before continuing south. #WorcsBirds

Very quiet on the northern #MalvernHills early this morning; a Wheatear on North Hill, 2 Redstarts, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. #WorcsBirds

No change on the northern #MalvernHills this evening; the Wheatear still on Table Hill and 2 Redstarts. #WorcsBirds

A Wheatear still on Table Hill #MalvernHills early this morning and 2 Redstarts. Another Redstart in Chat Valley, plus Tree Pipit and Grey Wagtail over. #WorcsBirds

A single Wheatear on Table Hill #MalvernHills this morning. A couple of Marsh Tits and a Red Kite was the best of the rest. #WorcsBirds

The long-staying adult male Whinchat remains at Grimley Church Farm meadows, showing beautifully in the late afternoon sunshine. #WorcsBirds

Still plenty of Redstarts around North and Table Hills #MalvernHills early this morning. Also Tree Pipit flew south calling. #WorcsBirds

A single Wheatear on British Camp #MalvernHills this morning. Also single Tree Pipits over Millennium Hill, Broad Down and Swinyard Hill and 7 Red Kites together over Midsummer Hill. #WorcsBirds

A good morning for migrant Tree Pipits on the northern #MalvernHills with four together on Sugarloaf Hill and another calling south over North Hill later. A Cormorant that flew SE over Happy Valley was unusual and it was the first Wheatear free visit for over a couple of weeks. #WorcsBirds

Four Wheatear on North Hill #MalvernHills this morning; two new birds on west side and two still in Chat Valley including the long-staying adult male. Otherwise 5+ Redstarts on west side was the best of the rest. #WorcsBirds

Two Wheatears on North Hill, #MalvernHills early this morning including the long-staying adult male which is looking smarter than he was last week. Also a few Common Redstarts around the hill and a single Tree Pipit over. #WorcsBirds

This moulting adult male Wheatear on North Hill, #MalvernHills early this morning wasn't too keen on having his picture taken. Which is understandable, given his disheveled appearance! #WorcsBirds

Relieved to have seen the Hoopoe at Grimley on second attempt earlier today where it was favouring Church Farm fishing pools. Two juvenile Wood Sandpipers were a welcome find at Camp Lane Pits while failing to locate the Hoopoe early morning. Also Whinchat still and 2 Yellow Wagtails. #WorcsBirds

Good to catch up with the moulting male Whinchat at Grimley earlier. An increasingly scarce migrant in Worcestershire, this one being in the company of a juvenile Stonechat. #WorcsBirds

For inland patch birders, this bird gives us hope! The Long-tailed Shrike on the Gloucs/Oxon border near Eastleach Martin this afternoon. A remarkable record that demonstrates perfectly - anything is possible in birding. #GlosBirds #OxonBirds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #England

Encouraging that four of the five Redstarts seen on North Hill #MalvernHills this morning were juveniles, including this one in Chat Valley. Also decent numbers of young Stonechats, a few Willow Warblers still singing and a Marsh Tit on the wooded east side. #WorcsBirds

Male Canary Islands Chaffinch of the subspecies 'F. c. palmae' photographed a few days ago. Endemic to the island of La Palma, its plumage is the bluest of the four subspecies found on the Canaries and other than the peach face and breast is similar to Gran Canaria Blue Chaffinch. #BirdsSeenIn2026

Social media is awash with pictures of Western Reef Heron and rightly so given the first for Britain is currently residing in Wales. And being a dark-morph it's a real stunner! So here is a more subtle looking white-morph photographed in Gujarat, India in February for comparison. #BirdsSeenIn2026

Great Egret, Little Egret and Grey Heron at Powick Wetland this morning. The fish don't stand a chance! #WorcsBirds

Stonechats have been in short supply on the northern #MalvernHills so far this spring so it was encouraging to see this recently fledged juvenile on North Hill yesterday. #WorcsBirds

A couple of Sanderling at Clifton Pits early this morning was a nice surprise. This was the brighter individual - a real stunner! #WorcsBirds #WaderWednesday

My second Woodlark of the spring on the #MalvernHills was the highlight early this morning as it flew east calling while a male Wheatear was near the summit of Worcestershire Beacon. Thankfully, yesterday's fire in Happy Valley didn't spread too far. #WorcsBirds

At least two Ring Ouzels still lingering on North Hill #MalvernHills this morning, plus Yellow Wagtail north, 3 Redstarts, Tree Pipit, Red Kite over and my first Green Hairstreak of the year. #WorcsBirds

Good to see a fresh arrival of Ring Ouzels on the #MalvernHills this morning. A male and three females on North Hill along with a female Wheatear. #WorcsBirds #UKBirding

Two male Wheatears were on the #MalvernHills on North Hill this morning and a singing Tree Pipit in North Valley. A couple of Common Redstarts in Happy Valley along with plenty of Willow Warblers in song while a Yellow Wagtail flew north calling over Worcestershire Beacon. #WorcsBirds

A Wheatear at Broadway Hill late afternoon and plenty of Red Kites enjoying the fine spring weather. #WorcsBirds

An interesting immature female aythya at Dudmaston Estate NT on the Big Pool #Shropshire this afternoon. Superficially resembling a Greater Scaup its overall bulk and size seems to be lacking for this species as well as the possibly suspect bill pattern 🤔 #ShropshireBirding