Steph Murphy

A Great Grey Shrike at Emsworthy Mire, Dartmore, found by Chris Grove today. As always, flighty and elusive but what a bird @btobirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

Very close Little Stint below the Powderham Sea Wall, Exe Estuary. Very confiding, giving great views. Lots of local birders on site, who found a Wryneck feeding on the muds earlier but was not relocated after it flew into field. #UKBirding

Shiphay, Torquay, S Devon. 19.30. Making dinner 🍽️ and I glance up to see this migrant #Nightjar sat on top of the covered washing line! Stayed for a good ten minutes. Amazingly, the second record for our back garden! #UKBirding #DevonBirds #birds @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

Red-necked Phalarope on Black Hole Marsh at Seaton Wetlands today. Tiny, busy and hungry! #UKBirding

A lovely morning on Saturday standing on the bank of the River Axe in Seaton waiting for the juv Osprey to appear. It didn’t catch a meal this time #UKBirding

Two Long-tailed Blue on wild pea in Seaton, Devon. There were 5 at the beginning of the week. @savebutterflies.bsky.social #UKBirding #ukbutterflies.bsky.social

Philanthus Triangulum female excavating her burrow at Berry Head Quarry #UKBirding

Super morning in Berry Head Quarry with the Clouded Yellow. Not much left in bloom except the Valerian and Knapweed so those areas were busy. Met some friends, it was super chill! #UKBirding @savebutterflies.bsky.social

The Long-tailed Shrike was constantly being pestered by the Common Whitethroat. He wasn’t bothered for a while but finally got fed up with them! #UKBirding

The very famous Cirencester Long-tailed Shrike. Spent an hour watching it hunting insects and perching, with lots of other birders. A great twitch, thoroughly enjoyable #UKBirding

A last minute mad rush from Torquay to Topsham for the magnificent Caspian Tern. It spent a couple of hours around Bowling Green Marsh before flying up the Exe. All present thoroughly chuffed. #UKBirding

Happy 60th Birthday to my other half @robmurphy.bsky.social Have a great day love from me and Sammy #UKBirding

From hedgehogs and bats to butterflies and newts, the UK’s wildlife is disappearing fast – and our government is letting it happen. I’ve just signed @friends-earth.bsky.social’s petition calling for urgent action. Add your name: action.friendsoftheearth.uk/petition/tel...

Broad-billed Sandpiper at Dawlish Warren today, found by local birder. We had to wait for high tide this evening to even get eyes on it. #UKBirding #Devon

It feels like proper Summertime now with an abundance of nesting hirundine and dragonfly on the wing, including this Scarce Chaser and a few Downy Emerald tear-arsing around ponds. #UKBirding

A sweaty wander around Yarner Wood and Trendlebeare Down, Dartmmor #UKBirding

Fab Spring Wryneck, found by @robmurphy.bsky.social at RSPB Labrador Bay, Devon this morning. @birdguides.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

A lovely female Redpoll and a Grasshopper Warbler from Dartmoor #UKBirding

A resting Swallow on the boats at Turf Lock, Exminster. A large party of Swift also hawking over the cow fields prior to the rain setting in, and then as if by magic, they vanished #UKBirding

3 Hobby hunting over Exminster Marshes this afternoon. #UKBirding #ExminsterMarshes

We spotted two male Garganey at Slapton Ley this morning. They were mooching about in the duck weed and being generally magnificent. #UKBirding

Some lovely birds up on Dartmoor today. Lots of Cuckoo, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Hirundine etc. Bluebells wafting their heady perfume over me in the glorious sunshine. #UKBirding

The Lesser Kestrel at Croft Pascoe gave excellent views to the many admirers. Didn't seem bothered about coming close to us all. It was catching plenty of prey and taking it back to its favoured perches. @cbwps.org.uk #UKBirding

Spent a day at Stanpit in Christchurch watching G625 and G818 loiter on the sandbank and chase each other for an eel. Couldn’t be better! #UKBirding

Fantastic morning with the Red-spotted Bluethroat at Swineham. A great start to our short Dorset holiday #UKBirding #birdguides

What a lovely day down on the South Hams coast path. A wander around Soar gave us many Wheatear and Yellowhammer, with a handful of singing Common Whitethroat and a delightful Common Redstart #UKBirding

I spotted a Hoopoe in flight at Devon Wildlife Trust reserve Emsworthy Mire, Dartmoor, this morning. It spent the morning in the paddocks around the old barn. Also present 2 Redstart, 1 male Cuckoo #UKBirding

A few from last week around Torbay, including a bonus Linnet pair actually in my garden! #UKBirding

Some very local Firecrest action. Devon seems to be a hotspot for them as I see more of these than Goldcrests. #UKBirding

A potter around Berry Head yesterday. So many insects on the wing including the very lovely Andrena fulva (Tawny Mining Bee) plus a stonking young male Black Redstart in the quarry #UKBirding

Bonaparte's Gull and a pair of Red crested Pochard at National Trust Saltram, Plymouth, today. #UKBirding

Lovely Purple Sandpiper near the lighthouse on Brixham Breakwater. #UKBirding #Brixham

Black-necked Grebe just offshore between Brixham Breakwater and Shoalstone Pool today in the murky rain. #UKBirding #Devon

Dartford Warblers calling in East Devon’s Pebbled Heaths in the sunshine. Spring is coming! #UKBirding

Chiffchaff bonanza at Efford Marsh in Plymouth, including a lovely Siberian Chiffy. Had some views of the Yellow Browed Warbler that we went to see #UKBirding #DevonBirds

Hours of fun at Teignmouth today with 14 Little Gull fishing along the shoreline and at times very close in. Had great fun standing on the beach photographing them while the world and its dog wandered past, oblivious. #UKBirding #DevonBirds

Caspian Gull, Brixham Breakwater. Big ole bird with long legs and knock knees! Plenty of other birds in the harbour diving for the copious amounts of small fish on offer #UKBirding

Two Lesser Whitethroats are still hanging around Seaton Bowling Club in Devon. They don't care about me standing there and popped out of the hedge in front of me. Lots of Blackcaps giving them grief and two female type Black Redstarts hopping about #UKBirding #DevonBirds

Teignmouth seafront this morning. Full tide, huge waves, storm surge yet there I was, standing in the salty spray taking pics of one of the 15 Little Gull to pass through today. Fun. #UKBirding #DevonBirds

A sunny, winters day... a flat, calm Exe Estuary and many, many birds. What could be better #DevonBirds #UKBirding

The male Ring-necked Duck at Beesands Ley today and also on occasion, Slapton Ley, on his 9th returning year. He's a dude! #UKBirding #DevonBirds

Topsham. Bowling Green Marsh, usual array of waders and wildfowl plus a lone Black Swan. Topsham Recreation Ground, a Common Sandpiper wandering around the park looking very out of place #UKBirding #DevonBirds

Local birding at home around Torbay. Black Redstart and Kingfisher in Paignton, Purple Sandpiper and Med Gull Brixham Breakwater. #UKBirding #DevonBirds

The two Spoonbill at the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve, Budleigh. They got quite close until they spotted me then they were off! #UKBirding #DevonBirds

The Little Stint currently at the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve, Budleigh, decided to visit the patch in front of me! Result. Also close were the two Spoonbill and one of the resident Kingfisher. A very chilly but nice afternoon. #UKBirding #DevonBirds

A lovely Male and two female type Black Redstart in and around the palm trees and building site at the entrance to Roundham Gardens, Paignton. The two female type chasing each other about. #UKBirding #DevonBirds

Black-necked Grebe, Slapton. Nice find by Richie Moore #UKBirding #DevonBirds

Last birds of the year, Tundra Bean Geese in a field crammed full of Brent, White-fronted and Brent Geese, Barwits, Lapwing and Snipe at Topsham today. HAPPY NEW YEAR BLUESKY FOLKS ! #UKBirding

Wishing everyone on Bluesky a fabulous Christmas. #UKBirding

In case I get distracted by sparkly things and chocolate, I’m wishing you all a very Merry Christmas ! #UKBirding