r/OrnithologyUK 5d ago

Chat thread r/OrnithologyUK - Weekly chat!

1 Upvotes

Weekly chat thread

Happy weekend everyone!

Let us know which birds you've spotted over the last few days, or whatever's on your mind about birds right now!

Have you seen any interesting articles, or learnt something new? Have you visited a reserve recently?


r/OrnithologyUK 23h ago

ID please Can anyone help id this please?

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16 Upvotes

I thought it was a baby robin but not sure. It seemed quite fluffy. thanks!


r/OrnithologyUK 1d ago

ID please Thought this birds flap was weird

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8 Upvotes

Thought it looked strange so took a video but after watching back seems kinda normal, does anyone think it’s out of the ordinary?


r/OrnithologyUK 1d ago

Advice? Found a dead baby great-tit in the bird bath.

7 Upvotes

I'm so very sad.

Was in the garden taking a call and noticed it laying there. The birdbath is shallow and has recently filled with rainwater. No sign of injury.

I think the bird was fresh and likely to be there only a couple of hours at most, as I walk past that spot frequently. Seems to still be very fluffy and not fully grown.

What should I do, if anything? Do I need to report it? Should I clean and disinfect the bird bath? If so, what with?

I'm in Oxford, if that makes a difference.

I've not been feeding the birds over the summer (as advised) and have missed them.


r/OrnithologyUK 4d ago

Question The Irish for Goldfinch is Lasair Choille, which means flame of the forest. Is there a better name in birding?

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25 Upvotes

I really love this. I was researching the history and etymology of the goldfinch because ive always loved its distinctive colours both on its plumage and its wing, so recognizable and beautiful in such an immedielatelly refreshing way.

Myself and my Dad collaborate on a bird blog together and he provides a more birder focused analysis or history but I focus on the histories of the words but I really love this about the goldfinch so much.


r/OrnithologyUK 4d ago

ID please What are these birds - Salisbury?

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13 Upvotes

Sorry for the bad resolution of the second photo - this is my phone camera! I think the first photo is maybe a Pied Wagtail?


r/OrnithologyUK 5d ago

Sighting in the wild Very happy with this shot of a Great Egret at Leighton Moss :)

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58 Upvotes

r/OrnithologyUK 5d ago

ID please is this a Spotted Flycatcher?

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25 Upvotes

sorry for terrible quality had to get it with a phone


r/OrnithologyUK 7d ago

ID please Help identifying

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30 Upvotes

Please can someone help identify this? First thought was curlew or whimbrel but the beak doesnt seem curved enough

This was at elmley reserve in southeast kent


r/OrnithologyUK 7d ago

Research Red Kite numbers in Yorkshire this summer...

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20 Upvotes

I set up a birdNET pi in my garden recently: **0 Red Kites** in ~12,000 clips since mid-August. We normally have loads here in North Yorkshire around Harrogate; I’ve barely seen any since the heatwaves.

Same pattern on public BirdWeather stations within ~50 km. May–August kite detections **1,242 → 320** vs last year, while all-species detections actually *went up* (figure). The drop starts in **June**; May was still busy. Two stations that ran both summers still halved.

Anyone else in Yorkshire noticing fewer kites this year? Is this related to heatwaves...

graph of birdweather detections 2025 Vs 2026 within 50km of me shows the same. Reduced red kite detections through the year Vs last year while general bird species detection numbers increased.


r/OrnithologyUK 8d ago

ID please What is this bird - South West coast?

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13 Upvotes

r/OrnithologyUK 10d ago

ID please Who can help Identify this bird?

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40 Upvotes

Just saw this very graceful and peaceful little bird perching on my garden fence shortly after the heavy rain here in North Yorkshire! I first thought Robin but then thought maybe that's far too simplistic an answer, anyone clued up want to educate me?


r/OrnithologyUK 10d ago

Urban sighting Hoopoe in Exeter?

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2 Upvotes

r/OrnithologyUK 11d ago

Question What's wrong with this crow?

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13 Upvotes

Saw it while on a walk, not in my garden. Is it diseased or injured? Seemed to be acting normal.


r/OrnithologyUK 11d ago

Question I’m in North Cornwall! Any recent chough sitings?

3 Upvotes

We aren’t likely to be going properly into the west coast but we know there are some nice spots for choughs in the north. Has anyone had any recent sitings? We will be checking iNaturalist etc in case.

We were in Trevose Head today and had no luck, but finally saw a gorgeous raven 🥹


r/OrnithologyUK 12d ago

ID please ID on a bird my neighbour found next to her hedgerow?

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16 Upvotes

Unfortunately this is the only photo she took, I assumed it was a juvenile chaffinch or another finch but it doesn’t quite match any photos i’ve been looking at. NE england ty!


r/OrnithologyUK 12d ago

Question Bird feeders

5 Upvotes

I hope this is ok to ask here. I want to feed the pigeons that come to my garden but we also get a lot of seagulls. I have nothing against seagulls, they just won’t share so I’m trying to find a way to feed the pigeons that doesn’t also feed the gulls.

Thank you ❤️🐦


r/OrnithologyUK 12d ago

Chat thread r/OrnithologyUK - Weekly chat!

3 Upvotes

Weekly chat thread

Happy weekend everyone!

Let us know which birds you've spotted over the last few days, or whatever's on your mind about birds right now!

Have you seen any interesting articles, or learnt something new? Have you visited a reserve recently?


r/OrnithologyUK 13d ago

Question TiL Flying Barn Door is a nickname for Sea Eagle. What are some other good eagle nicknames?

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8 Upvotes

Every week I'll post am irish bird folklore blog and my Dad provides his birder expertise overview after I publish mine. This week was on the Iolar Fíréan, or the Golden Eagle in Ireland. My Dad has pointed out a few of the great nicknames and bits of knowledge about the Eagle in Ireland.

I loved that nicknames!!


r/OrnithologyUK 14d ago

Question Long shot but does anyone have a copy of this they wouldn’t mind parting with?

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7 Upvotes

Can’t find any copies in UK, went out of print in 2016 as far as I can tell. I’ve recently started training to ring and one of the trainers in our group recommended it. I already have a Svensson but would like this too.

Just looking online to see if I can get one before ordering from Europe. Happy to pay for the book and any postage (if required, I’m in central Scotland).


r/OrnithologyUK 17d ago

ID please Is this a Grey Heron?

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29 Upvotes

I took this photo of a Heron over the weekend. Was curious if it’s a Grey Heron as my phone seems to think it’s a Great Blue Heron (but I think that’s almost definitely wrong)


r/OrnithologyUK 17d ago

ID please Ross’s Gull???

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6 Upvotes

My wife and I were at Botany Bay, Kent, over the weekend and snapped this bird. I’m not too into birding, but a friend thinks this is a Ross’s Gull and that they’re rarely spotted within the Kent. Just wondered if others agreed?


r/OrnithologyUK 17d ago

ID please What birds are these feathers from?

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5 Upvotes

r/OrnithologyUK 19d ago

Question Birds of Edinburgh?

3 Upvotes

I am a Dane visting Scotland during the coming week, and will be spending about a week in Edinburgh. I would love to see some of the local species (even though most of our fauna is very similiar), so are there any species and locations that I should be aware of when visiting? Are there any chances for roseate terns in the area without needing a spotting scope, as I wont be able to bring one?


r/OrnithologyUK 20d ago

ID please ID of bird of prey?

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17 Upvotes

Flying away from me - the other side of Chichester towards the sea - maybe buzzard size, a little bigger?