To cap off the #100birdphoto year, here is a map of locations where pictures were taken - covered from Orkney to Cornwall, East Anglia and the the West of Scotland missed out a bit though!
Pigeon. 100 of #100birdphoto. DONE.
Hope everyone had a good Christmas and you're not feeling too Ruff! 99 of #100birdphoto ONE TO GO!!!
Merry Christmas from these derpy robins! Couldn't be anything else today really... 98 of #100birdphoto
Whoop whoop, it's nearly Christmas! Always worth a trip to Martin Mere to see the Whooper Swans when they turn up for winter. 97 of #100birdphoto
Quite enjoying the light on these Shelducks - certainly were a few of them knocking about! 96 of #100birdphoto
Caught this littlest of ladies in the garden last week. I love the fable of how the Goldcrest got its alternative name of Kinglet - back in the days of yore, the birds decided that whoever could fly highest would be king of the birds. The eagle thought he had won, but the goldcrest rode on his back and so flew a little higher. 95 of #100birdphoto
Now for something a bit different - starlings can put on some spectacular shows at this time of year. Although they weren't exactly murmurating, it was still awesome to see them gathering in number (8000 or so at peak?). 94 of #100birdphoto
I always think long tailed ducks look like they're smiling - they were certainly happier than I was, taking these shots while trying to avoid being blown face first into the drink. 2 weans at the Peedie Sea and an adult Male at distance at Nouster. 93 of #100birdphoto
That's a turn-up for the books. Well, a turn-over. It's a turnstone! Well, it's two of them. One at Scapa Flow (Orkney) t'other at Nouster (North Ronaldsay). 92 of #100birdphoto
Dunno what this Hooded Crow was eating, but it was obviously not particularly appetising judging by how many times it threw it on the ground before picking it up and having another go. Seen on the edge of the Peedie Sea in Kirkwall. 91 of #100birdphoto
It's well established that barwits and blackwits are hard to tell apart in the field, and I wasn't sure what I was looking at when I took the picture... However, I'm now pretty sure these are Bar Tailed Godwits. Again, at Scapa Flow. 90 of #100birdphoto - time for the final 10!
2 rock pipits, 2 Orcadian islands, 2 average photos... First one at Scapa Flow (Mainland), 2nd at Nouster (North Ronaldsay). 89 of #100birdphoto
No prizes for guessing where I saw this Oystercatcher! Lovely light down at the flow, got some nice shots - not of whisky, unfortunately... 88 of #100birdphoto
We're now moving onto pictures taken on the Orcadian mainland - if there was ever any dinosaur left in birds, it's definitely on show in Rooks... Interesting Rook fact, they can only move in straight lines ;) 87 of #100birdphoto
It's been a bit of a plover-fest recently and the trend continues with this lapwing. Should really have tried harder to get some pics of these guys up Pendle Hill when I had good light and weather, but instead we have this dull shot of one on North Ron! 86 of #100birdphoto
There's no buntings like Snow Buntings! With the weather app telling me there was a 100% chance of rain (as a scientist, giving anything 100% chance is brave), I decided I had to head out to Bridesness on North Ron to see yet another of my favourite birds, the snow bunting, because they're scarce in Lancashire and if I didn't, I'd certainly regret it. While it didn't actually rain (classic), the wind was vicious, so I took shelter next to the sheep dyke and waited for these guys to creep along the shoreline towards me. They got close enough for these shots - I'm sure I could have crept towards them a bit, but I would probably have been blown to Sanday... 85 of #100birdphoto
Considering just how many of these little buggers there were on North Ron, it's a shame that nary a single plover was brave enough to let me get close enough for a decent picture! Still, golden plover are one of my favourites so it was great to see them in such numbers. 84 of #100birdphoto
Next to be washed up on the tide of North Ronaldsay pictures is this lovely Ringed Plover, again spotted at Nouster. The sight of these little guys skipping along the shoreline always fills me with joy! 83 of #100birdphoto
Ooooooooooooo-ooooooooo! As a boy eider would say to a girl eider. Caught these at Nouster Bay on North Ron during a lull in the otherwise incessant rain. I've incldued a distant pic of a male who was a way out at sea, just because even blurry, they're rather handsome. 82 of #100birdphoto
Another thing that's great about North Ron is how special birds like this Hawfinch just casually pop up in front of you. This lady came down for a splash in the puddle while we were having a coffee in the @north_ronaldsay_bird_obs bar - no better way to watch birds! Again, the picture is fuzzy as it was taken through glass, which is a bit of a shame, but it's hard to be too disappointed with such a cracking view of such a cracking bird! 81 of #100birdphoto
You can't move 20 ft without bumping into one of these guys on North Ron at the moment (that's assuming you can actually see 20 ft...) There's always something bittersweet about seeing Redwings - such lovely little thrushes, but you know that once they start to turn up, the weather's only going to go downhill... This one popped up just outside @north_ronaldsay_bird_obs - the fuzz is due to having to turn the ISO all the way up to combat the gloom. 80 of #100birdphoto
I'm currently on North Ronaldsay, the northernmost of the Orkney islands, and what a special place it is! Within an hour of landing we were getting stunning views of this Hen Harrier, plus a multitude of species that will soon be posted... Although these were taking through a car windscreen, you should be able to tell what good views we were getting! 79 of #100birdphoto
If it wasnae for your wellies, where would you be? Certainly not at Leighton Moss seeing Bearded Tits, that's for sure. As the last pics show it was under a few inches of water, so just a bit moist... Anyway, let's focus on the most inappropriately named bird so far - as it's not a tit, and that's clearly a moustache not a beard. So, at 78 of #100birdphoto is the Moustachioed Reedling!
For 77 of #100birdphoto we have this slightly fuzzy great crested grebe, photographed at Brockholes a couple of months back. I need to get out and take some more photos soon as my cache is being rapidly depleted!
Jays can be pretty skittish, so I'm glad I decided to snap this one at distance... Tried sneaking a bit closer and it scarpered sharpish. They're such handsome birds, deserve a better background than a puddle on an industrial estate... In any case, they come in at 76 of #100birdphoto
I've been determined to not only spread out the species, but also spread them round the country. I've put magpie off for a while as I thought 'I can get that anywhere!'. 74 birds later... So I went on a special hunt for them while down in Exeter, and as you can see, I did manage to get one! 75 of #100birdphoto
I've posted some pretty grim record shots as part of the #100birdphoto project, but this entry at 73 surely takes the biscuit. Extreme range, through glass, overcast, bird facing away - couldn't make for a worse photo. However, I do want to include a bit of diversity of species and I'm unlikely to see a Black Tern again this year, so here it is!
Summer is fading fast, so I was delighted to catch this male blackcap hanging out with the sparrows before he flies south - if he flies south of course, with blackcaps overwintering being a fairly common occurrence now. I for one hope he stays, he's very welcome in the garden. (Not bad pics seeing as they were taken through double glazing!) 72 of #100birdphoto
Bit of a misnomer this one... May be called a common gull, but it's only the second I've seen this year. Normally out at sea at this time of year, it was a bit unusual to see one rock up in Craven in September. 71 of #100birdphoto
I've been dashing off all over the place all year snapping all different kinds of birds - so it's nice to post one from the garden for a change. Coals Tits zap all round the place making for a difficult shot, but as I was down the with lurgy and had nothing better to do, I spent an hour or so chasing then round and managed to get this one. I'm pretty damn happy with it... Bird 70 of #100birdphoto
About time I did another ducky, and coming in at number 69 of #100birdphoto is this lovely teal, named for the bright green flashes on their wings.
I remember the days when little egret had only just started the establish themselves in Britain, and seeing them was exciting. Now the buggers are everywhere! Quite a number of these guys at Saltholme, and so they sneak in at 68 of #100birdphoto.
This common tern babbo is just finding its feet (or wings?) in the world, and now mama wants it to fly the nest... Look how affronted it is when the adult just gets up and flies off! 67 of #100birdphoto
Considering they are the bane of my life (only minor hyperbole), it's strange that Mipits haven't featured yet... Nothing is more galling than hearing something rare or unusual is 'associating with the meadow pipits', because I can never pick it out from the rapidly swirling flock of LBJs. - That being said, I do actually like Mipits, they're always active and their weird fluttery parachute thing is great. And so, they are bird 66 of #100birdphoto
This proudly fluffed up fluffball is a chaffinch - and he is bird 65 of #100birdphoto - #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #finchesofinstagram #finch #chaffinch #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #leightonmoss
I said we'd come back to them... Here for 64 of #100birdphoto and no longer playing second fiddle, is a dunlin. - #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #wadersofinstagram #wader #dunlin #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #leightonmoss
This lovely pair of Bullfinches sat quite close to me during a visit to Leighton Moss a while back. He could do with some modelling lessons from the missus... 63 of #100birdphoto - #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #finchesofinstagram #finch #bullfinch #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #leightonmoss
I've not done a record shot for a while now, and once again it's a sandpiper, and once again it's a lifer - this Curlew Sandpiper was wandering around at Leighton Moss which was very handy. (Ignore the Dunlin in the second photo, we'll come back to them...) 61 of #100birdphoto - #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #wadersofinstagram #wader #sandpiper #curlewsandpiper #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #leightonmoss #recordshot
The 60 of #100birdphoto is up, despite the best efforts of this young reed warbler. It stayed under deep cover in the reeds, took me quite a while to get any shot at all - this isn't too bad all considered! - #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #warblersofinstagram #warbler #reedwarbler #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #leightonmoss
Last seabird for a while - bring up the rear is this handsome razorbill. Bird 59 of #100birdphoto - #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #auksofinstagram #auk #razorbill #seabirds #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #yorkshire #bemptoncliffs
Ah, my favourite bird named after a coloured handtool, the crimsonscrewdriver! - Oh wait, I meant yellowhammer. Same thing. 58 of #100birdphoto - #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #buntingsofinstagram #bunting #yellowhammer #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #suttonbank #yorkshire
Yet more seabirds - common guillemots at Bempton - bird 57 of #100birdphoto #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #guillemotsofinstagram #guillemot #seabirds #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #yorkshire #bemptoncliffs
There's certainly a treemendous number of tree sparrows at Bempton Cliffs! 56 of #100birdphoto - #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #sparrowsofinstagram #sparrow #treesparrow #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #yorkshire #bemptoncliffs
Two male siskins, two feeders, two rival counties... The first is at Sutton Bank visitor centre, and the other is from my living room window! Bird 55 of #100birdphoto - #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #finchesofinstagram #siskin #finch #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #clitheroe #ribble valley #suttonbank #yorkshire
YOU WANNA PIECE OF ME, COME GET IT PUNK - I'm sure gannets are gentle peaceful creatures inside but they look like they have an eye for violence... - Bird 54 of #100birdphoto - #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #gannetsofinstagram #gannet #seabirds #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #yorkshire #bemptoncliffs
It's duck time again - this mother with babes are from the local goosander clan. Bird 53 of #100birdphoto - #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #ducksofinstagram #goosander #duck #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #clitheroe #ribble valley
Who doesn't love a puffin? Even though the aukward buggers were hanging just out of range for a good photo, it's pretty much impossible to watch a puffin and not smile... 52 of #100birdphoto #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #puffinsofinstagram #puffin #auk #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #yorkshire #bemptoncliffs
What a dovely surprise! This collared dove posed for me while I was having a quick walk before spending a day at a trade show. 51 of #100birdphoto - #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #dovesofinstagram #pigeon #dove #collareddove #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #shropshire #telford
WOOOOOAAAAAH, WE'RE HALFWAY THERE WOOOOOAAAAAH, SEAGULLS* IN THE AIR -⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I think that's how it goes anyway... 50 of #100birdphoto - *There's no such thing as a seagull. These are kittiwakes. Which are my favourite gull. - #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #gullsofinstagram #seagull #kittiwake #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #yorkshire #bemptoncliffs
For 49 of #100birdphoto we have this handsome young fellow - a juvenile peregrine falcon recently fledged from the nest site at Malham Cove. #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #falconsofinstagram #peregrine #falcon #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #yorkshire #malham #malhamcove
I like nothing better than a running theme, so yet again, we have a house with a bird on it. Unfortunately, I've run out of birds with 'house' in their name, so this Grey Wagtail will have to do. Still, he's a handsome chap. 48 of #100birdphoto #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #wagtailsofinstagram #wagtail #greywagtail #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #yorkshire #malham #malhamcove
Because I didn't get to say the word house quite enough in the last post, here is a male house sparrow, also sat on a house. And a female house sparrow that is not sat on a house. I doubt these house sparrows have ever visited each others' houses as these pictures were taken 300 miles apart! 47 of #100birdphoto * #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #sparrowsofinstagram #sparrow #housesparrow #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #clitheroe #devon #lydfordgorge
What we have here is a house martin. You can tell, because it's on a house. It even has its own house on a house. Bit of a crap picture, but house martins are notoriously rapid, and the owners of the house (not the house martin house on a house, the people who live in the house on which the house martin had built their house) were watching me. 46 of #100birdphoto #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #hirundinidaeofinstagram #hirundinidae #martin #housemartin #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #clitheroe
Life in plastic, it's fantastic... They may not be native, but now that there's a sustained breeding population of these guys, Egyptian Goose is allowed to come in as number 45 of #100birdphoto #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #summerwildlife #wildlife #geeseofinstagram #goose #eqyptiangoose #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #hampshire #petersfield #petersfieldlake
The parade of shouty birds continues with this common whitethroat - coming in at 44 of #100birdphoto #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #springwildlife #wildlife #warblersofinstagram #warbler #whitethroat #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #brockholes
"I AM SMALL BUT I AM MIGHTY" screams the wren to the countryside. "I believe you mate..." says I, slightly perturbed. "Nothing mightier than being bird 43 of #100birdphoto is there?" #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #springwildlife #wildlife #wrensofinstagram #wren #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #brockholes
Literally a second after I took this photo this poor fella got dive bombed by an absolute unit of a squirrel. No idea what his beef was but I am sure it was an unpheasant surprise. 42 of #100birdphoto #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #springwildlife #wildlife #pheasantsofinstagram #pheasant #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #brockholes
A song thrush having a good ol sing song. This one was trying its damndest to imitate a Curlew, which I'd not heard before. 41 of #100birdphoto #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #springwildlife #wildlife #thrushesofinstagram #songthrush #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #clitheroe #ribblevalley
Peakaboo, I see you! Not sure what this woodpigeon was being so coy about. No shame in being 38 of #100birdphoto mate. #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #springwildlife #wildlife #pigeonsofinstagram #woodpigeon #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #clitheroe #ribblevalley
Does anyone else reckon that this blackbird looks like he's pining for the lover that spurned him? Maybe being bird 37 of #100birdphoto will cheer him up. #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #springwildlife #wildlife #thrushesofinstagram #blackbird #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #clitheroe #ribblevalley
36 of #100birdphoto is mama mallard and associated fluffballs. #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #springwildlife #wildlife #ducksofinstagram #duck #mallard #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #clitheroe #ribblevalley
More flycatchers than you can shake a stick at. For number 35 of #100birdphoto is this lovely spotted flycatcher - not as striking as the Piecatchers but welcome summer visitors nonetheless. #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #springwildlife #wildlife #flycatchersofinstagram #spottedflycatcher #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #clitheroe #ribblevalley
Who doesn't love a goldfinch? These lads sat for ages giving me lots of chance for shots. Probably getting a break from the kids. 34 of #100birdphoto #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #springwildlife #wildlife #finchesofinstagram #finch #goldfinch #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #clitheroe #ribblevalley
Spent a good while watching this nest box, hoping to get a snap of the pied flycatchers nesting there. However, they were far too rapid for me in the gloom, so this little video will have to do. I took a still so that it would still technically be #100birdphoto... Number 33. #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #recordshot #springwildlife #wildlife #flycatchersofinstagram #piedflycatcher #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire
A swanderful choice for number 32 of #100birdphoto are these mute swans hustling for bread from the Worcester locals. #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #winterwildlife #wildlife #swansofinstagram #swan #muteswan #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #worcestershire #worcester
After a slew of half decent pictures it's time to throw a proper grainy record shot into the #100birdphoto project for number 31, and it's a bird of twitchable pedigree as well. This spotted sandpiper had the decency to rock up to our shores while I was just a few miles down the road. After coming all the way from America, I can't really complain that it wasn't close enough for a decent picture, can I? #birds #nature #birdwatching #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #recordshot #springwildlife #wildlife #sandpipersofinstagram #sandpiper #spottedsandpiper #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lothian #dunbar #skateraw
Entry 30 of #100birdphoto is this charming parent/child combo. How coot. #birds #wildlife #nature #birdwatching #nature #britishbirds #birdwatchingphotography #springwildlife #birdsofinstagram #coot #cootsofinstagram #lumix #wildlifetrusts #rspb #lancashire #bbcspringwatch