Daniel Branch

Yorkshire birder usually found on Soil Hill, also Spurn sometimes! Wannabe world lister, with big love for the Neotropics! FC Halifax Town fan! #ShaymenTilIDie

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

I had a fantastic time in the US on my first BirdQuest tour!
The undoubted highlight of two-and-a-half weeks around Arizona & California was this awesome female Spotted Owl that we visited!
A real treat to see this rare species so close!

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

@lizardschwartz Phenomenal habitat shot! 5 stars!

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

So far it has been an excellent spring for Ring Ouzel on Soil Hill, with this very handsome male now continuing into his third day!
However, he is a particularly elusive individual, and my sightings have been restricted to brief appearances!
#SoilHillBirding

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

I was beginning to wonder where the Soil Hill Wheatears were this spring...
So it was a relief to find a fresh dumping of 10 this morning!
Quite simply the finest bird in Britain!
#SoilHillBirding

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

An excellent morning birding on Soil Hill, in pleasant spring conditions!
The undoubted highlight was my 7th Soil Hill Osprey heading distantly north!
A very nice backup cast, including this rather conspicuous Jack Snipe not even requiring the thermal to spot!
#SoilHillBirding

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

@JLowenWildlife @NeoBirdCons Great stuff! Enjoy the rest of your tour!

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

Paraguay 2025 was an awesome trip, with 417 birds, 28 mammals and a host of other wildlife!
We had such a blast that the trip report required 93 pages!
I can absolutely recommend Paraguay as a fantastic birding destination!
https://t.co/zHhGZ0mjMB
@NeoBirdCons

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

@JLowenWildlife @NeoBirdCons Would love to James. Did anything from the report take your fancy?

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

@msabirder @NeoBirdCons Thanks Mark. Hope its worth the wait

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

@Birduder344 And you! Hope you were able to connect with most of your targets in the end

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

I initially missed notifications about Common Scoters heading inland last night, so didn't start listening until 21:30!
A flock heard over the house at 21:40 convinced me to head up to Soil Hill, but after an hour I only managed a single flock of 6 birds!
#SoilHillBirding

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

A glorious return to Soil Hill for the week!
I hoped for some Whooper Swan action, and I got some with birds distantly on Mixenden Reservoir!
But the show was very much stolen by this handsome male Ring Ouzel, my 1st March record here!
The Hill never disappoints!
#SoilHillBirding

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

Nice to bump into a little flavour of the UK whilst out and about birding in Paris today! Enjoying the Parisian lawns alongside two White Wagtails!

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker! Finally!
After dipping in 6 (SIX!) different counties, in my seventh I was able to rectify my most obvious omission from my British list!

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

@eckersley_joe Cheers Joe. That blows my theory apart, the Soil Hill bird passed at 08:40 😂

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

💥SOIL HILL PATCH TICK💥
💥NUMBER 133💥
💥ICELAND GULL💥
I was not expecting much today, it being a blustery February morning!
But Soil Hill always produces!
Absolutely incredible scenes when this stunning white-winger flew past!
#soilhillbirding

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

Great Black-backed Gull!!!
For just the second time in my 19 years watching Soil Hill!
It's been a steady February on Soil Hill for my first visits of 2026, but I certainly enjoyed this brute heading north this morning!
#SoilHillBirding

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

Despite several visits to South America, before visiting Paraguay, I had never managed to see a Tapir!
However, that was laid to rest in spectacular style, with nine encounters during a month of traveling the country, including six in one night!

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

@agk10k @NeoBirdCons I’ve seen it twice at a site in Santa Catarina state in southern Brazil, but it’s one of only two Tapaculos I’ve failed to photograph. The first time it was too fast, and the second time so obscured that there was just no point…

[Daniel Branch @DanielBranch94]

TAPACULO NUMBER 47!!!
Arguably my most wanted bird from Paraguay was the Crested Gallito!
Having heard but not seen this rather unconventional tapaculo in Argentina, I was keen to right this wrong in my quest to see all the Tapaculos!
Mission accomplished in the Paraguayan Chaco!