Matt Hobbs

Ecologist and wildlife mad dad of two. Tweeting about wildlife and the weird world of ecology. Mainly cetaceans, birds, bats and migration.

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

@JLowenWildlife @bristolbirding I know. I wish I'd had a decent camera for that one! It was stunning.

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

And the second set of shots of glossy ibis near Chew Magna yesterday - this time with the sun in but very close - I had to walk backwards to get them in shot !! @bristolbirding #Avonbirds

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

The very lovely pair of glossy ibis near Chew Magna yesterday. First set of shots in the sun @bristolbirding #avonbirds

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

@JDPhotography24 @bristolbirding Thanks James!!

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

Great northern diver (common loon) at Barrow Tanks this afternoon @bristolbirding

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

Female bearded tit at Chew Valley Lake this morning in the frost @bristolbirding

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

Male firecrest from Blaise, Bristol yesterday. Merry Xmas everyone ❤️‍🔥@bristolbirding

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

@Richard66952083 @CliveMcKay1 For small flocks in 10s, larger in 100s. It's difficult on your own because you're counting 2 different streams of birds. You are constantly scanning with bins and trying not to miss anything or double count. It's hard but pretty easy if there are 2 or more people.

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

Another big big day of woodpigeon passage at the Severn bottleneck near Portskewett (Gwent) this morning. 231,310 flew SW/S before 11 am with 140k in one hour. Pretty hectic counting on my own this time - not much time for good pics 😃 #gwentbirds @CliveMcKay1

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

Final post about Scilly. 11th was my last day. We went to the north of St. Mary's then all the way back for an isabelline wheatear 😂Then I had to run up a hill to see a black kite while packing - and also managed shots of a cheeky black red and lovely HB hawkmoth. Phew...

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

10th October was a great day with 1, then 2 olive-backed pipit found on St. Agnes. A walk around Gugh and some other parts of the island then produced 2 wryneck, YBW, sibe lesser whitethroat, pink-footed goose and black redstart @scillybirds

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

On 9th our first (of 4) wryneck of the trip at Old Town followed by a trip to Bryher and highlights of hoopoe, whooper swan and 16 barnacle goose @scillybirds

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

Also on 7th the only red-breasted flycatcher of the trip at Sandy Lane/Holy Vale (in very dark/high ISO conditions). This bird disappeared later to be replaced by 5+ pied, 6+ spotted fly and 2 YBW during a very entertaining last hour of the day @scillybirds

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

The 7th was about moths with a good migrant night on St. Mary's. My first self-caught Convulvulus HM with other nice arrivals* (Radford's, delicate, scarce bordered straw, fs footman etc.) were exciting enough but eclipsed by something more sinister caught elsewhere 💀

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

The juv. little tern that was touring the bays in the south of St. Mary's was probably the rarest bird I saw in the context of Scilly - also on 6th @scillybirds

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

6th October was dominated somewhat by the tawny pipit on St. Mary's airfield but I got a few shots of other nice birds - jack snipe, greenshank, hobby shown here @scillybirds

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

The red-backed shrike at the Standing Stones field, St. Mary's showed best for me on 4th but was present throughout @scillybirds

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

Finding an ortolan on Penninis within an hour of getting off the boat on 4th was pretty special and I caught up with it or another with @matthewjhall95 and @OscarDewhurst at the Airfield on 7th @scillybirds

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

Got back from Scilly on Friday - Ebird trip report is here - https://t.co/Oo0KRi34Vj - 121 species total. A few more highlights to share. Scillonian Cory's on 4th were really nice, 137 seen and a flock of 27 chough over the harbour the highlights

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

@JLowenWildlife @scillybirds Thanks my friend 🧡

[Matt Hobbs @MigrationMatt]

Tawny pipit from St. Mary's airfield, Isles of Scilly this afternoon @scillybirds