Martin Kettell 💙

Oh look, I'm on BlueSky: @mereccl.bsky.social

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

The pair of Garganeys (or another pair) back on the scrape at Stoke today. @SurreyBirdNews

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

It's brown, it's drab, it's distant, but joy was unconfined when I finally managed to see the Little Bunting at Prews Farm, on my 6th attempt. #surreybirds #ukbirding @SurreyBirdNews

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

@BirdingGardener @Crane_Spotter @NowerBirder Must have been an emotional moment. Can't believe he's no longer there with you.

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

Some highlights from last week - Hawfinches at Newlands Corner, and Smew at Stoke. (OK, it's a leucistic Coot, but had me going for a moment....) @SurreyBirdNews

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

But some cringeworthy omissions too: Common Sand, Lesser Whitethroat, Spotted Fly, LRP, Little Owl. And that pesky Bearded Tit. 3/3

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

(I'm currently parallel running here and on Bluesky, so if this looks familiar you probably saw it over there...) Its the time for the annual patchlist wrap! Total species seen in my patch (10km from my home in Guildford) this year was....118. So two less than last year. 1/3

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

Some clear highlights; Hen Harrier, Ring Ouzel, Cattle Egret, Hawfinch, White Stork... 2/3

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

At least 7 Hawfinches at Newlands Corner this morning, glowing in the first rays of the sun. @SurreyBirdNews

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

It's taken a long time, but our garden holly tree finally did its job and delivered a Firecrest - garden tick!

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

Also a Dartford Warbler on the North side.

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

Hen Harrier west over Pewley Down. @Lobb66 @SurreyBirdNews @viaJWM

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

@Jeremy_Gates67 Ain't that the truth. But we still dream....

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

It's an exciting time of year for birders, seasons changing, birds on the move. But also traditionally a frustrating time when everyone else seems to be seeing Ospreys, Wrynecks, warblers and flycatchers. But I can always rely on Whinchats, which turn up reliably on my patch.

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

@Crane_Spotter I've seen Small Heath in the garden for the first time ever this year too! Perhaps filling the gap left by all the other butterflies?

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

@Jeremy_Gates67 @sferguk Yes, East of the railway. I only saw this one bird, but met a guy who had seen a pair recently, and heard others churring off to the North.

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

I'm no @sferguk but managed to get in on the Nightjar action on the Surrey heaths yesterday. This male flew straight towards me, veered off, landed on a nearby tree and proceeded to show off its white bits! Yes mate, I'm impressed.

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

@GibsonTomgibo @sferguk This did occur to me at the time, so I didn't hang around.

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

@sferguk Yeah maybe. Certainly wasn't trying to be camouflaged!

[Chris Packham @ChrisGPackham]

We have a nightmare , dreaming hasn’t worked . . .

But it doesn’t have to be like this , we can restore nature now , we must restore nature now . Nature doesn’t have a voice but we do , nature can’t act but we must .

Please RT

[Martin Kettell 💙 @mereccl]

You may not hear much about the Biodiversity Crisis in the election campaign, but around 100,000 people marched in London at the weekend to tell our politicians to #RestoreNatureNow. So many different groups protesting together, and so many inspiring speakers! @ChrisGPackham