Tom Lowe
@saloplarus.bsky.social
Gulls, Geese, Goshawks, Aurora, Astronomy and everything else in the sky. #lookup
#salopobs - the unofficial bird observatory in the heart of Shropshire 😏
#salopobs - the unofficial bird observatory in the heart of Shropshire 😏
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Tom Lowe
@saloplarus.bsky.social
· Apr 19
Wow. Went out hoping the damp easterlies might produce a Black Tern, and found a BLACK KITE 💥 The first for #shropshirebirding hanging over Wood Lane landfill with 5 Red Kites, on view constantly for 2hrs! Absolutely awesome
Harrier heaven in the vole fields at work today: three each of Hen and Marsh Harriers along with Merlin, Peregrine and a dozen Kestrels 😍 #ukbirding 🪶
December 4, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Harrier heaven in the vole fields at work today: three each of Hen and Marsh Harriers along with Merlin, Peregrine and a dozen Kestrels 😍 #ukbirding 🪶
An hour ago, on Sunk Island in East Yorkshire, the sky lit up with #aurora. Dancing pillars and vivid reds to the naked eye, despite the almost full Moon! Welcome to winter! 💃
December 3, 2025 at 8:55 PM
An hour ago, on Sunk Island in East Yorkshire, the sky lit up with #aurora. Dancing pillars and vivid reds to the naked eye, despite the almost full Moon! Welcome to winter! 💃
Reposted by Tom Lowe
This time, the washes were ready! 🦢✅
After a 570km U-turn north to Aberdeenshire, likely due to low water at the Ouse Washes, the same swan has migrated south again & arrived to restored, higher levels. A real-world example of landscape-scale habitat assessment by migratory birds.
After a 570km U-turn north to Aberdeenshire, likely due to low water at the Ouse Washes, the same swan has migrated south again & arrived to restored, higher levels. A real-world example of landscape-scale habitat assessment by migratory birds.
December 1, 2025 at 8:25 PM
This time, the washes were ready! 🦢✅
After a 570km U-turn north to Aberdeenshire, likely due to low water at the Ouse Washes, the same swan has migrated south again & arrived to restored, higher levels. A real-world example of landscape-scale habitat assessment by migratory birds.
After a 570km U-turn north to Aberdeenshire, likely due to low water at the Ouse Washes, the same swan has migrated south again & arrived to restored, higher levels. A real-world example of landscape-scale habitat assessment by migratory birds.
The Thurnham Moss Bewick's Swans showed nicely amongst a herd of Whoopers by Clarkson's Farm this afternoon. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said of an interesting wigeon on the Wyre... #lancsbirding #ukbirding
November 26, 2025 at 9:05 PM
The Thurnham Moss Bewick's Swans showed nicely amongst a herd of Whoopers by Clarkson's Farm this afternoon. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said of an interesting wigeon on the Wyre... #lancsbirding #ukbirding
Another sparkling night on the Long Mynd, and absolutely freezing! Milky Way and airglow shining over the crunchy snow (with apologies for Mr Musk's interference in the corner 🙄) #astrophotography #Shropshire
November 20, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Another sparkling night on the Long Mynd, and absolutely freezing! Milky Way and airglow shining over the crunchy snow (with apologies for Mr Musk's interference in the corner 🙄) #astrophotography #Shropshire
Reposted by Tom Lowe
Goosing Canada style! 2K ‘white-cheeked geese’ to sift through at Martindale Flats on Vancouver Island today. Bulk of Ridgway's Cackling and Dusky Canada (22 neck collars read), with a single Snow. #CanadianBirding
November 20, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Goosing Canada style! 2K ‘white-cheeked geese’ to sift through at Martindale Flats on Vancouver Island today. Bulk of Ridgway's Cackling and Dusky Canada (22 neck collars read), with a single Snow. #CanadianBirding
The latest instalment in the harriers in headwinds series, a superb juv Marsh Harrier over the vole fields #ukbirding
November 19, 2025 at 9:17 PM
The latest instalment in the harriers in headwinds series, a superb juv Marsh Harrier over the vole fields #ukbirding
Reposted by Tom Lowe
November 19, 2025 at 8:20 AM
A healthy 26/11 from the MV last night, 21/6 macros and 5/5 micros, in all shades of autumn umbers #teammoth #salopmoths #loveatumn
November 16, 2025 at 10:11 AM
A healthy 26/11 from the MV last night, 21/6 macros and 5/5 micros, in all shades of autumn umbers #teammoth #salopmoths #loveatumn
Mothtrap out for the first time in four weeks (work, wind, rain, moon), and there are 12 moths around it including a migrant Rusty-dot Pearl and 6 Decembers 😍 #teammoth #salopmoths
November 15, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Mothtrap out for the first time in four weeks (work, wind, rain, moon), and there are 12 moths around it including a migrant Rusty-dot Pearl and 6 Decembers 😍 #teammoth #salopmoths
Reposted by Tom Lowe
Yomping the Norfolk coast. Blackbirds everywhere; 'tseeping' from under every hedge. Woodcocks errupting at my feet. A Short-eared Owl winging in over brown waves at Cart Gap. Then in the gathering gloom a glowing rump and seven illuminated stripes. What late autumn is all about.
November 15, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Yomping the Norfolk coast. Blackbirds everywhere; 'tseeping' from under every hedge. Woodcocks errupting at my feet. A Short-eared Owl winging in over brown waves at Cart Gap. Then in the gathering gloom a glowing rump and seven illuminated stripes. What late autumn is all about.
21 Cattle Egrets today! #lancsbirding
w3w///recorders.slightly.local
w3w///recorders.slightly.local
November 13, 2025 at 8:58 AM
21 Cattle Egrets today! #lancsbirding
w3w///recorders.slightly.local
w3w///recorders.slightly.local
Came across 11 Cattle and 17 Little Egrets in a field on Cockerham Moss Edge this morning, and I'm old enough for that to still be cool. Nice Merlin on the saltmarsh too #lancsbirding #ukbirding
November 12, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Came across 11 Cattle and 17 Little Egrets in a field on Cockerham Moss Edge this morning, and I'm old enough for that to still be cool. Nice Merlin on the saltmarsh too #lancsbirding #ukbirding
I've taken on a couple of new WeBS @webs-gsmp.bsky.social sites this autumn, one hasn't been counted in my lifetime and the other was my childhood patch. Both had Great Egrets this weekend, unthinkable back in their/my day! #shropshirebirding @btobirds.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 7:50 PM
I've taken on a couple of new WeBS @webs-gsmp.bsky.social sites this autumn, one hasn't been counted in my lifetime and the other was my childhood patch. Both had Great Egrets this weekend, unthinkable back in their/my day! #shropshirebirding @btobirds.bsky.social
A few glances outside #salopobs whilst getting ready for school and work confirmed today was another big pigeon day. I counted 5,400 heading SW in some massive flocks 0740-0750, but then we had to go 😟 What could have been... #vismig #ukbirding
November 10, 2025 at 12:12 PM
A few glances outside #salopobs whilst getting ready for school and work confirmed today was another big pigeon day. I counted 5,400 heading SW in some massive flocks 0740-0750, but then we had to go 😟 What could have been... #vismig #ukbirding
A flood of 44,110 Woodpigeons past #salopobs this morning was a new site and county record, and almost overwhelming at times. 5 Egyptian Geese high east were a bit of a surprise #vismig #ukbirding
November 8, 2025 at 9:39 PM
A flood of 44,110 Woodpigeons past #salopobs this morning was a new site and county record, and almost overwhelming at times. 5 Egyptian Geese high east were a bit of a surprise #vismig #ukbirding
It was great to spend a few days in the west Norfolk wildlands recently, with spectacular numbers and variety of birds #landscaperecovery #ukbirding
November 7, 2025 at 9:08 PM
It was great to spend a few days in the west Norfolk wildlands recently, with spectacular numbers and variety of birds #landscaperecovery #ukbirding
Flock of 21 Whoopers went WNW past us in Lincs this morning on a direct line from Welney to the Ribble... #migration #climatechange #ukbirding
November 7, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Flock of 21 Whoopers went WNW past us in Lincs this morning on a direct line from Welney to the Ribble... #migration #climatechange #ukbirding
Masterful use of the headwind by one of today's Sunk Island Hen Harriers #loveautumn #ukbirding
November 4, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Masterful use of the headwind by one of today's Sunk Island Hen Harriers #loveautumn #ukbirding
Woodpigeons on the move again on this beautiful sunny morning: 18,800 flew SW at #salopobs along with 1,240 Starlings, Chaffinches, Skylarks and a few more thrushes #loveautumn #vismig #ukbirding
November 2, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Woodpigeons on the move again on this beautiful sunny morning: 18,800 flew SW at #salopobs along with 1,240 Starlings, Chaffinches, Skylarks and a few more thrushes #loveautumn #vismig #ukbirding
Lots of colourful circles in the sky over #Shropshire today. Lunar halo and fireworks over Church Stretton and a late afternoon rainbow over the Wrekin #atmosphericoptics #ukweather #stormhour
November 1, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Lots of colourful circles in the sky over #Shropshire today. Lunar halo and fireworks over Church Stretton and a late afternoon rainbow over the Wrekin #atmosphericoptics #ukweather #stormhour
Reposted by Tom Lowe
Cackling Goose at Nerabus, Islay this afternoon. Very dark brown and nice little gular stripe fits tavernii?
November 1, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Cackling Goose at Nerabus, Islay this afternoon. Very dark brown and nice little gular stripe fits tavernii?
