Brian Small
@cach22.bsky.social
Birder, bird illustrator, dad, tour guide
I am grateful to Dan at Sunday Times magazine for choosing me to illustrate Mr Clarkson's piece on his farmland birds. We certainly do need to do more to protect them... #ukbirding
November 30, 2025 at 10:10 AM
I am grateful to Dan at Sunday Times magazine for choosing me to illustrate Mr Clarkson's piece on his farmland birds. We certainly do need to do more to protect them... #ukbirding
At least one Zitting Cisticola still about south of Walberswick - no others seen in a couple of hours. Silent and elusive but now fully moulted at least and plumage looking quite dark and richly hued #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
November 28, 2025 at 4:35 PM
At least one Zitting Cisticola still about south of Walberswick - no others seen in a couple of hours. Silent and elusive but now fully moulted at least and plumage looking quite dark and richly hued #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
Hume's Warbler in Southwold churchyard brought up 220 for my patch this year, then almost immediately went to 221 with a Richard's Pipit that flew south calling - a scarce bird nowadays #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
November 22, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Hume's Warbler in Southwold churchyard brought up 220 for my patch this year, then almost immediately went to 221 with a Richard's Pipit that flew south calling - a scarce bird nowadays #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
...here are the four: Red-backed at Southwold; Turkestan, Dunwich, Brown, Hollesley and Isabelline, Aldeburgh - pic of the last from Sean Nixon
November 10, 2025 at 7:28 AM
...here are the four: Red-backed at Southwold; Turkestan, Dunwich, Brown, Hollesley and Isabelline, Aldeburgh - pic of the last from Sean Nixon
Boom! All the 'red-tailed shrikes' done in Suffolk this year with Isabelline Shrike at N Warren this afternoon. Made sweeter as it is a grip back for me too, having missed the previous birds. No matter what anyone says to me, I can't see such pale birds not being isabellinus
November 9, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Boom! All the 'red-tailed shrikes' done in Suffolk this year with Isabelline Shrike at N Warren this afternoon. Made sweeter as it is a grip back for me too, having missed the previous birds. No matter what anyone says to me, I can't see such pale birds not being isabellinus
An early walk at Walberswick in the sun before the rain this morning gave another burst of views of the Zitting Cisticolas. If trying for them please do not traipse across the marshes and view from the banks #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
November 2, 2025 at 4:36 PM
An early walk at Walberswick in the sun before the rain this morning gave another burst of views of the Zitting Cisticolas. If trying for them please do not traipse across the marshes and view from the banks #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
3 Zitting Cisticola showed distantly at Walberswick this morning (poss 4); at least 2 in moult - record shots only
October 30, 2025 at 12:17 PM
3 Zitting Cisticola showed distantly at Walberswick this morning (poss 4); at least 2 in moult - record shots only
Brown Shrike, Upper Hollesley Common this afternoon. My fourth new bird for Suffolk this year - all since May: Bridled Tern, Zitting Cisticola, Turkestan Shrike and now this. Unfortunately, it kept its distance from me
October 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Brown Shrike, Upper Hollesley Common this afternoon. My fourth new bird for Suffolk this year - all since May: Bridled Tern, Zitting Cisticola, Turkestan Shrike and now this. Unfortunately, it kept its distance from me
...a still and a bumblebee on its larder
October 11, 2025 at 6:40 AM
...a still and a bumblebee on its larder
A surprisingly glorious day on the Suffolk coast for my @naturetrek.bsky.social day walk ended with ace views of the Turkestan Shrike on Dunwich Heath #ukbirding
October 11, 2025 at 6:04 AM
A surprisingly glorious day on the Suffolk coast for my @naturetrek.bsky.social day walk ended with ace views of the Turkestan Shrike on Dunwich Heath #ukbirding
Lapland Bunting, Dunwich yesterday. A scarce migrant through Suffolk (rarely over winters), Lapland Bunting numbers have varied from 6-21 (av. 11) in the county over the past 10 years and is now hard to connect with, so it was nice to find this #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
October 8, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Lapland Bunting, Dunwich yesterday. A scarce migrant through Suffolk (rarely over winters), Lapland Bunting numbers have varied from 6-21 (av. 11) in the county over the past 10 years and is now hard to connect with, so it was nice to find this #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
Turkestan Shrike at Dunwich Heath this afternoon; a real stunner #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
October 5, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Turkestan Shrike at Dunwich Heath this afternoon; a real stunner #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
Some better views and photos of the male Turkestan Shrike on Dunwich Heath this morning. Windy conditions not helpful #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
October 4, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Some better views and photos of the male Turkestan Shrike on Dunwich Heath this morning. Windy conditions not helpful #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
Turkestan Shrike - ad male, Dunwich Heath this afternoon. An excellent bird and find; photos in gloomy light not the best and was a little elusive early evening #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
October 2, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Turkestan Shrike - ad male, Dunwich Heath this afternoon. An excellent bird and find; photos in gloomy light not the best and was a little elusive early evening #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
A handful of very poor pix that show the juv Sabine's Gull at Benacre Boad this morning - my 210th species on patch this year #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
September 20, 2025 at 10:24 AM
A handful of very poor pix that show the juv Sabine's Gull at Benacre Boad this morning - my 210th species on patch this year #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
Benacre Broad has been very good recently and this morning, as well as 19 species of wader, @david-walsh.bsky.social picked up a 2cy male Hen Harrier that eventually flew over our heads. Missing an inner 'finger' #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
September 4, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Benacre Broad has been very good recently and this morning, as well as 19 species of wader, @david-walsh.bsky.social picked up a 2cy male Hen Harrier that eventually flew over our heads. Missing an inner 'finger' #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
On my first visit to Easton Bavents for a while a juv/1cy Red-backed Shrike was a nice find and a good way to bring up 200 species on my patch for the year. Always a little distant for photos...
August 29, 2025 at 9:25 AM
On my first visit to Easton Bavents for a while a juv/1cy Red-backed Shrike was a nice find and a good way to bring up 200 species on my patch for the year. Always a little distant for photos...
It has been a while since I saw my last UK Barred Warbler - Southwold 2019 - so it was great to get such good views of the 1cy at Kessingland this afternoon #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
August 27, 2025 at 5:06 PM
It has been a while since I saw my last UK Barred Warbler - Southwold 2019 - so it was great to get such good views of the 1cy at Kessingland this afternoon #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
An educational variety of Dunlin at Aldeburgh yesterday included a couple of juvenile arctica and a worn adult alpina-type #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
August 21, 2025 at 6:38 AM
An educational variety of Dunlin at Aldeburgh yesterday included a couple of juvenile arctica and a worn adult alpina-type #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
A new image of the Zitting Cisticola at Walberswick - still a little distant but did sit out this morning before the wind
August 4, 2025 at 10:08 AM
A new image of the Zitting Cisticola at Walberswick - still a little distant but did sit out this morning before the wind
Windy vid of zitting
August 3, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Windy vid of zitting
Well I wasn't expecting to see Zitting Cisticola on the patch when I set out this morning - 1 km south of Walberswick - record shots #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
August 3, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Well I wasn't expecting to see Zitting Cisticola on the patch when I set out this morning - 1 km south of Walberswick - record shots #ukbirding #suffolkbirding
Of the four juvenile Caspian Gulls at Southwold harbour this afternoon this one was the most intelligent, having learnt how to catch the crabs with a line
August 1, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Of the four juvenile Caspian Gulls at Southwold harbour this afternoon this one was the most intelligent, having learnt how to catch the crabs with a line
This afternoon, the fifth Caspian Gull at Southwold harbour this week was a juvenile with a yellow ring from De Kreupel, NL
July 30, 2025 at 6:58 PM
This afternoon, the fifth Caspian Gull at Southwold harbour this week was a juvenile with a yellow ring from De Kreupel, NL