Thomas Miller
@tmbirding.bsky.social
Patch birding in Oxfordshire and further afield
tmbirding.blogspot.com
tmbirding.blogspot.com
Just landed in South Africa for birding trip and upon opening my phone the first message I see concerns a Spotted Redshank on Port Meadow (would be a patch tick). Disastrous scenes
November 19, 2025 at 5:30 AM
Just landed in South Africa for birding trip and upon opening my phone the first message I see concerns a Spotted Redshank on Port Meadow (would be a patch tick). Disastrous scenes
Amazingly changeable in shape
November 8, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Amazingly changeable in shape
Like many others enjoyed the two Pallid Swifts and Dusky Warbler at Foreness Point this morning, no opportunity for frame filling photos unfortunately as the birds were high over the housing estate but pleased to get a few shots with both in the frame #ukbirding
November 8, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Like many others enjoyed the two Pallid Swifts and Dusky Warbler at Foreness Point this morning, no opportunity for frame filling photos unfortunately as the birds were high over the housing estate but pleased to get a few shots with both in the frame #ukbirding
As usual it seems I've totally failed at finding my own birds during my visit to Portland but at least managed to connect with this Pallas's Warbler at Avalanche Road this morning - a particularly difficult individual to see and photograph well #ukbirding
October 31, 2025 at 5:42 PM
As usual it seems I've totally failed at finding my own birds during my visit to Portland but at least managed to connect with this Pallas's Warbler at Avalanche Road this morning - a particularly difficult individual to see and photograph well #ukbirding
A 1cy Caspian Gull currently in Sennen Cove. Digiscoped pic as it's miles off on the island #cornwallbirds #ukbirding
October 12, 2025 at 2:14 PM
A 1cy Caspian Gull currently in Sennen Cove. Digiscoped pic as it's miles off on the island #cornwallbirds #ukbirding
Getting in on the influx - Glossy Ibis just flown low west over Port Meadow just now, photo taken straight into the sun! Think this is the 7th one I have seen on patch #ukbirding
September 28, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Getting in on the influx - Glossy Ibis just flown low west over Port Meadow just now, photo taken straight into the sun! Think this is the 7th one I have seen on patch #ukbirding
Some good vismig on patch with the change in wind over the past two days so decided to go out ringing yesterday with @plewin.bsky.social and caught over 200 birds. 81 Chiff, 33 Blackcap, 33 Mipit, a late Whitethroat and the first Stonechat ringed on site being the highlights #ukbirding
September 21, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Some good vismig on patch with the change in wind over the past two days so decided to go out ringing yesterday with @plewin.bsky.social and caught over 200 birds. 81 Chiff, 33 Blackcap, 33 Mipit, a late Whitethroat and the first Stonechat ringed on site being the highlights #ukbirding
The Portland Caspian Gull deluge continued today with at least 3 new birds (3 seen together at Culverwell + another or one of the same on this morning's seawatch). Wrecked Sabine's in Chesil Cove also good to see after fleeting views of one off the Bill earlier this week #ukbirding
September 12, 2025 at 8:05 PM
The Portland Caspian Gull deluge continued today with at least 3 new birds (3 seen together at Culverwell + another or one of the same on this morning's seawatch). Wrecked Sabine's in Chesil Cove also good to see after fleeting views of one off the Bill earlier this week #ukbirding
A new and rather pristine-looking cachinnans today. Pied Fly best of the rest of this morning's efforts #ukbirding
September 11, 2025 at 1:44 PM
A new and rather pristine-looking cachinnans today. Pied Fly best of the rest of this morning's efforts #ukbirding
Seemingly a small influx of Caspian Gulls at Portland in amongst thousands of gulls brought in by inclement weather - 3 in the area including this massive male showing point blank off the Bill @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social #ukbirding
September 10, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Seemingly a small influx of Caspian Gulls at Portland in amongst thousands of gulls brought in by inclement weather - 3 in the area including this massive male showing point blank off the Bill @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social #ukbirding
Not the storm-driven small gull (or spinny wader...) that I was hoping to find, but these are always such a delight - adult winter Little Gull currently at Farmoor, dip-feeding on F2 #ukbirding
September 2, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Not the storm-driven small gull (or spinny wader...) that I was hoping to find, but these are always such a delight - adult winter Little Gull currently at Farmoor, dip-feeding on F2 #ukbirding
Had a pleasant time yesterday evening watching this juvenile Little Stint at Farmoor (before all the Marsh Sand excitement). Interesting to see that its favourite food was flying insects. Photos were a bit soft in the poor light and intermittent heavy rain but managed to salvage a few #ukbirding
August 29, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Had a pleasant time yesterday evening watching this juvenile Little Stint at Farmoor (before all the Marsh Sand excitement). Interesting to see that its favourite food was flying insects. Photos were a bit soft in the poor light and intermittent heavy rain but managed to salvage a few #ukbirding
Ropey pic of the juvenile Marsh Sandpiper found yesterday at Standlake Pit 60 by Jeremy Dexter but not confirmed until this morning. In the pouring rain! #ukbirding
August 29, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Ropey pic of the juvenile Marsh Sandpiper found yesterday at Standlake Pit 60 by Jeremy Dexter but not confirmed until this morning. In the pouring rain! #ukbirding
After getting back from Suffolk at midnight it was a brutal turnaround to be out ringing on patch early morning, thankfully paid off with this Tree Pipit. After ticking this species heard only last week was a joy to see in the hand. Less happy about a flyover WTE report this afternoon 😡 #ukbirding
August 24, 2025 at 2:35 PM
After getting back from Suffolk at midnight it was a brutal turnaround to be out ringing on patch early morning, thankfully paid off with this Tree Pipit. After ticking this species heard only last week was a joy to see in the hand. Less happy about a flyover WTE report this afternoon 😡 #ukbirding
Just watching Black Stork at Boyton Marshes and had two Dotterel in off the sea calling, did a couple of passes of the fields but don't think they landed #ukbirding
August 23, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Just watching Black Stork at Boyton Marshes and had two Dotterel in off the sea calling, did a couple of passes of the fields but don't think they landed #ukbirding
Juvenile Little Stint showing ridiculously well, as they always do, at Farmoor this afternoon - thanks to the finder #ukbirding
August 20, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Juvenile Little Stint showing ridiculously well, as they always do, at Farmoor this afternoon - thanks to the finder #ukbirding
Quite unprecedented to get two patch ticks in a week - Marsh Tit used to be almost annual on Port Meadow before I arrived in Oxford (most presumably dispersing from Wytham), but since the decline of the local population it's become very infrequent. This is the first record for a few years #ukbirding
August 18, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Quite unprecedented to get two patch ticks in a week - Marsh Tit used to be almost annual on Port Meadow before I arrived in Oxford (most presumably dispersing from Wytham), but since the decline of the local population it's become very infrequent. This is the first record for a few years #ukbirding
See here - has to be extremely limited or no moult, think yours will fit the description for intermedius of ~P4-6 moulted by end of August
August 15, 2025 at 2:49 PM
See here - has to be extremely limited or no moult, think yours will fit the description for intermedius of ~P4-6 moulted by end of August
Passive sound recording has finally paid off - Tree Pipit is bird 162 for the patch. A single call barely heard in the field, but position marked and checked later. Photo by @pmbirding.bsky.social, who thought the setup looked quite amusing #ukbirding
Volume up!
macaulaylibrary.org/asset/640265...
Volume up!
macaulaylibrary.org/asset/640265...
August 14, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Passive sound recording has finally paid off - Tree Pipit is bird 162 for the patch. A single call barely heard in the field, but position marked and checked later. Photo by @pmbirding.bsky.social, who thought the setup looked quite amusing #ukbirding
Volume up!
macaulaylibrary.org/asset/640265...
Volume up!
macaulaylibrary.org/asset/640265...
Farmoor last night, 2 Caspian Gulls and a Black Tern. No sketching as testing out a dual scope/camera setup for seawatching but seemingly very useful for gull roosts as well. The 3cy Casp and Black Tern are crops from very distant video (35x mag) - the 2cy Casp is a normal photo #ukbirding
August 14, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Farmoor last night, 2 Caspian Gulls and a Black Tern. No sketching as testing out a dual scope/camera setup for seawatching but seemingly very useful for gull roosts as well. The 3cy Casp and Black Tern are crops from very distant video (35x mag) - the 2cy Casp is a normal photo #ukbirding
Don't often get to read Darvics at Farmoor but managed a German LBBG (HO93L) and a British BHG sitting on pontoons last night. The LBBG also posed nicely for its sketch - looks like it started its wing moult in winter, as the white tips of the replaced primaries are already quite worn #ukbirding
July 31, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Don't often get to read Darvics at Farmoor but managed a German LBBG (HO93L) and a British BHG sitting on pontoons last night. The LBBG also posed nicely for its sketch - looks like it started its wing moult in winter, as the white tips of the replaced primaries are already quite worn #ukbirding
The male Caspian gull came much closer last night. Sketch is a bit overworked compared to the amount of detail seen in the field (and too much "fiddling" with some areas after it had flown). But it has ended up looking a lot like the actual bird which I guess is the most important thing #ukbirding
July 27, 2025 at 9:21 AM
The male Caspian gull came much closer last night. Sketch is a bit overworked compared to the amount of detail seen in the field (and too much "fiddling" with some areas after it had flown). But it has ended up looking a lot like the actual bird which I guess is the most important thing #ukbirding
An image of the Caspian Gull past sunset - a massive male bird. Perhaps some imagination required
July 23, 2025 at 8:48 PM
An image of the Caspian Gull past sunset - a massive male bird. Perhaps some imagination required
First eyestrain session at the Farmoor roost for months, 2cy Caspian Gull, fresh juv Common Gull, good count of approx. 53 Yellow-legged Gull (no juvs yet). No close birds to sketch so had to make do with distant ones on the water (focusing on 2cy mich) #ukbirding
July 23, 2025 at 8:46 PM
First eyestrain session at the Farmoor roost for months, 2cy Caspian Gull, fresh juv Common Gull, good count of approx. 53 Yellow-legged Gull (no juvs yet). No close birds to sketch so had to make do with distant ones on the water (focusing on 2cy mich) #ukbirding
Finished at home with a slight colour wash in some areas. Not sure if I like it better or worse now. I may take the watercolours into the field next time as it's harder than I thought to remember what the backlit lighting effect was like #ukbirding
July 18, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Finished at home with a slight colour wash in some areas. Not sure if I like it better or worse now. I may take the watercolours into the field next time as it's harder than I thought to remember what the backlit lighting effect was like #ukbirding