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birdingpete.bsky.social
Bird tour leader, world birder, lapsed twitcher, sport and music enthusiast, based in East Lancashire. Sharing amazing birds and wildlife from the UK and all around the world.
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Cracking Red-necked Grebe showing beautifully on Clowbridge Reservoir, Burnley, this morning. A bit far for my lens, but stunning light and nice still conditions. Aged as 2cy by the pale outer irides. #LancsBirding #RareBirdsUk

submitted 1 day ago • 2 comments

It's not often I have the pleasure of spending most of the winter back in the UK! I've managed to sneak out with the camera on a few occasions with varying degrees of success! Here's a few shots from the last few weeks... #RarebirdsUK #birding

submitted 40 days ago • 0 comments

It's been a cold, miserable day in the NW today, in stark contrast to the last few days when the local Barn Owls, including this pallid male, have been out and about in the winter sun. Happy New Year to all my friends and fellow wildlife enthusiasts. #Owls #BirdPhotography #UKBirds

submitted 56 days ago • 1 comment

Here's the moment a smart Black-collared Hawk snatched a piranha from a small river right in front of us! #Pantanal, #Brazil #Birding #BirdPhotography

submitted 76 days ago • 0 comments

This amorous pair of huge Hyacinth Macaws showed up in our lodge garden in #Brazil just at dusk, when it was really too dark for conventional photography. I used a bit of fill-flash to bring out the colour, producing a somewhat interesting, if different effect! #BirdPhotography #Birding #Parrots

submitted 79 days ago • 0 comments

I'm still catching up on photos and reliving encounters that I'd nearly forgotten about already! This incredible Red-legged Seriema, in #Brazil was as impressive to listen to as it was to watch! An amazingly charismatic bird! #Birds #Birding #BirdPhotography

submitted 83 days ago • 1 comment

I found this gorgeous pair of Oriental Scops Owls on a pre-dinner leg-stretch, just at dusk, at our hotel in Dalat, Vietnam. The contrast between the two birds was superb. #Birding #BirdPhotography #Canon #Owls

submitted 84 days ago • 2 comments

Well it's grim outside, so here's a bit of colour to brighten the day! These used to be known as Oriental Dwarf Kingfishers, but are now split as Black-backed Kingfisher (taken in Vietnam) and Rufous-backed Kingfisher (Bornean form motleyi) (see Alt text). #Birding #Kingfishers #BirdPhotography

submitted 85 days ago • 2 comments

We spent a lovely hour last Sunday watching a super pair of (Western) Barn Owls hunting voles up on't windy moors, close to home. Always a treat, but I could have done with a bit more light (ISO 6400)! #UkBirding #Owls #Birding #BirdPhotography

submitted 86 days ago • 0 comments

The stunning White-throated Rock Thrush has a similar breeding and wintering range to Pale-legged Leaf Warbler. Is it a species that will one day end up on our shores? It would certainly cause quite a stir! These individuals were on their wintering grounds in #Vietnam. #RareBirdsUk #Birding

submitted 88 days ago • 1 comment

Streaked Spiderhunter is a striking species found in the hill forests of southeast Asia. A sunbird on steroids, they feed on small insects and nectar. Another bird with amazing legs!! These individuals were at Dalat in #Vietnam. #Birding #BirdPhotography #Canon

submitted 89 days ago • 1 comment

Rusty-naped Pitta is a shy and elusive species through much of its range, being far easier to hear than see!! This fine male was very showy on my visit to #Vietnam, showing off his subtle hues in the dark undergrowth. Canon R5, 100-500 @500mm, 1/125s, f7.1 @ ISO 5000 #Birding #Canon #BirdPhotography

submitted 90 days ago • 0 comments

A winter dream...? everyone likes a 'robin' at this time of year, but one of these would make the winter for most UK birders! This fabulous male Siberian Blue Robin was on a recent winter trip to Vietnam. Look at those amazing legs!! #Birding #BirdPhotography

submitted 92 days ago • 1 comment

A 1st winter Eye-browed Thrush coming down for a drink on my winter trip to Vietnam. Now this would be a good one to find in your garden this winter!! #ukbirding #birding #birdphotography #vietnam

submitted 94 days ago • 0 comments

Perhaps of interest to UK birders, here's a more worn Pale-legged Leaf Warbler from a recent winter trip to Vietnam. A real forest undergrowth skulker, far more often heard than seen. And yes, the identity of this individual was confirmed by sonogram! #Birding #RareBirdsUK #BirdPhotography

submitted 95 days ago • 3 comments

While on the #Vietnam pitta theme, here's some fantastic male Blue Pittas that simply glowed out from the dark undergrowth. The form here is the reddish-breasted, endemic, willoughbyi, a little more colourful than those in Thailand for example. #Birding #BirdPhotography #Pitta

submitted 96 days ago • 1 comment

I'm just working through a photo backlog, looking for new images for our Birdquest website. Here's one that brightened my morning... a brilliant male Bar-bellied Pitta from #Vietnam. They don't come much brighter than this! #Birding #BirdPhotography

submitted 97 days ago • 0 comments