Andy Appleton (@appleton_andy) header
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Andy Appleton

@appleton_andy

Kent birder, occasional twitcher, also enjoy butterflies, dragonflies, damselflies and orchids including different forms and hybrids. Outside is good!

 Tunbridge Wells, England
Joined October 2012
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The last half of September has produced some quality including: Siberian & Red-throated Thrushes (East Anglia, 1994), Cliff Swallows (Dorset & Kent), 2 Vireo species (Cornwall, 1990), 2 mega yank warblers (Pembrokeshire, 2023), Amur Falcon (post Brown Shrike dip), 1/2
Magnolia Warbler twitch - being late to the party meant we were very placed when news of the Canada Warbler was broadcast!

ALT Magnolia Warbler twitch - being late to the party meant we were very placed when news of the Canada Warbler was broadcast!

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Semi-P at Dungeness changed my day plan (2013), 11 Sept. has produced Black-winged Pratincole (Suffolk, 1993), Green Warbler (Yorkshire, 2021) & Brown Booby (2023). I connected with the Swalecliffe Fan-tailed Wbr (2008) - 1 of 4 Zitting C’s that I’ve seen (Dorset:1, Kent:3).
Tracey and I saw this large green bouy (with attendant Brown Booby) at South Gare, Cleveland, while on holiday in Suffolk in September 2023.

ALT Tracey and I saw this large green bouy (with attendant Brown Booby) at South Gare, Cleveland, while on holiday in Suffolk in September 2023.

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I’m not keeping up! The last 19 days of August have provided some action with the Red-footed Booby out west, Western Sandpiper in Scotland (1997), Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in Wales (1996) and two American Black Terns some of the best.
My best photo of the are-footed Booby, August 2023

ALT My best photo of the are-footed Booby, August 2023

Bishop Rock Lighthouse - overnight drive to Penzance, two and half hours Scillonian to Scilly and transfer to a smaller inter-island boat to steam off west for another hour, well past St Agnes. It was a quite some relief when the Red-footed Booby was found still to be present! Forster’s Tern in Poole Harbour on the way home.

ALT Bishop Rock Lighthouse - overnight drive to Penzance, two and half hours Scillonian to Scilly and transfer to a smaller inter-island boat to steam off west for another hour, well past St Agnes. It was a quite some relief when the Red-footed Booby was found still to be present! Forster’s Tern in Poole Harbour on the way home.

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Replying to @Moorlandbirder @01000011S
Oh dear, I was going to post something similarly silly 🫤 especially as I commented on the model seal we saw in the Bishop’s Palace the other day…
Wells, August 2025. For Pelagics try the north Norfolk coast 👍🏻

ALT Wells, August 2025. For Pelagics try the north Norfolk coast 👍🏻

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Brilliant moth morning @DungenessBO with massive thanks to Dave, Jacob and also Sean @trapsite for your patience with such a novice. I am fully aware I was attracted to the ‘nice’ rather than the unusual 😲 Here’s some photos of a few niceties - more on BlueSky later.
Dungeness Bird Observatory moth morning masters.

ALT Dungeness Bird Observatory moth morning masters.

Garden Tiger, cool rather than unusual.

ALT Garden Tiger, cool rather than unusual.

One of the Small Elephant Hawk-moths. 6 species of hawk-moth noted included a Humming-bird Hawk-moth in the garden, a Pine Hawk-moth that Martin kindly brought in, Privet and Poplar Hawk-moths.

ALT One of the Small Elephant Hawk-moths. 6 species of hawk-moth noted included a Humming-bird Hawk-moth in the garden, a Pine Hawk-moth that Martin kindly brought in, Privet and Poplar Hawk-moths.

Elephant Hawk-moth - lots in the traps!

ALT Elephant Hawk-moth - lots in the traps!

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Replying to @Baldbirder1 @RSPBFrampton @RareBirdAlertUK @Natures_Voice
Cheek of it - but yeah, those colour tones and less of a frame-filler! You saying I’m old?
Yep, today

ALT Yep, today

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If you would like, for reasons unknown, to see what I’ve been up to please don’t hesitate to find me elsewhere…
Image from Andy Appleton (@appleton_andy)
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The first half of March may not produce many mega birds but the 2007 Gyrfalcon near Padstow is the only one I've seen and a Snowy owl at Snettisham in 2018 was only my 2nd. Also noteworthy are 2 White-billed Divers (Lincs, 1996 & Hayle, post-Gyr, 2007) and this weekends Large T'.
Large Tortoiseshell, Kent, 8 March 2025

ALT Large Tortoiseshell, Kent, 8 March 2025

Large Tortoiseshell, near Hamstreet, Kent, 8 March 2025

ALT Large Tortoiseshell, near Hamstreet, Kent, 8 March 2025

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Back to reality before work this morning but not too bad. 25 species was about a bird a minute. #DunorlanPark.
Image from Andy Appleton (@appleton_andy)
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Weasel, two Red Squirrels, four Otters and two Red Deer after a lazy start but before breakfast today - and six Pintail.
Image from Andy Appleton (@appleton_andy)
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