Start Birding Now

Start Birding Now Ready to swap your screen for some fresh air? This is your go to hub for all things birding! Hit that follow & Start Birding Now

From beginner friendly birding tips, easy bird identification hacks to birding news and exclusive international birding tours. Welcome, I am Austin a photographer based in the North West of England, but will happily photograph weddings all over the UK. I look forward to hearing your story soon but in the meantime enjoy having a look around or find out more about what I offer below. I love all type

s of photography and specialize in weddings, newborns and family portrait photography and I know everyone is different so I strive to tailor your wedding photography around you from start to finish.

11/09/2026

Unpopular birding opinion: Stop chasing lifers and start patch birding. 🛑🕊️

When I first started, I thought "real birding" meant traveling to remote reserves. I was wrong. Dedicating myself to one local spot completely transformed how I see wildlife. 🐦‍⬛🦆

By visiting the same local park or trail repeatedly, you learn the bird community inside out, notice the exact week migration shifts, and become a much sharper birder.

Save this for the next time you're planning a birding trip, and try looking closer to home instead! 🌲

10/09/2026

Exactly 10 years ago, the UK birding community absolutely melted down. 🤯📱

In the summer of 2016, pagers and Twitter went into overdrive when reports surfaced of a "blue chicken" lurking in the reeds at RSPB Minsmere. While previous UK sightings were written off as captive escapes, this unringed beauty changed history. 💙🐔

It became the FIRST wild Western Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) ever officially added to Category A of the British List! 🏆🇬🇧

Drop a 🙌 if you were one of the lucky ones who twitched this absolute mega-rarity back in 2016!”:

Guess the twitch❓Heres a clue, this was NOT one of my all time ultimate twitches. Comment below, let me know what your a...
10/09/2026

Guess the twitch❓

Heres a clue, this was NOT one of my all time ultimate twitches.
Comment below, let me know what your answer is. First prize, bragging rights! 🌟🌟🌟

10/09/2026

😂 I’m having one of those moments where a piece of advice completely changed how I look at nature... but my brain totally deleted the actual sentence.

🙃I know the feeling it gave me, but I can't remember the exact words.Help me crowdsource my memory! Was it about spotting movement over feathers? Listening for alarm calls? Or just bringing better trail snacks? 🦅🥜

Comment the absolute best, most unforgettable birding tip you’ve ever received. Let’s see if one of yours triggers it! 👇

09/09/2026

Birding lingo explained. 🦆🔍

Ever feel like birdwatchers are speaking a completely different language? Here’s what those weird terms actually mean.

From "LBJs" to "J**z" we are breaking down the vocabulary you need to survive your next group walk.Which of these did you learn today?

09/09/2026

🦆🪿 it’s WADER WEDNESDAY so lets talk waders, i will give you 5 waders, 5 pictures, 5 descriptions. How many do you know?

‼️ Wader ID doesn't have to be a headache. Look closer at the beak curves, leg colours, and plumage details to crack the code.

👇

08/09/2026

Ever heard this sharp "kick" sound or rhythmic drumming while out on a walk? 🪵✨

That is the signature sound of the Greater Spotted Woodpecker! While they are famous for hammering into trees, their vocal calls are just as distinct once you know what to listen for. 🔨

Save this video for your next woodland walk so you can identify them like a pro! 🌲🦅How to spot them:

The Call: A loud, explosive, single "kip" or "kick" sound.The Drumming: A short, fast-paced vibrating roll lasting less than a second.

Drop a 🪵 in the comments if you’ve heard this sound recently!

08/09/2026

Meet the European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 🔎

Classified by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, these stocky, short-tailed songbirds are one of the most successful and adaptable species on the planet.

Fast Facts:

🎨 Plumage: Glossy purple/green in summer; white-spotted in winter.

👄 Vocalisations: Only males sing courtship songs, weaving environmental sounds into their trills.

🚀 Performance: Can fly up to 48 mph!

👥 Social: Form massive, coordinated flocks called murmurations to protect themselves from predators.

Drop a 🐦 if you’ve seen one today!Hashtags:

😍 Managed to capture this gorgeous little gull showing off its dainty size and dark underwings! These little guys are th...
07/09/2026

😍 Managed to capture this gorgeous little gull showing off its dainty size and dark underwings! These little guys are the smallest of all the gulls and fly more like terns, such a treat to watch in action.

Hope you like the photo as much as I enjoyed taking it! 📷✨

‼️ NEW BLOG POSTS AVAILABLE ⬇️⬇️
www.austinmorley.blogspot.co.uk

07/09/2026

Ever looked at a lake in August or September and thought all the handsome drakes packed up and left? 🧳🦆

Think again! They’ve just entered their secret agent phase: Eclipse Plumage. 🪶

Because ducks molt all their primary flight feathers at the exact same time, they spend a month completely grounded and highly vulnerable. To stay alive, the males swap their runway-ready iridescent green heads for full camouflage gear to blend in with the hens. 👧🏻👶🏻

Next time you’re at the park, look closely at the brown ducks. If it has a bright yellow-green bill, you’ve just busted a drake in disguise! 🕵️‍♂️

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