🧵Today our #LadiesofPenrhos will make their way down the #A470 to #Cardiff to fight for our forest. Pob lwc @twittyhilster @Lisabla82973016 @SharonJ12520980 Please RT to send a wave of luck with them. We must #SavePenrhos for the future generations (photos Nigel Barry)

Today was the 1st fine day following a fortnight of rain here in central France, so off we went to a nearby reserve at Étang des Landes. A young Little Gull was our most exciting find, but this Pochard - one of many breeding here - was far more photogenic.

Our search yesterday for Grey-headed Woodpecker in the Forêt de Tronçais (France) drew a blank, but any disappointment evaporated in the face of this Short-toed Eagle that circled at close range for a long time.

I've #justsponsored Stephen Duffield, who's fundraising for Alzheimer Scotland on @JustGiving. Donate now

Newborns aged just 1 to 3 days old appear to have distinct brainwaves in response to speech if they have a bilingual mother, compared with those born to monolingual mothers, adding further weight to the idea that language acquisition starts in the uterus.

Hiding by imitating a plant stem, 9/10 for effort. Yellow Bittern, Chiang Dao, Thailand recently.

Under the radar, Tory MPs & landowning lobbyists are trying to undermine nature protections in England. Yesterday, Tory MP Derek Thomas tabled a Bill in Parliament to strip Natural England of its power to create nature reserves (SSSIs) & instead give that power to Ministers. 1/

That's to say, only ever seen one bird before these two on 14th.

This is one of two Jackdaws on 14th at Loch Stiapabhat LNR in the Ness district of Lewis. Jackdaws breed in small numbers in Stornoway but rarely turn up elsewhere on the island - in almost 20 years, I've only ever seen one bird (in May).

On about my 7th visit, I finally caught up with the Thayer's/Kumlien's Gull in Stornoway Harbour this evening. It seems to show most of the features one looks for on Thayer's, though are the pale primary tips a tad too wide/diffuse? Comments welcome

Spent some time this morning looking without success for the (probable?) Thayer's Gull reported recently from Stornoway Harbour. This Otter was the highlight.

Last day in Thailand today. One of the most beautiful birds I saw during my stay was this Scarlet-faced Liocichla at the Myanmar border on 29 Feb.

This was the undoubted highlight of a trip yesterday to the Thailand-Myanmar border: Hume's Pheasant aka Mrs Hume's Pheasant. Thanks to guide SunTan ( https://t.co/xmuUraJF1C) for insisting that we stay on site after most people had left without seeing it.

A fruiting tree in the car park at Wat Tham Pha Plong, Chiang Dao, Thailand, is currently attracting lots of bulbuls, barbets and other birds. This is a Blue-eared Barbet.

Poor photo but an exciting sighting. Male Pied Harrier, Chiang Dao rice fields, Thailand.

It was worth getting up extra early yesterday morning to catch this Crested Kingfisher at Mueang Khong, Thailand. (Thanks to guide SunTan for taking us to the site)

Asian Koels tend to hide, but this one at Chiang Dao, Thailand, today was having a disagreement with another male. Pacific Koels in Australia last year looked and sounded identical to this one, but the splitters have been hard at work in this part of the world.

This Large-tailed Nightjar seemed fearless, allowing approach to within less than arm's length. Photo taken with my phone at Baan Maka Nature Lodge, Kaeng Krachan, Thailand.

One of the noisiest and most conspicuous members of the bird community at Baan Maka Nature Lodge, Kaeng Krachan, Thailand, is the Greater Racquet-tailed (or Racket-tailed) Drongo. In flight, even its tail feathers make a noise.

Nice to come across one of these during the daytime. Asian Barred Owlet, Baan Maka Nature Lodge, Kaeng Krachan, Thailand.