Great views of this Water Pipit at Holmethorpe Sandpits in Surrey today.

At this time of year trees with baubles start to appear. I rather like this Strawberry Tree that was glowing away in Southwark at lunchtime today.

Headley Heath, Surrey, this morning. A relaxing hour and half sitting on a bench watching Hawfinches go back and forth and perching up. Thanks to @surreywallcreep for sketching out where to go.

Hoopoe - Tresco, Isles of Scilly with Hotentot Fig to give an even more exotic look.

Holmethorpe Sandpits, Surrey – Whinchat busily flycatching from a hedgerow at lunchtime today. @SurreyBirdNews

Very enjoyable trip to the Hampshire coast this morning - Common, Little and Roseate Terns in descending order of photo quality! Many years since I've seen a Roseate and they are beautiful.

Female Scaup still at Hilfield Res today – looking almost chestnut in the sun. Present since mid Jan, but today was the first time I've seen it since mid March. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

This male Sparrowhawk perched for around five minutes at Wood Farm in Stanmore this morning. From the first flap when it flew, Blue Tit alarm calls began to sound. It wasn't just me watching it. #londonbirds

A good duck morning at Hilfield Res. Female Scaup and this close drake Goldeneye. Also fem Goosander (no photo). #hertsbirds #londonbirds

Couldn’t resist a trip out to the Northern Waterthrush in Essex. It showed remarkably well. Here it is looking rather pipity in flight (short tertials aside) and showing us the fruit of its probing in the vegetation.

The reedmace seeds must be a big prize for this Moorhen, to judge by the balance needed to reach them. Incredible stuff. Hilfield res this afternoon. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

Strawberry Tree near London Bridge. Remarkable specimen. I was puzzled by its ID since I noticed it two weeks ago. Many thanks to the passing ⁦⁦@lb_southwark⁩ officer who saw me taking pictures and told me what it is and its scientific name - arbutus unedo.

Little and Mediterranean Gulls at Hilfield Res this morning - great to see a Med in sunshine rather than the usual roost gloom. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

As the rain eased at lunchtime, there was a hatch of insects – this Little Grebe and two Coots were quickly at work at the base of the Hilfield Res valve tower. I don’t think of either species as insect feeders. #hertsbirds #londonbirds

Lots of finches moving at Wood Farm this morning, and then this Sparrowhawk appeared. Seriously mobbed by the Goldfinches. #londonbirds #woodfarmbirds

Lots of flocks of Redwings moving west at Wood Farm this morning (340 birds in total), along with a few Skylarks. I enjoyed this Stonechat / Chiffchaff combo too. #londonbirds #woodfarmbirds

Marsh Harrier – a fantastic site tick at Wood Farm in Stanmore this morning. Not visible in these photos, but it had orange wing-tags, so probably originated in Norfolk. I wonder whether it had encountered parakeets before – they hated it! #londonbirds #patchgold #woodfarmbirds

Lots of migrant activity at Wood Farm once early fog lifted this AM. Whinchat and 4 Lesser Whitethroat pictured, but the big surprise was a Hawfinch over Pear Wood at 9.05. Headed NW. #woodfarmbirds #londonbirds

Redstart at Wood Farm in Stanmore this evening. One of my favourite late summer passage migrants, even if a little distant. #woodfarmbirds #londonbirds

Here’s a Spotted Flycatcher from Wood Farm in Stanmore last Thursday evening. Loving that pose – no doubt part of its standard feeding gymnastics, but without a photo, I’d have had no idea of the level of contortion. #woodfarmbirds #londonbirds