I used my carry on space to bring down from the US my Vico Nature hummingbird feeder. This morning I had a Berylline Hummingbird come to the feeder that takes a video of the activity. They’re absolutely stunning and not present in California.

Habitat is a bird's neighborhood, and like any neighborhood, certain residents turn up reliably and others almost never do. A marsh bird generally isn't going to appear in a mature forest interior. A woodpecker needs standing trees. Many sparrows favor brushy edges over open lawn or deep woods. Just noticing where you're standing rules out a large chunk of the field guide before you think about anything else. This also explains why a familiar species can look wrong out of context. A bird you know well from your own yard can genuinely stump you the first time you see it somewhere unfamiliar. Has habitat ever helped you crack an ID, or thrown you off because a bird showed up somewhere you didn't expect?

I've been in the UK for a few weeks recently, so lots of amazing lifers including Eurasian Bittern, European Stonechat, Purple Sandpiper, and many more! What's been stopping by near you?

Let us know what you saw, we want to hear!