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| Have your say on future of Hermaness NNR (Conservation News) |
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is asking for views on its plans for the future management of Britain's most northerly National Nature Reserve (NNR) in Shetland. More here > |
| Written by: Scottish Natural Heritage (17 Feb 2016) | |
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| Migrating songbirds drift with crosswinds (Research) |
Using novel, recently developed techniques for analysis of Doppler polarimetric weather surveillance radar data, researchers examined impediments of nocturnally migrating songbirds... More here > |
| Written by: Phys.Org (17 Feb 2016) | |
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| Weekly birding roundup 10 - 16 Feb (Weekly Roundup) |
Ireland steals the limelight this week with Glaucous-winged Gull, Black Scoter and Pacific Diver. In Britain rarities included Hudsonian Whimbrel, Northern and Pallid Harrier. More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (17 Feb 2016) | |
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| Pesticides poisoning birds in the Balkans (12 Birds of Christmas) |
| Since 2009, 33 White-tailed Eagle carcasses have been found in Serbia, along with many other species including Common cranes, Barn Owl, Buzzard and Raven, the cause of the deaths - pesticide poisoning. More here > |
| Written by: BirdLife (12 Feb 2016) | |
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| Whooping Cranes adapting to survive (Research) |
A new study from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, suggests Louisiana cranes are faring well thanks in part to their penchant for hunting reptiles and amphibians. More here > |
| Written by: Phys.Org (11 Feb 2016) | |
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| Weekly birding roundup 3 - 9 Feb (Weekly Roundup) |
Mark is back in the hot-seat after an extended break and rounds up the week's best birds from around Britain and Ireland. More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (10 Feb 2016) | |
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| Broad diets of Semipalmated Sand revealed (Research) |
The researchers behind a forthcoming study have shown that Semipalmated Sandpipers on their annual stopover in Canada's Bay of Fundy eat a far broader diet than anyone suspected. More here > |
| Written by: Phys.Org (10 Feb 2016) | |
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| RSPB Scotland purchase Dunnet Head (Conservation News) |
RSPB Scotland has announced that it has purchased the nature reserve at Dunnet Head, which is the northernmost point of mainland Britain, after receiving a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. More here > |
| Written by: RSPB (05 Feb 2016) | |
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| Weekly birding roundup 27 Jan - 02 Feb (Weekly Roundup) |
Highlights during another stormy week included a Black Scoter in Northumberland and a trio of rare gulls: Glaucous-winged, American Herring and Franklin's. More here > |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (03 Feb 2016) | |
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| Siskins prefer to fly with friends (Research) |
A new study has confirmed that, like some larger birds such as swans and geese, smaller species such as the Eurasian Siskin, forms bonds that last for a number of years. More here > |
| Written by: Phys.Org (01 Feb 2016) | |
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| Over 70 vultures killed in mass poisonings (Wildlife crime) |
| In the first two few weeks of 2016 two mass poisonings of vultures in Africa have come to light with over 70 vultures found dead but experts believe the number to be even higher. More here > |
| Written by: VCF (27 Jan 2016) | |
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| Weekly birding roundup 20 - 27 Jan (Weekly Roundup) |
After a positively giddy start to the year, things finally normalised down a little this week. In many ways it felt more like a normal week in late January. More here > |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (27 Jan 2016) | |
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| Flight Identification of Raptors (Book review) |
Andy Stoddart reviews Dick Forsman's latest book which looks set to become the ultimate flight-identification guide to Western Palearctic raptors. More here > |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (26 Jan 2016) | |
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| India signs raptor conservation agreement (Conservation News) |
| India has become the 54th country to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia an important international agreement to protect migratory birds of prey. More here > |
| Written by: BirdLife (25 Jan 2016) | |
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| Weekly birding roundup 13 - 19 Jan (Weekly Roundup) |
As winter finally delivered some seasonal weather gulls were still very much in the spotlight. Vega, Glaucous-winged and Thayer's all feature this week. More here > |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (20 Jan 2016) | |
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| Book review: Birding Varanger (Book review) |
Andy Stoddart reviews this exciting new guide for Varangerfjord and the Varanger Peninsula from the Biotope team in Norway. More here > |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (20 Jan 2016) | |
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| Finders-in-the-field: Vega Gull, Co.Wexford (Finders account) |
Killian Mullarney was hoping to find a rare gull for Ireland at Duncannon in Co.Wexford. Caspian Gull was his quarry but even he wasn't prepared for what he was about to unearth. More here > |
| Written by: Killian Mullarney (18 Jan 2016) | |
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| Weekly birding roundup 06 - 12 Jan (Weekly Roundup) |
Another super week with another mega gull in Ireland - the Western Palearctic's first Vega Gull in Co.Wexford. Orkney scores a Brunnich's Guillemot and its alive! Plus much more. More here > |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (13 Jan 2016) | |
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| Weekly birding roundup 23 Dec - 05 Jan 16 (Weekly Roundup) |
Well as we took a two week break over Christmas and New Year and Mark is now on leave for a while it is neither a weekly roundup nor written by Mark! So Jon Dunn steps in to bring you up to speed on the last couple of weeks, and what a couple of weeks it was. More here > |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (06 Jan 2016) | |
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| 12 Birds of Christmas: #12 Fea's Petrel (12 Birds of Christmas) |
Its the final piece in our 12 Birds of 2015 feature and although the Fea's Petrel off Scilly in August was not the rarest bird of the year, the photographs blew us all away! More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (04 Jan 2016) | |
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| 12 Birds of Christmas: #11 Nearctic Thrushes (12 Birds of Christmas) |
In the penultimate 12 Birds article of 2015, we look back at a remarkable year for Nearctic thrushes that included three species in nine days in late spring! More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (04 Jan 2016) | |
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| 12 Birds of Christmas: #10 Great Blue Heron (12 Birds of Christmas) |
After one visit to Scilly already this 12 Birds, we return to the archipelago for Britain's second Great Blue Heron and to the delight of all, a twitchable one too! More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (02 Jan 2016) | |
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| 12 Birds of Christmas: #5 Hudsonian Godwits (12 Birds of Christmas) |
Day 5 and we look back at one of the blockers to fall in 2015. The Hudsonian Godwit at Meare in Somerset in April and May proved a very popular bird, as were two records for the Irish in July and Sep. More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (28 Dec 2015) | |
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| 12 Birds of Christmas: #4 Chestnut Bunting (12 Birds of Christmas) |
Day four of our 12 Birds of Christmas and we travel to Orkney and Papa Westray where an autumn-arrival Chestnut Bunting looks like an excellent candidate for a wild bird and thus a potential British first. More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (27 Dec 2015) | |
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| 12 Birds of Christmas: #3 Cedar Waxwings (12 Birds of Christmas) |
Day three of our look-back at the year's rarest birds. It was a record-breaking year for Cedar Waxwings with multiple records stretching from Tiree to Scilly and from Pembrokeshire to Co.Clare. More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (26 Dec 2015) | |
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| 12 Birds of Christmas: #2 Black-browed Albatross (12 Birds of Christmas) |
Day two of our look back at the year's best birds and we have two monster surprises, a Black-browed Albatross touches down at Minsmere RSPB and a long staying Crag Martin in Chesterfield. More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (25 Dec 2015) | |
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| Why birds never go grey (Research) |
| Birds use sophisticated changes to the structure of their feathers to create multi-coloured plumage, using a process that could pave the way for the creation of paints and clothing colours that won't fade over time. More here > |
| Written by: University of Sheffield (24 Dec 2015) | |
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| Weekly birding roundup 16 - 22 Dec (Weekly Roundup) |
Unseasonable weather means unseasonable birds and a Red-rumped Swallow in Norfolk, in December certainly fits that bill! Throw in a wintering Hoopoe and it all felt a bit weird this week! More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (23 Dec 2015) | |
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| Another mass vulture posioning in Africa (Wildlife crime) |
| This week we learned of a mass poisoning of at least 34 vultures including 27 Critically Endangered Hooded Vultures and 4 Ruppell's Griffons in Eastern Senegal. More here > |
| Written by: VCF (22 Dec 2015) | |
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| Tawny Owls missing from gardens (Press report) |
This winter fewer people have been reporting Tawny Owls to the BTO's Garden BirdWatch scheme, so the BTO are looking for your help to keep track of their populations. More here > |
| Written by: BTO (18 Dec 2015) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 09 - 15 Dec 2015 (Weekly Roundup) |
Both the American Bittern and Rufous Turtle Dove played 'now you see me, now you don't' with plenty of other winter fayre around the country. More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (16 Dec 2015) | |
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| 40-year slump for UK butterflies (Press report) |
More than three-quarters of the UK's butterflies have declined in the last 40 years with some common species suffering significant slumps, a major scientific study has revealed. More here > |
| Written by: Butterfly Conservation (15 Dec 2015) | |
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| Weekly birding roundup 02 - 08 Dec (Weekly Roundup) |
Another busy winter week with some lingering rares and some new surprises. A Black-browed Albatross in Kerry was a star turn as was a white Gyr on Western Isles. More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (09 Dec 2015) | |
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| Peregrine shot in County Durham (Wildlife crime) |
Durham Constabulary and the RSPB are appealing for information about an illegally shot Peregrine Falcon found in County Durham. More here > |
| Written by: RSPB (07 Dec 2015) | |
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| Thousands of live birds seized in East Java (Wildlife crime) |
Wildlife authorities in East Java seized hundreds of plastic baskets crammed with 2,711 live native birds of various species from a passenger ship docked in the port of Tanjung Perak in Surabaya. More here > |
| Written by: TRAFFIC (04 Dec 2015) | |
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