 |
|
|
 |
|
| 12 [ish] Birds of Christmas 2014 #3 - Crag Martin, East Yorkshire (Annual Rarity Review) |
| There's always a frisson of excitement as spring begins to appear on the horizon and the dark days of winter drift in to sunshine and the arrival of migrants along our coasts. Amongst those new arrivals, there's always that outside hope of finding something special and an East Yorkshire rarity hotspot duly obliged in the second week of April. More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (27 Dec 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
| 12 [ish] Birds of Christmas 2014 #2 - Slaty-backed Gull, Co.Galway (Annual Rarity Review) |
| Larophiles looked on in shock and awe as the guller-friendly confines of the Irish west coast scored big time with a genuinely surprising mega, as February rolled in to town. Although a 'single observer' bird, there were photos aplenty to enjoy from a far, images that stirred the debate once more where Britain's only record was concerned too. More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (26 Dec 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
| 12 [ish] Birds of Christmas 2014 #1 - Bermuda Petrel, Co.Kerry (Annual Rarity Review) |
| This is our first wander back through the many birding highlights of 2014 and it is fitting that for the opening entrant in the '12 (ish) Birds of Christmas' we alight amongst the swell of the Atlantic Ocean for what was, surely, the 'bird of the year'. More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (25 Dec 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Weekly birding round-up: 17 - 22 Dec 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
Out a day early this week due to Christmas, the weekly birding roundup features the fantastic Ivory Gull on Benbecula feeding on the carcass of an equally rare visitor to Britain, a Cuvier's Beaked Whale! Elsewhere the best new bird of the week was an American Herring Gull at Killybegs in Donegal.
More here > |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (23 Dec 2014) | |
| |
|
|
| COMING SOON - the 12 [ish] Birds of Christmas 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Even though the last twelve months have proved to be a little bit less exciting than the extraordinary year that was 2013, in 2014 some top-drawer rarities were found, twitched, seen and dipped. Over the Christmas and New Year period, we will be taking a look back at the year's 'best birds' in our 12 [ish] Birds of Christmas. More here > |
| Written by: Rare Bird Alert (21 Dec 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Bittern numbers are booming (Conservation News) |
Bitterns have had a record year in England with the highest number of individuals recorded since the 1800s.
More here > |
| Written by: RSPB (15 Dec 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Waders Galore in the Western Isles (Conservation News) |
A recent bird survey confirms that machairs of Uist are one of the best places in Western Europe to see breeding farmland waders with over 9,000 pairs of breeding waders recorded.
More here > |
| Written by: RSPB (12 Dec 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Gamekeeper convicted for illegally killing a Goshawk (Conservation News) |
| RSPB Scotland has welcomed the conviction of gamekeeper George Mutch at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Mutch was convicted of four charges, illegal use of a trap, illegal killing of a Goshawk; illegal taking of a Goshawk and illegal taking of a Buzzard. More here > |
| Written by: RSPB (11 Dec 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Weekly birding round-up: 03 - 09 Dec 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Jon Dunn steps in for Mark this week as Yorkshire scores it's first ever Blyth's Pipit. Elsewhere male Eastern Black Redstarts remained in Scilly and North Yorkshire and a male Desert Wheatear in Norfolk complements two females in Cornwall. More here > |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (10 Dec 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Mark Golley's weekly birding round-up: 26 Nov - 02 Dec 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| The discovery of two stunning Eastern Black Redstarts on Scilly and in North Yorkshire made all the headlines this week. Elsewhere the Isabelline Wheatear in Cleveland lingered for a few more days whilst Cornwall landed it's first Desert Wheatear for a few years. More here > |
| Written by: Mark Golley (03 Dec 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
| Scottish Birdfair gets new home for 2015 (Conservation News) |
| Scotland's Big Nature Festival, which includes the Scottish Birdfair, will return next year and it is being held at a brand new venue for 2015; the beautiful Levenhall Links alongside the Firth of Forth and famous racecourse at Musselburgh, just east of Edinburgh. More here > |
| Written by: RSPB (03 Dec 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Migrants are missing from bumper breeding season (Conservation News) |
| The warm, settled weather that graced Britain & Ireland in the spring and summer of 2014 resulted in a bumper bird breeding season. Information collected by BTO volunteers shows that although not all of our summer migrants returned to take advantage of the conditions. Read the full story here |
| Written by: BTO (02 Dec 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
| Amazing Cuckoo completes 60,000 mile journey (Conservation News) |
| Since being fitted with a satellite tag by the BTO four years ago, Chris the cuckoo, named after TV Wildlife Presenter Chris Packham, has travelled over 60,000 miles - the equivalent of flying twice round the world, and he's taken in 22 different countries along the way! Read the full story here |
| Written by: BTO (28 Nov 2014) | |
| |
|
|
| Mark Golley's weekly round-up: 19 - 25 Nov 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
The top bird this week was the latest ever British record of Isabelline Wheatear, in Cleveland. Elsewhere the supporting cast included White's Thrush, Red-flanked Bluetail, Cornwall's returning Pacific Diver, two American Coots, a lingering Grey-cheeked Thrush on Shetland and a wandering Black Stork in East Anglia.
Read mark's round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (26 Nov 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Weekly round-up: 12 - 18 Nov 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| The first Little Bustard since 2002 is found in Dorset but disappears early on and isn’t available to the masses. A new American Coot on North Uist brings the monthly tally to two as the Kerry bird remains in residence. Elsewhere an extraordinary November Black Stork is seen in Essex and Suffolk and an equally unseasonal Roller is found in Co.Cork. Read the full story here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (19 Nov 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Weekly round-up: 05 - 11 Nov 2014 (Conservation News) |
| The week's rarest bird was Ireland's 4th American Coot, found in Co.Kerry whilst back in the UK a Grey-cheeked Thrush took the honours. A Trio of Desert Wheatears all proved very popular and as is often very typical for the species, were very showy too! However for many (those on the east coast at least) the highlight of the week was a large Little Auk passage. Read the review here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (13 Nov 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
| Book review: 10 Million Aliens (Book review) |
| In this book Simon Barnes has brought us all together, seeking not what separates us but what unites us. He takes us white-water rafting through the entire animal kingdom in a book brings in deep layers of arcane knowledge, the works of Darwin and James Joyce, Barnes's own don't-try-this-at-home adventures in the wild, David Attenborough and Sherlock Holmes. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (13 Nov 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
| Book review: The Teal (Book review) |
Once hunted extensively for the pot, its numbers have recovered and it is now one of our commonest species of waterfowl. A flagship species for wetland conservation, the Teal is also an excellent model species for ecological research, and this forms the spine of this new Poyser monograph.
Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (13 Nov 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Weekly round-up: 29 Oct - 04 Nov 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Star billing this week undoubtedly goes to Britain's 3rd Eastern Crowned Warbler in Cleveland. Orkney scored a first with a dapper drake Bufflehead whilst in East Yorkshire a brief Blackpoll Warbler had mainland company in the shape of Red-eyed Vireo in Cumbria. Read the roundup here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (05 Nov 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Book review: The Barnacle Goose (Book review) |
This book represents a culmination of more than 25 years of Barnacle Goose research. It represents the story of one of Europe's most celebrated long-term behavioural studies, detailing the lives of these social and sociable birds.
Read Andy's review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (05 Nov 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| 421 million birds gone in 30 years! (Conservation News) |
| Bird populations across Europe have experienced sharp declines over the past 30 years, with the majority of losses from the most common species, say the University of Exeter, the RSPB and the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS) in a new study. Read the full story here |
| Written by: RSPB (03 Nov 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Bird Atlas team scoop RSPB's most prestigious award (Conservation News) |
| At the annual RSPB Members' Day in Birmingham on Saturday 25th October 2014, the RSPB Medal was awarded to the BTO team behind the Bird Atlas 2007-11 in a special presentation that acknowledged its role as a valuable resource to everyone involved in conserving, researching or understanding Britain and Ireland's birds. Read the full story here |
| Written by: BTO (29 Oct 2014) | |
| |
|
|
| Weekly round-up: 22 - 28 October 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| There's no doubt about it, this week was all about the fall-out of ex-Hurricane Gonzalo, After everything calmed down, out of the sky fell a supreme array of rather old fashioned, almost unfashionable rarities! Both Black and Yellow-billed Cuckoo were found, alive, at opposite ends of Britain, there were Catharus thrushes a plenty and a Chimney Swift thrown in for good measure too! Read the roundup here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (29 Oct 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Conviction for English egg collector who 'exported' crimes to Bulgaria (Press report) |
An English egg collector has been handed a six month prison sentence, suspended for three years, and a 5000 Lev (£2024) fine after pleading guilty to the illegal possession of 16 birds' eggs and three taxidermy specimens by a court in Burgas, Bulgaria, today. This follows a lengthy investigation by the Burgas Police, assisted by The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB), and the RSPB.
Read the full story here |
| Written by: RSPB (25 Oct 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Weekly round-up: 15 - 21 October 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A Siberian Thrush trapped in Shetland was found to have been ringed nearly three weeks earlier in Norway. Elsewhere a Bridled Tern flew past Cornwall and Shrikes made headlines from the east coast. Read the roundup here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (22 Oct 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Weekly round-up: 08 - 14 October 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Another fantastic week for rare and scarce migrants. Highlights include Eastern Bonelli's Warbler on Shetland, Audouin's Gull in Kent, Great Snipe in Wales, Brunnich's Guillemot off Yorkshire and a huge rarity in Scotland in the form of a Cetti's Warbler! Read the roundup here |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (15 Oct 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Trail Camera Wildlife Recording - Code Of Practice (Conservation News) |
The use and popularity of motion activated trail cameras to record wildlife has exploded in the past 5 years. As prices reduce and quality of recorded images increases the audience for these powerful wildlife monitoring tools is likely to continue to grow at an incredible rate so a new code of practice has been drawn up.
More details here |
| Written by: Wildlife Gadgetman, Rare Bird Alert (15 Oct 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Weekly round-up: 01 - 07 October 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A very busy week with quality rarities being from Shetland to Scilly and Norfolk to Cape Clear. A Scarlet Tanager on Western Isles was the star turn but a male Siberian Rubythroat and White's Thrush double act meant Shetland remained in the headlines! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (08 Oct 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Weekly round-up: 24 - 30 September 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| The Northern Isles stole the show this week as east met west. North Ronaldsay scored a stunning Eyebrowed Thrush and on Shetland an uber showy White's Thrush got the heart beats racing with a supporting cast of Myrtle Warbler and Swainson's Thrush. Ireland wasn't to be outdone though scoring an Ovenbird and Red-eyed Vireo! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (01 Oct 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
| App Review: Aves Vox Pro for iOS (App Review) |
Marcus Nash reviews Aves Vox Pro, a comprehensive bird calls app which features over 30,000 recordings from the highly acclaimed Xeno-Canto website. At just £2.99 it appears to offer a lot of bang for your buck.
Read the review here |
| Written by: Marcus Nash (01 Oct 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Book review: The World of Birds (Book review) |
| A groundbreaking guide to every aspect of bird life and a complete survey of the world's orders and families of birds. Written by eminent natural history expert Jonathan Elphick and with special photography from award-winning wildlife photographer David Tipling, it is the ultimate companion for birders and wildlife enthusiasts. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (26 Sep 2014) | |
| |
|
|
| Weekly round-up: 17 - 23 September 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
Britain's 3rd ever Masked Shrike made landfall at Spurn and topped the bill for rarities this week. A Fea's Petrel tracked along the north east coast over 9 hours and seen in five counties will be, for those who saw it at least, another big talking point. Elsewhere there were rarities a plenty and enough scarcities to keep one particular weekly roundup author indoors in front of a computer screen for far too long!
Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (24 Sep 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
| Hen Harriers disappear without trace (Conservation News) |
Two young satellite-tagged Hen Harriers have vanished in Lancashire in unexplained circumstances. They had both fledged this year from nests on the United Utilities Bowland Estate in Lancashire where they had been protected around the clock by RSPB staff and volunteers
Read the full story here |
| Written by: RSPB (24 Sep 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Weekly round-up: 10 - 16 September 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Despite the weather the 'big rare' everyone hoped for never materialised. However There was plenty of scarce migrant action with large numbers of Red-breasted Flycatchers on the east coast and the first Yellow-browed Warblers touched down too. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (17 Sep 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Review: The Bird Songs of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East for iOS (App Review) |
The Bird Songs of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East by Andreas Schulze & Karl-Heinz Dingler was originally released in 2003 as a 17 CD set. This app takes all the audio from the original CDs and adds an interactive user interface together with additional features, including species descriptions and photos. Marcus Nash from the 'The Bird Id Company' comprehensively reviews it for us.
Read the review here |
| Written by: Marcus Nash (16 Sep 2014) | |
| |
|
|
| Weekly round-up: 03 - 09 September 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler trapped and ringed in Hampshire was both a first for the county and the earliest record for Britain. In East Devon a Little Crake drew the crowds whilst across the Irish Sea the Stilt Sandpiper goes wandering and headed to the capital. And in Norfolk bitter-sweet news that the summering Short-toed Eagle went undetected, by most anyway. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (10 Sep 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
| Review: Collins Bird Guide app for iPad and iPhone (App Review) |
Since publication in 1999 the Collins Bird Guide has been widely acclaimed as the pre-eminent field guide for the region. It has now moved into the digital age and is available for iPad and Iphone. Marcus Nash gives a comprehensively review but has it made a successful leap from paper to screen?
Read the full review here |
| Written by: Marcus Nash (10 Sep 2014) | |
| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
| |