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| Weekly round-up: 04 - 10 Dec 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Some 'proper' winter weather brings in five Ivory Gulls whilst on South Uist a Pied-billed Grebe is found and the Baikal Teal remains in Lancashire. The most talked about news this week however was probably the huge tidal surge on the east coast. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (11 Dec 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 27 Nov - 03 Dec 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| As we near the end of 2013 there was no let up in quality birds. Top-billing this week was a drake Baikal Teal at Marshside RSPB in Lancashire. In a close second was a Bruinnch's Guillmot photographed off the Yorkshire coast and with a supporting cast of Ivory Gull and Caspian Stonechat it was another superb week. A new member to the weekly round-up team, Jon Dunn, tells all Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (04 Dec 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 20 - 26 Nov 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Britain's fourth Caspian Stonechat was identified on Scilly and an American Robin was found on the Western Isles. Meanwhile the Western Orphean Warbler remained in it's favoured garden in Pembrokeshire. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (27 Nov 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 13 - 19 Nov 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A Western Orphean Warbler in south Wales was the undoubted highlight of the week. In a close second place was a Short-billed Dowitcher on North Ronaldsay whilst Devon made the headlines for all the wrong reasons following news of a suppressed Dusky Thrush. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (20 Nov 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 06 - 12 Nov 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A Black-throated Thrush on Mainland, Shetland was the rarest bird of the week but no doubt the highlight for many was a Pied Wheatear in Nottinghamshire. Elsewhere winter seemed to be taking hold as the rare and scarce ducks and geese section starts to grow.
Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (13 Nov 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 30 Oct - 05 Nov 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| It was the first week in a very long time without a new major rarity turning up, a sign that [perhaps] this amazing autumn has started to quieten down. However with a star studded roll-call of long staying megas there was plenty to write about! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (06 Nov 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 23 - 29 Oct 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| The early part of the week was dominated by news of a Cape May Warbler on Unst but following one of the biggest Atlantic storms in recent years a deluge of mega rare rained down across Britain and Ireland. Mark lifts the lid on a week which will go down in birding folklore and be talked about for years to come. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (30 Oct 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 16 - 22 Oct 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| In a change to the general pattern of the autumn it was a mainland county which stole the show this week, with Hampshire scoring a Semipalmated Plover. Fair Isle did its very best to compete with a cracking male Siberian Rubythroat. A presumed Northern Harrier in Cambridgeshire was another major talking point plus plenty or other rare and scare birds to keep everyone interested. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (23 Oct 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 09 - 15 Oct 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| In a week which included the busiest day ever for messages at RBA (721 on Sat 12th!) it was scarce, rather than rare migrants which largely stole the show. Rarities included a Sora on Scilly, Grey-cheeked Thrushes on Western Isles, Shetland and Scilly and elsewhere Daurian Shrike, Northern Harrier, Coues's Arctic Redpolls and Parrot Crossbills were the highlights. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (16 Oct 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 02 - 08 Oct 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A week packed full of quality birds. News of a Cedar Waxwing on Tiree came too late for anyone to twitch but a Thick-billed Warbler on Mainland Shetland hung around long enough for the keenest to add it to their lists. Other highlights included an Ovenbird , Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, two Red-eyed Vireos, White's Thrush, Daurian Shrike and much more. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (09 Oct 2013) | |
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| Isles of Scilly October boating (Personal Account) |
| Following requests for information on the boat services being offered from St.Mary's this autumn, we contacted Joe Pender of the St.Mary's Boatman's Association, owner of the Sapphire, and operator of the Scilly pelagics. Joe gave us details for this October. Read full details here |
| Written by: Rare Bird Alert (03 Oct 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 25 Sept - 01 Oct 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| An amazing roll-call of birds this week: Eastern Kingbird, Blackpoll Warbler, Sykes's Warbler, White's Thrush, Upland Sand, Lanceolated Warbler, three Brown Shrikes, Isabelline Wheatear, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Pechora Pipit and much more besides! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (02 Oct 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 18 - 24 Sept 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Western Ireland turned up the country's second Eastern Kingbird 11 days before the anniversary of the previous one. And just like the previous one it would frustrate those brave birders who made the overnight journey to try to see it. Elsewhere, Shetland stole the show with a glut of top quality rares. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (26 Sep 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 11 - 17 Sept 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| An Elegant Tern in Co.Kerry was the main highlight of the week and provided much to discuss. The amazing run of Barolo Shearwaters and Fea's Petrels continue whilst in East Yorkshire an incredibly showy Great Snipe was a huge draw until it met an untimely demise. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (18 Sep 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 04 - 10 Sept 2013 (Conservation News) |
| Fetlar took the top prize this week with a Black-and-white Warbler. Elsewhere there was a Yellow-breasted Bunting on the Farnes as well as another Fea's and another Barolo Little Shearwater. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (11 Sep 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 28 Aug - 03 Sept 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| In a week largely dominated by Nearctic waders Cheshire stole the show with its second ever Stilt Sandpiper. Elsewhere it was all about Semipalmated Sandpipers and in particular a bird found on a webcam in Dorset which then stuck around allowing birders the opportunity of the first 'virtual twitch'! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (04 Sep 2013) | |
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| Book Review: Birds and People (Book review) |
| This book is ambitious indeed. It sets out to document nothing less than the whole spectrum of our relationship with birds. Reprising some of the themes first rehearsed in Birds Britannica, it goes truly global, delving deep into our shared worldwide history. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (04 Sep 2013) | |
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| Book Review: Norfolk Wildlife - A Calendar and Site Guide (Book review) |
| Norfolk is widely regarded as one of the premier counties in Britain for wildlife watching. This book by Adrian Riley aims to show people what to see, when, and where. Andy Stoddart discovers that whilst it is good in some aspects, it comes up a bit short in others. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (30 Aug 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 21 - 27 Aug 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| For the first week in a long time there were no outstanding megas to report on but the slack was most definitely taken up by a remarkable few days of drift migrant action. Ideal weather conditions dumped huge numbers of migrants up and down the east coast over a weekend which will live long in the memory for many. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (28 Aug 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 14 - 20 Aug 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| This week it was all about seabirds. The undoubted highlight of which was a Red-billed Tropicbird seen [and photographed] by just one lucky observer at Pendeen whilst the other sea-watchers present were oblivious to the bird passing them by! Throw in a handful of Fea's Petrels, the continued presence of the Swinhoe's on Fair Isle and a Macaronesian Shearwater to boot and its just another week in the extraordinary year of 2013. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (21 Aug 2013) | |
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| Book Review: The Warbler Guide (Book review) |
| Andy Stoddart reviews this innovative and boundary-pushing field guide dealing with the most famous of North America's bird groups - the warblers. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (21 Aug 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 07 - 13 Aug 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Shetland and Fair Isle in particular stole the show this week as a second Swinhoe's Petrel is trapped and then proves twitchable. Elsewhere a Fea's Petrel is photographed from a pelagic off Scilly. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (14 Aug 2013) | |
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| Finders in the field: Fea's Petrel off Scilly 9th August 2013 (Personal Account) |
| Although there are now multiple sightings of Fea's Petrel in British and Irish waters each year, an encounter with this Pterodroma is still top of most birders wishlist. Seabird expert Bob Flood recounts his latest encounter off Scilly and is accompanied with photos from the finder and skipper of the boat Joe Pender. Read the story here |
| Written by: Bob Flood (13 Aug 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 31 Jul - 06 Aug 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A week dominated by seabirds and major rare ones at that. Bulwer's Petrel, multiple Fea's Petrels on the same day and Fair Isle's second Swinhoe's Petrel in as many weeks! With contributions from the finders, this week's round-up is a seabird spectacular! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (07 Aug 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 24 - 30 Jul 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Fair Isle stole the show this week when a Swinhoe's Petrel was caught during a Storm Petrel ringing session. Ireland scored a first in the shape of a Mongolian Sand Plover in Co.Cork whilst the Two-barred Crossbill invasion spread north to Shetland. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (30 Jul 2013) | |
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| Book review: The New Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region (Book review) |
| In the last of our special five book reviews this week Andy gets his hands on the latest field guide from the husband and wife team of Donald and Lillian Stokes. It acts as a companion to The New Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Western Region, both being a subset of The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (26 Jul 2013) | |
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| Book review: Scilly Birding: Joining the Madding Crowd (Book review) |
| This entertaining read chronicles the ups and downs birding on the Isles of Scilly in the Autumn of 1984. Capturing a sense of time and place it will no doubt bring back fond memories for many and for those not around to experience Scilly in its heyday it will only add to the islands sense of magic. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (25 Jul 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 17 - 23 Jul 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Another extraordinary week, or maybe this is the new norm for mid summer? Swinhoe's Storm-petrel, Rock Thrush, Mongolian Plover, Fea's Petrel, a Two-barred Crossbill influx as well as Booted and Bonelli's Eagle reports from Norfolk and Kent, did we mention that it's only July? Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (24 Jul 2013) | |
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| Book review: The Crossley Guide: Raptors (Book review) |
| Andy reviews the latest addition to the Crossley family of photographic ID guides. This ambitious book covers the identification challenges posed by the raptors of North America. Using superimposed images over 'typical' background scenes the Crossley ID Guide will quickly become a must have for all birders interested in this group. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (24 Jul 2013) | |
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| Book review: Birds in a Cage - Derek Niemann (Book review) |
| Birds in a Cage is the remarkable story of four British prisoners-of-war and their experience of suffering, privation..... and birds. Peter Conder, John Buxton, Peter Barrett and George Waterston went to war as young soldiers, each yet to find a direction in life but already inspired by birds. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (23 Jul 2013) | |
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| Book review: Terns - David Cabot & Ian Nisbet (Book review) |
| Andy Stoddart reviews this New Naturalist volume, in which David Cabot and Ian Nisbet draw on a wealth of new information and research, providing a comprehensive natural history of terns. Covering the history of terns in Britain and Ireland, the authors focus on migrations, food and feeding ecology as well as breeding biology. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (22 Jul 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 10 - 16 July 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Unlike recent weeks it was a more typical mid-summer lull. The Bridled Tern went south and then reappeared on Inner Farne. From Argyll unconfirmed reports that the Ascension Frigatebird might still be in area tantalised, whilst in Somerset there were four adult Little Bitterns at Ham Wall RSPB. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (17 Jul 2013) | |
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| Sandwich sightings needed (Conservation News) |
| This summer, Sandwich Terns at Blakeney Point, Norfolk, have been fitted with coloured lettered rings to enable scientists at the British Trust for Ornithology to further understand their movements. Read the story here |
| Written by: BTO (15 Jul 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 03 - 09 July 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Another week in what is usually the 'summer lull' and another monster bird turns up, this time an Ascension Frigatebird on Islay. Unfortunately it didn't hang around for long but just long enough for some very gripping photos to be taken! Elsewhere the Bridled Tern in the North East continued to delight and frustrate birders in equal measure before heading south past Flamborough. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (10 Jul 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 26 June - 2 July 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A tale of delight and despair for the Hebridean White-throated Needletail at the beginning of the week, followed by another 'much-sought-after' mega appearing on the Farne Islands at the end of the week. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (03 Jul 2013) | |
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| First tagged Cuckoo leaves the UK (Press report) |
| The first tagged Cuckoo has left the UK! Sussex, who has been named by the Sussex Ornithological Society, is the first to depart and is now in the Upper Normandy region of France. More > |
| Written by: BTO (28 Jun 2013) | |
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| Young Bird Obs Volunteer Fund (Conservation News) |
| The BTO has announced that will provide a number of grants of up to £200, to support young people looking to visit one of the accredited British and Irish Bird Observatories. Read more here |
| Written by: BTO (20 Jun 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 12 - 18 Jun 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| After sightings in Suffolk, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire a Pacific Swift did what no Pacific Swift had done in the past 20 years and stuck around long to be twitched by the masses. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (19 Jun 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 5 - 11 Jun 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Highlights of the week include River Warbler, Collared Flycatcher and Roller all on Fair Isle, a Paddyfield Warbler on Bardsey and news that Little Bitterns are once again breeding in Somerset. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (12 Jun 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 28 May - 4 Jun 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| An excellent contender for a Pacific Swift was seen (and photographed) briefly in Suffolk whilst in Kent a Crested Lark was another 'brief-stayer'. Shetland scored a Pallid Harrier and on the Outer Hebrides the Harlequin Duck remained on North Uist. On Portland an extraordinary movement of Spotted Flycatchers was witnessed on the morning of 1st. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (05 Jun 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 22 - 28 May 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| The two top birds this week were both unavailable to the masses. The first, a presumed male Indigo Bunting, was present for just an hour in a garden on Anglesey. The second, a White-throated Sparrow in Lincolnshire, found on 28th and still present as we go to press is in a garden in Spalding but the location is currently being suppressed by those in the know! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (29 May 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 15 - 21 May 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Britain's first twitchable Dusky Thrush in 50 years is found in Kent and stays long enough for the keenest to connect. Shetland hosted, albeit briefly, the first summer-plumaged Pacific Diver to be found in Britain. Another Collared Flycatcher (three this spring and counting) was in E.Yorks whilst the east coast gets a big fall of rare and scarce migrants. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (22 May 2013) | |
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| Book Review: The World's Rarest Birds (Book review) |
| Andy Stoddart reviews this vividly illustrated book depicting the most endangered birds in the world. It provides the latest information on the threats each species faces and the measures being taken to save them. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (16 May 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 08 - 14 May 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| The highlights of the week include a brace of Collared Flycatchers, one in Shetland the other on the mainland in Northumberland, Pied-billed Grebe in Ireland plus a large skua passage on the Outer Hebrides Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (15 May 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 01 - 07 May 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| No new major rarities this week but still enough migrants to keep birders interested including a flock of Red-footed Falcons in Cambridgeshire, a trio of Bonaparte's Gulls and a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Orkney Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (08 May 2013) | |
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| Help find Britain's House Martins (Conservation News) |
| Over the last 25 years we have lost two-thirds of our breeding House Martins, with the greatest losses in England and Wales. During the last year, the BTO have received several reports of long-established colonies being abandoned, possibly due to the cool, wet 2012 summer but in order to fully understand the declines, they need more information. Read more here |
| Written by: BTO (07 May 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 24 - 30 April 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A two-day female Rock Thrush in East Yorkshire was undoubtedly the stand-out bird of the week. Elsewhere there was a trio of Iberian Chiffchaffs, a very showing Eastern Subalpine Warbler entertained many in Suffolk whilst in Aberdeenshire there was a record breaking count of White-billed Divers Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (01 May 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 17 - 23 Apr 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| In a week which saw some typically variable April weather there was a very nice mix of new arrivals to report on. A Baillon's Crake in Gloucestershire was unfortunately found freshly dead. Elsewhere there were two Pallid Harriers plus plenty of rare and scarce passerines, mainly in the south. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (24 Apr 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 10 - 16 Apr 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| At last spring seemed to arrive this week. A female type Red-flanked Bluetail was a very nice find at Horsey in Norfolk. However it was the [brief] appearance of an exotic duck at Flamborough which makes the headline this week. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (17 Apr 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 03 - 09 Apr 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Another week and another Killdeer, this time in Britain on the mainland in Lancashire. Unfortunately much like the bird in Co.Donegal ten days previous it didn't hang around for the masses. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (10 Apr 2013) | |
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| Stone Curlews succumb to cold spring (Conservation News) |
| The bodies of eight Stone Curlews have been found in fields in Norfolk, Suffolk and Wiltshire in the past few days having died of starvation due to the cold weather and lack of food. Read the story here
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| Written by: RSPB (10 Apr 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 27 Mar - 02 Apr 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Another chilly week but at last some new birds to report on. In Co.Donegal Ireland scored a March Killdeer whilst in Surrey a splendid male Pallid Harrier became only the second March record but unfortunately being a one day wonder meant it wasn't 'available' to the masses. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (03 Apr 2013) | |
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| The BTO - "Garden birdwatchers are seeing red" (Conservation News) |
| The delicate Lesser Redpoll is sweeping into a record number of gardens this spring, thrilling householders as it goes. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has produced a free factsheet to help people to discover more about this bubbly newcomer. Read more here |
| Written by: BTO (28 Mar 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 20 - 26 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| In a week when much of Britain shivered and migration was largely halted a few good birds managed to make landfall. The best of the scarce migrants were to be found on the south coast and in the south west whilst in Scotland a Black-throated Thrush turned up in a birders mum's garden! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (27 Mar 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 13 - 19th Mar 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| The week was largely dominated by the presence of long-staying rarities. Rather fittingly as we are in the middle of the dates for first Lesser Scaup record for Britain two counties scored their first. And as we go to press late news of a White-throated Sparrow in Somerset which unfortunately is no longer present! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (20 Mar 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 06 - 12 Mar 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| In a week dominated by rain, cold winds and snow it was unsurprising that very few new birds were found. The rarity highlights included the continued presence of the Harlequin and Pied-billed Grebe in Britain whilst in Ireland the American Coot and Northern Harrier were also still present. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (13 Mar 2013) | |
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