The votes have been counted in the first of our new reader polls. We asked you about feeding migrant birds for photography and better viewing but how did you vote?
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Marcus Nash reviews the first of a number of listing apps. First up is Bird Tick List for Apple iOS. Its looks sweet and simple but will it pack enough punch for serious listers?
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RSPB Scotland's Loch of Strathbeg nature reserve has been awarded £53,250 of funding to transform the visitor facilities and volunteer accommodation at the site near Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire.
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The big news of the week came from the far north west of Ireland, where the country's second ever Slaty-backed Gull is found at the gulling hotpost of Killybegs. Elsewhere it was all about the long stayers, Harlequin, Ivory Gull, Black Scoters, Pacific Diver and American Coots. More here >

According to a new study Smew are doing twice as well within areas protected by EU wildlife laws as they spread northeast across Europe in response to climate change.
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A new bird club has been established to cover the North East corner of Norfolk. The club's inaugural meeting will take place on 29th Jan and will include a talk by Moss Taylor.
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Do you agree with the practice of feeding migrant birds mealworms, seed, bread, fish etc. to aid better viewing and/or photography? Take part in our reader poll.
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The home ranges of Lammergeiers in Spain have been tracked to an unprecedented degree of precision thanks to satellite tracking techniques.
More here >

Majella Callaghan describes co-finding Ireland's 2nd Slaty-backed Gull in the fishing village, famous amongst 'gullers', Killybegs in Co.Donegal. More here >

A recent study has shown that the mortality rate in Eurasian Spoonbills wintering in Mauritania is significantly higher than those wintering in France and Iberia, and is caused in part by the birds having to migrate large distances over physical barriers such as the Sahara Desert. More here >

The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) season is already creeping up on us! What will it be like on BBS squares this year? BBS National Organiser, Sarah Harris, takes a look ahead.
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The Bird Observatories Council (BOC) has published its first newsletter taking a look back at the highlights in 2014 across all the bird observatories. More here >

Blakeney Point on the North Norfolk coastline has shot to number one as the largest breeding site for Grey Seals in England. 2426 Grey Seal pups have been born there this season compared to the 25 pups 14 years ago, when the first pups were born on the spit. More here >

Researchers have discovered that Hoopoes cover their eggs with a self-produced secretion, loaded with mutualistic bacteria, which increases rates of successful hatching.
More here >

Two formal complaints against the work of the RSPB have been rejected by the Charity Commission. The Countryside Alliance and 'You Forgot the Birds' - an organisation linked to shooting interests and fronted by Sir Ian Botham - made the complaints through the Charity Commission about the RSPB's charitable work.
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For the last week we have been asking you what your birds of 2014 were. The poll has now closed, your votes have been cast and counted and your winners are named. What came out on top?
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The first Black Scoter for Ireland was discovered this week in Co.Kerry whilst back in Britain a one-day Greater Yellowlegs became the second record for Hampshire. The most popular bird of the week was undoubtedly the smart drake Harlequin in Aberdeen and staying in Scotland what appears to be the wandering Ivory Gull turns up in Ullapool. More here >

Mark Rolfe takes a walk most Sunday mornings along the Titchfield Canal path in Hampshire and whilst searching for what he thought was a calling Greenshank he came across a somewhat better find in the shape of Hampshire's second Greater Yellowlegs! More here >

A recent study has concluded that the timing, formation and recession and extent of Arctic sea ice plays a large role in Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnean) distribution and migratory timing.
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Michael O'Clery discover Ireland's first Black Scoter off the north Kerry coastline near Rossbeigh, very close to where a Stejneger's Scoter was found in March 2011.
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During December we gave you the opportunity to win a holiday for two courtesy of Oriole Birding tours worth £800. Here we reveal the mystery bird and announce the winner of the fantastic prize.
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On Monday 15th Jan George Mutch was sentenced at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to four months in prison. He becomes the first person in the UK to receive a custodial sentence for raptor persecution.
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On Saturday 11 April 2015 the people of Malta will have an historic opportunity to put an end to the highly controversial, and many would say shameful practice, of spring hunting on the Island.
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The RSPB's annual Big Garden Birdwatch is back on 24/25 January 2015, giving people across Britain the chance to be part of the world's biggest wildlife survey. Around half a million people across the UK took part in 2014. More here >

Over the 12 days of Christmas we have been taking a look back at some the rarest birds to turn up in Britain in 2014 and we are currently running a Rarity of 2014 Poll. However, as exciting as these rarities have been, 2014 will be remembered by many for the Hen Harrier and 10th August. More here >

Based on The RSPB Handbook of British Birds the eGuide to British Birds app for Android and iOS is one of the few British bird guide apps available for both platforms. Marcus Nash has put it through its paces and written a comprehensive review. More here >

Following the Christmas and New Year break it's a roundup double header as we begin 2015. Star of the show was the Little Bustard in Yorkshire helped to ease the hangovers of those amassed on site at dawn! Elsewhere a Thayer's Gull and Blyth's Pipit were also on offer in Yorkshire. Elsewhere a very obliging Harlequin put on quite a show in Aberdeen. All in all a bumper couple of weeks. More here >

After a call from his friend who thought he had seen a Little Bustard near Wilsthorpe in East Yorkshire, Tony's plans for New Year's Eve changed in an instant. What followed was a tale of selection boxes for breakfast, a lack of tobacco and a perfect way to start 2015 for many birders. More here >

Following our 12[ish] Birds of Christmas feature, you now know what we think were some of the top rarities in 2014. But we would like to hear what bird or birds, made your year, so please let us know in our Rarity of 2014 Poll. Vote here >

We began our stroll through the '12(ish) Birds of Christmas' with a species that was unavailable to the masses and we conclude this popular series of articles with another species which, until the last throws of 2014, looked like it too would also elude birders in 2014! More here >

The penultimate species on our journey through the quality birds seen throughout the 12 months that we've just closed the door upon was a pleasing mainland weekend mega that would barely have been on many birders' radar a decade or so ago. That's all changed now and this British third drew a sizable and appreciative audience to the northeast of England for October's last hurrah. More here >

A late December search for an Iceland Gull by Jim Welford resulted in what turned out to be the first record of Thayer's Gull for Yorkshire.
Read the full story here

There was a magical Oct day in 2014 that felt as though we were travelling back some 30 years, in malevolent infant Stewie Griffin's Time Machine, to a period when American classics ruled the day. Then, the feature species were within a few hundred yards of each other, while last year's offerings were separated by several hundred miles. No matter though because the spirit of '85 was rekindled once more! More here >

Shetland's dominance continues apace in our ninth offering with a species that (shockingly) seems to be 'devalued' as every annual visit chalks another mark on the record books. However, whether the species in question is becoming more frequent or not, few would argue at the dramatic, striking beauty of October's cut-throat gem, a bird which enabled some stellar images to be captured and enjoyed. More here >

The Northern Isles were, for much of the autumn, the focus of everyone's attention as what seemed to be wave after wave of great birds flung themselves on to Orkney and Shetland. Today we'll visit both islands to remember the giddy-gaudy look of an Orcadian gem and marvel at the long-odds rediscovery of a still much sought-after inhabitant of far away forests on Shetland's south Mainland. More here >

We return to East Yorkshire for the county's second outstanding species of 2014, in the form of a bird that came as something of a September surprise. To the delight of many, this third for Britain was a Saturday find and obliged the well-behaved crowds for days to come. More here >

Norfolk's wader watchers have had little to go at in terms of truly eye-catching shorebirds since the wintering Western Sandpiper at Cley in late 2011. All that changed in July 2014 when an oft-predicted addition to the county list was found on the vast expanses of Breydon Water. More here >

For those who weren't all-at-sea off the Irish coast or who thought that sinking a few hundred pounds in to a plane ride to Shetland wasn't for them, the spring's 'best bird' arrived on the last day of May as early summer beckoned. This roaming, soar-away star toured southern England for three months and we've secured some unseen photos from its final port of call. More here >

One of the year's most surprising and unpredicted "big rares" especially given the extreme date of arrival. What was less of a surprise was the far-off, distant island location which didn't dissuade some from a successful investment in aircraft charters. Includes an entertaining reminiscence of a previous occurrence of this stunning rarity by Bill Oddie. More here >

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 >

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 >

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 >

BirdLife International are seeking to set up a sanctuary of 34 islands in five Pacific countries and are close to reaching their funding raising target of $800,000
More here >

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 >

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 >

A festive greeting from the Rare Bird Alert team. More here >

Fundraisers mark centenary of Passenger Pigeon extinction with gruelling challenges to save the Turtle Dove.
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A new report calls for greater and more sustained co-operative action to help save threatened Black Grouse populations in the south of Scotland.
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Collisions between birds and turbines are seen as one of the key impacts of offshore wind farms. A new review by the BTO has provided better estimates of the proportions of seabirds that alter their flight paths to avoid colliding with turbines. More here >

Bitterns have had a record year in England with the highest number of individuals recorded since the 1800s.
More here >

Work to repair and improve sea defences at Titchwell Marsh nature reserve has been completed one year after the largest storm surge event in more than 60 years hit the North Norfolk Coast.
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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 >

The oldest Barnacle Goose ever recorded was spotted this week at WWT Caerlaverock Wetland Centre on the Solway Coast. During its 30 years it will have flown well over 120,000 miles - five times the circumference of the Earth - migrating to and from its Arctic breeding grounds. More here >

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 >

The UK Government has awarded the South Georgia Heritage Trust funding of nearly £250,000, helping to secure the survival of one of the world's most important seabird sanctuaries on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. More here >

Dedicated inland patch worker Jonathan Holliday describes finding Yorkshire's first Blyth's Pipit near Wakefield in West Yorkshire.
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced federal protection for the rufa subspecies of the Red Knot, designating it as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
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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 >

Nature and wildlife-lovers are heading to the Houses of Parliament today [Tues 9 Dec] to shake politicians out of the Westminster bubble and get them to take nature seriously.
Read the full story here

After an influx of exotic continental butterfly species into the UK in 2014 Butterfly Conservation believe 2015 could be one of the most exciting for in a generation.
Read the full story here

Andy Stoddart reviews a new magazine title featuring the latest news, exciting research and stunning imagery from the natural world. Plus a special offer for RBA users save over 50% on a subscription
Read the review here >

A photographic guide to habitats, this lavishly illustrated book provides a comprehensive overview of the natural history and conservation landscape of Britain and Ireland, in essence a habitat field guide.
Special offer for RBA users just £18.75! Read the review here >

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 >

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 in a brilliantly engaging style by biologist Jules Howard, this fascinating and highly readable work covers the how and why of sex on Earth, in all its diversity. Special offer for RBA users just £12.99!
Read the review here

The BBRC have announced that Micky Maher has been confirmed as our new member, replacing James Lidster who retired as the longest-serving member last month.
Read the full story here

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

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

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

Broadcaster and envorinmentalist Chris Packham, along with his production team, have won the award for 'best environmental campaign by a journalist' at 2014 Green Ribbon Awards.
Read the full story here

Britain's first ever official National Bird Vote has so far gained over 50,000 votes and as clear favourites emerged the closing date for entries has been extended until 30 November.
Read the full story here

Warblr is a mobile app that recognises birds by their song, using technology to re-engage people with nature and data to aid conservation. There's less than one week left to support their Kickstarter fundraising campaign, which will allow the full launch of the app in the spring. Read the full story here

More than two million migrating raptors passed over Panama City on Sunday, Nov. 2, doubling the previous record of almost 900,000 tallied in a single day last year. This season at least three million raptors flew over Panama City on their 3,000 journey from North to South America. Read the full story here

Conservationists are thrilled that Lapwings, birds which have been disappearing from the UK, have had a successful 2014 breeding season in grassland habitats managed by the RSPB.
Read the full story here

The RSPB report that that a project to bring the Cirl Bunting back to Cornwall is celebrating its best year to date. Read the full story here

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

Contender for one of the finds of the year, dedicated patch worker Mike Morse recounts finding a Little Bustard at West Bexington, Dorset.
Read the full story here

Hundreds of special diverters have saved migrating swans and geese from colliding with overhead power lines in Lancashire following the first study of its kind in the country.
Read the full story here

More than 350 of the planet's most important sites for nature are threatened with being lost forever according to a new report by BirdLife International.
Read the full story here

The RSPB is urging Defra to publish the workable elements of the Hen Harrier Action Plan, which the Society believes could bring about the recovery of one of England's most beleaguered birds of prey.
Read the full story here

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

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

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

Two historic global agreements that will help save migratory bird species across the world have been reached.
Read the full story here

The first family of Bewick's Swans finally arrived at WWT Slimbridge this week. The event is traditionally seen as signalling the start of winter and this year is around two weeks later than usual.
Read the full story here

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

Mick Turton describes finding Yorkshire's second ever Blackpoll Warbler whilst setting down to his usual Sunday morning cup of tea and slice of toast at his home in Easington, East Yorkshire.
Read the full story here

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

What was meant to be a morning dog walk, with the outside chance of finding a migrant or two, turned into a day to remember for Ian Kendall when he ended up finding Britain's 3rd ever Eastern Crowned Warbler!
Read the full story here

Andrew Tongue describes what happened after a chance meeting with a woman in Porthgwarra, Cornwall who had seen an "unusual bird" in the Sallows at near the car park in Porthgwarra.
Read the full story here

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

Illegal persecution continues to deprive the UK countryside of our native birds of prey and we are challenging leaders in the shooting community to acknowledge this and take real action to stop the killing.
Read the full story here

The Innovation Jacket by Country Innovation is a jacket designed for birders in every way, fully water and wind proof it has a multitude of design features especially for birders. And RBA users can get £40 off with an exclusive offer. Full details about the special offer here

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

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

Andy Stoddart reviews the latest in the New Naturalist Series which documents the parks and green spaces unique to Britain's cities, and the wildlife that has flourished in these habitats.
Read Andy's review here

Following his regular census route Mark Warren, from North Ron Bird Observatory, was checking out a redpoll in Holland House Garden when a bird evading a Merlin dropped into the garden and caught his attention. Minutes later he was watching Orkney's first Black-billed Cuckoo and only the 15th to occur in the British Isles.
Read Mark's finders account here

The UK's smallest and rarest swan has suffered an alarming crash in numbers, according to new figures released today by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT).
Read the full story here

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

Andy Stoddart reviews this book by Mark Cocker, a series of essays centred on Claxton in Norfolk. Plus there is an exclusive special offer from WildSounds.com.
Read the full review here