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Purple Heron fledgling takes first flight (Conservation News) |
Go to article The first Purple Heron chick ever to be raised successfully in the UK has taken its first flight and is learning to fend for itself. One chick has been seen flying around the RSPB’s Dungeness nature reserve in Kent. |
Written by: RSPB (05 Aug 2010) | |
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Breeding Spoonbills cause a stir (Conservation News) |
Go to article The Spoonbill - which has bred only four times in Britain in the last three centuries – has had a stunning success at Natural England’s Holkham reserve in Norfolk - for the first time in over 300 years the UK has its own breeding colony of these beautiful birds. |
Written by: Natural England (02 Aug 2010) | |
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New appointments to the BOURC committee (Conservation News) |
Go to article This summer sees several changes to the membership of BOURC as they announce the appointments of Martin Collinson as Chairman, and James Gilroy as an ordinary member of the Committee. |
Written by: BOURC (27 Jul 2010) | |
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Little Bittern breeding confirmed (Conservation News) |
Go to article Following much speculation the RSPB have confirmed that Little Bitterns have in fact bred successfully in Somerset, only the second time they have bred in Britain. |
Written by: RSPB (27 Jul 2010) | |
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Have Little Bitterns bred in Somerset? (Conservation News) |
Go to article With sightings of both a male and female Little Bittern at Ham Wall RSPB recently there is growing speculation, and hope, that they may have successfully bred there this year. |
Written by: RSPB (13 Jul 2010) | |
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Sightings galore on the Scillonian III Pelagic Trip (Conservation News) |
Go to article A pelagic in the south west can be the highlight of many birders year. Great and Cory's Shearwaters are highly likely and with the added possibilty or rarities such as Wilson's Petrel its an opportunity not to be missed. |
Written by: Shelly Fletcher (09 Jul 2010) | |
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Nature of Iraq - from marshes to mountains (Conservation News) |
Go to article For the past six years Richard Porter has been working with young Iraqi conservationists to help them prepare for their wildlife surveys in a war-torn country. This July they are celebrating their endeavours, and the wildlife of Iraq, with an exhibition and talk in North Norfolk. |
Written by: Richard Porter (30 Jun 2010) | |
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Crested Tit Photography Guide (Species accounts) |
Go to article Getting good views of Crested Tit can be a challenge in itself. So getting frame filling photos of this endearing bird is an even greater challenge. Photographer and bird guide Marcus Conway shares his photography and field craft expertise with tips and advice on how to get face to face with this diminutive Scottish gem. |
Written by: Marcus Conway (30 Jun 2010) | |
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House Martin numbers low (Press report) |
Go to article Initial results from the RSPB’s summer wildlife survey, Make Your Nature Count, reveals that House Martin numbers are worryingly low. |
Written by: Birdwatch (15 Jun 2010) | |
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Killdeer found nesting in Azores (Press report) |
Go to article After a series of sightings involving several individuals over the winter, Killdeer has been found nesting on Santa Maria in the Azores - the first proved breeding record in the Western Palearctic. |
Written by: Birdwatch (15 Jun 2010) | |
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Great Bustards on the increase (Conservation News) |
Go to article One of the most spectacular birds on the planet, the Great Bustard looks set to consolidate its return to the UK with the team behind its reintroduction confirming the presence of four nests, with four chicks hatched so far this year. |
Written by: Great Bustard Group (10 Jun 2010) | |
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Eagle Owl filmed raiding English Hen Harrier nest (Press report) |
Go to article An Eagle Owl in Bowland, Lancashire, has been caught on CCTV attacking a female Hen Harrier on its nest. Natural England and the RSPB confirmed that while the owl was still present a few hours later, the incubating harrier has not been seen again and its nest has now failed. |
Written by: Birdwatch (10 Jun 2010) | |
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EU "too slow to act" on seabird deaths (Press report) |
Go to article Huge numbers of seabirds are dying because of the failure of the European Commission to force fishing fleets to adopt simple measures already in use in the southern hemisphere, claims the RSPB |
Written by: Birdwatch (09 Jun 2010) | |
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Is the Cuckoo clocking in too late? (Conservation News) |
Go to article During the last 25 years the number of breeding Cuckoos in the UK has dropped by over two-thirds. Could climate-induced changes that allow birds like the Dunnock and Meadow Pipit to nest up to a week earlier than in 1994, mean the Cuckoo is arriving back in the UK too late to lay eggs in their nests? |
Written by: BTO (28 May 2010) | |
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Purple Heron nests in Britain. (Conservation News) |
Go to article For the first time ever Britain is hosting a nesting pair of Purple Herons at Dungeness in Kent but this newest species breeding bird is under threat from an airport development in Kent. |
Written by: Birdwatch (19 May 2010) | |
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Irish Twite danger (Press report) |
Go to article Twite face imminent extinction in Ireland according to BirdWatch Ireland. Conservation measures have been proposed to try and save the remaining breeding population. |
Written by: Birdwatch (15 May 2010) | |
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Norway blasts Irish eagle deaths (Annual Rarity Review) |
Go to article The discovery of a dead White-tailed Eagle, the third to be found dead in Ireland in the last month, has brought fierce criticism from the Norwegian ambassador to Ireland. The eagles are part of a reintroduction scheme involving bird brought from Norway. |
Written by: Birdwatch (14 May 2010) | |
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Vole numbers boost owls (Conservation News) |
Go to article Populations of Tawny Owls have been booming in Kielder Forest according to the Forestry Commission, which believes that this is due to an increase in vole numbers. |
Written by: Birdwatch (04 May 2010) | |
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Latest BTO Garden Birdwatch results published (Press report) |
Go to article The latest results from the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO’s) Garden BirdWatch have just been published and reveal dramatic increases in some garden birds, and sadly, continuing declines in others. |
Written by: BTO (01 May 2010) | |
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BBRC seeks new member (Conservation News) |
Go to article The British Bird Rarities Committee seeks a new candidate to replace their longest serving member, John Sweeney, in June 2010. |
Written by: BBRC (30 Apr 2010) | |
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Great Crane Project gets a boost (Press report) |
Go to article The first eight crane chicks destined to be released into the wild later this year as part of the Great Crane Project have successfully hatched at WWT Slimbridge. |
Written by: RSPB (30 Apr 2010) | |
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Models used to attract Ospreys (Conservation News) |
Go to article Life-sized polystyrene Ospreys are being used at an RSPB reserve in an attempt to attract the real thing to some specially made nests. |
Written by: Birdwatch (23 Apr 2010) | |
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Southern England’s birds in decline (Conservation News) |
Go to article Latest figures, published by the UK Government, reveal that many England’s birds are still declining, especially in the south. Farmland and woodland birds have suffered the greatest falls. |
Written by: Birdwatch (21 Apr 2010) | |
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Scottish Red Kites slaughtered (Conservation News) |
Go to article New research into the reasons behind the low expansion rate of the Red Kite population of the north of Scotland reveals that the species is being severely restricted by illegal killing. |
Written by: Birdwatch (20 Apr 2010) | |
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Crane collection hit by volcano ash (Conservation News) |
Go to article Plans to bring back the eggs of wild cranes for a project to re-introduce the birds to Somerset have been hit by the air-travel chaos caused by Iceland’s volcanic activity. |
Written by: Birdwatch (20 Apr 2010) | |
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Harrier watch project (Press report) |
Go to article The first recorded breeding of Marsh Harriers in Northumberland for 130 years has led to a community project being set up to encourage local people to volunteer to watch them. |
Written by: Birdwatch (07 Apr 2010) | |
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Kingfisher count (Press report) |
Go to article British Waterways’ annual wildlife survey is focusing on the Kingfisher in a bid to find out how it has fared during Britain’s severe winter weather. |
Written by: Birdwatch (20 Mar 2010) | |
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Swifts like old buildings (Press report) |
Go to article A nationwide plea for swift sightings has revealed the critical role that Britain’s householders play in the future of this declining species. Almost all swifts recorded were found nesting on buildings and over three quarters of them (77%), found nesting in houses. |
Written by: Birdwatch (17 Mar 2010) | |
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Swallows stay healthy (Press report) |
Go to article Swallows which eat a healthy diet are able to reproduce more successfully, according to research which studied the nutritional status of birds during the gruelling breeding season. |
Written by: Birdwatch (06 Mar 2010) | |
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Waxwing returns (Press report) |
Go to article A Waxwing has returned to a Scottish garden for the second winter running, identified by colour rings that were attached to it last winter, one of very few records of such a return to Britain. |
Written by: Birdwatch (06 Mar 2010) | |
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100 million bird records (Press report) |
Go to article Britain’s biggest databank of bird records reached a milestone this last week as the British Trust for Ornithology collected its 100 millionth observation, which was submitted to its BirdTrack survey. |
Written by: Birdwatch (27 Feb 2010) | |
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Help for rare crane (Press report) |
Go to article The future of the Critically Endangered Siberian Crane is looking brighter thanks to an international effort by China, Iran, Kazakhstan and Russia, four countries along the bird's dramatic migratory routes. |
Written by: Birdwatch (27 Feb 2010) | |
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Fat birds fly faster (Press report) |
Go to article Migrating birds which have good fat reserves make shorter stops to feed during their long journeys than thin birds, which have to stay and replenish their energy stores, says recent research. |
Written by: Birdwatch (20 Feb 2010) | |
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Mixed fortunes for Britain’s waterbirds (Press report) |
Go to article Winter wetland bird numbers have undergone some startling changes over the last decade according to a new report that looks at the fluctuating fortunes of many visitors to Britain. |
Written by: Birdwatch (20 Feb 2010) | |
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Protect Europe’s seabirds (Conservation News) |
Go to article With an estimated two million seabirds deaths in waters around Europe and the Atlantic in the last decade, due the European fishing industry, the RSPB and BirdLife International is calling for the slaughter to stop. |
Written by: Birdwatch (22 Jan 2010) | |
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Birds seek refuge in Britain’s snowy gardens (Conservation News) |
Go to article The latest results from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) show Britain’s birds are flooding into gardens, as food in the countryside becomes harder to find under the blanket of snow and ice. |
Written by: BTO (14 Jan 2010) | |
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Puffins’ winter home secrets (Conservation News) |
Go to article Puffins that breed on the Isle of May off the coast of east Scotland, have been tracked during the winter time for the first time, giving new insight into the problems they face. |
Written by: Birdwatch (14 Jan 2010) | |
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First Marine Conservation Zone established (Conservation News) |
Go to article An island off the coast of Devon has today (12 January) become England’s first Marine Conservation Zone, established as part of an ongoing network of marine protected areas. |
Written by: Birdwatch (12 Jan 2010) | |
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Arctic Tern migration revealed (Conservation News) |
Go to article The migration route taken by Arctic Terns through the Atlantic Ocean has been revealed for the first time thanks to small tracking devices that were attached to several birds. |
Written by: Birdwatch (12 Jan 2010) | |
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Don’t disturb the birds (Conservation News) |
Go to article The RSPB is calling on everyone who enjoys being out in the countryside to take extra care not to disturb wildlife, especially birds, during this exceptionally cold spell. |
Written by: Birdwatch (08 Jan 2010) | |
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Help the birds this winter (Conservation News) |
Go to article As one of the coldest winters in decades hits parts of Britain with snow and freezing temperatures, the RSPB is appealing for people to spare a thought for those birds who need our help to survive. |
Written by: Birdwatch (07 Jan 2010) | |
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A bumper breeding season (Press report) |
Go to article The RSPB's Abernethy Forest Nature Reserve had the best capercaillie breeding season for 13 years in 2009. |
Written by: RSPB (31 Dec 2009) | |
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Where are the Goldcrests? (Conservation News) |
Go to article There has been an obvious dearth of Goldcrests this autumn, with fewer than usual sightings in many parts of Britain. This is confirmed by the latest report from the BTO’s BirdTrack. |
Written by: Birdwatch (11 Dec 2009) | |
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New bid to save endangered reedbeds (Conservation News) |
Go to article A once-in-a-decade gathering of conservation experts will take place this week, to discuss the best ways to protect Britain’s most threatened wildlife habitat, which is under threat from climate change. |
Written by: Birdwatch (30 Nov 2009) | |
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Dartford Warbler crash (Conservation News) |
Go to article Survey work has revealed that some populations of Dartford Warbler in south-east England have crashed alarmingly following the severe winter weather in February 2009. |
Written by: Birdwatch (30 Nov 2009) | |
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Monitoring by song (Conservation News) |
Go to article A new method for accurately monitoring bird populations has been developed using recordings of bird songs, giving a much better estimate of bird densities than trapping or counting by ear. |
Written by: Birdwatch (30 Nov 2009) | |
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Europe's fisheries kill seabirds (Conservation News) |
Go to article The UK’s Fisheries Minister is calling on the EU to introduce new measures to reduce the huge slaughter of seabirds which occurs in European waters every year. |
Written by: Birdwatch (24 Nov 2009) | |
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Red Kites in peril across Europe (Conservation News) |
Go to article The recent drop in Red Kite numbers in Europe is so alarming that the EU has adopted a new action plan which will be implemented across Europe in a bid to halt the decline. |
Written by: Birdwatch (24 Nov 2009) | |
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Parakeet study needs help (Conservation News) |
Go to article A four-year study into the effects of the introduced Ring-necked Parakeet on native bird species in Britain needs help in estimating the current population, and is calling on birdwatchers for assistance. |
Written by: Birdwatch (24 Nov 2009) | |
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Azores Bullfinch gets funding (Conservation News) |
Go to article One of Europe's most critically endangered birds is to receive a major boost with new funding towards its conservation thanks to the efforts of Birdwatch magazine and its readers. |
Written by: Birdwatch (13 Nov 2009) | |
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Kite poisoned in Northern Ireland (Conservation News) |
Go to article A Red Kite has been found illegally poisoned in Co Down, Northern Ireland only a few months after its release as part of the scheme to reintroduce the species. |
Written by: Birdwatch (10 Nov 2009) | |
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Farmland birds still declining (Conservation News) |
Go to article Britain’s farmland birds show a continuing downward trend in populations, according to latest figures, published by the Government. Woodland birds have also declined while wetland birds have increased. |
Written by: Birdwatch (29 Oct 2009) | |
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Wind farm go ahead on Lewis (Conservation News) |
Go to article A decision to grant consent to a wind farm within a designated Special Protection Area on the island of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, has been greeted with dismay by RSPB Scotland. |
Written by: Birdwatch (29 Oct 2009) | |
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Wildlife haven reduces flood risks (Conservation News) |
Go to article A new RSPB project which re-creates a rare and vanishing habitat for wildlife, as well as helps to reduce the risk of flooding along the River Forth has reached fruition this week. |
Written by: Birdwatch (20 Oct 2009) | |
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Glossy Ibises show their colours (Conservation News) |
Go to article The amazing influx of Glossy Ibises into Britain and Ireland this autumn has brought with it a number of colour-ringed birds and the BTO has been trying to track them. |
Written by: Birdwatch (20 Oct 2009) | |
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Rare ibis shot (Conservation News) |
Go to article One of the world’s rarest birds has been shot by a hunter in Saudi Arabia. This leaves the known wild Middle Eastern population of Northern Bald Ibis reduced to only just four individuals. |
Written by: Birdwatch (25 Sep 2009) | |
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Seabirds on the rise (Press report) |
Go to article Worries over the depletion of Sand Eels and other vital food for Scotland's seabird colonies were assuaged somewhat this year, as most northern colonies have had their most productive year for over almost a decade, counts by the RSPB have revealed. |
Written by: Birdwatch (15 Sep 2009) | |
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A boom in numbers (Press report) |
Go to article Long term conservation planning has seen bittern numbers rise again in Britain's expanded and revived wetland habitats. |
Written by: Birdwatch (15 Sep 2009) | |
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Money for machair conservation (Press report) |
Go to article The conservation of the unique Hebridean machair is set to receive funding to the tune of £2 million, thanks to a massive money boost from Scottish and EU grant funds. |
Written by: Birdwatch (28 Aug 2009) | |
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Broady the birding Bullfinch (Press report) |
Go to article An extremely tame juvenile Bullfinch is proving a popular draw at one of the RSPB's wetlands reserves, this August. |
Written by: Birdwatch (28 Aug 2009) | |
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Caught red-handed! (Conservation News) |
Go to article A camera has captured the moment a thief tried to make off with the eggs of a rare bird. |
Written by: RSPB (18 Aug 2009) | |
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Osprey on track (Conservation News) |
Go to article Loch Garten’s Osprey chicks have started their long journey south to their wintering ground in Africa. As they move down through Britain and across to Europe you can track them online to see where they go. |
Written by: Birdwatch (18 Aug 2009) | |
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Animal poisoning falls in Scotland (Conservation News) |
Go to article The number of animal poisoning incidents in Scotland has fallen between 2007 and 2008. However, the government admits that more must be done to control pesticide abuse. |
Written by: Birdwatch (18 Aug 2009) | |
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Egg hoarders in court (Conservation News) |
Go to article Endangered birds’ eggs were among several hundred discovered at a North Wales man’s house. Pleading guilty at Llandudno Magistrates Court, he has now been sentenced. |
Written by: Birdwatch (18 Aug 2009) | |
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