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| Topsey-turvey year for garden birds (Conservation News) |
| The 2013 annual results for the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Garden BirdWatch (GBW) have just been published and reveal an interesting year for birds, with a very cold spring, a poor breeding season and a good autumn berry and seed crop all playing their part. Read more here |
| Written by: BTO (20 Mar 2014) | |
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| Champions of the Flyway - A unique bird race for conservation (Conservation News) |
| Fourteen teams of adrenalin charged birders will step boldly into the Israeli night at midnight on 31 March, as they cross the start line of a unique, new, bird race. Champions of the Flyway is the brainchild of SPNI (BirdLife in Israel) and will raise conservation funds to help BirdLife Partners tackle the illegal killing of birds in Southern and Eastern Europe. And RBA are delighted to be able to support one of teams. Read more here |
| Written by: BirdLife (19 Mar 2014) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 12 - 18 Mar 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Plenty of birds were on offer as the weather generally remained fairly settled and favourable to more common March migrants and a few overshoots too. Whilst in West Sussex a hoaxed Savannah Sparrow was the unsavoury 'lowlight' of the week! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (19 Mar 2014) | |
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| Book review: Ten Thousand Birds: Ornithology since Darwin (Book review) |
| Provides a thoroughly engaging and authoritative history of modern ornithology, tracing how the study of birds has been shaped by a succession of visionary and often-controversial personalities, and by the unique social and scientific contexts in which these extraordinary individuals worked. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (04 Mar 2014) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 19 - 25 Feb 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
Unlike their recent exploits in the Six Nations, Ireland managed a triple crown... of Ross's Gulls! Elsewhere it was a case of as you were with long-stayers such American Coot and Red-flanked Bluetail remaining in residence whilst the 2013/14 gull-fest continued.
Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (26 Feb 2014) | |
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| Book review: The North American Bird Guide, second edition (David Sibley) (Book review) |
| When David Sibley's North American Bird Guide was first published in 2000, it instantly became the definitive field guide for the region. Andy Stoddart gets his hands on this highly anticipated second edition and isn't left disappointed. SPECIAL OFFER £21.49 for RBA customers with £1.10 of every sale going to Spoon-billed Sandpiper conservation. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (21 Feb 2014) | |
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| The Birds of London (Book review) |
| SPECIAL OFFER £41.99 for RBA customers with £2 of every sale going to Spoon-billed Sandpiper conservation. The status, distribution and history of every species on the regional list is discussed in rich detail in Birds of London, the first comprehensive avifauna for the London area ever published. More here |
| Written by: Rare Bird Alert (19 Feb 2014) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 12 - 18 Feb 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| There were two undoubted talking points this week, the first of which wasn't even a bird! The weather dominated, with Britain and Ireland seeing some of the strongest wind and heaviest rain ever recorded! Whilst in Kent a Chinese Pond Heron provided the avian topic of conversation. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (19 Feb 2014) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 05 - 11 Feb 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Any thoughts that 2014 might start to 'quieten' down were well and truly dismissed as three top quality finds were made. A classic near-adult Slaty-backed Gull in Galway was the star turn with a Myrtle Warbler in Co.Durham and Fea's Petrel in East Yorks providing heavyweight back-up! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (12 Feb 2014) | |
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| Book review: Lost Animals (Book review) |
| A truly extraordinary collection of photographs of animals now extinct in the wild. Often tinted sepia or in black-and-white, these images were taken in zoos or wildlife parks and in a handful of cases feature the last remaining example of the species. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (06 Feb 2014) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 28 Jan - 4th 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A dead American Purple Gallinule in Co.Mayo was a case of what could have been whilst in Gloucestershire a dedicated patch worker stumbles across Britain's first ever wintering Red-flanked Bluetail. A new Ivory Gull in Ireland and plenty of long staying megas meant it was another busy week! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (05 Feb 2014) | |
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| Book review: Ghosts of Gone Birds (Book review) |
| This an unusual book, tracing the story of a unique art project which has sought to explore and highlight the story of extinct bird species, the 'gone birds' of its title. Read the review here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (31 Jan 2014) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 22 - 28 Jan 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| By recent standards it was a relatively quiet week but still there were plenty of quality birds to he had. Midland birders were treated to a county first in the shape of a Humes's Yellow-browed Warbler in Warwickshire. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (29 Jan 2014) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 15 - 21 Jan 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Arctic birds continue to dominate proceedings this week, top of the list being a Pacific Diver found at Lough Fea County Tyrone. Other highlights include a Ross's Gull in Dublin, Ivory Gull in Wexford, Thayer's Gull in Glamorgan and American Coot in Highland. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (22 Jan 2014) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 08 - 14 Jan 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Two weeks into 2014 and we are still looking to the amazing year of 2013 to make the headlines. A White-winged Scoter seen off Musselburgh on Boxing Day gets identified as Britain's first Stejneger's Scoter! Elsewhere Ireland gets in on the Ivory Gull action with a super showy bird at Tacumshin. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (15 Jan 2014) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 24 Dec 2013 - 07 Jan 2014 (Weekly Roundup) |
| In a double helping covering the Christmas and the New Year fortnight, Jon Dunn brings you details of all the best birds. In Dorset a long-staying Brunnich's Guillemot delighted those who could drag themselves away from the turkey leftovers! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Jon Dunn (08 Jan 2014) | |
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| RBA Scarce and Rare Bird Round-up Photograph of 2013 (Personal Account) |
| 2013 will go down as one of the most memorable years in British and Irish birding history. We received many excellent photographs for inclusion on our weekly round-ups and so to give credit to those photographers who have been generous enough to post their images, it was decided to hold the inaugural RBA Review Photograph of the Year award. See the contenders and winners here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (06 Jan 2014) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 18 - 23 Dec 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| In the last round-up of 2013, Mark Golley brings us the weeks highlights. A possible Steller's Eider in Lothian got the pulses racing for a short while. Cheshire scored a first in the shape of an American Buff-bellied Pipit and in E.Yorks the juvenile Ivory Gull continued to perform at Patrington. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (24 Dec 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 11 - 17 Dec 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A very wintry feel to the round-up this week with gulls taking the limelight. In Co.Donegal an adult Thayer's Gull was a top-drawer find whilst back in Britain an Ivory Gull in East Yorkshire drew the largest crowds. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (18 Dec 2013) | |
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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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