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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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| Diary of a WWT Warden - March 2013 (Personal Account) |
| Caerlaverock's WWT warden Mike Youdale is back with his diary from the Dumfries and Galloway reserve. In his first entry of 2013 Mike summarises the highs and lows of 2012 which proved to be a year dominated by extreme weather. Read more here |
| Written by: Mike Youdale, WWT (07 Mar 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 27 Feb - 05 Mar 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| As the first summer migrants began arriving in the south it was a mammalian species from the Arctic, on a brief stopover on North Ronaldsay, which provided the biggest surprise of the week. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (06 Mar 2013) | |
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| Pine-ing for a Grosbeak - a lesson on how not to twitch a mega. (Personal Account) |
| With a life list of over 520, accumulated over three decades one could be forgiven for thinking that Mark Golley would have the art twitching down to a tee. However after recently failing to connect with the long-staying Pine Grosbeak on Shetland Mark explains why he has now ordained himself as "Britain's Worst Twitcher"! Read more here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (04 Mar 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 20 - 26 Feb 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A week of little change with the drake Harlequin staying put on the Western Isles as did the Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset. The Pine Grosbeak appeared to depart Shetland whilst on the mainland a male Snowy Owl is found atop the Cairngorms. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (27 Feb 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 13 - 19 Feb 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| When a Pied-billed Grebe was found in Somerset during the early part of the week few would have predicted that it would get trumped. However nobody had accounted for a splendid drake Harlequin Duck turning up on North Uist! Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Andy Stoddart (20 Feb 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 06 - 12 Feb 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| Another week in February and another mega! Tacumshin in Co.Wexford hosted an all too brief Baikal Teal, Ireland's second record if accepted. Meanwhile on Shetland the very showy Pine Grosbeak remained on Mainland albeit giving a few a run around at times. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (13 Feb 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 30 Jan - 05 Feb 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A twitchable Pine Grosbeak on Shetland brought a sudden and much welcome end to the rarity drought. A juvenile American Herring Gull in Cork was a great find whilst in neighbouring Kerry another gull provided plenty for the larophiles on both sides of 'the pond' to talk about. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (06 Feb 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 23 - 29 Jan 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| In a week where we saw the last significant fall of snow (for now at least) there was little change in the way of new birds. Berkshire of all places was the place to be where the American Buff-bellied Pipit remained as did the Pallas's Warbler, whilst in Dorset an unusually elusive and equally unseasonal Hoopoe was a surprise find. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (30 Jan 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 16 - 22 Jan 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| A significant fall this week, unfortunately not of an avian nature rather one of Snow, meant little in the way of new discoveries. Still there was plenty of winter fayre on offer across the country for those brave enough to venture into the freezing temperatures. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (23 Jan 2013) | |
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| Weekly round-up: 09 - 15 Jan 2013 (Weekly Roundup) |
| In terms of new birds there wasn't a lot on offer this week, the highlight being the reappearance of the two American Buff-bellied Pipits in Berkshire. However the corpse of a White-tailed Tropicbird found on a Cumbria beach will provide much discussion for some time to come and somewhat of a headache for the rarities committee. Read the round-up here |
| Written by: Mark Golley (16 Jan 2013) | |
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| Book Review: Birds of Central Asia (Book review) |
| Norfolk rarities committee member Graham Etherington reviews Birds of Central Asia. It is the first field guide to include the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, along with neighbouring Afghanistan. Read the review here
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| Written by: Graham Etherington (07 Jan 2013) | |
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