|
|
Front Page News
-
|
Try as we might to resolve the problem with the web-cam pictures of the Loch Garten osprey nest, we haven't yet managed to do so. The problem appears to be the piece of kit called the router. I remember stirring in the wee small hours on Thursday...
|
-
|
Yesterday evening, and into the night, several RSPB staff scoured the Nene Washes for singing corncrakes (see blog of 24 May, Last night I went to Eldernell...). It was worth their effort because one new bird was found and the total this year looks as...
|
-
|
...is barn owl, and this afternoon I had the pleasure of seeing one of the two chicks in the presence of Peter Kendall, President of the National Farmers Union. Everyone likes barn owls - I know they are one of my favourite birds - and it's great...
|
-
|
Imagine the breeze playing across your face, the sun warming your skin and the gentle sound of a bee buzzing by your left elbow. There is a waft of humidity and the scent of a thousand entwined stems and open petals fill your nostrils. You’re in...
|
-
|
I've had to take dead birds to the vets many times before, but this time I had a real sinking feeling. Minutes after handing over the limp corpse I was staring at an X-ray, which confirmed my worst fears. I could see 11 pieces of gunshot in what had...
|
-
|
Ten thousand, three hundred and forty seven. That's the number of people who logged on and added their names to our call for an end to the killing of birds of prey in just two days. It could have been more. Such was the volume of traffic, the website...
|
-
|
A pair of eagle owls has chicks on one of our 200+ nature reserves. More on this at a later date....
|
-
|
The time has come, well almost. We plan to ring and satellite tag the young ospreys on Monday 6 July at c.8 am. This is somewhat dependent on weather. If conditions are not right, then it will be postponed until that evening possibly or even the next...
|
-
|
The 15 new birds have been in captivity for nearly a week now, they weighed between 3 and 4.8kg on arrival and have settled down to eating fish (escapees from fish farms!) venison and will try some rabbit over the weekend. Only the 3 youngest birds (aged...
|
-
|
Did you enjoy Springwatch? Our event was very successful, despite the rain. Typically, it started raining about five minutes before Chris Packham arrived, and stopped shortly before he left. Despite thios, the crowds gathered to meet Chris, who chatted...
|
-
|
Guillemots are great. They spend the winter at sea, returning to shore for the breeding season. They are well adapted for life at sea, and able to dive to great depths to feed. They've had their share of trouble in recent years, what with the lack...
|
-
|
Sharon Boardman, People Engagement Officer for the Midlands, tells me how the peregrines of Worcester got on this year: 'With four chicks successfully hatching high above our heads on St. Andrew's Spire, we couldn't have hoped for a better...
|
-
|
Our Carbon Footprint One of the challenges for farmers over the next few years will be how they adapt their businesses to Climate Change. Farming contributes 8% of the UK's Greenhouse Gas emissions including about 39% of methane emissions (largely...
|
-
|
The Sustainable Development Commission may not quite have the snappiest name in history – but they do have one or two decent ideas up their sleeve. The SDC – to give them their obligatory three letter acronym – is holding an event in...
|
-
|
This year is already a terrible year for illegal killing of peregrine falcons. Sometimes we are told that we exagerrate the scale of illegal killing of birds of prey, but given the fact that such activity is totally illegal, so that the perpetrators aren't...
|
-
|
From across the glen, the heat haze was too strong but I could just make out some flapping on the nest. One chick was still there. During the morning both Frisa & Skye came in but went straight to the nest. As the heat of the day intensified, I moved...
|
-
|
The most incredible thunder storm rolled up St Brides bay from the south of Ramsey on Thursday night, watched by hundreds of intrepid spectators on the Pembrokeshire beaches. Also watching the impending drama were island wardens and volunteers from the...
|
-
|
The chough chicks at Llechwedd Slate Caverns were ringed earlier this month by a crack team of rock climbers and licensed birds ringers. Ringing took place at the nest and was done as quickly as possible to avoid any unnecessary distress to the chicks....
|
-
|
I'd like to bring you some definitive and positive news on the 'missing' chick at Loch Frisa but I'm sorry I can't. However, you always tell us you want to know the facts as they happen so I'm afraid there is no easy way to say...
|
-
|
'Wow' and 'amazing' are words often over used, but last Wednesday I couldn't stop them from continually spilling out of my mouth in my excitment at seeing so many seabirds and their fluffy chicks. You see I was at our Bempton Cliffs...
|
-
|
We were delighted when we spotted the first fluffy grey razorbill chicks on the cliffs of Rathlin Island on 15 June. This is the same date as the previous earliest recorded hatching date at this colony. Chicks that hatch early are generally considered...
|
-
|
The elderflowers have almost all gone and blackberries are turning from green to purple . I've also noticed the conkers forming on the trees along Hackney's Upper Clapton Road. While the elderflowers and conkers are roughly sticking to the traditional...
|
-
|
On Thursday 18 June the weather conditions were ideal to ring the young chicks, so an early start was essential. At 9am that morning myself, Steve and Adrienne (from BTO), and two volunteers (Judith Babbage and Gwyn Harrison) were there to witness the...
|
-
|
On my day off yesterday, I has planned a leisurely day of housework, gardening, dog walking and beached bird surveys. Beach bird surveys take place on the last Sunday of every month in Shetland. Organised by SOTEAG/Aberdeen University, people walk various...
|
-
|
Ex-Environment Minister, now Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Ben Bradshaw is interviewed in today's Independent on Sunday (probably because he has moved up from 24 to 8 in the paper's Pink List). Although he was not my favourite...
|
|
|
|