Tim writes: 2017 has seen a massive influx of Hawfinches into Britain and some have turned up in places that they don’t usually occur, including this one near Barnsley. It was feeding on the seeds of Field Maple. Hawfinches are Britain’s largest breeding finch, but they are also probably our most elusive. They spend…
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Guest blog – Bird of the Year by Ian Parsons
Ian Parsons spent twenty years working as a Ranger with the Forestry Commission, where he not only worked with birds of prey and dormice, but where he developed his passion for trees. Now a freelance writer, Ian runs his own specialist bird tour company leading tours to Extremadura. For more details see www.griffonholidays.com This is…
Tim Melling – Augur Buzzard
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Tim writes: The Augur Buzzard (Buteo augur) is found in upland areas of Ethiopia, plus many areas further south in Africa. It has two colour forms; a pale morph with a white body and underwing coverts, and a black morph like this one. They have an easy-to-recognise shape with bulging wings and a very short rufous…
Update – we are 10,890 ahead
Here is an update on three e-petitions about grouse shooting: Gavin Gamble’s e-petition in favour of banning driven grouse shooting – 24,600+ signatures Jane Griggs’s e-petition supporting grouse shooting – 13,700+ signatures Ed Hutchings’s e-petition in favour of licensing grouse shooting – 1600+ signatures This is the mid-point of the Gamble e-petition – another three…
Tim Melling – Red Admiral
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Tim writes: It is a myth that the name Red Admiral is a corruption of Red Admirable. The earliest recorded use of Red Admiral was posthumously by Thomas Moffet in 1634 (Moffat died in 1604 so the name must have been in use by the early seventeenth century). The name Admirable was first used…