The scientific name of the Ringed Kingfisher is Megaceryle torquata which translates (roughly) as Megakingfisher with a collar. The white collar is also the feature that gives rise to “Ringed”. It is found throughout Tropical America but occurs right down to Teirra del Fuego. It is the largest Kingfisher in the Americas, even bigger…
Author: Mark
Born Bristol, UK
Educated: Cleeve House School Bristol, Bristol Grammar School and Downing College Cambridge
Ph.D. University of Aberdeen, Winter activity of pipistrelle bats.
NERC post-doctoral Research Fellow, Edward Grey Institute, Oxford University
Former Conservation Director of the RSPB, 1989-2011
Saturday cartoon by Ralph Underhill
Paperback now published
Behind the Binoculars is now out in paperback – even better value. Funnily enough, a second volume of interviews, Behind More Binoculars, is also approaching publication. More on that later.
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There is a new category in the Bird Photographer of the Year Awards this year – and you get to choose the winner. 30 excellent photographs that didn’t make the shortlist can be viewed here and the one with the most ‘likes’ by 21 March will win £250 and will be published in the book…
Toad all success?
The Solway Firth is the only area of Scotland with Natterjack Toads and one of the area’s important sites is the Mersehead RSPB nature reserve where storms damaged the dunes where the toads hibernate in 2013. New shallow ponds were created across the site for the toads to breed in. In spring 2014 there were…
Guest blog – Seeing the wood for the trees 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…
Birds and trees
Do you remember this image from Oscar Dewhurst? When I saw the image below, sent by blog reader Chris Gee, I wondered for a minute whether it was ‘same tree, different bird’ but a closer look proved that it wasn’t. Have you answered this short questionnaire on Little Owls?
Little trotty wagtail
The Pied Wagtail roost near my home is still going strong, although slightly less strong than earlier as there are now c200 Pied Wagtails roosting there. At the weekend I made a couple of early morning visits to watch the birds leaving the roost which they did over a period of just over half an…
Sunny day
Yesterday was a largely sunny day in east Northants. I met a friend for lunch and made several phone calls on my way home – usually from highpoints in the countryside with expansive views. Everywhere one looked there were pairs of displaying Buzzards. The most I saw at once was 13 birds in the air…
Little Owls – what do you think?
Yesterday I drove past Lilford Hall, up the road from where I live in east Northants, and thought, as I always do, of Little Owls. It was here that the first Little Owl nest in the UK was found in the grounds of Lilford Hall on St George’s Day 1889 after the bird was…