This is the Senne fishponds SPA – and has been the subject of an EU Life project. Can you almost hear the waterbirds singing when you look at that photograph? This was a day with warblers coming out of our ears: Barred, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Icterine, Grasshopper,…
Category: ME:
Another BBS first visit
I surveyed my second BBS square on Tuesday morning. It was sunny and there were lots of birds. This site starts and ends in a village which is packed full of birds; heads out along the River Nene where there are quite a lot of birds; and then before returning to the village traverses some…
First BBS visit
I was up early, although not that early for me, yesterday to visit one of my two Breeding Bird Survey squares. This is the 12th year I have covered this particular 1km square on the border of Cambs and Northants – it almost feels like mine after all this time. The weather was cold, and…
Northants gleanings 2
It’s been good to visit some local sites over the last few days and check up on how spring is progressing. At the airfield on the Beds/Northants border it felt more like winter than spring. But I heard and saw my first UK Whitethroat of 2016 and there were two migrant Wheatears too, so it…
Talking
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It seems a long time ago that I spoke to the Devon Birds society and the Somerset Ornithological Society – but both were great evenings. Thank you! Next week it is back to Devon and the RSPB Exeter group on Tuesday, then east Surrey RSPB group on Wednesday and RSPB central London group on Thursday!
Champions of the Flyway 2016 – blog 7
A few final thoughts on the Champions of the Flyway event: It was a great experience and a privilege to be there – I’ll remember the birds (some of them) for a long time, but it will be the people I’ll remember for ever. Seeing scores of Israeli children taking part in the bird race…
Champions of the Flyway 2016 – blog 6
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Day 6 – the morning after! 30 March The teams, and not just the international teams but Israeli team and childrens’ teams too, assembled on the beach for a group photo at 10am and then there was an awards ceremony in a local hotel. Here are the final standings of the teams –…
Champions of the Flyway 2016 – blog 5
Day 5 – race day! 29 March I was driving to start with, and actually did so all day. We left just after 2am and, despite a flashlight incident, made good progress, picking up Greater Flamingo in the adjacent saltpans within five minutes. This was easy! The next bird was a Barn Owl an hour…
Champions of the Flyway 2016 – blog 4
Day 4 – Monday 28 March The day before race day. Beginning to put on our game faces. One of the really lovely elements of the Champions of the Flyways events is its friendliness. Teams are encouraged to share information and expertise – and most did through WhatsApp. We both benefitted from this and contributed…
Champions of the Flyway 2016 – blog 3
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Day 3 – Sunday 27 March I’ve long wanted to visit Eilat in migration time and here I am! Eilat is a holiday resort on the Red Sea – most people are here to relax and soak up the sun. A couple of hundred of us are here to take part in a Bird Race. …