Standing up for Nature
Tim writes: despite being an adult male, this shrike is proving problematical to identify. There seem to be three possibilities; Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus), Turkestan (Isabelline) Shrike (Lanius (isabellinus) phoenicuroides), or a hybrid between the two. Though very few hybrids involving Brown Shrike are known. When I started birdwatching these were all treated as races…
Tim writes: in early October a Hoopoe turned up not far from where I live in West Yorkshire so I decided to go to see it. When I arrived there was nobody else around and I stopped the car as it walked down the road in front of me. I took several photographs of it…
Peter Cairns: has had plenty opf his images used on this blog in a guest blog, in other people’s press releases, in news about SCOTLAND: the Big Picture but also this image of a damaged landscape which I have used many, many times. Thank you Peter. Oscar Dewhurst: Oscar Dewhurst was 18 when he started…
Tim writes: the two British Godwits are easy to tell apart if you see them in flight. Black-tailed Godwit has a black tail and a huge white wing stripe whereas this Bar-tailed Godwit has a barred tail and no wing stripe, rather like a Curlew. The names of both of these birds were coined in…
Tim writes: so how does Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus) differ from Common Redshank (T. totanus)? Spotted Redshank is slightly bigger and more elegant with longer legs and a longer, thinner bill that has a tiny downward kink at the tip. Spotted Redshank also has a more well-marked face pattern with an obvious eyestripe and pale…
This day-flying moth can be seen on sunny days at this time of year. They are often seen around the tops of birch trees but will come to the ground to bask at times.
Tim writes: these two Spoonbills flew over me at St Aidan’s RSPB reserve in West Yorkshire in September. Spoonbills fly with their necks outstretched unlike herons and egrets that tuck their necks in while flying. This is an adult on the left plus a juvenile with black wing tips and I was pleased to catch…
Tim writes: I found this Rock Pipit at Ingbirchworth Reservoir in South Yorkshire in early October. That is at least 60 miles from the nearest coast and is 850 feet above sea level but Rock Pipits are rarely found away from the coasts where they breed. Here is the UK distribution map so you can…
This is a Buzzard, just a Buzzard. The Buzzard is in some ways the least exciting of our birds of prey being less dashing than any of our falcons or Sparrowhawk, and less exciting than eagles, harriers, kites etc. But it’s a nice bird, circling around on thermals and looking for carrion or a range…
Tim writes: I know this isn’t a competition winner but it is an extremely difficult subject to photograph, especially carrying prey. I was out for a walk locally on 11 October when I saw something moving on the track some way ahead. A quick glance through binoculars and I’d identified it as a Weasel that…