We are getting close to the end of the first round of voting in this poll for the National Bird– organised by David Lindo (The Urban Birder). There have been over 60,000 votes so far – but things are quite tight at the top. You’ve got until the end of the month to influence the…
Category: VERY BIRDY: birdwatching and birding nattering
Results of that ornithological teaser
I gave you a list of 73 bird species that I saw or heard on five visits to my local patch of Stanwick Lakes in early September and asked you to pick 5 species that I had seen on all five visits and 5 species I only saw on a single visit. This was a…
A national bird
David Lindo, the Urban Birder, has launched a vote, whose winner will be announced on election day next year, for Britain’s National Bird. Currently it is the Robin – a feisty little bird with a nice song that is familiar to almost all. There’s nothing wrong with Robins. On the long shortlist of 60 species…
Bee-eaters on IoW
The National Trust has announced that there is a pair of Bee-eaters (the only bird with three consecutive ‘e’s in its name? Probably not, though I can’t think of another) nesting on the Isle of Wight. As someone who spent six summers studying bee-eaters in the Camargue, I must say I am delighted. The birds…
Talking Point from British Birds
The following article appeared in the May issue of British Birds and I am grateful to them for permission to reproduce it here. We are outnumbered – but we shouldn’t give up! In response to Iain Robertson’s editorial in the March issue of BB, I contend that bird conservationists in the UK actually have a…
A good year for Cuckoos?
I’ve heard lots of Cuckoos this year. It seems like a good year for them – what do you think? Last year, around now, I headed off to the USA to research my book on Passenger Pigeons and I had had two records of Cuckoo up until this date (I know, because Birdtrack lets me…
Nearer to home
It’s not just in Malta that birds of prey are killed illegally, of course. My nearest station is at Wellingborough, and because I am always early I get to do a few minutes birding from the station platform every now and then. Waxwing, a flock of them, is my ‘best’ bird from the station but…
Most unfairly ignored UK bird?
What is the UK’s most unfairly ignored bird? Well according to you, and your votes, it is the Stock Dove (and I agree with you)! This wasn’t the most popular poll on this blog, but nearly 150 of you responded and this was the result: Stock Dove – 33% Little Grebe – 21% Reed…
What is the UK’s most unfairly ignored bird?
There are some birds that are almost universally liked (Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush?) and quite a few that have more of a Marmite effect on people, some love them and others hate them (Hen Harrier, Cormorant?). There are some species that have their detractors – I think there is something evil about Linnets, of course….
Just a dead Greenfinch
Found in the garden. It’s just a dead Greenfinch – but then again I haven’t seen many dead Greenfinches in my life. In fact, you don’t see that many dead birds do you? Certainly not considering how many live birds there are – and they all die sometime. I suppose it’s the same with people….