Over half of our energy last year was generated right here in the UK – a success largely fuelled by renewables. That's not only great for the planet, but will help protect households from future energy price spikes and reduce bills. Here's to more British energy⚡
www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/...
68 rings this morning and would have had more apart from some folk flushed a large flock with lots of rings in it. The flock flew out to sea and just kept going in the direction of Iceland!
Found my first March tick today, nestled under my wedding ring! Presumably from a Red Deer heavy site near Stirling at the weekend 😫 #betickaware #climatechange bsky.app/profile/lyme...
Barnacle Geese
A bit breezy but managed to get some Barnie rings read today around Balranald, N Uist. D6 was ringed at Hofn, S. Iceland in 2023 whilst HN (white) was ringed as a juvenile at Breidamerkur, S. Iceland in 2019. He now has a yellow family with him. #BirdingScotland #BirdingOuterHebs
Adult (left) and 2cy Greenland White-fronted Geese
Adult Greenland White-fronted Geese
Greenland White-fronted Geese in flight
Two adult Greenland White-fronted Geese, one showing a noticeable eyering, a not uncommon feature
Following the recent disastrous news about Greenland Whitefront numbers, yesterday's count of 2,423 on Kintyre, including some decent age ratio counts (~12%), was encouraging. Such smart geese 👌 #goosing #birdingscotland
Great conditions today for reading rings on the Tiree Barnacle Geese - 22 read amongst this flock of 1,200 birds at Traigh Bheagh, Balephetrish including birds from Iceland, Ireland and Islay #BirdingScotland @stevepercival.bsky.social
@patchbirding.bsky.social
This is such an excellent book full of great tips. Should be used widely.
Great to see that the National Soil Map will finally be made open data! www.cranfield.ac.uk/press/news-2...
This is a crucial dataset that was generated under public contract, but remained proprietary for far too long. I've called for its release since 2016! - www.owenboswarva.com/blog/post-so...
Oystercatcher 2C back from Dawlish Warren, Devon today at Kirkapol, Tiree for the third spring running - in amongst hundreds of Oystercatchers now back to breed on the island #BirdingScotland
ODV is an Islay bird. Ringed here last winter.
42 ringed Barnacle Geese found between Sollas and Berneray, N Uist today. T9 and 6D were both ringed as adults at Hofn, S. Iceland in 2023. No idea where 0DV is from! Bonus female Ring-necked Duck showing well in Carinish on the way home. #BirdingScotland #OuterHebridesBirding
Amazing example of the lightning speed of improvement in renewable energy
This wind farm in Ireland is getting an upgrade after 34 years
*EACH ONE* of the new wind turbines will produce more electricity than *ALL* of the 21 old turbines combined
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
The UK Govt has quietly published - without announcement - the Joint Intelligence Committee/DEFRA report it suppressed last October. They tried to sneak it out in the midst of crisis. Read and share:
“Global Biodiversity Loss, Ecosystem Collapse & National Security.”
(link below)
An early 40 pink-footed geese migrating north over Old Cassop, Durham, this morning @durhambirdclub.bsky.social
A flock of Bewick's Swans by Ben Cherry/WWT
📉 Our new paper shows Bewick’s Swan numbers in NW/NE Europe have fallen to ~12,900 birds - a 56.7% decline since 1995, with further losses predicted by 2026 unless survival or breeding success improves. Flyway-wide conservation is urgent. 🦢 Download paper > tidsskrift.dk/Wildfowl/art... #Ornithology
Important paper detailing the huge ecological costs of planting non-native Lodgepole Pine in Iceland, and the urgent need to consider these costs in plantation planning
A great opportunity for anyone in a marine or conservation MSc!
Work with some wonderful birds, (and wonderful folks) I got to call colleagues this year 🐧
(The project timeline would fit wonderfully with a taught MSc)
@exetermarine.bsky.social @exetergses.bsky.social @cornwall.exeter.ac.uk
Now online in Journal of #Ornithology
Behavioural responses of the Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) to different human disturbances
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Pink-footed Geese on the move over Old Cassop, Durham, again today. Three skeins totalling 220 heading SE in an hour. @durhambirdclub.bsky.social
A section of a large flock of migrant Woodpigeons
5 Egyptian Geese coming in high from the west
More high-flying migrant Woodpigeons
My clicker counter, still hot from counting 44,110 Woodpigeons, 290 Fieldfares and 620 Starlings
A flood of 44,110 Woodpigeons past #salopobs this morning was a new site and county record, and almost overwhelming at times. 5 Egyptian Geese high east were a bit of a surprise #vismig #ukbirding
Longevity record!
Last night, @washwader.bsky.social recaught this Black-tailed Godwit, first caught and ringed 29 years ago.
The metal ring was wearing thin (and was replaced) but the bird is still going strong.
Blog about longevity of waders:
wadertales.wordpress.com/2018/01/16/w...
#ornithology
I think bluesky needs a #BirdID feed. So I built one.
To start it off, and topical to the #irishrarebirds feed, a blog post on Tundra and Taiga Bean Goose identification.
helhathnobirdies.blogspot.com/2021/04/finn...
Why track waders?
This blog has two aims – to share important scientific and conservation stories revealed through shorebird tracking work and to encourage scientists to make their data available via the Global Wader platform.
wadertales.wordpress.com/2025/05/06/m...
#ornithology
Whimbrel tracks 👇
Ring on a dead Whooper Swan. Photo by David Tough
Ring on a dead Whooper Swan. Photo by David Tough
Advice from BTO on checking a dead bird for rings
We're now starting to get reports of dead Whooper Swans with rings. If you find a dead bird & feel comfortable doing so - check for rings using the below @btobirds.bsky.social advice 👇🏻 Collecting information on ringed birds helps better understand the impact on different age groups.
Here’s the on from @oceancare.bsky.social: www.oceancare.org/en/stories_a...
Red-breasted Goose at RSPB Loch Gruinart this morning brightening up a dull damp day
Cackling Goose at Nerabus, Islay this afternoon. Very dark brown and nice little gular stripe fits tavernii?
With HPAI bird flu resurging in UK and Western Europe, here's the link to the 2 recent special issues of #BirdStudy on avian influenza: 20 papers on impacts, mitigation, patterns and control. Part 1/2:
#ornithology #seabirds #raptors #birdflu
The parvipes type Lesser Canada Goose was at Ballinaby, Islay this morning showing well in the wind and rain
out to greet the newly returned barnacle geese, present in number (1 leucistic member) - right to the horizon, wavering in heathaze, line upon line of geese (mostly pink footed)