Weekly Birding Roundup 10 - 16 Apr

Jon Dunn looks back on the last seven days across Britain, Ireland and the Western Palearctic

Read it here www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...

Fifty years of data reveal specialist butterflies disappearing across the UK Long-term monitoring shows widespread declines among habitat specialists despite some gains in generalist species

Fifty years of data reveal specialist butterflies disappearing across the UK www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/F...

Blue-headed Quail-Dove population rediscovered in central Cuba Encouraging field observations suggest the elusive species persists beyond its last known strongholds

Blue-headed Quail-Dove population rediscovered in central Cuba www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/B...

Video shows sunbirds suck nectar while hummingbirds don’t High-speed footage reveals a key difference in how two nectar-feeding bird groups extract food from flowers

Video shows sunbirds suck nectar while hummingbirds don't www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/V...

French hunter sentenced for killing Bearded Vulture he said was a crow Court hands down fine and suspended sentence after killing of protected bird released in Alpine reintroduction programme

French hunter sentenced for killing Bearded Vulture he said was a crow www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/F...

BBRC highlights 'missing records' from 2025 and calls for submissions Observers are urged to complete the record as committee prepares it's annual report

BBRC highlights 'missing records' from 2025 and calls for submissions www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/B...

First North American record of Dark-sided Flycatcher explained by migratory reversal First record of both species and genus in the region, with researchers concluding the bird likely flew a reversed migration route

First North American record of Dark-sided Flycatcher explained by migratory reversal www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/F...

RSPB advice to cut summer feeding sparks backlash from suppliers New seasonal advice marks shift in guidance as scientists link feeder use to spread of illness in declining species

RSPB advice to cut summer feeding sparks backlash from suppliers

RSPB has said it will stop sales of seed and peanuts during breeding season but bird food companies push back against new advice www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/R...

Bonaparte's Gull removed from British rarity list after continued rise in records BBRC decision reflects sustained increase in sightings across Britain over the last 25 years

Bonaparte's Gull removed from British rarity list

BBRC decision comes after a sustained rise in records.

We’ll still be treating it as a rarity on RBA news services

#birding #UKbirds #rarities www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/B...

Weekly Birding Roundup 3-9 Apr
We’re still not into the heart of spring, but the Mediterranean species were beginning to make themselves known in these parts. Nonetheless, it fell to Nearctic vagrants to make all the running for yet another week… www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...

RSPB urges major rethink on garden bird feeding to tackle disease risk New seasonal advice marks shift in guidance as scientists link feeder use to spread of illness in declining species

RSPB urges major rethink on garden bird feeding to tackle disease risk www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/R...

Spurn Bird Observatory offers 12-month conservation internship @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/S...

Emperor Penguin classed as Endangered as climate change drives steep decline www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/E...

Spanish hunter fined €100,800 for shooting protected Iberian Lynx www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/S...

Record volunteer turnout reveals changes in UK's breeding birds Collared Dove down 40%, Greenfinch showing tentative signs of recovery, and Song Thrush bucking the trend — the 2025 BBS report paints a complex picture of winners and losers among the UK's familiar breeding species

Record volunteer turnout reveals changes in UK's breeding birds www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/R...

Britain bans lead ammunition, but a three-year phase-out leaves wildlife at risk in the interim www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/H...

Wildlife Trusts' 20-year lottery-funded programme delivers major wins for Britain's wildlife From osprey protection in Scotland and kelp forest recovery off the Sussex coast to bison roaming a Kent woodland, two decades of Postcode Lottery funding has transformed nature recovery across Britai...

From Ospreys on Handa to wetland restoration in the Great Fens — the Wildlife Trusts mark 20 years of lottery-funded nature recovery with some genuinely impressive results. #Birding www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...

Bird flu outbreak dramatically increases risks to migrating Rough-legged Buzzards Long-term tracking reveals how disease can turn migration from low-risk to high-risk period for birds

Bird flu outbreak dramatically increases risks to migrating Rough-legged Buzzards www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/B...

Snowy Owl among migratory species given stronger global protection at UN summit Key listings highlight growing pressures on Arctic and oceanic birds, alongside wider action for migratory species

Snowy Owl among migratory species given stronger global protection at UN summit www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/S...

New report reveals mixed fortunes for Northern Ireland's seabirds Declines in key species offset by local gains at internationally important colonies

New report reveals mixed fortunes for Northern Ireland's seabirds www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/N...

Poisoning incident deals major blow to Cinereous Vulture population in Greece Multiple birds killed in single illegal baiting event at key Balkan breeding site

Poisoning incident deals major blow to Cinereous Vulture population in Greece www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/P...

Seven Sisters declared England’s newest National Nature Reserve Iconic Sussex coastline gains top conservation status in major step for nature recovery

Seven Sisters declared England’s newest National Nature Reserve www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/S...

UK Crane population reaches record levels after strong breeding year Surveys show 87 breeding pairs raised 37 chicks in 2025, bringing total population to around 250 birds

UK Crane population reaches record levels after strong breeding year www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/U...

BOURC says no to Pied Crow Committee rules long-staying bird was likely ship-assisted and not a natural vagrant to Britain

BOURC says no to Pied Crow www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/P...

Galápagos Lava Heron confirmed as distinct species New research reshapes understanding of Butorides herons, revealing the island population is more closely related to Green Heron than to mainland Striated Herons

Galapagos Lava Heron confirmed as distinct species www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/G...

New Steamerduck species confirmed in Chile Bioacoustic evidence and subtle differences in bill colour reveal that a Chiloé population is distinct from the Magellanic Steamerduck

New Steamerduck species confirmed in Chile www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/N...

Lappet-faced Vulture photographed in Spain The new consultation raises hopes of improved safeguards for Woodcock and other vulnerable species

Lappet-faced Vulture photographed in Spain
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/L...

Defra launches consultation on bird shooting seasons The new consultation raises hopes of improved safeguards for Woodcock and other vulnerable species

Defra launches consultation on bird shooting seasons www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/D...

Norfolk Wildlife Trust takes over management of country park on edge of Norwich New stewardship and land acquisition set to transform Broadland Country Park into a larger and more diverse wildlife haven

Norfolk Wildlife Trust takes on management over country park on edge of Norwich www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/N...

Dorset Puffin colony down to just three pairs No chicks have fledged at Purbeck in recent years, raising serious concerns about the future of the species locally

Dorset Puffin colony down to just three pairs www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/D...