Ashy-headed Wagtail, Red-rumped Swallow and White-tailed Eagle... there have been some rare birds around #NorthWales this week, but none as photogenic as this Hoopoe. Read more at @northwaleslive.bsky.social BirdNotes.
π· Ashley Cohen #BirdingWales
www.birdnotes.wales/blog/hoopoe-...
Some say βππππππππππ‘β, βππ π πππππ¦β or βπππ£πππππππ‘β but Iβm so repulsed by the majority of these venal scoundrels that I propose a new collective noun:
π ππππππππππ ππ
πππππππππππ
Cartoon: Osmani Simanca
This Monks Wood #rewilding (natural colonisation) plot is 30 years old this year. It's taken that long for this single Bluebell to migrate 20m from adjacent ancient woodland to colonise the plot. But now it's here, joining the growing trees & shrubs: future ancient woodland in the making.
Having been enjoying my first Orange-tips, Peacocks, Holly Blues and Speckled Woods of the year in the last few weeks, in various lovely gardens packed with wildlife friendly plants, I simply have to ask⦠what kind of dystopian plastic crap is this!?
Began twitching in early 80βs then phased out badly on discovering women as a hormone ravaged teenager.
Hadnβt seen Little Egret then and on restarting birding it was a priority. Now I barely lift my binoculars to them as theyβre become the commonest heron sp at many sites. How times have changed!
ROSS'S GULL βΌοΈ Titchwell, NFK.
π· photos by Ashley Banwell.
Ha ha, how the Little Egret has changed in status! Congratulations on your Norfolk birding milestone.
Thanks for the heads-up that the tagged Icelandic Merlin, that wintered around @bardseybirdobs.bsky.social and Uwchmynydd, made its first step north on Thursday and is now on @isleofmanofficial.bsky.social
#BirdingWales
@sarahwhild.bsky.social Biological recording: who, what, where & when did it all start? Join #NFBRConference2026 for a sideways, irreverent look at how #BiologicalRecording began, how it exploded in recent yrs & the big question: with all this data, what can we do & what should we do? bit.ly/4sZO4iz
Also having problems with the iRecord app on my iPhone. Species recognition from photo not available: βSorry, request failed with status code 503β
I think I recognise that bridge. You might be interested in this superb account of nudibranch hunting in the Menai Strait here by @panspecieslisting.bsky.social champion @graemelyons.bsky.social
Must dig my waders out and get on down! π
analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2025/07/?m=1
#SuperSeabirdSunday Common Terns on the Northumberland coast @steelyseabirder.bsky.social
Even allowing for the provision of accommodation, Β£30/week is a vanishingly small amount. It will be used as a stepping stone for other posts in conservation but paying so little effectively excludes people who arenβt bankrolled by others, that is, their parents.
I met someone who was working on a similar apprenticeship type scheme with one of the @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social
His wage for full time non-residential work was less than Β£100/week! Iβd describe this as a joke verging on exploitation especially considering what the director is paid.
4/ Biodiversity loss is accelerating in tandem with the cost of living crisis.
We need more skilled, driven and able people stepping up for bird and nature #conservation.
How can we create secure, financially viable opportunities for such people?
Iβd appreciate any thoughts.
3/ I meet so many keen and knowledgeable young (and old) birders and conservationists who would love a career in this sector yet complain bitterly that most vacancies pay little and require both a degree and experience. So their love of birds and nature is sidelined as they look for work elsewhere.
2/ This discriminates against those with less financial resources. How can people gain experience if they canβt make ends meet?
You can train staff in IT, machinery use, surveying etc but canβt ever make someone passionate about a subject or willing to go the extra mile for an organisation.
1/ While I wholeheartedly support the work of this and other great @birdobscouncil.bsky.social sites itβs so very disappointing to see a pittance of Β£30/week being offered by @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social
Some @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social also offer absolute peanuts to interns.
#UKBirding
screengrab from the survey
MMU #ecology PhD student James Richardson is looking for people to complete a survey comparing different aspects of city green spaces - if you live in the UK (or a familiar with city landscapes) please help by clicking on some photos! ππ§ͺ
citynaturechoices.org
π₯ Whale Shark gliding through Bioluminescent Algae looks like its floating through space. By Mike Nulty
Ravens have become more and more regular around the #LDV in recent years, but it was notable to record two at Wheldrake and two at Melbourne/Thornton Ings over weekend - thanks to @niqvassie.bsky.social for the fantastic artwork βοΈ
Pinkish white Sweet violets against a blurred yellow green background.
Pretty Sweet violets. #WildflowerHour
An image of a full moon. There is a halo of orange and purple, a refraction of light from the surrounding clouds.
absorb as much of
the light as you can
whenever it falls on you
so that later when you are lost
in the midnight of your darkest despair
your tears will glow in the dark like fireflies
and we will come rescue you
I swear I will find you
-john roedel
Have a wonderful day friends.
#imageandverse
Interesting. I see it more as a species of deciduous woodlands, often on the edges rather than associated with watercourses. Itβs also regular along hedgerows in agricultural landscapes where the trees are long gone. I believe itβs an ancient woodland indicator species - an echo of a lost woodscape.
Also a few other names mentioned in the Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru app.
Hefyd ychydig o enwau eraill a grybwyllir yn ap Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru.
All sounds utterly ridiculous like some kind of birding soap opera! πΏ
Had there been previous incidents when rare birds were ringed, released and suppressed?
Glad to read in the account of the Tengmalmβs Owl that the present situation regarding the release of rarity news at Spurn has improved.
"In Paris, France, water is 100% municipally owned and the customer satisfaction rate of the publicly owned Eau de Paris ranges from 90-96%."
It was superb! I also saw all the above birds you mention but my memory is fading fast.
Sadly I lost all my irreplaceable early nature notebooks when I phased out of birding in my late teens for a few years and got into girlfriends and nightclubs!
Been trying to make up for lost time ever sinceβ¦ π
