The ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis, should have been exterminated by now in the UK, hunted down and shot at a cost of roughly £3,000 a bird. If you see one you are supposed to report its position so it too can be eliminated. Peak numbers 20 years ago were 6,000 birds – that was down […]
Tag: White-headed Duck
North-west China (Xinjiang) – 6th May (Day 16)
Today was on a knife edge, and stress levels in the group were high, we had two endemic birds to see and only around three hours in which to see them – it could go well or horribly wrong. If the latter then the only bird I would have gained from the Luntain part of […]
Woodchat Shrike at Sodbury Common
With the Jims needing the Woodchat Shrike for a life tick we headed off up the M4 this morning in search of that tick. Arriving on Sodbury Common at 7ish we got lucky as we pulled up next to the finder and received detailed advise on where to look as he walked on to work […]
The Levante winds of Spring – Spain 2017
I lead a tour group from the the US Audubon Naturalist Society in April to southern Spain. We had a great time apart from the awful windy weather. The famous Levante wind just would not stop for almost the whole eight days. We did however have a great time, saw lots of birds and other […]
Shooters set their sights on UK’s last remaining ruddy ducks
It is American, oversexed and over here, but the days of the ruddy duck in the UK are finally numbered, with the latest culling data revealing that just 10 females remain. The shooting of the final few – at about £3,000 a bird – will mark the end of half a century of occupation by […]
Is European wildlife making a comeback? Recent success stories with top images
Beaver, bison and eagles are among the species that have made a successful comeback in Europe in the past 50 years, according to a major survey published by a coalition of conservation groups on Thursday. The report selected 37 species that have showed signs of recovery, studied changes in their numbers and range since 1960, […]