Whilst birding Abqaiq Wetlands on 1 May with Phil Roberts we came a cross a number of good birds with the best probably being a Eurasian Crag Martin. This species is a scarce passage migrant in the Eastern Province mainly in the spring and I have only seen one before in the Eastern Province over […]
Will Zimbabwe Sell Off Its Rare ‘Painted Dogs’?
Last week Zimbabwe announced that because of the drought that’s ravaging the country—and leaving four million Zimbabweans in need of food aid—it will “destock” its national parks and reserves by selling off wildlife. The announcement by the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (also known as Zimparks) doesn’t say when the sales would begin, nor does […]
Warbler Day
Today is the day I celebrate every year as Warbler Day. Up here in Duluth, warbler migration is just kicking in, but in other places I’ve lived—Chicago; Lansing, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin; and Ithaca, New York—warbler migration usually is peaking right about now. I selected May 11 as Warbler Day because that’s the day I identified […]
Arctic Warming Is Shrinking This Adorable Shorebird
The red knot shorebird is a tough, long-distance flier that migrates yearly from the Arctic into the Southern Hemisphere and back. For decades, the bird has been at risk because its food sources, such as crab eggs, have declined in the feeding grounds along its migratory route. Now an alarming discovery by an international team […]
Red-footed Falcon at Vange Marsh
A quick trip to Abberton today so the Jim’s could connect with the Essex Franklin’s Gull where we added Arctic and Black Tern to the year lists before making the short drive down to Vange Marsh where we very quickly got on both Red-footed Falcon and a mating pair of Black-winged Stilts. Year list now […]
POLL: Should neonicotinoid pesticides be banned to save our bees?
More than a quarter of American honeybee colonies were wiped out over the winter, with deadly infestations of mites and harmful land management practices heaping mounting pressure upon the crucial pollinators and the businesses that keep them. Preliminary figures commissioned by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) show that 28% of bee colonies in the […]
Rain and Dotterel
As Hannibal Smith was prone to say: I love it when a plan comes together. We haven’t had rain for over a week and none is forecast for the coming week either but overcast skies and the chance of showers this morning got me excited. Rain in May brings down migrants and especially waders and […]
Results of the Best Photo of the Week Ended 14 May 2016
We are delighted to announce the results of our latest photo competition. Rob Belterman wins First Prize for his brilliant capture “Red Fox (Vulpes Vulpes)”. Dave Richards wins Second Prize for his outstanding composition “Citrus Swallowtails”. Third Prize goes to Alan Jonker for his excellent photo entitled “Look, No Hands!”. See detailed results below: […]