When we talk about birdsong, we cannot simply refer to a single “voice”. It is a great chorus of complex sounds, it is a real language in itself. The dry “teak” of a sparrow, the plaintive “gheck gheck gheck” of a woodpecker, the shrill “chirrip” of a lark – each sound has its own purpose […]
Tag: Goldfinch
Alarming disappearances among our familiar countryside birds
The latestState of the UK’s Birdsreport, published today, reveals many of our most familiar countryside birds are undergoing sweeping changes with some experiencing ‘plummeting population declines’, compared with the 1990s. It is now known that in some parts of the UK these birds have disappeared completely. A section of the report looks at the UK’s […]
Summer Scenes of Critters at the Pond
A couple of weeks ago I kept hearing a simple, three pitched call from the yard. I went out to investigate and it was the Black-headed Grosbeak fledgling calling to be fed. Click on photos for full sized images. It was a familiar song but I hadn’t heard it since last year and it is […]
A lovely day at Potteric Carr
I started a new job with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust recently as a Wildlife Support Officer and although it’s only part time, what with training days and getting up to speed with how things work, there’s not been much time for posting material on here. In addition I’ve started shooting ‘RAW’ images which has meant much […]
New Year’s Day walk in the Howardian Hills
Happy New Year to everyone and to all you birders out there I hope you’re 2013 year list has got off to a good start. Mine is so abysmally average I’m not even going to let on! Struggled to get out what with one thing and another … weather mainly, but I did get out […]
All along The Strait
Yesterday the weather started to change, as a low-pressure system came up from the south-west. Rain came in the night which is a pity as it’s our daughter Amelia’s birthday today! There were some insects around as I explored the coastline from Tarifa to Pelayo with father and son, Terry and Gary from the UK […]
Southern Spain Part 1 – The Strait of Gibraltar with Limosa Holidays
Day 5. Sunday 16th September A thick layer of mist hung over the coast and main road to Tarifa as we took an early breakfast. Driving a short distance onto the old military land, now being used by Fundación Migres, we left in the mini-bus and decided to have a look at the physical layout […]