One of the first white-tailed eagles to fledge in England for hundreds of years has vanished in suspicious circumstances, alongside two more “devastating” disappearances of the reintroduced raptor. Police are appealing for public help as they investigate the disappearances, which are a setback to the bird’s successful reintroduction. Their disappearance is being investigated by several […]
Tag: Sparrowhawk
Country diary: It doesn’t pay to be a brightly coloured pigeon
From my bed, I have an uninterrupted view of the roof opposite. Every morning, just after sunrise, a small colony of feral pigeons stirs, emerging from behind the solar panels. All but one are pure white, stark against the slate. The outlier, a single male with mottled black-and-white plumage, struts along the ridge tiles with […]
‘Trophies’ shared on social media reveal scale of mass bird slaughter in Lebanon
Every year, during the Northern Hemisphere spring and autumn, the skies over Lebanon are dotted with millions of birds on their epic migrations. From soaring Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus) to charismatic white storks (Ciconia ciconia), more than 500 species of birds traverse the African-Eurasian flyway, which funnels over Lebanon, as they migrate between their breeding […]
Lebanon’s Migratory Birds Are Dying for TikTok Likes
On Mount Terbol in northern Lebanon, shell casings scatter across meadows, marking a grim scene for the millions of migratory birds traveling one of the busiest routes between Africa and Eurasia. This natural corridor, shaped by harsh winds, forces birds to fly low, making them easy targets for local poachers. Michel Sawan, director of the […]
Red Grouse and Golden Eagles
I’ve left it late but finally found some Golden Eagles with two birds in the Findhorn Valley yesterday and then another down at Glen Strathfarrar. Although the views were distant and only possible with the scope it always feels special to see these magnificent birds here in the Highlands and completes the trip for me. […]
A quick catch up
I’ve spent some time this week looking for the Epping Harrier without any joy but still had plenty of action with Red Kites, Buzzards and Sparrowhawks all showing in good numbers. A male Goshawk and a pair of Raven added to the drama as did a day calling Tawny Owl, lots of Deer and a […]
Starting the New Year
The New Year was spent in England with birding definitely not on the menu – I was on holiday. Back in Norway I started my 2017 birding with a much needed walking and public transport tour of Oslo yesterday where highlights were the Shag (which hadn’t been reported since 14 Nov although I don’t think […]
Wheatears and Wagtails at Landguard
A nice morning at Landguard NR in Suffolk where the place was alive with Wheatears, Willow Warblers and Wagtails with both Yellow and Pied in the dozens feeding and getting ready for the off. I found a couple of Lesser Whitethroat and Common Whitethroat before fly overs from both Common Buzzard and Sparrowhawk. Common Tern […]