A hammer price of between £800 and £1,200 is expected when this 1st edition seven-volume set of Lord Lilford's Birds of the British Islands, comes up for sale on December 10. More details from Cirencester-based Dominic Winter Auctions at 01285 860006.
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| Under attack - Landseer's stricken eagle |
A LITTE-seen bird study by the great English artist and sculptor Sir Edwin Landseer is set to go under the hammer at an art auction next week.
Landseer (1802-1873) is best-known for the four lion statues in London's Trafalgar Square and for his depiction of a stag, The Monarch of The Glen, which hangs in the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh.
But it is his framed chalk-on-grey-paper painting of a wounded White-tailed Eagle being mobbed by Ravens that is due to be sold by Christie's in London on Wednesday (December 3).
Despite his acclaim, Landseer led a troubled life, afflicted by over-use of alcohol and drugs, and his family had him declared insane the year before he died.
The pre-sale estimate is that his eagle painting will fetch between £4,000 and £6,000.
At the same sale, a depiction of Ptarmigan in breeding plumage by the German artist, Joseph Wolf (1820-1899), is expected to achieve a hammer price of between £5,000 and £8,000.
Wolf was greatly admired for his wildlife paintings by Landseer who once said that he "must have been a bird before he was a man".
But Christie's have even higher hopes for a painting by William Webbe (1830-1911) of a feral pigeon with nestlings, the guide price being £20,000 to £30,000.
More information from Christie's at 0207 8399060.
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| Ptarmigan in summer plumage |
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| Feral pigeon with young |
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| Puffins - are Grey Seals eroding soil-nesting sites of this much-loved species? |
THE number of breeding Puiffins pairs in the Farne Islands this year was 38,500 - 23 per cent down on the figure of 50,103 in 2024.
Despite this apparently alarming decrease, experts are cautioning against interpreting it as a sudden population decline.
Ben McCarthy, Head of Nature Conservation at the National Trust, which has charge of the Farne Islands, says: "Counting Puffins is a notoriously complex task - there is no single perfect method.
"Variations in survey conditions, the species' behaviour and environmental factors all influence the count."
It is thought that soil erosion, driven by the expanding grey seal colony, at nesting sites could be an adverse factor.
Farne Islands Area Ranger, Sophia Jackson, Farne Islands Area Ranger, comments: "We know Puffins are facing challenges globally, from climate change to shifting food sources.
"This year’s census doesn’t mean Puffins are disappearing overnight - but it does reinforce the need for consistent, long-term data."
On the plus side, surveys of other seabird populations on the Farne Islands have revealed several encouraging trends, with some species showing encouraging increases on 2024 figures.
For example, the n umber of nesting pairs of Fulmars more than doubled - rising from 106 to 235 nesting pairs.
There were also increases for Eider (over 50 per cent). Great Black-backed Gull (up 100 per cent), Herring Gull (up 58 per cent ) and Shag (up 57 per cent).
Razorbills rose by 22.5 per cent while Guillemots experienced a modest increase of 2 per cent.
Arctic Terns also saw a healthy rise, increasing by over 26 per cent on 2024 figures, from 410 to 519 nesting pairs, a welcome boost for a species that faces increasing pressure from climate change and food availability.
However, there were declines for Common and Sandwich Terns.
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| Fulmars - welcome increase in breeding pairs |
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| The main building at the RSPB's Bempton Cliffs site |
A SALARY of up to £26,231 is being offered by the RSPB for whoever is successful in being appointed to the post of 'visitor experience assistant' at its centre at Bempton Cliffs.
Says the job description: "We are looking for an individual who will ensure that every one of our visitors has a high-quality experience.
"Working with a team, the appointee will make sure visitors are warmly welcomed, enthused about the wildlife and encouraged to support the work of the RSPB through membership."
For those unfamilar with the site, it continues: "Bempton Cliffs, on the spectacular Yorkshire coast, is home to one of the UK's top wildlife spectacles.
"Around half a million seabirds gather here between March and August to raise their familieson the towering chalk cliffs that overlook the North Sea.
"The huge white chalk cliffs are impressive at any time of year. But between April and July, they are transformed into England’s largest 'seabird city'.
"Here Puffins, Gannets, Kittiwakes, Razorbills and Guillemots live life on the edge.
"There are more Gannets acrobatically diving into the deep here than anywhere else on mainland England."
The RSPB says the post is "an ideal opportunity for someone who is keen to develop and grow in visitor engagement and events management".
Essential skills, knowledge and experience are described thus:
* Ability to enthuse people to support wildlife and nature with good people engagement and communication skills
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills
* Ability to plan and prioritise workloads
* Good problem solving skills and be able to work on own initiative
* Ability to manage and respond quickly to customer needs and feedback
* Ability to work as part of a team, to motivate and inspire people
* Ability to build and maintain strong relationships
*Ability and willingness to work flexibly including weekends and occasional evenings
This is a full-Time, permanent role for 37.5 hours per week.
The society is looking to conduct interviews for this position from thde week beginning January 19, 2026.
Further information is available from Poppy Rummery at poppy.rummery@rspb.org.uk.
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| Puffins on patrol on the chalky cliffs |
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| Cherished by nesting seabirds - the chalk coastal cliffs of Yorkshire |
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| Gannets gliding the ocean wave in their quest for something to eat |
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| The fomer crazy golf site has been earmarked for removal to make way for a new kiddies' play area |
Date: November 21, 2025
Time: 11am - 11.30am
Weather: Sunny but cold
Target species: Sparrowhawk
Star species seen: Grey Wagtail
Other species seen included:
* Leaf warbler sp (possibly Chiffchaff)
* Robin
* Blue Tit
* Pied Wagtail
* Collared Dove
* Dunnock
* Magpie
* Starling
* Wren
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| Grey Wagtail |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Magpie |
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| Collared Dove |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Leaf warbler (sp) - possibly Chiffchaff |
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| Sad-looking. How did this Great Northern Diver and Shag meet their ends? |
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| Notable twosome - Red-throated Diver (left) and its Black-throated cousin. Although reported to be present, the Great Northern Diver was not seen |
Date: November 17, 2025
Time: 2pm - 3 pm
Weather: Mostly bright but cold
Target species: Great Northern Diver
Star species seen: Black-throated Diver
Other notable species seen included:
* Red-throated Diver
* Red-breasted Merganser
* Goldeneye
* Tufted Duck
* Shoveler
* Green Sandpiper
* Grey Wagtail
* Snow Bunting
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| Black-throated Diver |
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| Green Sandpiper |
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| Red-breasted Merganser |
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| Snow Bunting |
