Anguish of the retired colonel as horse on which he was riding trampled nest and eggs of a great bustard!

 

A glorious bird indeed - one of the plates in the book depicts great bustards at their nesting site

A RARE copy of a book written by a British expert on great bustards is set to go under the hammer on September 11.

After retiring, Colonel Willoughby Verner (1852-1922) spent much of his time in southern Spain where warm weather eased the pain of wounds he had sustained in the 1899-1901 Boer War.

His interests included archaeology, photography (in its primitive form)  and rock-climbing, but he was also a passionate ornithologist who chronicled the most colourful of his birding experiences in My Life Among The Wild Birds in Spain which was published in 1909.

In a chapter dedicated to the great bustard, he describes -  entertainingly as well as authoritatively - the feeding and nesting  habits of the species which he was often able to watch through a telescope from the roof of his villa.

He dismisses suggestions that Spanish birds sometimes 'migrated' over the Straits of Gibraltar to Morocco, maintaining that, though prone to wander, great bustards are not true migrants in the same way as, say, cranes.

Like many of his generation, Verner treated the species as a gamebird and organised shooting parties for friends who visited him from England. 

But this did not prevent him retaining an affection for the species, reflected in his annoyance when a horse he was riding while on a nest-hunting excursion trod on a pair's eggs.

Another time, he was delighted to see an apparently abandoned bustard egg hatch after being placed under a domestic hen, but, alas, the chick did not survive for many days.

The book (Lot 129) is being sold by specialist Wiltshire-based auction house Dominic Winter (www.dominicwinter.co.uk) which estimates it will fetch between £300 and £500.

                                   

The colonel with mountaineering rope and camera  

                                              

According to the auction house, the book could fetch as much as £500

Revealed : the 16 English towns and cities being targeted by the RSPB for a bumper autumn membership drive

Lincoln - cathedral city where RSPB is keen to attract new members

THE RSPB has identified a total of 16 English towns and cities for one its biggest ever autumn recruitment campaigns. 

After crunching its membership data, the society has identified the following  locations as being among the most potentially fertile for attracting new members:

* Lincoln

* Canterbury

* Coventry

* Waterlooville

* North London

* Warwick

* Sheffield

* Carlisle

* Nottingham

* Mansfield

* Newark

* Bristol

* Alton (Berkshire)

* High Wycombe

* Didcot

* Stevenage

Each town will have its own dedicated membership/fundraising officer.

With each being paid between £24,890 - £26,720  per annum, the campaign will cost the society at least £400,000 just in salaries, plus a significant amount more in motoring and other expenses.

But it will be money well spent if new members renew their  subscriptions for many years, even more so if they also spend money on RSPB merchandise and leave the society legacies after they have died.

What is required of the membership officers?

The job description for the Lincoln post is probably typical.

It reads:

"Are you looking for an exciting opportunity that allows you to integrate your passion for nature with your exceptional communication skills? 

"Join us at Europe's largest nature conservation charity and make a real difference as a Wildlife Fundraiser!

"Please only apply if you are within a 30 mile radius of Lincoln, unless you are considering relocating.

"Each day you will use your company van to travel to different venues around your local area, set up an attractive fundraising stand and spend the day actively engaging with members of the public, spreading awareness about our conservation efforts and generating new RSPB memberships via direct debits. 

"Don't worry if you're not a wildlife expert yet - we provide comprehensive training to equip you with all the knowledge you need. 

"Plus, you'll enjoy the added perk of a company van, with fuel and parking costs paid for. 

"You will also have the flexibility to choose a contract between three to five days per week, and enjoy the stability of a set salary, rather than working on commission. 

"With 34 days of annual leave (including bank holidays) and opportunities for sabbaticals, we value your work-life balance and well-being. 

"But it is not just about the benefits - it is about the impact you will make. 

"Join a team that is dedicated to preserving nature and inspiring others to do the same!

"Your role will be pivotal in driving positive change, and you will have the support of a diverse and inclusive community every step of the way. 

"Whether you are from a hospitality, customer service, sales, or volunteering background, we are more interested in your negotiating/storytelling skills and enthusiasm than your previous experience. 

"We are looking for starters to join our team across the next few months."

The deadline for applications is this Sunday September 1.

More details from the resourcing advisor: Stephen.louw@rspb.org.uk

* Photo of Lincoln: Howard Gannaway via Wikimedia Commons

Renewable energy company Ecotricity pledges to safeguard farmland birds on field earmarked for solar park

                                                   

The agricultural land  earmarked for the solar park is adjacent to where the energy company already operates a windfarm

THE RSPB's longtime favourite green energy company, Ecotricity, has pledged to provide mitigation habitat for farmland birds that risk being displaced on a field that it has earmarked for construction of a solar park.

Latest breeding season surveys of the environs of the 20.1-hectare site at Conisholme, near Louth, in Lincolnshire, revealed the presence of no fewer than 32 individual  species holding territories

Among them were at least eight pairs of skylarks and two pairs of  yellow wagtails - both Red-listed species.

                                              

Yellow wagtail - colourful bird which likes ditches and  dykes

But Stroud-based developer  Ecotricity which - at least until recently - had a close financial relationship with the RSPB says it will create habitat favourable to both these species as well as to others such as grey partridge.

This seems to have satisfied planners at East Lindsey District Council which has this month granted planning consent for the project on condition that various biodiversity-safeguarding pledges are met.

Says the council's planning consent document: "The permission hereby given for the solar farm shall be for a limited period of 40 years from the date of the first export of electricity from the site.

"At the end of this period or upon cessation of their use for the generation of electricity, whichever is the sooner, all associated structures and equipment shall be fully removed from the application site and the site cleared, including any below-ground concrete. 

"For the avoidance of doubt, this condition does not relate to the on-site landscaping and boundary hedging."

                                            

Skylark - recorded breeding on the site

The application site is between Conisholme, South Somercotes and Alvingham, immediately to the south-east of a  windfarm (also owned by Ecotricity) which consists of 20 turbines with a hub height of 65 metres and blade diameter of 48 metres.

Proximity to a windfarm is advantageous because the same links to the National Grid can be shared.  

Not far away is a birding hotspot - Covenham Reservoir - which, especially at migration times,  attracts a range of sometimes scarce waterfowl, divers and waders. 

The field earmarked for the development  is described as Grade 3b arable land and is bordered by dykes which are maintained by Lindsey Marsh Drainage Board.

There are no public rights of way across the field, and access is via a lane off the A1031 Conisholme Road.

The four breeding bird surveys, which were overseen by Ecotricity's chief in-house ecological consultant, Mark Latham, between April 8 and 9 June last year, detected the following 35 species of which all but barn owl, little egret and sparrowhawk  were identified as holding territories:

* Shelduck (1 pair)

* Reed warbler (3)

* Mallard (1) 

* Whitethroat (15)

* Grey partridge (5)

* Wren (6)

* Pheasant (7) 

* Blackbird 2

* Red-legged partridge (4)

* Robin (1)

* Stock dove (3) 

* House sparrow (2)

* Woodpigeon (11) 

* Tree sparrow (2)

* Lapwing (3) 

* Dunnock (3)

* Little egret 

* Yellow wagtail (5)

* Sparrowhawk 

* Pied wagtail (1)

* Buzzard (1) 

* Meadow pipit (2)

* Barn owl  

* Chaffinch (6)

* Kestrel (1)

* Greenfinch (2)

* Magpie (2) 

* Linnet (4)

* Carrion crow (3) 

* Goldfinch (2)

* Skylark (27) 

* Yellowhammer (1)

* Swallow (1) 

* Reed bunting (14)

* Sedge warbler (8)

Says Mr Latham: "No  breeding species were found to be present in regionally or nationally important numbers. 

"The overall breeding bird community was typical of the wider Lincolnshire Fens agricultural landscape such that no species were found to be breeding in significant numbers.

"Furthermore, the majority of breeding birds were located not within the ‘footprint’ of the proposed development, but in the variety of surrounding habitats. 

"In particular, only ten pairs of two species (eight skylark and two yellow wagtail) were found breeding within the ‘footprint’ of the proposed development."

What mitigation is proposed for the loss of habitat?

The main measure outlined by Mr Latham  involves  a process of what is described as 'arable reversion'.

 "The site will be reverted from arable land to a mosaic of grassland areas of varying species richness," he says. 

"This habitat creation is considered to mitigate for ground-nesting birds including skylark and yellow wagtail."

It is hoped that seven other Red-listed species - grey partridge, lapwing,  house sparrow, tree sparrow, greenfinch, linnet and yellowhammer - will also be beneficiaries. 

Also proposed is the installation of 10 Schwegler nest boxes of a type suitable for tit family members 

What about outside the breeding season? Were bird surveys also  recorded then?

Between  October 2023 and  March 2024,  the consultant says Ecotricity conducted monthly winter surveys which revealed the presence - on at least one occasion for each - of  some 50 species.

As with the breeding birds, none of the wintering species listed below was found to be present in regionally or nationally important numbers:

* Canada goose 

* Grey lag goose 

* Mute swan 

* Shelduck

* Shoveler 

* Wigeon

* Mallard 

* Teal 

* Grey partridge 

* Pheasant 

* Red-legged partridge 

* Stock dove 

* Woodpigeon 

* Lapwing 

* Golden plover 

* Snipe 

* Green sandpiper 

* Black-headed gull

* Common gull 

* Grey heron 

* Little egret

* Sparrowhawk 

* Buzzard

* Kestrel

* Merlin 

* Peregrine 

* Magpie 

* Jackdaw 

* Rook

* Carrion crow 

* Blue tit 

* Skylark 

* Wren 

* Starling

* Blackbird 

* Fieldfare 

* Song thrush

* Redwing 

* Robin

* Dunnock 

* Pied wagtail 

* Meadow pipit 

* Chaffinch 

* Brambling

* Greenfinch 

* Linnet

* Goldfinch 

* Corn bunting 

* Yellowhammer 

* Reed bunting 

Among the most noteworthy of these species are  golden plover and lapwing.

However, the consultant's only sighting of the former consisted of  two individuals foraging on an agricultural field outside the proposed development area on  October 24, 2023. 

                                          

Golden plover - sighted only on a single day in October

He writes: "Recorded on just one occasion, these birds were considered to be generally roving around in the much wider agricultural landscape. 

"The proposed development area should therefore be considered to be of negligible importance to this species."

More abundant were lapwings which were recorded in each month of the survey of wintering birds. 

Notes Mr Latham: "Outside the proposed development area, two birds were recorded in November and ten in March. 

"Within the proposed development area, 309 were recorded in November; 28 in December; 30 in January; and one in February. 

"Coinciding with a strong passage of lapwing through the region, the good count of 309 made on  November 19, 2023 was considered to have been comprised of transient birds on autumn migration. 

"There is no evidence to suggest that the lapwings loafing/roosting on the proposed development area were commuting to/from Humber Estuary Special Protection Area/ Site of Special Scientific Interest.

"Instead, they formed part of the regular inland passage/wintering population with all their requirements (foraging, loafing, roosting) provided across the vast Lincolnshire / East Midlands agricultural landscape."

                                             

Lapwing - a species regularly seen on Lincolnshire farmland in autumn and winter

Because the field could be of archaeological interest, an additional condition on the planning consent is that there should be an archaeological evaluation involving trench excavation.

Says Denise Drury of Sleaford-based Heritage Lincolnshire: "The proposal is located in an area of archaeological potential, with Roman pottery and medieval and undated cropmarks and earthworks being recorded in the general vicinity."

The planning consent from East Lindsey District Council imposes no condition that Ecotricity is required to conduct post-installation bird surveys, let alone publish same, so it may never be known if the mitgation measures succeed.           

Rare opportunity to purchase bone of a dodo - the legendary Mauritian species that went extinct in 1861

 

The bone - plus a letter from Edith Clark to Thomas Parkin

BIDS are being invited for a collection of dodo material - including a wing bone from the long-extinct species.

The bone is one of several found by a British school teacher, George Clark,  at the edge of marshland in Mauritius either in 1865 or in 1866.

He dispatched most of the bones to auction houses in London and Paris whence they ended up in museums.

However, the few retained by Clark  were eventually inherited by two of his daughters. 

One of them, Edith, sold some  to Thomas Parkin, a collector-dealer in Hastings, East Sussex.

Parkin then sold them on to a policeman-ornithologist, Hugh Whistler (1889-1943), author of A Popular Handbook of Indian Birds

Following Whistler's death, the bones were inherited by his son, Ralfe (1930-2023), who went on to amass a huge collection of dodo memorabilia.

Much of this collection is due to go under the hammer at an auction to be held over two days , September 24-25, at Billingshurst in West Sussex.

According to auctioneers, a bid of £8,000 has already been submitted for the scapular coracoid bone, but, because of the item's rarity, it is thought the hammer might not fall until the figure reaches £10,000.

Also in the sale are a copy of the book, The Dodo and Its Kindred (1848) by H.E. Strickland and A.G Melville which is expected to realise between £1,400 and £1,600 and a bronze for which the pre-sale estimate is between £300 and £500.

The dodo became extinct in 1681 partly because it was vulnerable to attack by predators introduced by settlers in Mauritius.

More information about the sale: Summers Place Auction – Leading Garden Statuary and Natural History Auctioneers (summersplaceauctions.com)

                                                      

The Dodo and Its Kindred - the first book about the species 

Bronze sculpture of the extinct bird - a species famously immortalised in the book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland 

Delight for RSPB staff at Aberdeenshire nature reserve as great white egrets breed for first time in Scotland

 

Great white egret on prowl for something to eat

SUCCESSFUL breeding by a pair of great white egrets has been reported for the first time from Scotland.

On August 22, three left their nest (in the top of a tree) near the RSPB's Loch of Strathbeg nature reserve near Crimond in Aberdeenshire.

Says the reserve's delighted site manager, Richard Humpidge: "Adult great whites have become a regular sight  here over the last few years, and we’re really pleased that they’ve chosen to raise a family this summer." 

Great whites used to be occasional visitors only  from continental Europe, but over recent decades they have begun breeding in Britain.

"The first such record was in 2012 on the Avalon Marshes in Somerset, close to RSPB Ham Wall, and they have since expanded their range, moving further north, and now as far as Scotland."

There have also been population increases in France, Spain and Italy.

The species has been a beneficiary both of less cold winters and of enhanced  protection of wetland sites.

The RSPB expects the Loch of Strathbeg family to remain on the reserve for at least a few more weeks and possibly longer.

                                            

View across the loch - photo by Anne Burgess via Wikimedia Commons

Bygone birding: Why 10 housemartins were attracted to funnel of naval vessel en route from Rosyth to Belfast

                                                   

Extract from the  1951 edition of The Sea Swallow - fourth annual report of the Royal Naval Bird Watching Society.

Describing birds seen during a coastal passage from Rosyth to Belfast during May, 1951, a society member writes:

"About noon we proceeded North from May Island, and were joined in the afternoon by 10 Housemartins which flew up repeatedly to the funnel and superstructure, twittering, and using these as if they were flying up under the eaves of a house. 

"It occurred to me that they were 'sipping' droplets of condensed steam escaping from the syren.

"When a large drip tray of fresh water was placed handy on deck, the martins were soon perching on its edge. 

"They roosted for the night on the tubular guide for the syren wires on the lee side of the funnel, and eight of them were there the following morning at 4 am when the ship ran into dense fog. 

"The sounding of the syren about 10 feet from where they were roosting made no impression on them, and, indeed, they often flew right up to the syren when it was in full blast. 

"They flew about the ship all morning and disappeared only after the ship had anchored five miles off shore in the Moray Firth."

Smoke doesn't seem to get in their eyes - evidently some birds quite enjoy flying through it

Swifts - seemingly, they are partial to a bit of chimney smoke 

 

From The Winged Messenger (September 1953) issued by the RSPCA and incorporating The Bird-Lovers' League Magazine: 

THE practice of  of smoke-bathing has been noted  by a naturalist who watched a herring gull sitting on his chimney-pot, apparently enjoying the smoke swirling around it.

Starlings also like bathing in smoke, and, from all parts of the country, come reports of all species of birds acquiring the habit.

Housemartins have been seen gyrating through a ring of smoke from a factory chimney in Stroud, Gloucestershire, while, in Hove, East Sussex, swifts persistently flew through smoke from a house chimney and dispersed only when the smoke dispersed.

At Catterick Army camp in Yorkshire,  a rook perched on the leeward side of a house chimney, then  tried by many contortions to ensure distribution of the smoke to all parts of its plumage.

A possible explanation is that the birds are  trying to smoke out parasites on their feathers.

But it may be equally true that the birds enjoy the stimulating effect of the weak acids present in the smoke.

The writer, however, has seen gulls obviously enjoying a smoke bath in pungent sulphur fumes from a locomotive depot - and there was nothing weak about these.

RSPB says 'violent and racist targeting' is causing non-white staff and volunteers to 'fear for their safety'

 

The RSPB commissioned this picture to demonstrate its diversity credentials. (Anyone know why the man on the right has a bandaged left forearm and hand?)

THE RSPB has thrown its voice into the national conversation over the rioting that occurred in a few UK towns and cities earlier this month.

Although it has not provided any specific incidents, it says some of its staff and volunteers  have been made fearful by racial hostility.

In a statement, the country's largest charity says: "The violent and racist targeting of people of colour, Muslim and migrant communities - including RSPB staff and volunteers - is causing many people to fear for their safety.

"We  strongly condemn this."

The statement continues: "Our vision is to be an inclusive, diverse, and equitable organisation. 

"This cannot be achieved without all people and all communities.

"It is vital to the RSPB  cause - that of saving nature - that everyone feels welcome and safe through the work that we do, whether that is in person or online. 

"We must stand together against any form of violence."

The society now has its own dedicated 'equality, diversity and inclusion' unit team.

Earlier this year, it sought to recruit a specialist individual with a  brief  to "co-ordinate and support organisational-wide race equity workstreams and specialist projects." (Anyone know what that means?)

The Wryneck says: Although many people in Britain have concerns about illegal immigration, very few are racist. And, if they are, their attitudes are not going to be changed by anything the RSPB says or does. We think the organisation has gone overboard on its ever-escalating and extremely costly 'equality and diversity' campaign. So much so that some of its ethnic minority staff and members might even have come to feel resentful about so overtly being patronised. The RSPB's focus should surely be on  protecting birds - not on virtue-signalling and showcasing its self-righteousness.

Ban imposed - at least temporarily - on export of Victorian author's unique 17-volume study of Europe's birds

                                                                  

Although widespread in continental Europe, the great bustard was extinct  as a breeding species in Britain when Dresser completed his monumental work  

AN export ban has been placed by the Government - at least for the time being - on  a complete 17-volume edition  of ‘A History of The Birds of Europe’ by H. E. Dresser. 

The books have a recommended price of £127,000 and are at risk of leaving the UK unless a domestic buyer can be found to acquire them for retention in Britain.

Yorkshire-born Henry Eeles Dresser (1838-1915) is considered to have been one of the most influential ornithologists of the late 19th century. 

                                                      

H.E. Dresser - successful businessman and ornithologist who discovered nesting waxwings in Finland

His work was cited by the likes of John Gould in his The Birds of Great Britain, and he published major articles on the subject of ornithology that helped progress the study of the behaviour of birds as a science. 

Dresser used many leading bird illustrators to create the lithographic plates for the imagery that would accompany his text within these volumes. 

This particular set was Dresser’s private and unique copy which he had specially printed for himself. 

They include the artists' original colour proofs which were used to produce all other published copies of the volumes. 

The temporary export ban decision follows advice submitted to the Department of Culture and Media of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest. 

Says committee member Mark Hallett: "This remarkable private edition of H. E. Dresser’s celebrated A History of the Birds of Europe offers a rich research resource for all those interested in the history of ornithology and in the visual representation of birdlife in 19th Century  Britain. 

"Published for the author, and featuring numerous written annotations by Dresser himself, this series of seventeen volumes is further distinguished by the hundreds of original, hand-coloured plates that illustrate his text, produced by some of the leading wildlife artists of the day. 

"If saved for the UK, this unique set of volumes  would not only serve as a scholarly treasure-trove in its own right, it would also provide the perfect complement to the major Dresser archive of ornithological specimens held at the Manchester Museum."

The decision on the export licence application for the volumes will be deferred for a period ending on  September 18 this year.

 At the end of the first deferral period owners will have a consideration period of 15 Business Days to consider any offer(s) to purchase the volumes at the recommended price of £127,000. 

The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for three months.

Organisations or individuals interested in purchasing the volumes should contact the  Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest on 02072680534 or rcewa@artscouncil.org.uk.

Dresser was born in Thirsk, Yorkshire, where his father was the manager of the bank set up by his grandfather. 

Dresser's father left Thirsk in 1840–41 to become a bank manager in Leeds before moving south to set up business as a commission merchant in the Baltic timber business in London in 1846. 

Dresser, who went to school in Bromley, Kent,  had a lifelong interest in birds and collected bird skins and eggs from his early teenage years. 

While in Finland in 1858 he discovered breeding waxwings and was the first Englishman to collect their eggs.

This brought him fame amongst English ornithologists, most of whom were egg and skin collectors.

Through the 1860s, Dresser travelled widely through Europe where he  sought out like-mnded ornithologists with whom he could exchange birds and eggs.

He visited, for instance, Heligoland, where he met Heinrich Gätke, of whom he would write an obituary in The Zoologist in 1897.

Dresser had privileged access to the notes of many of the most prominent ornithologists, such as Russian Sergei Buturlin, who discovered the main breeding grounds of Ross's gull in 1905 in the delta of the Kolyma River in remote north-east Siberia.

In 1863, during the American Civil War, he travelled to Texas via the Rio Grande on behalf of Liverpool and Manchester businessmen, taking a cargo of blankets, quinine and other goods in short supply to be sold and purchased raw cotton with the proceeds. 

During his time in Texas from June 1863 to July 1864 Dresser made a collection of around 400 bird skins from southern Texas. 

His notes from his time in Texas, published in The Ibis (1865–66) are a leading source of information for the period and include mention of several interesting birds including the extinct (or almost extinct) ivory-billed woodpecker, the almost extinct Eskimo curlew and the endangered whooping crane.

Dresser was heavily involved with the early Society for the Protection of Birds (which developed to become the RSPB). 

In spite of his prominence as an ornithologist, this activity came second to his business which, from 1870 until 1910, was in the iron industry, with premises at 110 Cannon Street in London.

Dresser left England to live in Cannes for the benefit of his health, He died in Monte Carlo on 28 November 1915.

His collection of birds - along with some of his correspondence and diaries -  is held in the Manchester Museum, part of The University of Manchester.

The identity of the current owner of the 17 Dresser volumes is not known - nor the potential overseas purchaser.

The Wryneck says: It would be a shame if this ornithological masterwork ended up in the hands of a wealthy collector in another part of the world. With pressure on finances tight, many UK academic institutions might find it hard to justify an outlay of  £127,000. But it would be small beer for a wealthy charity such as the RSPB.  The obvious place for the books is within the library of its HQ at The Lodge. 

                                                    

Wallcreepers in the Alps

The magnificent 376! The original bird species on the pioneering British List published in 1883

                                         

Great auk - a founder-member of the British List - depicted here (swallowing a mackerel) by John Gould 

As of December 11, 2023, the official  list of bird species recorded in Britain stood at 633 according to the British Ornithologists' Union. Compare this with the BOU's very first British List, published in 1883. This stood at a relatively modest 376 species which are listed below: 

Missel-Thrush. Turdus viscivorus.

Song-Thrush, Turdus musicus.

Redwing. Turdus iliacus.

Fieldfare. Turdus pilaris.

Black-throated Thrush. Turdus atrigularis.

White’s Thrush. Turdus varius.

Blackbird. Turdus merula.

Ring-Ouzel Turdus torquatus.

Rock-Thrush. Monticola saxatilis.

Wheatear. Saxicola enanthe.

Black-throated Wheatear Saxicola stapazina.

Desert Wheatear. Saxicola deserti.

Whinchat. Pratincola rubetra.

Stonechat. Pratincola rubicola.

Redstart. Ruticilla phoenicurus.

Black Redstart. Ruticilla titys.

White-spotted Bluethroat. Cyanecula wolf.

Red-spotted Bluethroat. Cyanecula suecica.

Redbreast. Erithacus rubecula.

Nightingale. Daulias luscinia.

Whitethroat. Sylvia cinerea.

Lesser Whitethroat. Sylvia curruca.

Orphean Warbler Sylvia orphea.

Blackcap. Sylvia atricapilla.

Garden Warbler. Sylvia hortensis.

Ortolan Bunting. Emberiza hortulana.

Rustic Bunting. Emberiza rustica.

Little Bunting. Emberiza pusilla.

Reed-Bunting, Emberiza scheeniclus.

Lapland Bunting. Calcarius lapponicus.

Snow-Bunting. Plectrophanes nivalis.

Starling. Sturnus vulgaris.

Rose-coloured Pastor. Pastor roseus.

Chough. Pyrrhocorax graculus.

Nutcracker. Nucifraga caryocatactes

Jay. Garrulus glandarius.

Magpie. Pica rustica.

Jackdaw. Corvus monedula.

Carrion-Crow. Corvus corone.

Hooded Crow. Corvus cornix.

Rook. Corvus frugilegus.

Raven. Corvus corax.

Sky-Lark. Alauda arvensis.

Wood-Lark. Alauda arborea.

Crested Lark. Alauda cristata.

Short-toed Lark. Calandrella brachydactyla.

White-winged Lark. Melanocorypha sibirica.

Shore-Lark. Otocorys alpestris.

Swift. Cypselus apus.

White-bellied Swift. Cypselus melba,

Needle-tailed Swift. Acanthyllis caudacuta.

Nightjar. Caprimulgus europzus.

Red-necked Nightjar. Caprimulgus ruficollis.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dendrocopus major.

Lesser Spottel Woodpecker. Dendrocopus minor.

Green Woodpecker. Gecinus viridis.

Wryneck. Iynx torquilla

Kingfisher. Alcedo ispida,

Belted Kingfisher. Ceryle alcyon,

Roller. Coracias garrula.

Bee-Eater. Merops apiaster,

Hoopoe. Upupa epops.

Cuckoo. Cuculus canorus.

Great Spotted Cuckoo. Coccystes glandarius.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Coccyzus americanus.

Black-billed Cuckoo. Coccyzus erythrophthalmus.

Barn-Owl. Strix flammea.

Long-eared Owl. Asio otus.

Short-eared Owl. Asio brachyotus.

Tawny Owl. Syrnium aluco.

Snowy Owl. Nyctea scandiaca.

European Hawk-Owl. Surnia ulula.

American Hawk-Owl. Surnia funerea.

Tengmalm’s Owl. Nyctala tengmalmi.

Scops Owl. Scops giu.

American Screech Owl. Scops Asio.

Eagle Owl. Bubo ignavus.

Little Owl. Athene noctua.

Griffon Vulture. Gyps fulvus.

Egyptian Vulture. Neophron percnopterus.

Marsh-Harrier. Circus eruginosus.

Hen-Harrier. Circus cyaneus.

Montagu’s Harrier. Circus cineraceus.

Buzzard. Buteo vulgaris.

Rough-legged Buzzard. Archibuteo lagopus.

Spotted Eagle. Aquila clanga.

Golden Eagle. Aquila chrysaétus.

White-tailed Eagle. Haliaétus albicilla.

Goshawk. Astur palumbarius.

American Goshawk. Astur atricapillus.

Sparrow-Hawk. Accipiter nisus.

Kite. Milvus ictinus.

Black Kite. Milvus migrans.

Swallow-tailed Kite. Elanoides firceatus.

Honey-Buzzard. Pernis apivorus.

Gyr Falcon. Hierofalco gyrfalco,

Greenland Falcon. Hierofalco candicans.

Iceland Falcon. Hierofalco islandus.

Peregrine Falcon. Falco peregrinus.

Hobby. Falco subbuteo.

Merlin. Falco esalon.

Red-footed Falcon. Tinnunculus vespertinus.

Kestrel. Tinnunculus alaudarius.

Lesser Kestrel. Tinnunculus cenchris.

Osprey. Pandion haliaétus.

Cormorant. Phalacrocorax carbo.

Shag: Phalacrocorax graculus.

Gannet. Sula bassana.

Heron. Ardea cinerea,

Purple Heron. Ardea purpurea.

Great White Heron. Ardea alba.

Little Egret, Ardea garzetta.

Buff-backed Heron. Ardea bubulcus.

Squacco Heron. Ardea ralloides.

Little Bittern. Ardetta minuta.

Night-Heron. Nycticorax griseus.

Bittern. Botaurus stellaris.

American Bittern. Botaurus lentiginosus,

White Stork. Ciconia alba.

Black Stork. Ciconia nigra.

Spoonbill. Platalea leucorodia.

Glossy Ibis. Plegadis falcinellus.

Grey Lag Goose. Anser cinereus.

Bean-Goose. Anser segetum.

Pink-footed Goose. Anser brachyrhynchus.

White-fronted Goose. Anser albifrons.

Chinese Goose. Anser cygnoides.

Cassin’s Snow Goose. Chen albatus.

Brent Goose. Bernicla brenta,

Barnacle Goose. Bernicla leucopsis.

Canada Goose. Bernicla canadensis,

Red-breasted Goose. Bernicla ruficollis,

Mute Swan. Cygnus olor.

Polish Swan. Cygnus immutabilis.

Whooper Swan. Cygnus musicus.

Bewick’s Swan. Cygnus bewicki.

Common Sheldrake. Tadorna cornuta.

Ruddy Sheldrake. Tadorna casarca.

Wigeon. Mareca penelope.

American Wigeon. Mareca americana.

Pintail. Dafila acuta.

Wild Duck. Anas boscas.

Gadwall. Chaulelasmus streperus.

Garganey. Querquedula circia.

Blue-winged Teal. Querquedula discors.

Common Teal. Querguedula crecca.

American Green-winged Teal. Querquedula carolinensis

Shoveler. Spatula clypeata.

Red-crested Pochard. Fuligula rufina.

Tufted Duck. Fuligula cristata.

Scaup. Fuligula marila.

Pochard. Fuligula ferina.

White-eyed Duck, Nyroca ferruginea.

Goldeneye. Clangula glaucion.

Barrow’s Goldeneye. Clandulaislandica.

Buffel-headed Duck, Clangula albeola.

Harlequin Duck. Cosmonetta histrionica,

Long-tailed Duck. Herelda glacialis.

Steller’s Duck. Heniconetta stelleri.

Eider Duck. Somateria mollissima,

King Eider. Somateria spectabilis.

Common Scoter. Edemia nigra.

Velvet Scoter. Edemia fusca.

Surf-Scoter. Edemia perspicillata.

Goosander. Mergus merganser.

Red-breasted Merganser. Mergus serrator

Hooded Merganser. Mergus cucullatus.

Smew. Mergus albellus.

Ring-Dove. Columba palumbus.

Stock-Dove. Columba cenas.

Rock-Dove. Columba livia.

Turtle Dove. Tutur communis.

Passenger Pigeon. Ectopistes migratorius.

Pallas’s Sand-Grouse. Syrrhaptes paradoxus.

Pheasant. Phasianus colchicus

Red-legged Partridge. Caccabis rufa.

Barbary Partridge. Caccabis petrosa.

Partridge. Perdix cinerea.

Quail. Coturnix communis.

Virginian Colin. Orvtyx virginianus.

Ptarmigan. Lagopus mutus.

‘Red Grouse. Lagopus scoticus.

Black Grouse. Tetrao tetrix.

Capercaillie. Tetrao urogallus.

Andalusian Hemipode. Turnix sylvatica.

Water-Rail. Rallus aquaticus.

Spotted Crake. Porzana maruetta.

Baillon’s Crake. Porzana bailloni.

Little Crake. Porzana parva.

Corn-Crake. Crex pratensis.

Moor-hen. Gallinula chloropus.

Coot. Fulica atra.

Crane. Grus communis.

Demoiselle Crane. Grus virgo.

Great Bustard. Otis tarda.

Little Bustard. Otis tetrax.

Macqueen’s Bustard. Houbara macqueeni.

Stone-Curlew. Edicnemus scolopax.

Collared Pratincole. Glareola pratincola.

Cream-coloured Courser. Cursorius gallicus.

Golden Plover. Charadrius pluvialis.

Eastern Golden Plover. Charadrius fulvus.

Grey Plover. Squatarola helvetica.

Kentish Plover. Agialitis cantiana.

Little Ringed Plover. Gialitis curonica.

Ringed Plover. Gialitis hiaticula.

Killdeer Plover. Gialitis vocifera.

Dotterel. Eudromias morinellus.

Lapwing. Vanellus vulgaris.

Turnstone. Strepsilas interpres.

Oyster-catcher. Hzzematopus ostralegus.

Avocet,. Recurvirostra avocetta.

Black-winged Stilt. Himantopus candidus.

Red-necked Phalarope. Phalaropus hyperboreus.

Grey Phalarope. Phalaropus fulicarius.

Woodcock. Scolopax rusticula.

Great Snipe. Gallinago major.

Common Snipe. Gallinago czlestis.

Jack Snipe. Limnocryptes gallinula.

Broad-billed Sandpiper. Limicola platyrhyncha.

Pectoral Sandpiper. Tringa maculata.

Bonaparte’s Sandpiper. Tringa fuscicollis.

Dunlin. Tringa alpina.

Little Stint. Tringa minuta.

Temminck’s Stint. Tringa temmincki.

American Stint. Tringa minutilla.

Curlew Sandpiper. Tringa subarquata.

Purple Sandpiper. Tringa striata.

Knot. Tringa canutus.

Ruff. Machetes pugnax.

Sanderling. Calidris arenaria.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Tryngites rufescens.

Bartram’s Sandpiper.  Actiturus longicauda.

Common Sandpiper. Tringoides hypoleucus.

Green Sandpiper. Helodromas ochropus.

Wood-Sandpiper. Totanus glareola.

Redshank. Totanus calidris.

Spotted Redshank. Totanus fuscus.

Greenshank. Totanus canescens.

Red-breasted Snipe. Macrorhamphus griseus.

Bar-tailed Godwit. Limosa lapponica.

Black-tailed Godwit. Limosa zgocephala.

Esquimaux Curlew. Numenius borealis.

Whimbrel. Numenius phzopus.

Curlew. Numenius arquata

Arctic Tern. Sterna macrura.

Common Tern. Sterna fluviatilis.

Roseate Tern. Sterna dougalli.

Little Tern. Sterna minuta.

Caspian Tern. Sterna caspia.

Gull-billed Tern. Sterna anglica.

Sandwich Tern. Sterna cantiaca.

Sooty Tern. Sterna fuliginosa.

Scopoli’s Sooty Tern. Sterna anestheta,

Whiskered Tern. Hydrochelidon hybrida.

White-winged Black Tern. Hydrochelidon leucoptera

Black Tern. Hydrochelidon nigra.

Noddy. Anous stolidus.

Ivory Gull. Pagophila eburnea.

Kittiwake. Rissa tridactyla.

Glaucous Gull. Larus glaucus.

Iceland Gull. Larus leucopterus.

Herring-Gull. Larus argentatus.

Lesser Black-backed Gull. Larus fuscus.

Common Gull. Larus canus.

Greater Black-backed Gull. Larus marinus.

Great Black-headed Gull. Larus ichthyaétus,

Black-headed Gull. Larus ridibundus.

Little Gull. Larus minutus.

Sabine’s Gull. Xema sabinii.

Common Skua. Stercorarius catarrhactes.

Pomatorhine Skua. Stercorarius pomatorhinus,

Richardson’s Skua. Stercorarius crepidatus

Buffon’s Skua. Stercorarius parasiticus.

Storm-Petrel. Procellaria pelagica.

Leach’s Petrel. Procellaria leucorrhoa

Wilson’s Petrel. Oceanites oceanicus,

Manx Shearwater. Puffinus anglorum.

Sooty Shearwater. Puffinus griseus.

Greater Shearwater. Puffinus major.

Dusky Shearwater, Puffinus obscurus.

Fulmar. Fulmarus glacialis.

Capped Petrel. CEstrelata hesitata.

Bulwer’s Petrel. Bulweria columbina.

Great Northern Diver. Colymbus glacialis.

Black-throated Diver. Colymbus arcticus.

Red-throated Diver. Colympus septentrionalis.

Great Crested Grebe. Podiceps cristatus.

Red-necked Grebe. Podiceps griseigena.

Slavonian Grebe. Podiceps auritus.

Eared Grebe. Podiceps nigricollis.

Little Grebe. Tachybaptes fluviatilis.

Razorbill. Alca torda.

Great Auk. Alca impennis.

Common Guillemot. Lomvia troile.

Brunnich’s Guillemot. Lomvia bruennichi.

Black Guillemot. Uria grylle.

Little Auk. Mergulus alle.

Puffin. Fratercula arctica.

Former RSPB conservation director Mark Avery: Feedback all leads me to think the organisation is in a poor state

                                                  

Has the RSPB management got a grip? Mark Avery, a former conservation director, has his doubts

IS the RSPB spiralling out of control?

This once unthinkable question is prompted by controversial remarks made today by its high-profile former conservation director, Mark Avery.

Says he: "All the feedback I get from current and past RSPB staff leads me to think that the organisation is in a poor state.

"Yet another review is happening with some traditional and important areas of work under attack.

"There is a massive amount of chatter outside the organisation about 'brand police' inside the organisation.

"I gather whole areas of conservation work are questioned as not being 'on brand'."  

Dr Avery has also long been highly critical of how the society's management handled the fiasco in which an officer posted a potentially libellous social message in which the then prime minister, Rishi Sunak, and two cabinet colleagues, Michael Gove and Therese Coffey, were described as "liars"

"Liargate was a high-profile cock-up," he says. "The current state of the RSPB would make me hesitate - probably for the first time in my life - over the wisdom of it being a home for your conservation investment."

He adds: "I'd watch the RSPB carefully before considering giving it money right now." 

Infiltrated by 'brand police'? The RSPB's HQ outside Sandy in Bedfordshire

                                         

Book review: Feather Trails - A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds by Sophie Osborn

Vividly written and authoritative - Sophie Osborn's excellent  book 

WHY are so few bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects to be seen fluttering  garden centres?

Sadly because many of them may have been coated with chemicals such as neonicotinoids which harm the nerves of  pollinating insects and suppress their immune systems.

So claims author-conservationist Sophie Osborn  in her recently-published Feather Trails.

She writes: "When I learnt of this, I thought with dismay about the pollinator gardens I'd delighted in creating at almost every home I'd lived, trying to leave each place better for wildlife than I'd found it.

"In trying to help the bees and butterflies that visited my salvias and penstemons, my bee balm an delphiniums, had I instead hastened the insects' demise? 

The sub-title of Osborn's new book is A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds, and much of the content is about the initiatives of her and others to ensure that species such as Peregrine, Hawaiian Crow and California Condor have a future in her native North America.

This all makes for fascinating reading, but so, too, does her commentary on the multiple threats posed the world not over - poisonous chemicals not the least of them.

The book also describes how her interest in birds has become the tapestry of her life, helping to give it meaning and richness.

As well as being  rigorously-researched environmental investigation, Feathered Trails is also a personal journey and human story in which the author has had to overcome many obstacles - among them, heat exhaustion, poachers, rattlesnakes and chauvinism.

A most absorbing book, Feather Trails is published at £25 in hardback by Chelsea Green Feather Trails - Chelsea Green UK

  

 

 

 

'Island paradise' for a birder? Offers in excess of £80,000 sought for uninhabited patch of the Orkney Islands

Just think of the vagrant birds flitting in! The main house and outbuildings are on the market

HURRY! A closing date of noon next Thursday August 22 has been set for bids for a remote property that looks just right for a keen birder.

The former lighthouse keeper's house is available on the uninhabited island of Copinsay - one of the Orkney Islands off the coast of Scotland.

Say the agents: "Your island paradise awaits.

"The main building, a charming two-story structure, serves as a perfect haven for those desiring solitude or an extraordinary getaway. 

"Complementing the main house within an area of 1.45 acres are outbuildings, including a shed by the pier and a tractor shed, providing ample storage space.

"Modern conveniences ensure comfortable living in this remote paradise. 

"The property is equipped with Calor gas heating, and there is a fully-restored private well, complete with a generator-operated electric pump, ensuring a reliable water supply. "

"Exclusive access and transportation are assured with access to two helicopter pads at either end of the island.

"Additionally, the property includes two quad bikes and a Pico sailing dinghy, enhancing prospects for  exploration and enjoyment of the island."

They continue: "The property requires renovation, but living on Copinsay would offer a unique lifestyle marked by peace, privacy, and a deep connection with nature. 

"This secluded paradise is ideal for a private retreat, offering an escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life with unparalleled tranquillity. 

This rare opportunity to own a piece of the Orkney Islands is a blank canvas awaiting your vision. Whether you seek a personal sanctuary, an eco-living project, or a unique investment, Copinsay promises an extraordinary lifestyle.

Offers are being sought in excess of £80,000.

More information  and advice on how to submit any purchase offer is available from K Allan Properties at: info@kallanproperties.co.uk

Note: The adjacent lighthouse is not part of the deal - this is operated remotely from Northern Lighthouse Board's headquarters in Edinburgh.

                                         

Come on England! Bit strange, that adornment in one of the bedrooms