Rare opportunity to bid for Slender-billed Curlew - a bird now deemed to have gone way of Dodo and Great Auk

Sadness in the eye? The bird that will go under the hammer at Yorkshire auction on April 16

                                                               

THE Slender-billed Curlew is not alive and well and is reckoned by 'experts' almost certainly to be extinct.

Which is why a stuffed specimen is likely to be of special interest to birders when it goes under the hammer at a taxidermy auction in Yorkshire later this week.

According to Leyburn-based auction house Tennants, the bird, which is mounted on a mahogany base,  is of early 20th Century origin. Its overall height is 33.5cm.

How it came to be on the market in Britain is something of a mystery given that it was once in a museum in Belgium - as denoted by a label purporting the identification on the underside of the base.

The last officially verified  record of the species was in Morocco in 1995.

Reports in subsequent years - including at Druridge Pools  in Northumberland (1998) and Minsmere in Suffolk (2014) as well as in the Danube Estuary  - were temporarily given credence, only to be dismissed (not necessarily without acrimony)  on closer scrutiny of the evidence.

In 1998, multinational chemical company Bayer co-sponsored an expedition to Kazakhstan in a quest for breeding grounds of the bird, but it had no success.

Compared to the  Eurasian Curlew  which, though declining  is still widespread, its Slender-billed cousin is - or was -  whiter on the breast and tail with a shorter, more slender bill,  slightly straighter at the base. 

But similarity to its juvenile Eurasian counterpart has always made identification a challenge.

Historically its breeding grounds were in bogs in Russia and Kazakhstan with winters spent on coastal mudflats in the Mediterranean  and Arabia.

As has so often been  the case, its demise is generally attributed to hunting and loss of habitat.

It was declared globally extinct in November last year.

But back to the stuffed bird now residing in a salesroom in North Yorkshire.

According to Tennants, the pre-sale estimate is that the hammer will come down at between £300 and £500  at the auction which is scheduled for April 16.

* Photographs: Tennants of Leyburn www.tennants.co.uk

Whiter plumage than the Eurasian Curlew

Identification label on base of mahogany mount 

To be or not to be? Scientist Tim Birkhead's new book sounds cautionary note on "de-extincting" Great Auk

Sheffield University academic Tim Birkhead poses many important questions in his intriguing new book

                                           

IF scientific advances allow it, should we encourage "de-extinction" projects for long-gone creature such as the Dodo and the Mammoth?

The question is explored by scientist Tim Birkhead in a new book about a species close to his heart - the Great Auk.

It is an alluring prospect," he writes. "Initially, I was enthusiastic about the possibility.

"The possibility that, through molecular wizardry, we could recreate the Great Auk and once again enjoy the sight, sound and smell of it I find almost irresistible.

"But then, as I thought about it, my enthusiasm was supplanted by some, cold hard facts."

After enumerating the myriad threats to today's seabird species - for instance, pollution, over-fishing, hunting and climate change - Prof Birkhead reaches a sad conclusion.

"Even if we could create the Great Auk, would it be fair to spend all that time and effort doing so for a bird for which there is probably no safe home?" he asks.

"Would it not be wiser to spend those funds saving one or more endangered species not yet extinct and whose habitat could be made safe?"

The Great Auk - Its Extraordinary Life , Hideous Death and Mysterious Afterlife is published by Bloomsbury at £20 in hardback.

 * A review of the book will appear in a later edition of this blog.

Whatever you do, don't mention the word 'liar'! Oh dear, veteran RSPB staffer Alasdair McKee just did

Magical place - Foulshaw Moss (photo: Ian Alexander-Waite, Cumbria Wildlife Trust)

THERE is a word for birders who claim they can distinguish by plumage between Meadow Pipits and Tree Pipits . . .

And, according to long-time RSPB staffer Alasdair McKee, that word is: "Liar!"

Considering the hot water the society got into two years ago when one of its executives used this abrasive term in social media to describe three frontline UK politicians, it came as a surprise to hear it used again.

But Alasdair, who was giving an illustrated talk to the March meeting of the RSPB's Grimsby group, is nothing if not an edgy presenter.

Over two hours, he  took his audience on a fast-paced  whistlestop tour of the extensive range of species to be found on Foulshaw Moss, a truly vibrant Cumbria Wildlife Trust reserve.

He started by exploring features of some of the bog plants, notably Sphagnum moss, and went on to cover the mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, moths and birds (including Stonechat, Tree Sparrow,  Reed Bunting, Redpoll and, yes, Tree Pipit).

                                                        

Which is it - Meadow Pipit or Tree Pipit?

                                                                   (Answer below)

Among the stars of the reserve are the raptors, sometimes as many a seven different species (including both Hen and Marsh Harrier) on a single day.

A particular attraction in spring and summer are the nesting Ospreys, especially the one known as "Blue 35" on account of its leg ring.

Since its arrival in 2013, this female has laid no fewer than 35 eggs from which 29 chicks have hatched and fledged.

Alasdair described a hare fleeing at 45 mph as "the sports car of the mammal world" and, more prosaically, likened a flying Hobby feeding on a dragonfly  to a workman " munching on a sandwich". 

He obviously has a soft spot for the Emperor dragonfly which he likened  to a hero of Hollywood westerns.

"When one of these turns up at a pond, everything goes quiet," quipped Alasdair. "Just like when Clint Eastwood steps into the bar!"

Staying in light-hearted mode, the speaker insisted that birders are part of the 'circle of life'.

"It is well known that Nightjars attract birders," he declared. "And birders, especially those with bald heads, attract mosquitoes - which, in turn, attract Nightjars."

Lively but not always politically correct - the irrepressible Alasdair McKee

                                                                   (photo via Facebook)

Alasdair, who had come with his wife from his home in Lancaster to give the talk, regularly carries out guiding duties at Foulshaw Moss, giving him the opportunity to share his enthusiasm and knowledge with many groups from the north-west of England.

From time to time, he finds himself fielding some singularly offbeat questions such as: "do you get other birds here as well as birds of prey?" and "as a volunteer, do you get paid?"

Shaking his head, Alasdair told his amused audience: "I think those questions came from a party from the Stockport Home for Bewildered Birders".

A bit naughty, that! But quite nice, too (unless you're a birder from Stockport).

Following his talk, the speaker was thanked by Grimsby Local Group leader Martin Francis and applauded by his audience which totalled about 50.

* Answer: it's a Meadow Pipit

Don't beat yourself up if you can't pick out the juvenile Caspian Gull among a flock of Herring Gulls!

                                                                

Colourful and controversial - Ian's Carter's new book

"IF identifying and recording is not your thing, then don't feel bad about."

That is one of the messages from Ian Carter, a former staffer at Natural England, in his exhilarating new book, Wild Galloway.

He explains: "I don't take the identification process too far.

"An autumn Wheatear is just that. 

"Unless it looks obviously different, I'm not going to work studiously through every feature just to make sure it is not one of the rarer species.

"The subtleties of size, shape and plumage that leads some birders to Caspian Gulls mostly elude me."

This is a refreshingly different perspective that would probably irk some birders - and possibly the whole of the BTO establishment which has a relentlessly scientific and, some would say, soulless approach.

"Too much counting, recording and form-filling eats away at the therapeutic benefit I get away from the house," continues Carter.

"The joy of being outside comes from escaping the myriad plans and  schemes that consume so much of our lives."

The book, subtitled From The Hilltops to The Solway, A Portrait of A Glen, is in large part an exquisitely-written account of the habitats and wildlife around his adoptive home in this part of South-west Scotland. (He is particularly good on sea ducks and butterflies.)

But, though often elegiac, the content is never soft, nor 'soppy'. Many of the author's reflections carry a sharp edge. Along the way, he does not shirk from treading on toes - not infrequently his own.

For instance, he acknowledges a sense of guilt in filling his car with fuel, then motoring off on a non-essential birding trip.

"We have all, it seems, become experts at making allowances for our own excesses while simultaneously objecting to those of others.

"There is so often, it seems a good reason why you are the exception and everyone else is the rule."

This challenging and highly readable book is  published in paperback at £17.99 by Caithness-based Whittles Publishing ( www.whittlespublishing.com ).

                                              

Ian Carter - happy times in Galloway

Was ever there a more classic case of virtue-signalling? BTO’s holier-than-thou snub for 2025 Global Birdfair

                                                                    

Peep show? This frightened Great Tit was trapped and ringed for display by BTO staff at a previous Global Birdfair

ONE of Britain's leading ornithological groups has announced its decision not to take stand space at this year's Global Birdfair on commercial and ethical grounds.

Because  it is a high-status organisation - it was founded in 1930 and enjoys Royal patronage -  the snub will dismay Global Birdfair organisers, especially as it might encourage other organisations to do likewise.

The British Trust for Ornithology, as it was formerly known, made its announcement on  social media on Friday evening.

The statement reads as follows: "BTO has taken the difficult decision to not return to Global Birdfair as an exhibitor this year. 

"While we recognise that Birdfair provides an important opportunity to meet members and volunteers face to face, our continued investment in other ways to engage with supporters is proving to be a much more effective use of resources.

"With its emphasis on high carbon wildlife tourism, today’s Birdfair has a different focus and feel from earlier years, and there has been a significant decline in the numbers of people attending. 

"Given the extent to which BTO work has highlighted the impacts of climate change on birds, and because of our commitment to working sustainably, we no longer feel it is appropriate to take a stand at the event.

"We do recognise the significant contribution the event has made to conservation over so many years and are very grateful for the opportunities that it has provided us over the years."

The Wryneck says: The  BTO is entitled not to attend Global Birdfair, but many of its members and supporters will surely be dismayed, not just by the decision but also by the pious and self-righteous way it has been proclaimed to the birding world. With this  statement, it has effectively  sought not just to shame organiser Tim Appleton and his small and hardworking Global Birdfair team but also all those seeking to participate in the event whether as sponsors, exhibitors or visitors. Which individual at BTO has ownership of this decision? How many of its staff and members were consulted? Someone needs to put her/his head above the parapet. And let it be acknowledged that, in its short life, the Birdfair event has probably done more for bird and wildlife conversation than the BTO has done in almost a century.

Well, there's a turn-up for the books - Government gives go-ahead for GCSE in natural history

                                                    

Catherine McKinnell - moving ahead

THE Government has today given the green light for a new GCSE subject - natural history. 

In a statement issued in the ' Commons, education minister Catherine McKinnell said: "This Government recognises the importance of providing all children and young people with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to understand and develop a connection to the natural world, access green careers and thrive in life and work in a world with a changing climate.

"We are, therefore, pleased to confirm that we will be moving ahead with a new GCSE in natural history. 

"This GCSE will enable more young people to benefit from the opportunity to learn about the natural world in more depth at key stage 4. 

"It will equip them to understand and respect the natural world and to contribute to the protection and conservation of the environment locally, nationally and internationally.

"The content of the new natural history GCSE will need to build on the curriculum content that pupils learn earlier in their schooling related to the natural world in subjects such as science, geography and citizenship. 

"We therefore plan to finalise and consult on proposed subject content for the new GCSE after the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review has concluded. 

"The Review Group is expecting to publish its final report with recommendations in autumn 2025."

The decision follows a long campaign by wildlife author Mary Colwell who has expressed delight at the announcement.

Up into the sky! Bird paintings take flight at Yorkshire-held auction of British, European and Sporting Art

                                                

Bullfinch - in demand

BIRD paintings were strong performers at a sale last Saturday of  British, European & Sporting Art.

For instance, a study of a male Bullfinch by the Scottish artist Edwin John Alexander (1870-1926) achieved a hammer price of £1,200 against a pre-sale estimate of £300 and £500.

Another strong performer was the painting by Lincolnshire artist George Edward Lodge (1860-1954) of a family of Red-legged Partridges originally commissioned for H.F. Witherby's Handbook of British Birds.

This fetched £1,800 - more than three times higher than the pre-sale guide price of £400-£600.

On the downside, a work, entitled Frozen Out, by Robert W Milliken (1920-2014) fared less well.

It is an intriguing study not least because it depicts two Redpolls perched alongside a quartet of Grey Partridges.

Milliken  was president of the Northern Ireland Ornithology Society and a member of the Northern Ireland Birds Record Committee. 

His painting was expected to fetch between £250 and £400, but, after lacklustre bidding, the hammer came down at £220.

The sale was conducted by auction house Tennants at their saleroom in Leyburn, North Yorkshire. 

High price for Red-legged Partridges

Redpolls hunkering down with Grey Partridges

A man with a mission! Conor Jameson explores life of enigmatic writer-naturalist W.H. Hudson

 

Conor Jameson - entertaining and informative

IN the second half of the Victorian age, many men (and some women) of wealth and enterprise ventured far beyond Britain's shores to explore little-known jungles and icecaps in faraway places.

But for one man, the bold step into the unknown took a different form.

Nature enthusiast W.H. Hudson had been brought up by his late parents in rural Argentina, so, for him, it was coming to England, the land of his forebears, that was the Big Adventure.

Aged 32 on the day he left The Pampas, he had never attended a day of school, but he was far from being an uneducated man.

Among his parents’ collection of books had been one that  particularly fascinated him - Gilbert White's Natural History of Selborne.

On arrival at Southampton aboard a steam packet from Buenos Aires, Hudson's top priority, therefore,  was to see and hear as many as possible of the birds so vividly described by White.

Over the next 45-plus years, Hudson's  own colourful descriptions of his wanderings throughout southern England, especially in Hampshire and Wiltshire, were to provide the bedrock of his career both as a writer-naturalist and as an effective campaigner for bird protection.

It is 103 years since this enigmatic figure died, aged 81, of heart failure but at the 2025 annual meeting of Lincolnshire Bird Club, he was brought to life in an absorbing illustrated talk by Norfolk-based Glaswegian Conor Jameson, formerly an RSPB staffer for 27 years but now a full-time speaker, writer and author of  Finding W.H. Hudson - The Man Who Came to Britain To Save The Birds.

Conor's  presentation was excellent - conversational, amusing and sometimes mischievous in his choice of illustrations, with a photograph of Clint Eastwood (as he appeared in the western, Pale Rider), making a couple of guest appearances!

Evidently, like the character played by Eastwood in the Hollywood movie, Hudson was a man with a mission.

He was determined to do whatever he could to halt the widespread practice pursued by 'collector naturalists', many of them eminent ornithologists, of shooting brightly-plumaged birds for the purpose of having them stuffed and displayed behind glass as drawing room 'trophies'.

During his talk, the speaker also touched on Hudson's somewhat unorthodox relationship with women. He was married to Emily Wingrave, an opera singer 15 years his senior, but seemed to spend much of his time with other women - in particular, the group who went on to found the organisation that was to become the RSPB.

He was not an activist and is never known to have addressed a public meeting. But his effectiveness derived from his stinging letters to The Times and other publications which tweaked the conscience of many of those who might otherwise have disregarded the callousness not just of taxidermy but also of the killing of birds so that their feathers could be used as adornments to the hats of 'fashionable' women. 

Inevitably, Hudson trod on the toes of many establishment figures (among them, the artist and writer John Gould) because he exposed the cruelty, snobbery and arrogance that characterised their activities which were all-too-often disguised as scientific research.

For much of his life, he and Emily lived in poverty, but, as his many books became increasingly popular, his circumstances became comfortable - particularly with the success of one of his novels, Green Mansions, which proved to be a runaway success in the US and was later made into a film, starring Audrey Hepburn and Anthony Perkins (of Psycho fame).

Following his engaging talk, Conor was thanked by LBC chairman Phil Espin and warmly applauded by his audience which numbered about 50. 

* Finding W.H. Hudson is published in paperback at £17.99 by Pelagic Publishing: pelagicpublishing.com/

                                                    

Page-turner - Conor James' absorbing biography of a remarkable individual

               

Prepared to be very afraid, Sir Keir! RSPB chief executive Beccy Speight is gunning for you

                                       

Beccy Speight lays down weekend challenge to Prime Minister 

The Prime Minister must be quaking in his boots . . .

RSPB chief executive Beccy Speight is on the warpath and she has him in her sights.

Over the weekend, she sent this open message via social media to the PM over his apparently unsympathetic attitude to nature and wildlife:

"Time and time again, we are hearing about places the Prime Minister is happy to concrete over, yet silence on places for nature that must be protected from development.

"Our ancient woods, our heaths, our very best refuges for wildlife - it is these places that underpin our economy, our health and wellbeing and will help us hold back and adapt to climate change.

"The RSPB and many millions of people across this country care deeply about our natural world and the important sites we have left for nature.

"But does Sir Keir?"

Bizarre pose and coloration, but there's something fascinating about 'earliest' British painting of a Wryneck

 

Clearly a Wryneck (just look at that tongue), but are the two insects also identifiable?

IS this the earliest ever painting of a Wryneck by a British artist?

It is attributed to George Edwards (1694-1773) - sometimes described as the 'father of British Ornithology'.

However, the London-based bird artist  travelled extensively in Europe so it is by no means certain that his study is based on a sighting in Britain.

The pencil, watercolour and gouache study, which measures 27.3cm x 22cm (10¾ x 8¾in), came  into focus earlier this month when it was due to go under the hammer at a sale of Old Masters, British and European Paintings in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Auction  house Woolley and Wallis had hoped bidding would surpass £1,000, but it failed to reach its reserve price and was withdrawn, probably to a sale at a later date. 

                                            

                                             

                                               

Doing its bit for birds - rail company installs nestboxes at stations in northern Lincolnshire and Yorkshire

 

Bring on the birds and bats - newly-installed nestbox at one of the stations

A TOTAL of 50 of bird and bat boxes have been  installed at nine TransPennine Express railway stations to provide new nesting habitat.

The station to benefit are at: Cleethorpes, Grimsby Town, Barnetby, Scunthorpe,Yarm, Northallerton, Thirsk, Hull and Stalybridge.

The initiative aims to grow biodiversity at these stations.

Different types of boxes have been used to encourage various species, including a variety of bat species as well as birds such as Robins, Blackbirds, Wrens, Pied Wagtails, Swallows and Swifts.

Explains TPE environment officer Steve Gilder: "We are committed to building a more sustainable railway, and this is just one of many of our projects that focus on biodiversity.

"With a lack of natural habitat space across many of our stations, bird and bat boxes are a simple way to provide additional places for them and we look forward to monitoring their use over the coming months."

He continues: "We are planning to install more bat and bird boxes in the future along with several other biodiversity improvements."

Last year, the train operator carried out several  improvements across its stations to benefit wildlife, including pollinator-friendly station planter upgrades, bug hotels and a  landscape planting scheme at Thirsk.

An amicable parting of the ways - RSPB and energy company decide to pull plug on 10-year partnership

All on its lonesome - the single turbine at Sandy in Bedfordshire

THE 10-year partnership between the RSPB and onshore energy company Ecotricity is over. 

This has been confirmed by the former which states:  "After a decade of working together, we felt the partnership had reached a natural conclusion."

Under the tie-up arrangement, Ecotricity - led by Australian entrepreneur and Labour Party donor Dale Vince -  was given whole pages to promote the company in the bird charity's quarterly magazine.

The RSPB received commission payments - totalling more than £250,000 over 10 years -  for any members who signed up to the windfarm company for their electricity supplies.

There was a suspicion that, under the agreement, the charity would be under an implicit obligation not to oppose any planning applications submitted by Ecotricity for new windfarms.

However, this was categorically denied by the RSPB. 

The charity's statement continues: "By working in partnership and sharing our experience and expertise, we believe both organisations have benefited from a hugely successful decade.

"Now it is time to bring this success to the wider industry and we are proactively exploring potential new partnerships."

Meanwhile, the energy company said: "After a decade of working together, our partnership with the RSPB has come to an end. 

"If you switched to Ecotricity and quoted RSPB, we donated £25 for each meter switched, on your behalf. 

"For every year you stayed with Ecotricity, we donated a further £25." 

It added: "This partnership has come to an end, but we are still keen supporters of the RSPB's work to help wildlife and combat the climate crisis."

Despite the parting of the way, the Gloucestershire-based energy company retains an operating wind turbine on the RSPB's landholdings at  Sandy in Bedfordshire where the latter  has its HQ.

The Wryneck says: Many RSPB members were always uncomfortable about the relationship between the society and a windfarm company. The sad fact is that collision with turbines has maimed or killed many birds. It is worrying, therefore, that potential new partnerships with other windfarm companies are being "proactively explored". Any deals may prove to be lucrative but the RSPB risks finding itself compromised and liable to significant reputational damage.   

Grand old telescope from yesteryear attracted interest (but not a high price) at Lincolnshire auction

                                                                   

Eight-draw telescope - probably too cumbersome for most birders today

MOST birders are familiar with names such as Leica, Swarovski and Zeiss - all noted for their high quality optics, including spotting scopes.

But rewind to a bygone age when a British manufacturer, C.W. Dixey & Son, was top brand in town with its wide range of optical accessories. 

Established in New Bond Street in London's West End in 1777, the firm thrives to this day and is proud to have included among its spectacles-buying customers the likes of  Queen Victoria, at least 10 British prime ministers, including  Sir Winston Churchill, and Antarctic explorer Dr Edward Wilson

Then there were the writers Tennessee Williams and Ian Fleming plus actors such as Boris Karloff, John Gielgud and Peter Sellers.

It is not known how many telescopes it manufactured before closing this division, but, earlier today one came up for auction in Louth, Lincolnshire, where bidding reached £100 before the hammer fell.

The sale was conducted by John Taylors auctioneers several of whose other lots featured brass telescopes from yesteryear.

All achieved prices of between £40 and £110, their relatively low values perhaps reflecting contemporary buyers' preference for ease of use and precision over antiquity.

Special engraving:  C.W. Dixey - Optician to the Queen

                                         

Natural England's U-turn on controversial scheme that allowed Peregrines to be taken from wild

                                         

Peregrine - a bird much cherished by generations of falconers

 A CONTROVERSIAL scheme that allowed falconers to take eggs or chicks from nests of wild Peregrine  Falcons has been scrapped.

There was controversy back in 2020 when Natural England acceded to a request from an individual falconer, Gary Wall, a veteran falconer who also supplied birds to the Middle East for them to be flown at Houbara’s Bustards.

At the time, he said he planned to create a stud book population of native Peregrines, providing British falconers with a native source of birds that would "reconnect with their cultural heritage".

Oversight of the project would be by him and a "co-operative" of like-minded falconers to be known as the British Peregrine Conservancy".

His intention was for up to three chicks per season to be taken over 10 years to create a "foundation stock".

Natural England was supportive with chairman Tony Juniper noting: "It is vital to highlight that Natural England, in discharging its general purpose, must take account of all the legitimate interests and points of view that exist in our society."

Organisations such as the RSPB, the BTO and the wildlife trusts stayed silent on the subject, but the charity, Animal Aid was appalled.

It stated: "Taking chicks from their nest and natural habitat to be used in needless breeding programmes is deeply unethical, and this decision must be reversed. 

"Peregrine falcons have seen an increase in their numbers in recent decades, so these breeding programmes are in no way beneficial to the species, but only humans involved in falconry.

"Natural England attempt to dignify this taking of chicks from their natural habitats, by calling falconry ‘an ancient tradition’. 

"This is a similar justification given by others for brutal blood-sports such as bullfighting and fox hunting, and should not be a valid excuse for any form of animal exploitation.

"Falconry is an  archaic sport that exploits animals and results in the human-caused deaths of other wild animals.  

"We feel that Natural England should not be supporting this industry in any way, and licensing individuals to take chicks out of the wild for this purpose is immoral and must be stopped."

Why has Natural England done a U-turn?

It states: "Natural England led a review using a mixture of methods, including social science research and participatory stakeholder approaches, to examine historical and cultural aspects of falconry practice in England and how this has changed over time. 

"The review also looked at evidence on the behaviour and genetics of captive and wild bird of prey populations. 

"The process included workshops, interviews, a literature review, and a public call for evidence."

It continues: "The review  concluded that wild take is not integral to the continued practice of falconry or aviculture in England and that suitable birds of the relevant species can be readily sourced from existing captive populations. 

"Captive-bred birds can perform to a comparable standard to wild birds when appropriately trained and handled, and there is no evidence of significant inbreeding risks in captive populations of the relevant species.

"While many falconers are clearly passionate about birds of prey and spending time outdoors connecting with nature, the review process highlighted no clear consensus within the falconry community or the available falconry literature regarding the specific cultural value or importance of wild take to British falconers. 

"The use of ‘wild’ birds of prey is not specifically referred to in most modern definitions of falconry, such as those provided by the International Association for Falconry, the British Falconers’ Club, and as part of the falconry-specific entry on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 

"There are also limited historical references to wild take being of specific cultural importance to British falconers.

"As a result of these conclusions, it is highly unlikely that any wild take licence application will be able to satisfy the relevant licensing tests."

Ornithologist who travelled Ireland far and wide to record songs of almost 200 bird species

                                                             

What promises to be a fascinating film  about Irish ornithologist Seán Ronayne’s mission to record the sound of every bird species in Ireland -  almost  200 in total - is due to be screened on BBC4 TV at 9pm tomorrow, Wednesday March 12.  birds. A year in the making, Birdsong offers a fascinating portrait of Seán, whose hypersensitivity to sound has proven both a struggle and a strength. At once inspiring and cautionary, Seán’s journey illustrates the beauty and importance of sound and what listening can tell us about the state of our natural world.

Better late than never! RSPB wakes up to fact that North Sea accident threatens to devastate seabird colony

                                                 

The Yorkshire cliffs - breeding habitat for thousands of seabirds, including Gannets 

 IT took the best part of 24 hours, but the RSPB has at last put out a statement in response to yesterday's widely-reported collision of an oil tanker and a cargo vessel off the Yorkshire Coast.

The statement did not come from, as might have been expected, from its chief executive, Beccy Speight, but from an area manager, Richard Barnard.

Said he: "The RSPB is extremely concerned about the potential impact of this tanker collision on the marine environment. 

"Much will depend on the type of fuel on board and sea currents.   

"The whole area around the collision is important for birds, home to internationally important populations of seabirds. 

"To the south is the Greater Wash Special Protection area, a vital location for wintering Red-throated Divers and Common Scoters. 

"To the north and west  is the RSPB’s seabird nature reserve at Bempton Cliffs."   

He continued: "We also need to consider any potential impacts on our estuaries, such as the Humber and the Wash. 

"Oil directly impacts seabirds, coating their feathers and reducing their waterproofing and buoyancy, which can lead to drowning, or it can poison them through ingestion.   

"Overall, the RSPB is concerned about the current resilience of seabird populations. 

"Many seabird populations are facing long term declines and were hard hit by avian flu, and most have yet to see any recovery from this. 

"There is still a question mark over the restriction of fishing for sandeels, a vital food source for many seabirds. 

"Added to this is the ongoing pressure on our marine environment from development such as large-scale wind farms especially off the east coast.  

"A potential pollution incident is the last thing these birds need."  

                                      

Sanderling - a species at risk if oil finds its way on to the shoreline

The Wryneck says: Is this statement the best the RSPB can do? Its members and supporters will scarcely be inspired by such a belated and feeble response to such a significant incident. The society needs to be much more forthright  in detailing the potential impact, especially on the seabird breeding colony at Bempton. It should also explain the extent to which, if at all, it is communicating and co-operating with the other agencies that have been much quicker off the mark in seeking to tackle the emergency. Most important of all, it should spell out its proposed plan of action to protect birds if oil pollution proves to be as serious as some are predicting.

North Sea ships collision puts thousands of seabirds at risk from oilspill contamination

                                                                              

Seabirds in peril - Gannet breeding colony at Flamborough Head

PUFFINS are among thousands of seabirds thought to have been imperilled by oil spilled from  today's ships collision off the East Coast.

The birds will be gathering in this part of the southern North Sea ahead of arrival next month at the important Yorkshire breeding cliffs of  Flamborough and nearby Bempton where the RSPB has one of its most important reserves.

Not only are the birds at risk of potentially fatal plumage contamination but also of loss of marine prey such as sandeels.

Other species at risk include Gannets, Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, Red-throated divers and sea ducks such as Scoter.  

Further down this stretch of Yorkshire coast is Spurn Bird Observatory where staff and volunteers will be on alert for casualties in the coming days.

There are also worries at the mouth of the Humber Estuary which is currently home to thousands of shorebirds, such as Curlew, Knot, Sanderling, Turnstone, Dunlin and Bar-tailed Godwit. 

There is a particularly important high tide roost of these species on the south beach at Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire.   

Any oil spill blown onshore could contaminate  the mudflats where they are feeding prior to their migration later this month to breeding grounds in Scandinavia and the Arctic.  

Among the first conservation organisations to comment on the incident were the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, both of which issued statements (below) identifying the risks to wildlife including Grey Seals and cetaceans.

Perhaps surprisingly given its large contingent of  media officers, nothing so far has been forthcoming from the RSPB 

Daffodils or 'naffodils'? Broadcaster Chris Packham and poet William Wordsworth agree to differ

                                       

A 'host of golden daffodils' but celebrity broadcaster reckons they are a 'big yellow mess' 

Chris Packham (spring 2025) on daffodils: 

'It feels like spring is impatient this year. The daffodils, or naffodils as I call them, are making a big yellow mess.' 

                      

William Wordsworth (spring 1804) on daffodils:

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed - and gazed - but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

                                             

What are William Wordsworth's words worth?