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| Golden Eagle |
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| Kingfisher |
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| 'Great Crested' (probably Long-eared) Owl |
Wildlife commentator, naturalist and book reviewer Mark Avery has rated the book cover of The Cuckoo Calls The Year his favourite of the various 2025 titles that have been seen by him over the past 12 months. Depicting the Nene Valley on a day in early summer, it is the work of artist of Carry Akroyd. Awarding the cover 9/10, Dr Avery describes the illustration as "enticing" and the overall design as "uncluttered by extraneous words".
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| Goosander - the male of the species |
A SCOTTISH project to track the movement of Goosanders has hit a snag.
Apparently resenting having tags fitted to their backs, birds have been effecting removal by sawing through them with their serrated bills.
The monitoring glitch was revealed by chief executive Juliet Vickery at this afternoon's annual meeting of the BTO.
Not for nothing are Goosanders (plus Smew and Red-breasted Mergansers) known as 'sawbills'.
There were some 83 attendees at the AGM which was held online over Zoom and lasted about 45 minutes.
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| Female Goosander prospecting for nesting site on tree trunk |
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 |
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| Baroness Coffey - speaking up for Swifts |
DURING this autumn's series of parliamentary debates on Swifts, one of the most unexpected contributors has been Baroness Thérèse Coffey.
When she was Environment Secretary in the last Conservative government, Baroness Coffey appeared to show less than passionate support for the welfare of Britain's birds, even claiming that the droppings of waders and wildfowl might contribute to pollution in estuaries.
There was also an alleged snub for Swift brick campaigner Hannah Bourne-Taylor who had hoped she might be sympathetic.
But out of government and now sitting in the House of Lords, the baroness, who was 54 yesterday, appears to have shifted her position 180 degrees.
She told fellow peers: "When I was at the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, there was always a row with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government about Swift bricks.
"MHCLG regularly complained - obfuscated, frankly - about how an extra £20 to £30 would absolutely wipe out the housebuilding industry.
"Honestly, that is complete nonsense.
"Steve Reed supported Swift bricks when he was the Environment Secretary; now that he is the Housing Secretary, I hope he can persuade the Treasury that it is okay to have Swift bricks as standard.
"I am sure that there are many other measures that people would like. This is simple and straightforward; let us save our Swifts."
Baroness Coffey then proposed that the following clause should be added to Building Regulations:
The Secretary of State must introduce regulations under section 1 of the Building Act 1984 (power to make building regulations) to make provision for the installation of an average of one Swift brick per dwelling or unit greater than 5 metres in height.(2) Regulations must require the installation of Swift bricks in line with best practice guidance, except where such installation is not practicable or appropriate. (3) For the purposes of this section, 'Swift brick' means an integral nest box integrated into the wall of a building suitable for the nesting of the common Swift and other cavity nesting species.
Alas for the baroness - and for Swifts - her proposal was defeated by 102 votes to 36.
.JPG) |
| Looking for flying insects and somewhere to nest - Swifts in the summer sky |
This charming study of girls inspecting a bird's nest was a star Lot at a sale last Saturday' at Leyburn in North Yorkshire. Tennants auction house had estimated it would fetch between £10,000 and £15,000, but the bidding reached £16,000 before the hammer fell. Much of the high price can be attributed to the popularity of the artist, Dorothea Sharp (1873-1955), who is noted for her sweet studies, often of children at play on the beach. Another decent performer was the painting by Archibald Thorburn (1860-1935) of a Snipe. Expected to realise between £2,000 and £3,000, it fetched £4,800.
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| The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker has been a species in retreat in recent decades. Photo: Andrey Gulivanov via Wikimedia Commons |
THE RSPB is recruiting for two staff to research Woodpecker habitats in the south of England.
The focus will fall in particular on the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - a species in widespread decline.
Says the society: "We are keen to collect and analyse data to understand what makes good Spotted Woodpecker habitat.
"We will build on information gathered by Hampshire Ornithological Society in a survey conducted in 2022.
"The primary focuses will be collecting data on abundance of catkin and deadwood which are thought to be important habitat characteristics for Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers.
The salary for the senior researcher will be £30,075 - £32,108 per annum.
That for the assistant will be £25,847 - £27,594 per annum.
Essential skills, knowledge and experience are identified thus:
* Good navigation skills using maps and GPS to locate sampling points in woodland
* Ability to identify tree and shrub species
* Ability to locate and contact landowners and maintain good relationships
* Experience creating work schedules for others and line management
* Experience of checking and manipulating electronic data sets using excel and ArcGIS
* UK driving licence, or right to drive in the UK
The deadline for applications is Sunday November 30.
More information from: paul.bellamy@rspb.org.uk
This framed oil-on-canvas of of Pintailed Duck in flight sold for £80 at an auction conducted by John Taylors of Louth in Lincolnshire on Tuesday. The artist is Gordon Wilson.
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| Baroness Taylor: Building regulations are designed to safeguard people - not to protect wildlife |
A HOUSING minister who sits in the House of Lords has explained why the Government is refusing to amend building regulatons to make installation of Swift bricks mandatory in new developments
Says Baroness Taylor of Stevenage: "The regulations are designed to safeguard the health, safety and wellbeing of individuals in and around buildings.
"They were not designed to apply to the protection of wildlife.
"Expanding their scope to include interventions such as Swift bricks would mark a significant shift in regulatory intent.
"This risks a number of unintended consequences, including diluting the purpose of the current regime, establishing overlapping policies and adding significant administrative pressure to a system that is already under strain."
Her statement to the 'Lords continued: "Furthermore, the process of updating building regulations is highly technical and complex.
"Introducing requirements that fall outside the current remit could:
* Slow down essential updates
* Divert resources
* Place additional burdens on registered building control approvers
* Complicate existing inspection, sanction and enforcement procedures
* Fundamentally undermine the credibility of the system
Baroness Taylor continued: "Many homebuilders have signed up to the Homes for Nature scheme, led by the Future Homes Hub.
"As part of this commitment, developers must install a bird-nesting brick or box with every new home.
" Participants in the scheme include some of our biggest volume homebuilders, such as Barratt Redrow, Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon Homes who make up a significant proportion of the overall market.
" Extensive guidance is available to assist developers in selecting and installing these features, including the British industry standard, the Future Homes Hub’s Homes for Nature guidance, and the RSPB’s guide to nestboxes.
"Additionally, the National Design Guide and National Model Design Code illustrate how well-designed places can support rich and varied biodiversity."
The Baroness concludes "Therefore, the use of building regulations to mandate Swift bricks is unnecessary."
* See also previous report
* See also previous report
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| Lord Moylan: "It is a very pleasing thought" |
A MEMBER of the House of Lords has spoken enthusiastically about how children might cherish the installation of Swift bricks outside their bedroom windows.
Lord Moylan told a debate on building regulations: "Think of the sheer joy of the children in being able to look out of the window and see Swifts not only nesting but flying to and fro, maybe even catching those insects in full sight of their bedrooms.
"It is a very pleasing thought."
The Conservative peer was one of several who pleaded - to no avail - for the Government to amend building regulations so as to make installation of Swift bricks mandatory in new housing developments.
He insisted: "We should all support this, rally round and make the leap of faith that may be required but is fully justified in this case."
The debate was initiated by longtime Swift brick campaigner Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Con) who declared: "As everyone knows, we are in the midst of a rapid and terrifying decline in the populations of all cavity-nesting birds, in particular the iconic Swift.
"We know, because it is obvious, that a big part of why that is happening is that we are actively removing their homes.
"The way we build today means that things do not work in the same way: we do not have cavities, and there is no room for species that depend on the nooks and crannies that older buildings have.
"Even worse for those species, we are seeing the massive rollout of measures making life even more difficult -hopeless, in fact - for those cavity-nesting birds.
"I do not argue with the measures; I am a supporter of insulation which is a great thing.
" But with millions of older homes - around 50 million so far, I believe - being retrofitted and insulated, and cavities being sealed off, it is no wonder that four of our eight cavity-nesting bird species are now on the dreaded Red List of critically endangered species.
"Luckily, unlike with most of the problems we end up debating in this place, there is a very simple solution. The average two-bedroom brick house uses around 20,000 red bricks.
"Installing a single brick with a hole in it would cost around £20.
"It would require zero expertise to install and no maintenance at all - and it works.
"Wherever these bricks have been installed, they attract Swifts or similar birds.
"In Gibraltar, where installation is mandated, the the Swift population, having been in steep decline, is now stable.
Lord Goldsmith continued: "In previous debates, it has been suggested that installation should be a voluntary measure.
" Voluntary measures are great, and normally I would support them, but they have not worked in this case
" I do not believe that any developer could or would make, or has ever made, the case that a measure like this would in any way hamper their work or deform the pricing of the houses they have on offer, as the numbers are just so small.
"The truth is that uch a measure would not even qualify as a nuisance for builders or developers. That is what all of us interested in this issue have been hearing from the developers themselves.
"For the Swifts and their cousin sspeciess this is critical and non-negotiable; without these bricks, they have no future in the United Kingdom.
"I hope the Government will simply accept this measure. I remind them again that, in opposition, they were 100 per cent supportive.
"They were wildly enthusiastic about my previous amendment - very vocally so - and, in the opening months, at least, of this Government that enthusiasm absolutely remained in place.
"I felt that we were over the line; sadly not."
Support came from Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Con) who had his own suggestion.
"There may be an opportunity for the Government to look at higher buildings - perhaps not residential ones, but when new schools or hospitals are being built they could put in Swift bricks."
Meanwhile another champion of mandatory Swift bricks was Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party)
" I cannot see a downside to the proposal,"he declared. "And, on balance, it is worth pursuing the amendment because, if it does not affect Swifts in some particular areas - their behaviour may obviously vary from one place to another - other birds would benefit.
"It is surprising how many people are interested in this.
"In my own region, the Antrim area, a significant number of people are part of a Swift group trying to help the native species recover. We should encourage that.
"I see no downside to the measure and I support it, albeit that we have to accept the fact that there is no silver bullet."
* See also previous report
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| Nothing to eat, nowhere to nest - is it any wonder Swifts are in decline? |
ONE of Britain's most eminent ornithologists, Baron John Krebbs, fronted the opposition to legislation that would have - if it had been adopted - made it mandatory for housebuilders to install Swift nestbrick on buildings over five metres tall in their new developments.
In a House of Lords debate on the subject, the crossbench zoologist-peer, who, incidentally, is an expert on the territorial behaviour of Great Tits said: "My Lords, I rise with some trepidation to speak against the proposal.
"My opposition may be surprising if your Lordships recognise that I am an emeritus professor at the Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology at Oxford University - which is arguably the world’s leading ornithological research institute - as well as being a life member of the RSPB.
"So why am I against Swift bricks? I am absolutely in favour of measures to halt the decline in Swifts and in other species, but my objection to this proposal is that it simply will not work.
"Let me describe the basis on which I suggest that this will not work.
"The Edward Grey Institute is home to the longest-running study of Swift populations anywhere in the world: it has been running for 78 years.
"The first thing to say about this long-running study is that the Swifts nest in the tower of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History which is not five metres tall but 58 metres tall.
"I will explain why that is important in a moment - I do not want noble Lords to think that this is my opinion alone.
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| Baron Krebs:- Swift boxes are a 'bit player' |
"I consulted my colleague, Professor Christopher Perrins, who ran the Swift study for many years and is a former director of the Edward Grey Institute.
"What he points out, and I agree, is that Swifts are very specialised aerial feeders and flyers.
"They are superb flyers, and one consequence of their specialisation for flight is that in order to get into their nest, they need a very long, exposed flightpath: like a jumbo jet landing at an airport, they need a long entry point.
"Equally important, when they leave the nest, they need a very large drop space in order to come out of the nest, drop and start flapping their wings to take off.
"That is why, when nesting in the tower of the university museum at Oxford, which is 58 metres tall, the swifts prefer to nest at the very top.
"Even boxes that are 15 or 20 metres from the top are not used by the swifts; only the ones at the very top."
"This is a very well-intentioned idea, and I am all in favour of measures that will help reverse the decline in Swift populations, but I do not think this is the right one.
"So what is the cause of the decline in Swift populations in this country?
"We have to look at the fact that it is not just Swifts, but other bird species that are aerial insect feeders: Housemartins, Sand Martins and Swallows are all in steep decline. They all have very different nesting requirements.
"The swift is the only one that nests in a hole, as the Swift brick amendment would suggest, or under eaves."
Baron Krebs (80) continued: "The real cause of the decline of these bird species is the decline in aerial insect populations.
"We all know, and it is an oft-repeated fact, that in the good old days when even I was young, if you drove down a country lane at night, your windscreen would be spattered with insect corpses.
"Now you drive down a country lane at night and your windscreen is completely clear.
"Yes, we should tackle the problem of declining aerial insectivores but Swift boxes are really a bit player in this whole question.
"Although I support the intention of the proposal, I do not think it would deliver what is claimed and therefore, reluctantly, I do not support it".
