Nature minister: "It is our job to protect declining waterbirds for future generations to cherish"

 

Drake Pintail - sometimes a target for wildfowlers

BETTER protection could beckon for Pintail in England if a Government proposal passes into law.

In future, wildfowlers may face a ban on shooting this species -  along with Pochard, Goldeneye and White-fronted Goose.

This is because of the apparent decline of these birds in recent years.

For the same reason, there could also be restrictions - by means of an extended close season - on the  hunting of Woodcock and Snipe.

Says Nature Minister Mary Creagh: "The Woodcock, Pochard, Goldeneye and Pintail are all iconic national birds.

"Their decline is  concerning, and it is our job to ensure they are properly protected for future generations to cherish.

"This government is committed to protecting wildlife."

Different arrangements prevail for Scotland, Wales and Northern Island where decisions  have been devolved to their own respective parliaments.

However, the Golden Plover has been deemed sufficiently common for it not to require additional safeguards within the UK.

The proposals are currently out for consultation with conservation bodies, shooting organisations and anyone who wishes to express a view.

                                                       

Golden Plover - no additional safeguards proposed

Snipe - the close season for hunting may be extended

Will eradication of ferret population on Raithlin Island lead to increase in breeding Corncrakes

                                                        

All eyes - and ears - will be on 2026 fortunes of the elusive Corncrake

THERE are hopes that Corncrakes will be among the beneficiaries of the purge of predatory mammals on Raithlin Island in Northern Ireland.

Based on RSPB publicity earlier this week, the population of non-native ferrets has now been eradicated entirely.

Rats could face the same fate if a project involving some 7,000 bait stations pays off.

Since both these mammals prey on the eggs and young - and sometimes adults - of ground-nesting birds, Corncrakes could see a brighter breeding future along with Choughs, plus  Puffins, Kittiwakes and other seabirds.

The baseline for Corncrakes is that  six male birds were recorded during last year's breeding season. Will it increase in 2026?

The RSPB and partners are also hopeful of the breeding return of Manx Shearwater and re-colonisation by the Storm Petrel, a species suspected but not known to have bred on the island in the  past.

Auction surprise as Sir Peter Scott's oil-on-canvas of Cuckoo in flight over sand dunes fails to find buyer

                                                                 

THERE was a surprise at an auction in Knightsbridge last week when a striking painting by Sir Peter Scott was withdrawn from the sale after bidding failed to reach the reserve price.

Sir Peter (1909-1989) is well known for his studies of wild swans, geese and ducks, often in flight.

At the same sale, conducted by Bonhams, Sir Peter's painting of Geese in Flight (below) fetched £6,400  - well above the pre-sale estimate of £3,000 to £5,000.

There was an expectation that his oil-on-canvas (above) of a Cuckoo  over Sand Dunes might sell for an even higher price given that this is a species not often depicted by this artist.

But even the cautious pre-sale guide price of between £2,500 and £3,500 proved to be over-ambitious.

The minimum acceptable bid has not been revealed, but, whatever, it was, the figure was not reached.

It is understood that the would-be vendor is now willing to consider post-auction bids.

More information from Catherine.King@bonhams.com or  tel 020 7393 3884. 

                                                                   

There's no greater Guillemot enthusiast than Tim Birkhead - but Bullfinches aren't so far behind

                                              

Tim Birkhead - man of many talents

GUEST speaker at this week's annual meeting of the Lincolnshire Bird Club will be Prof Tim Birkhead who has long taught  animal behaviour and the history of science at the University of Sheffield.

His particular interest in birds has taken him all over the world in his quest better to understand what motivates every aspect of their behaviour from feeding to breeding.

Tim (75) is also an author whose authoritative and entertaining  books  include The Red Canary,  The Wisdom of Birds: An Illustrated History of Ornithology,  Sperm Competition in Birds, The Magpies and Bird Sense: What It Is Like To Be A Bird.

However, his most recent work is The Great Auk: Its  Extraordinary Life, Hideous Death and Mysterious Afterlife. 

Published by Bloomsbury last year, it is a highly readable study of a bird that has captured the imagination of birders since it became extinct in the mid-19th Century.

Tim was born and brought up in Leeds where he went to school before attending the University of Newcastle where Zoology was his degree subject.

After graduating, he continued in the academic world, completing  a doctorate  on the ecology and behaviour of Guillemots on Skomer Island, off the Welsh Coast. This is probably his favourite species, along with, at home,  the Eurasian Bullfinch and, overseas, the Long-tailed Sylph - one of the South American hummingbirds.   

Aged 26, he was offered a position at Sheffield University where he has been ever since.

The father-of-three  attributes his interest in birds largely to his father who was a birdwatcher and who built him an aviary in the garden of the family home in Leeds

Among its occupants were Zebra Finches which, many years later, were kept in an aviary at Sheffield University to serve as main study species for a project to establish how birds' eggs are fertilised and how embryos develop. 

Had Tim's work as a scientist and author not kept him busy and fulfilled, he reckons he might like to have pursued a career as an artist, possibly specialising in the depiction of birds.

He includes painting among his recreational interests along with walking in the Peak District and playing the guitar, sometimes with colleagues.

Among professional guitarists he admires are  Eric Clapton, J. J. Cale, Rye Cooder and Paul Kossoff (of the band, Free).

Tim will be speaking at the education centre at Whisby Nature Reserve, near Lincoln, at 2pm on Saturday March 21.

Admission  is free.

                            

Sadly, the Great Auk is long gone - but the legend lives on 

Sad demise in intensive care for what was probably one of the most twitched birds in history

                                                                       

This Spectacled Eider, one of the most twitched birds in history, has died. Back in December, it was caught, because of its weak condition, and taken into care at  Vogelopvang De Wulp Centre at Den Haag in The Netherlands. At first, it seemed to be recovering, based on the appearance of its plumage and its demeanour. But then it relapsed, ceased eating and sadly died. Far away from its Alaskan home, the bird had been a huge tourist attract off the shores of the Wadden Sea, attracting birders from all over Europe and beyond. It is not known what might happen to the corpse of the much-admired visitor.                                                   

Bird have starring role in powerful film - but for their music, not for their plumage or behaviour

                                                  

Anyone interested in American bird calls and song will enjoy detecting  the species - from Whimbrel to Cuckoo - that form much of the soundtrack of Train Dreams which is screening on Netflix and, this month, in some British cinemas. Curiously enough, none of the birds - except two domestic hens - are shown close enough for them to be identifiable. But this omission in no way reduces the impact of this acclaimed tear-jerker of a movie, starring Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones. Set in remote rural North America, it explores the themes of happiness, then sadness, grief and the extraordinary power of dreams. 

Let's celebrate the Lapwing! Broadcaster Chris Packham calls for meadowland bird to be featured on banknote

 Celebrity naturalist Chris Packham has called for the Lapwing to be included among the various images  when the Bank of  England introduces its forthcoming  series of wildlife-themed banknotes. He would prefer a declining bird such  as this one to be preferred to other 'cute and cuddly' species such as Robin, Barn Owl and Puffin  which are more likely to be the popular choice when a poll is held later this year.

Headline birds - the three species making a splash on front covers of this month's ornithological mags

                                                                             

Cirl Bunting, Great Crested Grebe and Great Spotted Woodpecker - the three species featured on covers of  the February 2026 editions of three frontline birding titles.  

                                                   

Life among the penguins! Opportunity beckons to work (and observe wildlife) in Antarctica

                                                     

Port Lockroy - Antarctic HQ of the heritage trust

APPLICANTS have until midnight tomorrow Sunday March 15 to apply for a post that involves living for five months among peguins and the other wildlife in Antarctica.

The UK Antarctic Heritage Trust describes the work thus: "It will include welcoming up to 10,000 cruise ship visitors to the island, running the charity gift shop, a British Antarctic Territory Post Office, fundraising, creating media content, annual maintenance and upkeep of the historic buildings and artefacts, wildlife observations and many other varied and challenging tasks. 

"We are looking for committed individuals to make up a team that will spend up to five months (from November this year to March next year) living and working at Port Lockroy in Antarctica."

Candidates must be aged over 18 and fit.

More details from: UK Antarctic Heritage Trust | UKAHT

Firm selling price at auction for charming ornithological seascapes by Gloucestershire artist Oliver Heywood

                                            

 

The hammer price at auction this week of two bird paintings by Stroud artist Oliver Heywood (1920-1992) was £520 -  comfortably above the pre-sale estimate of £300-£400. The sale was conducted on Wednesday by Dominic Winter at their saleroom in Cirencester in Gloucestershire. 

Will Skylarks, Yellow Wagtails and Spotted Flycatchers be casualties of Duchy of Cornwall's Kent housing ambition?

Yellow Wagtail - vulnerable

IT remains to be seen how the birdlife on farmland owned by Prince William will be affected by a forthcoming housing development south of  Faversham in Kent.

At a meeting this week, Swale Borough Council planners approved the first phase of a scheme that will ultimately lead to some 2,500 homes being built on a 323-acre site.

The land is part of the Duchy of Cornwall whose management has pledged to enhance biodiversity - for instance, by creating ponds and planting trees and wildflower meadows.

However, it acknowledge that the project may create  pressure for nesting Skylarks, Yellow Wagtails, Spotted Flycatchers and Yellowhammers - birds that may well vacate the site either during construction or soon thereafter.

Therefore, the Duchy states that "mitigating" habitat will be created at another site, though no details have been provided.

The most recent breeding bird survey, conducted in 2023, revealed the presence of no fewer than 42 species including the following nine that are of Red-listed status: 

*Herring Gull

* Skylark

* Starling

* Mistle Thrush

* Spotted Flycatcher

* House Sparrow

* Yellow Wagtail

* Linnet

* Yellowhammer) 

and 11 species that are of Amber-listed status:

* Stock Dove

* Woodpigeon

* Snipe 

* Black-headed Gull

* Lesser Black-backed Gull

* Kestrel

* Whitethroat

* Wren

* Song Thrush

* Dunnock 

* Meadow Pipit 

Nearby, two other notable species - Cuckoo and Little Owl - were also recorded.

Meanwhile, in winter, four daytime surveys - conducted between November 25, 2022 and February 5, 2023 - recorded the continued presence of some of the summer residents, such as Skylarks and Mistle Thrushes, plus  Fieldfares, Redwings, Tawny Owl and Great Spotted Woodpecker

And two winter night-time surveys identified  flocks of Lapwings and Golden Plovers.

In commentary accompanying the survey data, the Duchy of Cornwall notes: "Recreational disturbance arising from new residents, such as dogs off leads, and increased predation rates from domestic cats is  likely to extend beyond the application site boundary.  

"In the latter case, there is evidence cats have a home range of approximately 300 to 400 metres."

It is understood that the Duchy has agreed to locate "between 100 and 200 bat boxes" on the development, but whether there will also be Swiftbricks is uncertain. 

It is not known when work will start on the project.

Farmland earmarked for the housing estate

Above and below: Green and leafy - artist's impressions of how the completed site might look 

 

                                                                       

 

Former RSPB president will help draw up shortlist of creatures for possible depiction on next British banknotes

Miranda Krestovnikoff enjoyed three terms (nine years) - as RSPB president

FORMER RSPB president and broadcaster Miranda Krestovnikoff will have a say in what wild creatures are to be featured on the next series of British banknotes.

She has agreed to join a panel of nature enthusiasts who will draw up a shortlist of species that will then be put out to a Bank of England consultaton with the public.

Among birds, Robin and Puffin are likely to be favourites for inclusion.

The other panellists are:

* Katy Bell: Senior conservation officer at Ulster Wildlife, managing species conservation projects across Northern Ireland. Katy holds a BSc Hons in Zoology from the University of Edinburgh and a Masters in Ecology and Conservation Biology from Queen's University Belfast. Katy has worked in various research, ecology and conservation roles for universities and environmental NGOs.

* Gordon Buchanan MBE: Wildlife filmmaker and author who has worked on numerous BBC documentaries.

* Steve Ormerod: Professor in the School of Biosciences at Cardiff University, specialising in freshwater ecology. Steve holds a PhD in river ecology and is also deputy chairman of Natural Resources Wales and a member of the UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee. 

* Nadeem Perera: TV  presenter, author and cultural strategist working at the intersection of nature and identity. He is the founder of Hero Hyena, a culture-led creative studio exploring wildlife through contemporary storytelling. He is co-founder of Flock Together, a birdwatching collective encouraging greater participation in nature among underrepresented communities.

* Dawn Scott: Executive Dean of the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences at Nottingham Trent University. Dawn is a Professor of Mammal Ecology and Conservation. She holds a PhD from the University of Durham and has  as a council member for The Mammal Society.

It is not known when the public consulation might take place, nor when the new wildlife banknotes will come into circulatin

The current series of banknotes features portraits of Winston Churchill (£5), Jane Austen (£10), JMW Turner (£20) and Alan Turing (£50).

Actors Adrian Edmonson and Samuel West signed up to star in light-hearted TV show about birding

Actors Adrian Edmonson (left) and Samuel West are the hosts of a pilot three-episode series to be known as Sam and Ade Go Birding which will be screened on the TV channel, 5,  at dates to be confirmed. Viewers will see the pair travel to West Cornwall in search of Cornish Choughs, waders and transatlantic visitors blown hundreds of miles off course; to North Norfolk, to watch Brent and Pink-footed Geese; and  to the Somerset Levels, where they stake out Kingfishers, Egrets and  Bitterns. The producers hope the light-hearted format of the show will replicate the success of a similar series called Gone Fishing, starring Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse, that has been screened over several seasons on BBC TV.

The scarecrow effect? Breeding Curlews are unnerved by the proximity of windfarms, says journal report

Curlews, seen here on a flooded Lincolnshire golf course, are relatively widespread and common in winter but their breeding numbers in Britain and other parts of Europe have seen many decades of decline 

TO what extent - if any - are Curlews at risk from windfarms, both onshore and offshore?

This is one of the questions explored by an authority on the species, Mary Colwell, in a report published in this month's edition of British Birds journal.

"For breeding Curlews, the principal impact of upland windfarms is displacement rather than collision,"she writes. "Birds avoid onshore turbines, access tracks and associated disturbance, reducing the area of otherwise suitable nesting and foraging habitat."

There seems to be a 500-metre rule, with data suggesting that, within this range, breeding density is between 15 and 53 per cent lower than on non-windfarm habitat.

The author continues: "For inland-breeding Curlews, collision risk with turbines is generally considered low compared with the effects of displacement from nesting or feeding areas."

But many of the Curlews that are seen on fields and estuary mudflats in autumn and winter are migrants from Scandinavia, particularly Finland, so how are they disadvantaged by the hundreds of turbines dotted about the North Sea?

                                                               

Mary Colwell is director of Curlew Action and chairperson of  Curlew Recovery Partnership England

"Offshore tracking and migration studies indicate that Curlews may alter flight paths and thus experience limited collision risk during migration," writes Ms Colwell.

What other threats undermine the future, as a breeding species, of Curlews which have been in decline since as far back as the 1950s?

The expansion of silage production, facilitated by fertilisers and technological improvements to cutting machinery,  is described as "particularly damaging" because multiple cuts during a season overlap with the nesting and chick-rearing period not just of Curlews but also other ground-nesting species such as Lapwings and Skylarks.

Forestry and woodland expansion are also an issue because trees are now often being grown on land which formerly accommodated ground-nesting birds such as Curlews.

Despite the challenges, the author is cautiously optimistic about the future because of ongoing initiatives such as 'headstarting' which aims to relocate eggs and chicks  from unsafe habitats to those where they might flourish.

Ends the author: "Ultimately, the future of the Curlew reflects wider choices about land use and biodiversity."  

The current edition of British Birds

* Mary Colwell's books include Curlew Moon and Beak, Tooth and Claw

How strange! Report from Spain of Great Crested Grebes catching and devouring Chiffchaffs

Great Crested Grebe on the prowl - though not, in this case, for Chiffchaffs

IT is difficult to think of any circumstances in which a waterbird, such as a Great Crested Grebe, might kill and eat a Chiffchaff or, indeed, any passerine. 

But Ornithomedia, the authoritative French language website for birders, has reported  a couple of such incidents - both last month on  the Las Cañas lagoon in Navarra, Spain.

It states: "While these passerines (known on the Continent as Swift Warblers) were hunting small insects on the surface of the water, the grebes approached discreetly, caught them with their beaks, drowned them and then swallowed them with difficulty. Two other capture attempts ended in failure."

The normal diet of Great Crested Grebes consists of small fish, larvae, crustaceans, molluscs, amphibians and water vegetation, so these occurrences are remarkable though it should be noted that there is understood to be one British record of a grebe taking and devouring a Sand Martin.

We mustn't be beastly to vultures or wasps - they are among humankind's very best friends

                                          

Vultures are among the creatures that feature in the latest wildlife book from Bloomsbury.  In it, Author Jo Wimpenny (below) challenges common perceptions of 'good' species and sets the record straight about those we label 'pests', 'scavengers' and 'predators'. She insists some villainised species may benefit humanity and are more sentient than is generally believed. From wasps that provide free 'pest' control and snakes whose venom may cure cancer to the deep social bonds of crocodiles, this book calls on us  to rethink our most misunderstood beasts.                                        

King Charles watercolour of mountain scene in Cairngorms sells for well above pre-auction guide price

                                        

A 2002 painting by Prince Charles - now King Charles III - has sold for more than double the highest  pre-sale estimate. Auction house Tennants of Leyburn in North Yorkshire set a pre-sale guide price of between £500 and £700, but bidding had reached £1,400 before the hammer fell. The study, measuring 32.5cm by 38 cm of Ben Avon, near Braemar, is not an original but one of 20 limited edition prints. The identity of the buyer has not been revealed.

                                                                            

'Quirky sells' says auctioneer ahead of Lincolnshire auction of stuffed owls and more

                                                                

Eastern Screech Owl and Northern Saw-Whet Owl, neither native British species, are included in  the sale

TO take birds - dead or alive - is today mostly illegal, except with a few species and only in special circumstances.

But before the 1939-4 war,  trapping songbirds and shooting larger ones, such as birds of prey,  was common and accepted as a legitimate form of recreation.

Some stuffed and mounted victims of the 'hobby' are up for auction next week to be held by John Taylors of Louth in Lincolnshire.

In total there are six separate Lots, with species including Sparrowhawk, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Long-eared Owl, Kingfisher and Blue Tit.  

What sort of a person buys the products of taxidermy?

Says James Laverack, of John Taylors: "They are bought and collected for any number of reasons - for study, for education, for display or even acquired as a decorative art form - a quirky form of decoration for the sitting room, perhaps, but then quirky sells."

Bids of up to £50, maybe more, are expected when they go under the hammer on March 10. 

Snow Bunting takes centre stage in enchanting Oliver Heywood painting which comes up for auction next week

Handsome male Snow Bunting in breeding plumage

DURING his lifetime (1920-1992), Gloucestershire artist Oliver Heywood was perhaps somewhat under-appreciated.

As a result,  his landscape paintings command firm - but not spectacular - prices when they come up for sale.

Heywood, who had his home and studio near Stroud, was an ornithologist who often liked to incorporate birds into his work which he felt was the outlet for his "spiritual energy".

This is the case with two of a trio of his paintings which are due to be sold as a single Lot - number 200 - at an auction to be conducted by Dominic Winter at their sale room in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, on March 11.

One depicts perched Cormorants and Herrings Gulls in flight, while the other, more interesting study is of a male Snow Bunting in breeding plumage with Arctic Terns overhead.

The Lot is expected to fetch between £300 and £400.      

                                                                       

Herring Gulls in dancing flight over rock where Cormorants are perched 

Worrying time for many birders currently on holiday in Oman and neighbouring Gulf states

                                                                   

Oman is a favourite destination for British birders at this time of year

THE flare-up in the Middle East has created a worry for the many birders currently on holiday in Oman and other parts of the region during for the spring migration.

There are already deadly missiles in the sky, and the situation will only get more dangerous if Iran decides to expand the conflict.

Among tour companies currently running holidays in Oman is Naturetrek whose customers are believed to be midway through a 13-day break in pursuit of  desert specialities (including sandgrouse and Greater Hoopoe-Lark), seabirds (such as Persian Shearwater, Jouanin’s Petrel and Red-billed Tropicbird) and numerous waders, plus exciting residents including Arabian Eagle-Owl, Arabian Golden-winged Grosbeak and Arabian and Hume’s Wheatears. 

Oman is not in the front line of conflict apart from one incident at  the commercial port, Duqm, which  was targeted by two drones, one of which struck a mobile workers' housing unit, injuring an expatriate worker

Debris from the second drone landed in an area adjacent to fuel storage tanks, with no resultant loss of life or material damage. 

However, Foreign Office advice to nationals is not to travel to the southern city of Salalah (or within 100km) where the last four days of the birding holiday are due to be spent before the flight back to Heathrow.

Gone but not forgotten - the last-known example of the now-extinct Slender-billed Curlew

Extinct but definitely not forgotten - Chris captured this unique photograph of the world's last-known Slender-billed Curlew 

THERE are still a few limited-edition prints available of the last-known Slender-billed Curlew, a species that was officially declared extinct in October last year.

In what must have been an unforgettable encounter, it was snapped by former RSPB photographer Chris Gomersall  at at Merja Zerga, Morocco, in February, 1995.

Says he: "The image was  originally shot on film but subsequently re-scanned and digitally restored to the highest standard possible. 

"Unmounted prints - the edition has been limited to 50 - are signed on the reverse, authenticated by an emboss stamp plus accompanying certificate, and posted flat-packed (to UK addresses only). 

"The initial offer price is £95 per A3 print, including postage (image size 375 x 250mm).

"For each print sold I will make a donation of £10 to Curlew Action (registered charity no. 1187172)."

Prospective purchasers can email Chris at chris@chrisgomersall.co.uk with contact details, including postal address, and he will reply with information on how to pay securely.

Sixty-minute twitch: Pode Hall and Willow Tree Fen, near Spalding, Lincolnshire

Was a  Snow Goose among these Whooper Swans? Too far away to tell 

Date: February 22, 2026

Time: 3.55pm - 4.55pm

Weather: Sunny but blustery

Target species: Snow Goose (one had been reported here earlier in the week)

Star species seen: Crane

Other species seen included: 

* Long-tailed Tit

* Blue Tit

* Marsh Harrier

* Red Kite

* Little Egret

* Whooper Swan

* Shoveler

* Barn Owl

* Wigeon

* Mallard

* Cormorant

The copse at Pode Hall provides habitat for Long-tailed Tits and other passerines 

Distant view of Red Kite on the move

This group of birders' quest for an elusive Snow Goose proved in vain 

As many as 11 Marsh Harriers were counted at the two sites 

Willow Tree Fen is noted for its all-year population of wetland birds

Cranes - the star attraction at Willow Tree Fen

Likely to be plenty of bidding interest when Sir Peter Scott's captivating Cuckoo painting goes under hammer

THERE is likely to be interest from birders as well as art collectors when this study of a Cuckoo flying over sand dunes goes under the hammer next month.

It is the work of Sir Peter Scott (1909-1989) who is far better known for his paintings of waterfowl.

Signed and dated 1971 by the artist, it is an oil-on-canvas, measuring 49.5cm x 59.5cm (19.5in x 23.5in).

According to Knightsbridge-based auction house, Bonhams, it is expected to fetch between £2,500 and £3,500 at their sale of British and Irish Art which is being conducted online between March 9-18.  

More information from Catherine.King@bonhams.com or  tel 020 7393 3884.                                                   

What lies behind the mask? Artist's surreal - and disturbing - exploration of the world of the birder

                                       

What - if anything - is artist John Boyd (68) trying to tell us about birders in this slightly disturbing painting, cryptically entitled As Ornithology Is? The work is due to go under the hammer at an online sale of Modern British and Irish Art to be conducted by auction house Bonhams between March 9 and March 18. The pre-sale estimate is that it will fetch between £3,000 and £5,000.

Intriguing new book by Dumfries-based birder will explore journey of raindrop from source to sea

The countdown is on for the eagerly-awaited fifth book by Dumfries-based Stephen Rutt (pictured) who has been an avid birder since he was 14. The Waterlands tells the story of a single raindrop on its journey from source to sea - and the many lessons it teaches us. It is due to be be published by Elliott and Thompson on  March 26.