James Lowen Wildlife

It can be hard to focus on work sometimes…

pine and black-faced this winter, then?

The sparkling new edition of Bradt's Arctic guidebook may not have my name on the front cover but I updated it thoroughly, and am honoured to be associated with the late Tony Soper and artist Dan Powell. First copies in to @bradtguides.bsky.social today - and in the shops next month.

Couple of #aurora teasers over Norwich tonight - but a garden tick, at l(e)ast.

Sounds like a lot.

Except £500M over two decades is a measly £25M a year, further eroded by inflation- which at the current 4% means the year 20 value is equivalent to around half of year 1’s.

22 Amazing Travel Book Gift Ideas for Travel Lovers Help your loved ones plan their next trip or travel from their chair with perfect travel book gifts from the BGTW.

It’s Book Friday! Here are 22 travel book ideas from members of the British Guild of Travel Writers. Includes the two books I’ve had out this year… bgtw.org/travel-book-...

Seven years since I was in the Colombian Andes - or, indeed, the Andes at all.

Spacemen 3! Oh yes.

well said, Ben

Well, that comment didn’t have staying power. what a day’s cricket. #Ashes2025

They say the first morning sets the tone. This risks being a very loooong #Ashes series. (Albeit with one with very short matchss.)

First-winter Little Gull an unexpected find today on agricultural fields near Methwold, Norfolk. #ukbirding

Leading the way: National Estate for Nature agrees shared objectives to accelerate nature recovery The National Estate for Nature group has taken an important step forward in its mission to drive nature recovery across England’s major estates. Read this post to find out more.

Great to see that the National Estate for Nature Group - whose members own c.10% of England - have agreed to "publish estate management plans by April 2026", setting out how each of them are contributing to 30x30 & Environment Act targets.

Thread 1/

defraenvironment.blog.gov.uk/2025/11/18/l...

With thanks to @lowestoftlizards.bsky.social @perilsofbirding.bsky.social for inspiration& information, I speedbirded 10 minisites in Gorleston,Caister,Gt Yarmouth today. Migrants at all sites, but Meadow Park the best (Pallas’s!). Totals: 1 Woodcock, 5 Firecrest, Willow Warbler, 18 Chiff #ukbirding

Been a couple of other late Willow Warblers in the Norfolk coast this weekend. Intriguing - not acredula either, as you might muse on these winds.

Couldn’t match Mike’s Phyllosc megadiversity at Holkham yesterday, but did chance upon a Pallas’s Warbler on a migrant-rich Stiffkey Binks - a place I like but keep forgetting to go to. A couple of Glossy Ibis encounters & two Firecrest were otherwise the best in the Stiffkey-Warham area #UKBirding

Flock and a half, that. A lucky club who have found both Hume’s and Pallas’s in the county this weekend. @oriole-ashley.bsky.social @perilsofbirding.bsky.social

And with the spectogram/sonmogram compared to one off Xeno-canto. Norfolk bird on the left. Sorted.

Went out to find Hume's Warbler today (well, & Black-faced Bunting)... and did (well, not the BFB). Burnham Overy Dunes, Norfolk. Chuffed to bits. Awful record photo but some decent tape. A bird I'd wanted to find since mates reid'd one in 1989! #UKBirding soundcloud.com/james-lowen-...

Delighted to have today received a copy of the British Guild of Travel Writers book, Around the World in 65 Years. I have a story in there about a madcap expedition in the sultry Chaco of Argentina.

the first figure is the total number of individuals, the second the number of species.

fail

Will, tonight’s the night (for a sniff of an African migrant moth). Excellent conditions. I have three traps out.

fabulous, matt

thank you, gert. XC370711 of barn owl (same call as xc cut you give) was my initial point of reference but sounds more hissy/raspy than my recording - hence our confusion

thank you, pete. XC370711 of barn owl was my initial point of reference but latter sounds more hissy/raspy - hence my confusion.

Mystery bird call Listen to Mystery bird call by James Lowen Wildlife #np on #SoundCloud

Does anyone *recognise* this bird call soundcloud.com/james-lowen-... please? From a Norfolk crop field after dark. Ideal would be the link to an identical XC/ML cut, please. Bird called twice; only taped the 2nd time. Ideas so far inc Stone-curlew, Curlew, Whimbrel, Barn owl, Tawny Owl. #UKBirding

ooo a pulchrimella. how lovely. i have been hoping for one this week…

My Beyond Birdwatching column for November (in Bird Watching magazine) wonders whether Cypress Carpet, a recent colonist, might 'grace your garden moth trap this year?' I was actually hoping that it might arrive new for OUR garden... and so it did, albeit late last month rather than this! #teammoth

and using the car as a moth-sheet-holder. i am
impressed.