Absolutely one of my favorite seabirds. In the Netherlands, this is the most common eider species. Steller’s, Spectacled, and King Eiders are rare vagrants here. Sadly, over the past 12 years, this species has been declining rapidly — about 5% per year across the entire Wadden Sea.
(Image by Sovon)
We still know little about how bird migration patterns unfold across urban areas. I had a rare opportunity to observe from 100 metres up. The view was breathtaking, with visibility stretching over 20+ km. We spotted woodlarks, merlins, buzzards, peregrines and grey wagtails, and much more! #birding
Meanwhile, billions in CAP money are spent on devastating ecosystems and destroying farm resilience. And environmental lows are being dismantled.
Compensations are little more than pissing in the wind while ever worse disasters are actively promoted.
What a week of birding on Texel! Deep in western Europe but it felt like a taste of Alaska — first tracking down a rare Bonaparte’s Gull, and then an unreal Spectacled Eider at less than 10 meters’ distance! A species that’s hard to find even in Alaska. Absolutely unforgettable!! #birding #birds
Check out Trektellen.nl for a migration point nearby you and contact them. Let me know if you have any trouble. I will help you out. We skip the eBird part here in the Netherlands. Most of us use Waarneming.nl.
Yes I am and I live near Deventer. Do you mean Euro Birdwatch Day on 4th oktober?
At sunrise on the migration watchpoint this morning: a stunning and rare Black-winged Kite appeared, its pale grey wings glowing in the first light. Moments later, four majestic Cranes flew close overhead, their calls echoing in the quiet dawn sky. Pure autumn migration magic. #birding #migration
🔥Wildfire tragedy in Portugal
The Cinereous Vultures (𝐴𝑒𝑔𝑦𝑝𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑢𝑠) need our help. A massive wildfire destroyed not only their nests, but also the breeding and acclimatisation centre in Douro International Nature Park in the North of Portugal.
#birds #wildfire
📸Yves Adams
Tested these binoculars today. @birdlifeeurope.bsky.social and Zeiss have teamed up to collect and donate used binoculars for Africa. Thanks to this initiative, local conservationists and bird monitors can continue their vital work protecting birds and habitats. #BirdConservation #Birding
This weekend I finally managed to get outside again after weeks of being indoors. To my relief, I haven’t lost the touch. I came across a White-winged Tern and, as if that wasn’t enough, I joined a group of local birders just in time to witness a Short-toed Snake Eagle putting on a show! #lovelife
Adobe Audition. But I can do the same with Audicity or Raven. Spectralayers is new for me.
That is some good stuff! What recording equipment did she use?
Here's one of my more cleanest recordings: macaulaylibrary.org/asset/635675...
If you use high pass filter with excess you loose some 'earth-like' connection with the recording.
Just like a photographer edits images, a bioacoustician refines sound. See the difference: in the raw yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) recording, wind and noise distract. In the edited version, its clear, melodic song emerges—ideal for science and listening plessure.
#bioacoustics #birding
Those recordings look very clean. good work.
This has to stop. A rare Scops Owl in the Netherlands is exciting, but shining flashlights just for a photo is harmful. It disrupts natural behavior and causes physiological stress.
Isn’t listening to the almost electronic and haunting sound enough? Observe with care and respect the owl. #birding
My recording of the bluethroat (Luscinia svecica). It's closely related to the nightingale (L. megarhynchos), and shares its reputation for a melodic song. Males display the vivid blue patch on their throat while singing, often incorporating imitations of other bird species into their performance.
That is a simple screen recording from eBird. I use DaVince Resolve to put it all together. Pretty easy after a couple tutorials.
A few days ago, I recorded the European Nightjar’s hypnotic churring call with my MixPre-3 II and Telinga parabolic mic. You can also hear the sharp wing claps — made as the bird brings its wings together above its back in flight. This mysterious nocturnal bird faces local declines.
#bioacoustics
Just upload this picture to ChatGPT and tell 'it' all the abbreviation meanings. Maybe you'll get of good start.
Behold this natural masterpiece — a visual echo of the willow warbler’s song. A soft cascade of silvery notes, spiraling downward like leaves on a breeze. Gentle, melancholic — as if the forest itself were remembering, and letting go with a sigh.
Listen here: macaulaylibrary.org/asset/635356...
Settling in for a quiet evening with some good work related reads.
BirdLife, Vogels (Dutch magazine), and our new 10 year strategic plan @vogelbeschermingnl.bsky.social - plenty to reflect on.
Just the right mix of global urgency and local hope.
@birdlifeeurope.bsky.social #birding
You can now upload soundscapes to eBird! Upload your wetland ambiances full of birdsong.
@xeno-canto.bsky.social has supported this since 2013 — now eBird joins in.
It’s a great way to capture the acoustic atmosphere. Valuable for researchers. When does @observation.org join? #bioacoustics #bird
The European pied flycatcher has been back from the Sahel for two weeks. This species is appearing in a lot of places in the east of the Netherlands after months of absence. I was lucky enough to find the singing post of this male so I could record and photograph this bird undisturbed. #bioacoustics
Great! Can't wait.
Spring migration is in full swing! The last two weeks I was lucky enough to find some amazing species. 2 Caspian Terns, Black-winged Kite, several Cattle Egrets and Ospreys. And in terms of sound, the Nightingales have started again and I had a Stone Curlew over my house with NocMic. #birding
Where can I find these summaries for my work at Birdlife?
No longer repping Zeiss — I’ve made the switch to Kite Optics! I’m now using their new APC 60 ED scope with image stabilization, and it’s a joy! Even better? Profits from Kite go straight to BirdLife International. So every stable view is a small win for the birds too. #KiteOptics #BirdLife #APC60ED
Welcome to the family haha.
What an unexpected treat this morning! It had been 13 years since I last saw a twite in my region. A northern species rarely seen so far inland. Sadly, the nominate subspecies flavirostris is in decline. Exact causes remain unclear. But changes in agricultural practices likely play a role.
#birding
