Eve

Lesser Redpoll

Arrived home to find three Redpoll feeding right above my front door! 😃 #ukbirding #somersetbirding

An image of a Scottish mountain, partially covered in snow.

An image of a Scottish mountain, partially covered in snow.

An image of a triangulation point at the top of a Scottish mountain, partially covered in snow.

Thank you to Pete Moore for sharing these stunning images from his final Winter Bird Survey visit to two of his squares over the weekend. Although he only recorded three Red Grouse over both squares combined, it looks like it was worth the hike! @btobirds.bsky.social @btoscotland.bsky.social

Difficult to find, or survey, as they’re usually well-hidden.

The graphic displays an image of the SMP Online home page, which displays a map of SMP sites with the new updates, including a 'Species Type' search function to find sites. You can now also search by postcode and the map legend has been updated. Caption reads: Some SMP Online updates have arrived! You can now search for sites by 'Species Type' or find sites local to you using the new postcode search. The SMP monitoring period starts soon; now's the perfect time to find a site to cover! #seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

Some SMP Online updates have arrived!
You can now search for sites by 'Species Type' or find sites local to you using the new postcode search.

The SMP monitoring period starts soon; now's the perfect time to find a site to cover! #seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

Firecrest, west of Ashcott Corner carpark late morning and three or four Sand Martin over Noahs Lake earlier. #somersetbirding

West Waste early pm: Red-necked Grebe still, 1 Goosander, Egyptian Goose, 2 Shelduck, 10 Cattle Egret #ukbirding #somersetbirding

Spotted Redshank

Spotted Redshank still Ham Wall VP1 #ukbirding #somersetbirding

An image of a Red-legged Partridge with the caption: Farmland Birds Friday. It has a grey body, a red belly and a red eye ring. It is perched on the ground.

(1/) The population of the colourful Red-legged Partridge has fluctuated since it was introduced to the UK. It first became established as a breeding bird during the late 1700s. It declined by 37% between 1967 and 2023. @btobirds.bsky.social JNCC RSPB Science #Ornithology

Collage featuring two images of birds and text. In one image there are two Puffins on a rocky surface, one with a bill of fish. The second features a Wren with its bill open as it sings while perched in a bush full of blossom flowers. A quote features reads: “Quite simply the best investment you can make into researching and conserving birdlife.” Fabienne, BTO Member. Wording in a separate box reads: Join us today.

Discover the power to make a difference. For just £3 a month you can help support our work to build a brighter future for birds and people – all while enjoying exclusive member benefits and content!

Join today ➡️ www.bto.org/support-...

Totally wrong on so many levels! As for the picture; how many more stereotypes could they use!!

Glossy Ibis still at the back of the marsh at Catcott but beware, the access track is being repaired and getting in is touch and go @birdguides.bsky.social

Sand Martin at ##ChardRes flew through north #SomersetBirding @birdguides.bsky.social

1 Penduline Tit showing nicely on Meare Heath, Shapwick. Wonder if it’s got any mates close by… @birdguides.bsky.social

Glossy Ibis, today at Catcott Nature Reserve

A male Chaffinch with a brown body, blue-greyish head and white wing bars perched on a branch.

(1/) The cheerful sounding descending trill of Chaffinch song can now be heard in many parts of the UK. You can have a listen to it here, just in case you are not familiar with it: youtu.be/mOmZy4QWVyk... @btobirds.bsky.social JNCC RSPB Science #Ornithology

Glossy Ibis showing well at Catcott #ukbirding #somersetbirding

A Wren is perched with its bill wide open as it sings. Wording above reads: Bird Songs & Calls Practice Sessions.

Join our our expert team to learn bird songs & calls.🐦 #Ornithology

Events are taking place at ⬇️

📍 RSPB Rye Meads, Hertfordshire ➡️ bit.ly/BirdSongsHerts

📍 Irchester Country Park, Northamptonshire ➡️ bit.ly/BirdSongsNort...

📍 Ascott Estate, Bedfordshire ➡️ bit.ly/BirdSongsBedf...

Ring-necked Duck and 2 Scaup on West Waste this evening #somersetbirding #ukbirding

@webs-gsmp.bsky.social

It was a sandpiper sort of WeBS.

Surprise find earlier; an unusual record for February!

Graphic displays three images of Great Black-backed Gulls, one standing on a rock, one with a large fish it has caught, and one in flight. Text and labels highlight the species' bulbous bill and black back, which contrast with their surrounding white feathers. Caption reads: With a wingspan up to 1.66 meters, Great Black-backed Gulls are the largest species of gull globally. They're also the most predatory, often eating crustaceans, fish, and birds. Head to the coast for the best chance of sightings! #seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

With a wingspan up to 1.66 meters, Great Black-backed Gulls are the largest species of gull globally. They're also the most predatory, often eating crustaceans, fish, and birds.

Head to the coast for the best chance of sightings!
#seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

Thank you to everyone who has taken part in the Winter Bird Survey on BBS squares across the UK over the last few months. We hope you have encountered a good variety of species. The survey season finishes at the end of this month, and please enter your data no later than 30 April. #Ornithology

Nice to add to today’s WeBS count at Torr #somersetbirding

WeBS Tealham and Tadham moors yesterday: 75-80% of the moor is flooded, favouring ducks and gulls with the largest duck numbers I’ve seen in 5 years surveying there. Wigeon 520, pintail 108 most notable. #somersetbirding

Image of a Puffin on water (credit: Sam Langlois) with a large arrow pointing downwards beside it. Wording reads: Puffin abundance down by 90% by 2050. Seabird abundance projections under climate change. #BTOScience Bit.ly/seabirds-climate

⚠️ BTO research predicts devastating declines in seabird populations in Britain & Ireland under future climate change. Some species face staggering losses by 2050, with up to 90% declines for Puffin and more than 70% declines for Arctic Tern and Fulmar. ➡️ bit.ly/seabirds-climate #Ornithology

A Long-tailed Tit perches holding a feather in its bill. The bird shows pale underparts contrasting with darker wings and a long tail, distinctive black stripes on an otherwise white head, and blush pink on the breast, wings and eye-ring.

A Long-tailed Tit nest has been made to nestle in the meeting point of two branches in a spiky dense bush. It shows lichen camouflaging the nest, with a small open hole for the birds to come in and out of.

Did you know that Long-tailed Tits use thick layers of moss to build their nest, binding it together with spider webs to give an elastic effect? They also cover it in lichen to camouflage it from predators & fill the nest with over 2,000 feathers! 🪶

📷Edmund Fellowes / BTO; Nest by Stephen Hewitt.

3 Lapwings at Greylake today: plenty of proper ones, brilliant views of the impressive melanistic individual and another on the RSPB sign board. Also males of Merlin and Red-crested Pochard. Plenty of Cranes with groups either side of the road. Don’t attempt it without wellies though!!

National Nestbox Week 🐦

Different species have different nesting preferences. Providing a variety of cover gives #birds the best chance of success.

Keep reading to find out how some garden birds nest 👇

And remember: if you find a nest in your garden, report it to Nesting Neighbours 🪺

An adult Greylag Goose stands on a wall while waves crash around it. The headline says 'February WeBS Core Count' and below says 'The Priority Core Count date is 22nd February. At the bottom of the image is the WeBS logo and the web address 'www.bto.org/webs'.

This Sunday, 22nd, is the February WeBS Core Count! Let's get out and count our wetland birds! 🌊

#Ornithology
#UKbirding

@rspbscience.bsky.social
@jncc.bsky.social