Gav Woodbridge

Diversionary feeding of predators boosts Capercaillie breeding success Research in the Cairngorms National Park has shown that non-lethal predator management can significantly boost breeding success for Western Capercaillie. The three-year study revealed that with the number of chicks per female more than doubled in areas with diversionary feeding taking place. With fewer than 550 individuals left in Britain, there is a serious risk of Western Capercaillie becoming extinct for a second time nationally.

Research in the Cairngorms NP has shown that non-lethal predator management can significantly boost breeding success for Western Capercaillie:

Who doesn’t love a contextually significant rubbish bird. A nice pair of Mandarin on Gretchen this morning, only the second time I’ve seen Mandarin in North Ronaldsay

#OrkneyBirding #NotPlasticStillFantastic

Clearly Cat A

Nothing like scoping out an Idle Shag?

301 EXT. BISHOP'S FARM 'HOME FIELD' - DAY Distant bird song: GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER Andy and Lance are detecting some distance apart. the edge of the field, picks up a strong signal. Lance looks over and calls out. LANCE

01 EXT. BISHOP'S FARM 'HOME FIELD' - DAY Distant bird song: YELLOWHAMMER. Andy and Lance are detecting a few me Andy gets a signal and digs a plug of ground. TAITAT

101 EXT. FIELD 'OLD PATCH' - EARLY MORNING Distant bird song: SKYLARK A bleak field of stubble. We hear faint electronic whines and beeps. Through the mist two stooped figures, LANCE and ANDY appear some distance apart, wearing headphones and swinging metal detectors in front of them.

A conversation on here earlier reminded me of a thing that I’ve always loved and occasionally bang on about.

It’s the care taken by Mackenzie Crook to specify which bird species we can hear in the background for many scenes in Detectorists.

Great White Egret

Australian Crake

Latham's Snipe

A big month in January continues and I am pleased to finally tick off Australian Crake + Latham's Snipe at Goulds Lagoon yesterday. #birdingtasmania #birdingaustralia

Australian Pelican

Kelp Gull chicks

Black-fronted Dotterel

Laughing Kookaburra

Building that yearlist by securing common species at local sites... Gull chicks wandering about muddy loch fringes in January messes with my Northern mindset. #birding #birdingtasmania #birdingaustralia

Happy New Year from all of us at NRBO. We’re looking forward to seeing you in 2025!

A graphic showing the silhouette of an Arctic Tern. Text reads “Arctic Tern declined by 54% in Scotland between 54% in Scotland between 2000-20021. #SaveOurSeabirds”.

Arctic Terns travel the equivalent of three trips to the moon in their lifetimes.

We don’t want to live in a Scotland without these incredible seabirds.

Tell the Scottish Government how important it is to act now: https://action.rspb.org.uk/page/154240/action/1?ea.tracking.id=RSPB_Scotland_Bluesky

Whiskered Tern

Tasmanian Nativehen

Pacific Golden Plover

Orielton Lagoon today had plenty of crisp winter plumage Pacific Golden Plovers and best of all Whiskered Tern at 'Greenshank Bay' - a local rarity! #birdingtasmania #birdingaustralia

Red-capped Plover

Black-fronted Dotterel

Black-fronted Dotterels

Finally got round to getting out of town and finding some waders at Orielton Lagoon. Red-capped Plovers and Black-fronted Dotterels were very nice to look at. Too Red-necked Stints, Pacific Goldies and more. Good site. #birdingaustralia #birdingtasmania

🚨JOB OPENING🚨
We are looking to employ a housekeeper for the 2025 season! Accommodation at the observatory included. For more information and to apply please contact alison@nrbo.co.uk
Please share!

🚨VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY🚨
We are looking for a volunteer for the 2025 season to help with bird monitoring, ringing, and obs maintenance! Full board included. Long term volunteers preferred, but all applications welcome! Contact alison@nrbo.co.uk for more info.
Please share!

Duck-billed Platypus

Up to 5 individuals frolicking around Hobart Rivulet today

Ptip ptop ptick!

An exciting encounter yesterday at dusk... a Platypus in suburban Hobart. #wildlife #mammals

Rarity finders: Eyebrowed Thrush in Orkney North Ronaldsay's splendid autumn continued when another mega thrush – this time an Eyebrowed Thrush – was found by Craig Forsyth in early November 2024.

Rarity finders: Eyebrowed Thrush in Orkney

North Ronaldsay's splendid autumn continued when another mega thrush was found by Craig Forsyth in early November: bit.ly/3VaCHpP

Eyebrowed Thrush

Lanceolated Warbler

Brown Shrike

Booted Warbler

The 2024 season is coming to a close! Its been an incredible year of birds. It appears we may have beaten last years yearlist total, but still need to wait on various rarities making the grade! A big thank you from me, Maddy and Alison to all the volunteers and guests this year!

Great and illustrative thread Tom! Goes to show what rewards there are for those who put in the legs and hours on North Ron during those peak periods, and beyond! Seems there is never time to be caught sleeping for the rarity finder on that island...

A special one. A memorable and rare twitch for me, from Wick of all places 😂

Seabirds 😍

Popping seas...

Super scenes on the Tasman Peninsula today with many hundreds of Shearwaters rafted the scattered by Common Dolphins and the highlight, close range Humpbacks! #birdingaustralia #birdingtasmania #cetaceanwatching

Super stuff! Lancy looks crisp. Very jealous of the other one...

Thanks Steve, noted. New to this one but seems like it's good for all the birding content :)

I wrote a blog about the birding magic of September on North Ronaldsay... www.birdclimbrun.com/2024/09/18/n...