Welcome to a new series of articles which seek to explore matters of conservation importance and interest from around the world. This article, which I’ve named Petrel Stations, considers the remarkable achievements of a small team of dedicated scientists that have spent 7 years exploring the Atacama desert of Chile searching for breeding colonies of…
With apologies to any bell ringers out there, I’ve called this one Ringing the Changes. However, we’re not going to talk about that ancient art, but a rather more modern one; that of ringing birds. It came as something of a surprise when I began reading county bird reports how many bird species and individuals…
We are quietly sat on a bench, my friend and I, as we tuck into the booty of the season spread between us – a pack of mince pies, a small box of chocs and two steaming mugs of coffee. Simple fare but totally adequate for this much welcome catch up and mardle about our…
Welcome to my Identification Guide to Winter Gulls – Part 2. In this guide we will compare the three most common large gulls you are likely to encounter in a UK winter: Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Great Black-backed Gull. As with all things birds, and particularly when it comes to gulls, nothing is…
A transformation took place 45 minutes from home. Up until then I had been driving through a landscape enshrouded in autumnal mist, with hedgerows and trees looming islands seen through a sea of grey murk. But as I approached Fakenham the mist simply disappeared, as though a curtain had been pulled aside to bathe the…
Welcome to my Identification Guide to Small Winter Waders. I was busy feeding some Turnstones at Walcott in Norfolk a few weeks ago, where they will happily take scraps left on the sea wall, when a lady approached the car and asked in an incredulous voice “what are those lovely little birds?” I explained that…
Welcome to my Identification Guide to Winter Gulls – Part 1. Our urban spaces are regularly frequented by gulls during the autumn and winter months. They have completed their breeding cycle and have now dispersed from their summer quarters to maraud around our parks, gardens and other open spaces in search of easy pickings. The…
On Saturday, 31st October, I took part in Wader Conservation World Watch (WCWW), an event organised by a UK based charity, WaderQuest. The event has been held annually since 2014 to celebrate the formation of the charity, whose original aim was to raise money to support the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper captive breeding programme at…
As we plod soggily away from the drainage mill which stands derelict but defiantly sentinel, the shroud of dark grey looming overhead is swept away, whipped over the flat expanse of Buckenham Marshes by a brisk sou’wester. In its wake appear blue skies, streaked with wisps of white vapour and golden hued rays of autumnal…
A blindingly bright, wonderfully warm spring day in May 1970 saw a pair of young lads locking their bikes to a fence post next to an old, gnarled oak. These boys, just turned 13, spent the rest of the day exploring the lush green meadows and riverside woodland belt that make up part of Postwick…