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Weekly Birding Roundup 30th Jan â 5th Feb
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...
Jon Dunn looks back on the last seven days from around Britain, Ireland and the Western Palearctic Read it here
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...
7 days ago
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Major report documents widespread declines in Irelandâs wintering waterbirds
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/M...
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Major report documents widespread declines in Irelandâs wintering waterbirds
Long-term monitoring shows many duck and wader species have fallen sharply in recent decades
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Majorreport_documents_widespread_declines_in_Irelands_winteringwaterbirds.aspx
7 days ago
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3
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WWII pillboxes converted into nesting sites for seabirds
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...
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WWII pillboxes converted into nesting sites for seabirds
Concrete coastal defences are being transformed into unexpected nesting sites for some of Scotlandâs rarest breeding seabirds
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/WWII_pillboxes_converted_into_nesting_sites_for_seabirds.aspx
7 days ago
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8
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Bearded Vulture 'Centenario' found dead in Picos de Europa
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/B...
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Bearded Vulture 'Centenario' found dead in Picos de Europa
The death represents a setback for the slow-growing Bearded Vulture population in the region
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Bearded_Vulture_Centenario_found_dead_in_Picos_de_Europa.aspx
7 days ago
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Lord Howe Rail population passes 1,600 in remarkable recovery
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/L...
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Lord Howe Rail population passes 1,600 in remarkable island recovery
The flightless Lord Howe Rail has expanded rapidly since invasive predators were removed from the island
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Lord_Howe_Rail_population_passes_1600_in_remarkable_island_recovery.aspx
7 days ago
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Record numbers for rare butterfly eggs as hedges grow wild
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/R...
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Record egg numbers of rare butterfly as hedges grow wild
Record numbers for rare butterfly eggs as hedges grow wild
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Record_numbers_of_rare_butterfly_eggs_as_hedges_grow_wild.aspx
7 days ago
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Wave of poisoning incidents hits vultures across Africa
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...
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Wave of poisoning incidents hits vultures across Africa
Separate events in East and West Africa claim dozens of birds and highlight growing threats
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Wave_of_poisoning_incidents_hits_vultures_across_Africa.aspx
7 days ago
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Scotland becomes first UK country to put Swift bricks into law
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/S...
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Scotland becomes first UK country to put Swift bricks into law
New-build nesting spaces move a step closer - as campaigners warn Swifts cannot afford to wait
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Scotland_becomes_first_UK_country_to_put_Swift_bricks_into_law.aspx
7 days ago
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Record number of Aquatic Warblers recorded singing in Lithuania
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https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Record_number_of_Aquatic_Warblers_recorded_singing_in_Lithuania.aspx
14 days ago
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Finders in the Field: Killdeer, Ripley, Hampshire
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/F...
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Finders in the Field: Killdeer, Ripley, Hampshire
With the only previous record for the county being in 1980 Kevin May was more than a little surprised when he found the county's second on a wet day at Ripley Farm Reservoir
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Finders_in_the_Field_Killdeer_Ripley_Hampshire.aspx
15 days ago
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Weekly Birding Roundup 16-22 Jan
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...
Grab a cuppa and catch up with the week's best birds from around Britain, Ireland and the Western Palearctic.
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...
21 days ago
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Little Egret population considerably higher than previously thought
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/L...
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Little Egret population considerably higher than previously thought
Research by the BTO, published in the journal British Birds, sheds new light on both the numbers, and geographical spread of this small and elegant all-white heron
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Little_Egret_population_considerably_higher_than_previously_thought.aspx
21 days ago
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Six Hen Harriers âvanishâ on or near grouse moors in 2025 and another is poisoned
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/S...
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Six Hen Harriers âvanishâ on or near grouse moors in 2025 and another is poisoned
RSPB says seven birds are suspected or confirmed illegally killed in England in a single year, renewing urgent calls for licensing of all gamebird shooting
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Six_Hen_Harriers_vanish_on_or_near_grouse_moors_in_2025_and_another_is_poisoned.aspx
21 days ago
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Finlandâs Great Grey Owl population increasing as they show signs of adapting to climate change
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/F...
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Finlandâs Great Grey Owl population increasing as they show signs of adapting to climate change
An increase in occupied nests suggests the species is coping better than many other nocturnal birds of prey
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Finland_Great_Grey_Owl_population_increasing.aspx
21 days ago
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White-naped Cranes use two clearly separate migration routes across east Asia
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...
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White-naped Cranes use two clearly separate migration routes across east Asia
Satellite tracking shows eastern and western breeding populations follow different flyways, use different stopover sites and rarely mix
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/White_naped_Cranes_use_two_clearly_separate_migration_routes_across_east_Asia.aspx
22 days ago
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No evidence that âblack-eyeâ symptom affects Gannets after bird flu
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/N...
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No evidence that âblack-eyeâ symptom affects Gannets after bird flu<
A detailed post-outbreak study finds no impact of the black-eye symptom on foraging behaviour, nest attendance or breeding output
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/No_evidence_that_black_eye_symptom_affects_Gannets_after_bird_flu.aspx
22 days ago
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Huge gaps in Asiaâs bird ringing are undermining conservation
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/H...
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Huge gaps in Asiaâs bird ringing are undermining conservation
Despite strong schemes in some countries, large blind spots leave migration and population declines poorly monitored
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Huge_gaps_in_Asias_bird_ringing_are_undermining_conservation.aspx
23 days ago
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Emergency Appeal Launched After Storm Goretti Hits Isles of Scilly Wildlife Sites
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/E...
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Emergency Appeal Launched After Storm Goretti Hits Isles of Scilly Wildlife Sites
Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust says urgent funding is needed to repair habitat damage, prevent erosion and restore access to trails and reserves
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Emergency_Appeal_Launched_After_Storm_Goretti_Hits_Isles_of_Scilly_Wildlife_Sites.aspx
23 days ago
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RBA Birding Review of the Year 2025: Part 2 If you found it, twitched it, dipped it or only read about it later â Part 2 of our 2025 Review revisits the yearâs biggest birds, so read it here
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/R...
28 days ago
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Black-faced Spoonbill population passes 7,000
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/B...
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Black-faced Spoonbill population passes 7,000
International census shows the endangered East Asian waterbird has continued its long recovery, but annual growth has slowed sharply
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Black_faced_Spoonbill_population_passes_7000.aspx
28 days ago
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RSPB withdraws from X over safeguarding concerns @Natures_Voice
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/R...
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RSPB withdraws from X over safeguarding concerns
The organisation cited safeguarding concerns following reports that the platformâs AI tools have been used to create non-consensual and inappropriate images of people
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/RSPB_withdraws_from_X_over_safeguarding_concerns_linked_to_AI_misuse.aspx
28 days ago
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Pollution leaves its mark deep inside seabirds' cells
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/P...
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Pollution leaves its mark deep inside seabirds' cells
New acoustic research from a South African high-altitude wetland shows that temperature, wind and rain strongly shape when warblers begin their dawn chorus
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Pollution_leaves_its_mark_deep_inside_seabirdscells.aspx
28 days ago
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Cold weather delays dawn singing in wetland warblers
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/C...
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Cold weather delays dawn singing in wetland warblers
New acoustic research from a South African high-altitude wetland shows that temperature, wind and rain strongly shape when warblers begin their dawn chorus
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Cold_weather_delays_dawn_singing_in_wetland_warblers.aspx
28 days ago
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Review of the Year 2025: Part 1 Part 2 is coming tomorrow but if you haven't caught up with part 1 yet you can get it here
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/R...
29 days ago
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20-year-old Bewick's Swan reaches Slimbridge for the first time
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/2...
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20-year-old Bewick's Swan reaches Slimbridge for the first time
A colour-ringed female first recorded on the Arctic tundra has reached WWT Slimbridge for the first time, offering rare insight into migration, longevity and the importance of Europe's wetland network
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/20-year-old_Bewicks_Swan_reaches_slimbridge_for_the_first_time.aspx
29 days ago
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Critically Endangered Sulu Hornbill rescued 600km from known range
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/C...
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Critically Endangered Sulu Hornbill rescued 600km from known range
A Sula Hornbill has been found exhausted off the coast of Cagayan de Oro, over 600km from its known range on Tawi Tawi
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Critically_Endangered_Sulu_Hornbill_rescued_600km_from_known_range.aspx
29 days ago
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Wildlife Trust loses conservation role at Grafham Water Nature Reserve
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...
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Wildlife Trust loses conservation role at Grafham Water Nature Reserve
A 40-year conservation partnership is set to end in April, with the Trust warning it will no longer manage the site or have staff based there
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Wildlife_Trust_deeply_disappointed_on_Grafham_Water_decision.aspx
29 days ago
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2
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Gamekeeper given fine for beating Buzzard to death
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/G...
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Gamekeeper given fine for beating Buzzard to death
Shocking covert filmed footage helped secure a guilty plea from Thomas Munday but conservationists say sentence will not deter future crimes
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Gamekeeper_given_fine_for_beating_Buzzard_to_death.aspx
30 days ago
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Weekly birding round up 24 Dec 2025 - 8 Jan 2026 Jon Dunn brings you his first roundup of 2026 and its a bumper edition looking back at the festive fortnight as we saw out 2025 and welcomed in a new year. Read it here
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...
about 1 month ago
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Songbird breeding outcomes improve sharply between 2024 and 2025 Warm, settled weather helped many familiar species raise more young, offering a rare piece of good news after a disastrous summer in 2024.
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/S...
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Songbird breeding outcomes improve sharply between 2024 and 2025
Warm, settled weather helped many familiar species raise more young, offering a rare piece of good news after a disastrous summer in 2024
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Songbird_breeding_outcomes_improve_sharply_between_202_and_2025.aspx
about 1 month ago
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RBA Birding Review of the Year 2025: Part 1 From historic firsts to exceptional scarcities, Part one of our Review of the Year 2025 covers the standout rare bird records from the first half of the year. Read it here
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/R...
about 1 month ago
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Yellow-legged Gulls are moving closer to people as fear and disturbance decline
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Y...
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Yellow-legged Gulls are moving closer to people as fear and disturbance decline
Long-term research from north-west Spain shows Yellow-legged Gulls abandoning traditional refuges and triggering the formation of multi-species waterbird colonies in more accessible coastal sites.
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Yellow_legged_Gulls_are_moving_closer_to_people_as_fear_and_disturbance_decline.aspx
about 1 month ago
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Asian Koels do not copy their hosts' eggs - but may be shadowing the wrong species
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/A...
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Asian Koels do not copy their hostsâ eggs â but may be shadowing the wrong species
Objective analysis across Asia finds no evidence that koels match their eggs to those of the birds they parasitise most often. challenging long-held assumptions about the brood parasite
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Asian_Koels_do_not_copy_their_hosts_eggs.aspx
about 1 month ago
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3
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Rock Pipits to be tracked in new Scottish migration study
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/R...
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Rock Pipits to be tracked in new Scottish migration study
New Motus tags and receivers in Fife aim to reveal how coastal birds move through the year
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Rock_Pipits_to_be_tracked_in_new_Scottish_migration_study.aspx
about 1 month ago
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The closure comes as the team at Caerlaverock is restructured with the focus moving away from staffing the shop and cafe, towards a smaller team dedicated to developing the reserve itself.
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...
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WWT Caerlaverock closed until spring as major changes continue
The closure comes as the team at Caerlaverock is restructured with the focus moving away from staffing the shop and café, towards a smaller team dedicated to developing the reserve itself
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/WWT_Caerlaverock_closed_until_spring_as_major_changescontinue.aspx
about 1 month ago
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1
Why some migratory birds fly higher over deserts and lower over seas
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...
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Why some migratory birds fly higher over deserts and lower over seas
New tracking research reveals that small migratory birds use strikingly different flight strategies over the Sahara and major seas, shaped by wing design, heat management and even plumage colour
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Why_some_migratory_birds_fly_higher_over_deserts_and_lower_over_seas.aspx
about 1 month ago
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Proposal to reintroduce Dalmatian Pelicans to the Netherlands
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/P...
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Proposal to reintroduce Dalmatian Pelicans to the Netherlands
The website Ornithomedia is reporting that conservation groups have outlined plans based on historic evidence of the species presence in Netherlands
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Proposal_to_reintroduce_Dalmatian_Pelicans_to_the_Netherlands.aspx
about 1 month ago
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Solar-powered GPS tags show no detectable harm to Kentish Plovers
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/S...
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Solar-powered GPS tags show no detectable harm to Kentish Plovers
Detailed behavioural, breeding and survival monitoring suggests tiny long-life trackers can be used safely on one of Europeâs smallest shorebirds
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Solar_powered_GPS_tags_show_no_detectable_harm_to_Kentish_Plovers.aspx
about 2 months ago
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Male pheasants pay a hidden price for their finest feathers
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/M...
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Male pheasants pay a hidden price for their finest feathers
New research shows that the spectacular head feathers of male Golden and Lady Amherstâs Pheasants significantly reduce what they can see, creating large blind spots that may leave them more vulnerable...
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Male_pheasants_pay_a_hidden_price_for_their_finest_feathers.aspx
about 2 months ago
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Tracking reveals precise blueprint for Red-backed Shrike migration
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/T...
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Tracking reveals precise blueprint for Red-backed Shrike migration
Researchers show that Red-backed Shrikes organise their 20,000-kilometre journeys into predictable stages, suggesting migration is governed by an inherited travel plan refined by environmental cues
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Tracking_reveals_precise_blueprint_for_Red_backed_Shrike_migration.aspx
about 2 months ago
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Intertidal shellfish farming sustaining migratory shorebirds in China Large-scale research shows that intertidal mariculture along China's coast has become an essential food source for migratory shorebirds.
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/I...
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Intertidal shellfish farming sustaining migratory shorebirds in China
Large-scale research shows that intertidal mariculture along Chinaâs coast has become an essential food source for migratory shorebirds â and that poorly planned bans could accelerate their decline
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Intertidal_shellfish_farming_sustaining_migratory_shorebirds_in_China.aspx
about 2 months ago
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When seabirds take flight, sharks follow
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...
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When seabirds take flight, sharks follow
New research reveals how seasonal seabird nesting reshapes the movements of top marine predators in one of the worldâs most remote reef systems
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/When_seabirds_take_flight_sharks_follow.aspx
about 2 months ago
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Why some bird songs sound like water dripping
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/W...
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Why some bird songs sound like water dripping
New research reveals that the âliquidâ quality of certain bird songs is created by unusual vocal control that allows pressure to build before sound is released
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Why_some_bird_songs_sound_like_water_dripping.aspx
about 2 months ago
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Fourth White-tailed Eagle 'disappears' - RSPB Offers ÂŁ10k reward The newly revealed disappearance adds to three earlier cases involving satellite-tagged birds now under police investigation.
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/F...
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Fourth White-tailed Eagle 'disappears' - RSPB Offers ÂŁ10k reward
The newly revealed disappearance adds to three earlier cases involving satellite-tagged birds now under police investigation
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Fourth_White_tailed_Eagle_disappears_RSPB_Offers_10k_reward.aspx
about 2 months ago
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Griffon Vulture Numbers in Sardinia More Than Double Since 2020 A record island-wide census reveals rapid population growth, rising breeding success, and the long-term impact of coordinated conservation work
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/G...
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Griffon Vulture Numbers in Sardinia More Than Double Since 2020
A record island-wide census reveals rapid population growth, rising breeding success, and the long-term impact of coordinated conservation work
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Griffon_Vulture_Numbers_in_Sardinia_More_Than_Double_Since_2020.aspx
about 2 months ago
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Season's Greetings from everyone at Rare Bird Alert Thanking you all for another year sharing your sightings, photos, videos. Wishing you great birding in 2026
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/H...
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Happy Christmas and a Healthy, Bird-filled New Year from all the team
A Christmas message to our all subscribers, followers and supporters - Thank You
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Happy-Christmas-2025.aspx
about 2 months ago
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Finders in the Field: Scops Owl, Killay, Glamorgan Whilst topping up her garden bird feeders, Jess Benyon came face to face with a very unexpected and rare visitor.
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/F...
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Finders in the Field: Scops Owl, Killay, Glamorgan
After centuries of irregular breeding tied to Arctic rodent cycles, the Snowy Owl has finally vanished from Swedenâs mountain landscapes
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Finders_in_the_Field_Scops_Owl_Killay_Glamorgan.aspx
about 2 months ago
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Sandwich Terns have best breeding season for decades at Scottish reserve
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/S...
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Sandwich Terns have best breeding season for decades at Scottish reserve
More than 1,100 Sandwich Tern chicks fledged at Forvie National Nature Reserve on Scotland's east coast, this summer
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Sandwich_Tern_has_best_breeding_season_for_decades_at_Scottishreserve.aspx
about 2 months ago
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First year of Wildcat reintroduction project hailed a success NatureScot-backed research confirms that breeding and release has delivered high survival and early breeding success for Scotlandâs Wildcats
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/F...
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First year of Wildcat reintroduction project hailed a success
NatureScot-backed research confirms that breeding and release has delivered high survival and early breeding success for Scotlandâs Wildcats
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/First_year_of_Wildcat_reintroduction_project_hailed_a_success.aspx
about 2 months ago
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Rare butterfly has good year at well-managed sites
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/R...
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Rare butterfly has good year at well-managed sites
Butterfly Conservation reports that Marsh Fritillaries have shown encouraging increases at carefully managed sites this season, highlighting the value of habitat restoration and volunteer effort
https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Rare_butterfly_has_good_year_at_well_managed_sites.aspx
about 2 months ago
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