Our most recent report, Rare Breeding Birds in the UK in 2022, is now available open access on our website at tinyurl.com/2xf23keu All reports dating back to 1973 can be found at rbbp.org.uk/annual-repor.... Our next report, for 2023, will be published in @britishbirds.bsky.social in November

Our most recent report, Rare Breeding Birds in the UK in 2022, is now available open access on our website at tinyurl.com/2xf23keu All reports dating back to 1973 can be found at rbbp.org.uk/annual-repor.... Our next report, for 2023, will be published in @britishbirds.bsky.social in November

A lovely film of Leicestershire’s first confirmed breeding by Goshawks, filmed under licence by county recorder Carl Baggott youtu.be/FhI39qG4pQo?...

Great record!

It’s always nice to share some good news! www.channel4.com/news/uks-rar...

Honey-buzzard over Ashdown Forest today. The next 30 days are crucial for monitoring Sussex's Honey-buzzard population, so I'd welcome details of sightings and photos by email: [email protected] Thanks. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @ukrbbp.bsky.social

Long-eared #Owl. Fifth location I've had young calling this month (so far), within a limited area. I've also seen more voles running around this year. @scottishbirding.bsky.social @btoscotland.bsky.social @ukrbbp.bsky.social #birdingscotland

Good news Friday! 🌞 Even with a super dry spring at RSPB Ynys-hir we kept water levels high in two swampy spots, and guess what? FOUR singing male Spotted Crakes showed up! 🎶 That’s a reserve record AND the first ones we’ve heard in years. 📸 : Andy Hay

Well done @stevedudley.bsky.social and team for super speedy work - the first 2024 report to reach RBBP HQ. Some good records of rare breeders too!

Surveying for rare breeding birds isn’t always successful, but is always worthwhile! RBBP member Ian Francis has been looking for the (increasingly?) elusive Dotterel… #birds #UKbirding youtu.be/FGa1ZKQbOKs?...

With two male Wilson’s Snipes (the North American ‘version’ of our Common Snipe) displaying in Sweden, you have to wonder whether there could be one hidden away on a British moor or marsh. The display sound is distinctly different - have a listen here #UKbirding youtu.be/dam0sDp6Xig?...

With two male Wilson’s Snipes (the North American ‘version’ of our Common Snipe) displaying in Sweden, you have to wonder whether there could be one hidden away on a British moor or marsh. The display sound is distinctly different - have a listen here #UKbirding youtu.be/dam0sDp6Xig?...

Verified 'Tzik' Hawfinch calls from a passive recorder on a cherry tree in NW Sussex: in this tetrad last breeding season Hawfinch record pre-2025 was 1980. Buy the man a coffee! @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @ukrbbp.bsky.social

Spring is long gone, and even the summer is getting on, but there’s still plenty of rare breeding birds to be found. Here’s some tips rbbp.org.uk/2023/07/11/w...

Spring is long gone, and even the summer is getting on, but there’s still plenty of rare breeding birds to be found. Here’s some tips rbbp.org.uk/2023/07/11/w...

A new blog on our recent video topic - how to confirm breeding attempts in RBBP species. Keep looking! rbbp.org.uk/2025/06/27/c...

A new blog on our recent video topic - how to confirm breeding attempts in RBBP species. Keep looking! rbbp.org.uk/2025/06/27/c...

The dry spring has unfortunately reduced the number of Shoveler breeding in the #LDV (one of its national strongholds) this year, but several broods are now starting to appear, with our records to be sent to the @ukrbbp.bsky.social in due course. Image @duncbye.bsky.social

As mentioned in yesterday’s video, now is a great time for upgrading possible and probable breeding records to confirmed. Here’s a crib sheet of the breeding evidence to look for.

As mentioned in yesterday’s video, now is a great time for upgrading possible and probable breeding records to confirmed. Here’s a crib sheet of the breeding evidence to look for.

Summer’s a great time for confirming breeding by RBBP species, maybe by returning to sites where you’ve found possible or probable breeders in the spring to “upgrade” records. It can be challenging - here’s some tips on what to look for #UKBirding #birds #ornithology youtu.be/a3nDoucMHCk?...

Summer’s a great time for confirming breeding by RBBP species, maybe by returning to sites where you’ve found possible or probable breeders in the spring to “upgrade” records. It can be challenging - here’s some tips on what to look for #UKBirding #birds #ornithology youtu.be/a3nDoucMHCk?...

Can you help find Sussex's breeding Hawfinches by locating cherry trees and looking for split cherry stones? See www.sos.org.uk/archives/6421 Thank you! @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @ukrbbp.bsky.social

So, as we head through the summer there’s still loads of rare breeding birds to be found and recorded… here’s some ideas youtu.be/50fFUafiVgY?...

Another day - another 3 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker nests found and being monitored in Devon and the New Forest. Great work by LesserSpotNet volunteers. Healthy chicks being well fed by both parents in all the nests. More nests could be found this week.

A rare Osprey 'love triangle' has been captured on a live camera in the Scottish Borders:

Birders staying in the UK for spring & summer holidays can make a huge contribution to rare breeding bird monitoring, particularly in the north & west where there are more gaps in coverage. If you’re lucky enough to be heading away, please help the RBBP out by submitting your records!

Now is your last chance to find a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker nest. For the next week LSW young will be calling from the nest hole and you may hear them. So have a good search in your local woods. LesserSpotNet volunteers are already watching/monitoring twelve nests in the Midlands & South England.

Birders staying in the UK for spring & summer holidays can make a huge contribution to rare breeding bird monitoring, particularly in the north & west where there are more gaps in coverage. If you’re lucky enough to be heading away, please help the RBBP out by submitting your records!

First Honey Buzzard kicked off the season nicely, with this displaying male over a potential new site for Kent #kentbirding @ukrbbp.bsky.social @kentishplover.bsky.social

So this is what I’ve been talking about on the @ukrbbp.bsky.social account… terrible pic but chuffed 🙂 with this Shoveler brood at Buston Links this evening. Great record for this newly created habitat #NEbirding

DUCKS: by this time of spring most ducks will have settled at potential breeding sites. So all records of scarce & rare breeding ducks, including Shoveler, Wigeon, Garganey, Pintail, Pochard and Red-breasted Merganser, should be submitted, with breeding evidence, to the relevant county recorder

DUCKS: by this time of spring most ducks will have settled at potential breeding sites. So all records of scarce & rare breeding ducks, including Shoveler, Wigeon, Garganey, Pintail, Pochard and Red-breasted Merganser, should be submitted, with breeding evidence, to the relevant county recorder

Falling finch numbers, fading farmland birds, declining Dippers and vanishing Cuckoo calls in England are worrying findings from the 2024 Breeding Bird Survey report out now! Read the report ➡️ www.bto.org/bbs-results @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology

A mid-season reminder to put birds first, and to think before we share news on rare breeding birds

A mid-season reminder to put birds first, and to think before we share news on rare breeding birds

As promised, a shorter video with 3 pointers to making your birding more valuable for the monitoring of rare breeding birds. #birds #ornithology #UKbirding

A new video with 3 pointers to making your birding and recording more valuable for the RBBP, and thus for the conservation of rare breeding birds. We’ll post a summary version for those who don’t want to watch the whole thing! #birds #ornithology #UKbirding youtu.be/CAPKeXysahE?...

⚠️ We need your help to survey priority sites for Dartford Warbler, Woodlark and Nightjar as part of our Heathland Birds Survey. 🐦 Find a vacant survey site near you ➡️ www.bto.org/heathlan... #Ornithology #UKBirding #BirdingWales 📷 Dartford Warbler by Philip Croft/BTO

As promised, a shorter video with 3 pointers to making your birding more valuable for the monitoring of rare breeding birds. #birds #ornithology #UKbirding

A new video with 3 pointers to making your birding and recording more valuable for the RBBP, and thus for the conservation of rare breeding birds. We’ll post a summary version for those who don’t want to watch the whole thing! #birds #ornithology #UKbirding youtu.be/CAPKeXysahE?...

KOS species of the month - May. Bittern, once extinct in Kent, can now be heard booming again at several sites across Kent. Favouring large reedbeds May is one of the best months to hear males’ deep far sounding calls. #kentosbirding #kentbirding

A pair of Wigeon grazing next to a rushy sike in Teesdale yesterday. Entered into @birdtrack.bsky.social with breeding evidence “P” (pair) to help @durhambirdclub.bsky.social @ukrbbp.bsky.social’s monitoring of rare breeding birds

‘You get attached to them’: nesting ospreys get villagers excited in Wales

There’s a blog with tips on recording rare breeding birds in May at tinyurl.com/RBBPMay

It’s May, and we’re approaching the peak of the breeding season. It’s a brilliant time to be out recording rare breeding #birds #UKbirding youtu.be/lSmGRDsp8-g?...

An old RBBP prediction (from our 1992 report) - not the only time we’ve got it wrong. Nowadays we tend to be more cautious with our predictions, although we reckon Little Egrets might be here to stay 😉

There’s a blog with tips on recording rare breeding birds in May at tinyurl.com/RBBPMay

It’s May, and we’re approaching the peak of the breeding season. It’s a brilliant time to be out recording rare breeding #birds #UKbirding youtu.be/lSmGRDsp8-g?...

An Osprey has laid its first eggs of the year at Poole Harbour, Dorset, ahead of what is hoped will be another successful breeding season: