Ahead of the Core Count weekend, don't forget to record any dead birds you see on your WeBS Count on the data entry form in WeBS Online, as well as reporting to Defra for possible collection

⚠️ Please report sightings of dead birds for possible testing for Avian Influenza. ⬇️ 📌 In England, Wales & Scotland: www.gov.uk/guidance/... 📌 In Northern Ireland: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/... 📌 In Republic of Ireland: aviancheck.apps.serv... #UKBirding #BirdingWales #BirdingScotland

Sanderling and friends at the beach at Alnmouth. #birdsoftheworld @webs-gsmp.bsky.social @wadertales.bsky.social

Thank you to everyone who carried out their Icelandic-breeding Goose Census (IGC) last weekend as part of #GSMP_UK🪶

Godwit #genetics Rethinking what we thought we knew about Bar-tailed Godwit migration - with important consequences for conservation. wadertales.wordpress.com/2025/10/18/r... Paper by Jesse Conklin et al in IBIS (@bou.org.uk) onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

The latest edition of Waterbirdnews should be arriving on your doormats this week. 🗞️ 💻Or read it online here: bto.org/our-work/sci... As always, thank you to all of our WeBS and GSMP counters for your amazing contributions. #Ornithology #UKBirding

This weekend marks the first Icelandic-breeding Goose Census (IGC) of the 2025/26 season, where #GSMP_UK counters count Pink-footed Geese and Icelandic Greylag Geese at their roosts. 💻Find out more: www.bto.org/gsmp #Ornithology @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @naturescot.bsky.social

The Icelandic/Greenlandic population of Pink-footed Geese arrive in the UK during Autumn/Winter. A substantial population increase over the last 40 years makes skeins of migrating Pink-footed Geese a common sight. 📈 #Ornithology @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @naturescot.bsky.social

Today is the October WeBS Priority Core Count day! Time to get out and count our birds!

This weekend is the October Core Count! Did you know that with WeBS beginning as the National Wildlife Counts, we are continuing a tradition of counting that began in 1947! Learn more about our history here▶️https://www.bto.org/get-involved/volunteer/projects/wetland-bird-survey/about/history-webs

(1/) Hi, I’m David, and I help to run the BBS social media channels. This #DyslexiaAwarenessWeek, I am sharing something about myself, rather than the usual BBS posts, in order to raise awareness of my mild learning difficulties.

📢We are looking for new WeBS counters in Derbyshire!📢 View which vacant sectors need counters at bto.org/webs-vacant-sites or if you know of a local wetland that isn't mapped, get in touch with the Local Organisers at [email protected] and we can set this up for you! 🌊

More spaces added for this FREE walk this weekend for young bird and nature enthusiasts with BTO Youth and @essexbirdnews.bsky.social! Sign up ➡️ www.bto.org/our-work/eve... #EssexBirding @webs-gsmp.bsky.social

Calling on all East Glamorgan birders. Nothing in your diary this Saturday night? Fancy crossing the border into Gwent for this event? This @gos-birds.bsky.social talk is about our local BTO / @webs-gsmp.bsky.social / @glamorganbirdclub.bsky.social Green Sandpiper project and its amazing findings.

Wigeon is up next for #WeBSSpeciesSpotlight 🎉 In autumn, Britain & Ireland receive vast numbers of Wigeon from the breeding grounds located further north. This wintering population has increased significantly since 1983/84, with WeBS revealing a few locations holding over 30,000 birds in winter. 🍂❄️

We are looking for a temp. volunteer to cover this site, for the core period of September to March incl. This could be the perfect way to get involved in WeBS! If you are interested, contact the Local Organisers at [email protected] #WeBSSiteInsight #YourWeBSJourney

7/ The Wintering Waterbird Indicator is composed of trends since 1975/76 in wintering populations of 46 waterbirds. The UK indicator is 92% higher than in 1975/76 but the trajectory is a strong increase until the early 2000s, after which the indicator has declined at a shallower rate.

1/ The Wintering Waterbird Indicator, published in the Wild Bird Indicators publication today by Defra, is based on the trends of wintering populations of 46 waterbird species or races since 1975/76. 📖: www.gov.uk/government/s... #Ornithology #UKBirding

Do you find recognising gulls tricky? 🤔 Join our expert team for our Gull ID training sessions in November ➡️ www.bto.org/training Our two-part, online Gull ID course has been carefully crafted to build your knowledge and confidence and make gull ID easier! #Ornithology

Join BTO Youth and @essexbirdnews.bsky.social for a Wetland Bird Survey walk on 4 October. ➡️ www.bto.org/our-work/eve... The event is FREE and open to young people between the ages of 12 and 25. #EssexBirding @webs-gsmp.bsky.social

Today is #PloverAppreciationDay! The UK holds host to six plover species, the commonest of which is the Ringed Plover, though its cryptic colours mean that it can be hard to spot! You can learn more about each species on the BTO Bird Facts page ➡️ bto.org/birdfacts

Are you a birder in Northern Ireland who can count this small pond in County Tyrone, which hasn’t been counted since 1992? If you think you can help please contact us via the "Contact the Local Organiser" button at app.bto.org/websonline/s... #WeBSSiteInsight #YourWeBSJourney @bto-ni.bsky.social

Today is the September WeBS Core Count and the first of our winter counts! Let's see what we find on our WeBS sites!

This Sunday is the first count of the core winter counting period of WeBS, which runs from Sept to March (inclusive). It's an exciting part of the year, with migrants arriving to overwinter in our relatively mild climate. So you never know what could turn up on your WeBS site!

🦢The International Swan Census involves counters to carry out a one-off count on the weekend of 17th-18th January 2026. This involves counting Whooper and Bewick’s Swans, as well as recording age assessments and habitat. Visit the vacant site map⬇️ app.bto.org/gsmp/public/... #Ornithology

Are you a beginner birder in mid-Wales who can count the birds at this small pond, which hasn’t been counted since 1993? If you think you can help please contact us via the "Contact the Local Organiser" button at app.bto.org/websonline/s... @btocymru.bsky.social

Next up for #WeBSSpeciesSpotlight ...🥁 Teal The Teal is our smallest duck, with WeBS results showing peak numbers between October and February ❄️ Keep an eye out, as we have just seen our first Autumn arrival at the @btobirds.bsky.social reserve in Norfolk today! #ornithology

(1/) New theme alert! For the next few Wednesdays, we will be sharing BBS trends for some of our most familiar wetland birds. We start with Canada Goose, which increased by 129% across the UK between 1995 and 2023. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology

August @webs-gsmp.bsky.social Wetland bird count at the Aln Estuary yesterday came up with over 300 Lapwings, 295 Curlews, 97 Redshank, a few of both Black, and Bar-tails, Wood Sands, Greenshank, and Whimbrel. @wadertales.bsky.social #nebirding @btobirds.bsky.social

Not especially high tide for @webs-gsmp.bsky.social on the lower #Conwy. First Turnstones back for the winter; a flock of 10 Red-breasted Mergansers at the estuary mouth was unusual. >200 Herring Gulls, 95% of which were fledged young. Parents have already left, presumably. #BirdingWales

Don't forget that this Sunday is the August WeBS Priority Core Count! A great day to go out and count our birds! @btobirds.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social

A flock of 12 Cattle Egrets dropped into the @btobirds.bsky.social‬ reserve in Norfolk today! They are rapidly increasing, with over 800 counted in WeBS in 2023/24 —explore where at app.bto.org/webs-reporti... 📷by @neilcalbrade.bsky.social

Are you a birder in Durham who can take over counts at this High Priority site? The current counter is stepping down so handover is available. If you think you can help please contact us via the "Contact the Local Organiser" button at app.bto.org/websonline/s... #WeBSSiteInsight #YourWeBSJourney

Check out the newly published Arctic Indicators paper ⬇️ which uses WeBS and GSMP data!

❓Did you know ❓ Diving ducks have their legs positioned further back than dabbling ducks... However this also makes them less agile on land

📢Job alert! We’re looking for the next Seabird Monitoring Programme Organiser to join the BTO Surveys Team!🔭📈 ℹ️ For more information and to apply: www.bto.org/jobs 🗓️ Deadline for applications: 8th Sept 2025. #seabirds #citizenscience @btobirds.bsky.social, @jncc.bsky.social, @rspb.bsky.social

First up on #WeBSSpeciesSpotlight... Black-tailed Godwit 🎉 Black-tailed Godwits are most common in Spring/Autumn as they move from their breeding grounds in Iceland to winter in Britain, Ireland, France and Portugal🌍 Find out more at www.bto.org/learn/about-... 🪶 #ornithology

📢 Looking for counters for WeBS Low Tide Count at Breydon Water this winter (November-February) ❄️ ✉️If you are interested in taking part, please email [email protected] Find out more about WeBS Low Tide Counts ⬇️ www.bto.org/get-involved... #ornithology

Two of the three Avocet chicks, which were bred here on the Aln Estuary, made their maiden flight this afternoon. I’ve watched them grow over the last few weeks, and it was brilliant to see them fly! @wadertales.bsky.social @webs-gsmp.bsky.social

Are you a beginner birder in Fife who can count the birds at this urban pond, which hasn’t been counted since 2020? If you think you can help please contact us via the "Contact the Local Organiser" button at app.bto.org/websonline/s... #WeBSSiteInsight #YourWeBSJourney @btoscotland.bsky.social

Free autumn waterbird ID events up online! Join us for these sessions to brush up on your skills and find out more about the Wetland Bird Survey (you can filter by 'Region' and find them quickly that way). #BirdingScotland www.bto.org/our-work/eve...

Thank you to everyone who carried out their WeBS counts this weekend! 🦆 Please don't forget to input any outstanding data for the 2024/25 WeBS year (June 2024 ➡️ July 2025) into WeBS Online ASAP - 🖥️https://app.bto.org/websonline/

Happy New WeBS Year! This Sunday's Core Count is the first of the 2025/26 WeBS year, which runs from July to June (inclusive). So let's start this year with a splash and get all our waterbirds counted!

⚠️ Advance warning that this weekend certain areas of the BTO website will be unavailable. This includes 'My BTO', and event and membership registration. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Are you a birder on the Isle of Wight who can count Sandown Levels, which hasn’t been counted since 2019? If you think you can help please contact us via the "Contact the Local Organiser" button at app.bto.org/websonline/s... #WeBSSiteInsight #YourWeBSJourney @btoengland.bsky.social

📢Job alert! We’ve got a great opportunity for a part-time Seabird Monitoring Support Officer to join the @btobirds.bsky.social Surveys Team!🔭📈 ℹ️ For more information and to apply: bto.org/jobs 🗓️ Deadline for applications: Thursday 24th July 2025. #Seabirds, @jncc.bsky.social, @rspb.bsky.social

Please continue to report all sightings of dead birds for possible testing for avian influenza: 📌In England, Wales & Scotland: www.gov.uk/guidance/rep... 📌In Northern Ireland: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/services/dae... 📌In Republic of Ireland: aviancheck.apps.services.agriculture.gov.ie/report

Are you a birder in Northern Ireland, who can count Craigmalady, which has only had one count, in 1996? If you think you can help please contact us via the "Contact the Local Organiser" button at app.bto.org/websonline/s... #WeBSSiteInsight #YourWeBSJourney @bto-ni.bsky.social