Longevity record! Last night, @washwader.bsky.social recaught this Black-tailed Godwit, first caught and ringed 29 years ago. The metal ring was wearing thin (and was replaced) but the bird is still going strong. Blog about longevity of waders: wadertales.wordpress.com/2018/01/16/w... #ornithology

The latest report from the RBBP, Rare Breeding Birds in the UK in 2023, is out now in British Birds. It reports on the 104 species and races of rare breeding birds recording breeding, or showing signs of breeding, in 2023. Read the summary at rbbp.org.uk/2023-report-... #ornithology #ukbirds 🧵[1/15]

Central Cambridge Otter! My friend @w-mcewan.bsky.social just saw this Otter near the boathouses! (31 Oct '25) Incredible! @tonyjuniper.bsky.social @jonheath.bsky.social @craigbennett3.bsky.social

Thanks to @emmaroddicksnp.bsky.social for raising the impact of fireworks on animals at First Minister's Questions. The delay to the licensing aspect of the Fireworks Act is hugely frustrating. The suffering animals continue to endure is deeply upsetting: www.onekind.org/blog/firewor...

Almost a third of UK Hawfinches used artificial birdfood when available, with implications for disease transmission. Investigating supplementary food use of UK Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes populations using DNA metabarcoding doi.org/10.1080/0006... #BirdStudy #ornithology

Third phase of consultation opens for proposed reservoir in the Fens New details of the plans. Consultation open until December www.anglianwater.co.uk/news/third-p...

As a county bird recorder I can honestly say that the best and easiest way for you to make your birding count, is to upload them to either eBird or BirdTrack. Doing so contributes directly to #ornithology and bird #conservation at both local and national levels. #birdingScotland #birdingWales

Utterly beholden to lobbyists, staggeringly ignorant and dismissive of the natural world: Rachel Reeves might not look or sound like Donald Trump, but she is behaving very much like him. This government is even more of an ecological hazard than the Tories were. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

A sneak peak of some upcoming artwork featuring in the 2024 Cambs Bird Report; this wonderful Starling murmuration by Richard Fowling. If you would like to contribute some of your own artwork to the report please do let us know @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social

We're incredibly concerned about the welfare of two satellite-tagged golden eagles, Tarras and Wren, that have recently disappeared in Dumfries and Galloway. Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland. Read more 👉 bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce80l4jgd1qo 📷 Chris Gomersall, RSPB Images

"Alarmingly, the new data show an accelerating pattern of decline in our bird populations, whether on our farmland, wetlands, uplands or seas, as they are pushed past their limits" - @richgreg3.bsky.social

A Manx Shearwater, which was found under a hedge in a Haddenham garden last Tuesday, was successfully released yesterday at Hunstanton. It was launched off the cliffs and flew out to sea. @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Swift conservationists seem to be pretty much unanimous: 2025 was an excellent year for nest numbers, brood productivity, and activity levels around colonies. The main reason seems to be long spells of warm weather without much rain.

Very firm statement on releases of captive-bred Turtle Doves, from Operation Turtle Dove inc @rspb.bsky.social & @naturalengland.bsky.social: *Doesn't meet IUCN guidelines *Risk of disease/genetic pollution *Irresponsible aims operationturtledove.org/captive-rele... 1/2 #ornithology #ukbirding

It's been a lot of fun watching Swifts nesting in my boxes for the first time this year. The first pair fledged 2-3 young in July but surprisingly a second pair started late and have just fledged 1-2 young in the last few days. Fingers crossed they are back next year @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social

Some classic late August birding in and around Cambridge today, with a team effort producing Redstart, Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatchers, Whinchat, Grasshopper Warbler, Willow Warbler @noahbai-123.bsky.social @jokuwildlife.bsky.social @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social

Really enjoyed this! Very well made and pretty funny

Some autumnal Whinchats, which have been hanging around their favourite field for the last few days @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Great piece. Swifts really are the best birds!

Found a juvenile Cuckoo feather at the Research Park this weekend. Hopefully part of its moult before it begins the long migration south. The other photo was taken a few weeks back at the same site; juvenile waiting to be fed by Reed Warbler foster parents @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Amongst those arrested in London for peacefully protesting the genocide in Gaza is this blind person in a wheelchair. Staggeringly embarrassing and shaming for Starmer. “Shame on you!” being shouted by the crowd. (🎥 Defend Our Juries)

Wonderful news this evening! A pair of Montagu's Harrier has bred at a secret location in England this summer, the RSPB has announced:

UK ban on Palestine Action at odds with international law, says UN rights chief

Turkey reached 50.0°C for the first time in recorded history today (preliminary) This isn’t just a heatwave, It’s the edge of human survival. In low humidity just 30 minutes of exposure risks heat stroke. Increasing humidity shortens that time. This is climate change, and it’s accelerating.

When four breeding male Hen Harriers suspiciously disappeared from nests in May, two from RSPB Geltsdale and two from the Forest of Bowland, it was clear the females would struggle to raise their chicks alone. The odds were bleak.

It's been a very good year for Black Redstarts in Cambridgeshire

Dark-eyed Junco in a private garden in Ely on July 9th, which was unfortunately not seen again thereafter. This is the first ever American passerine species recorded in Cambs! @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

It's utterly mad. These people are the opposite of terrorists. THEY WANT PEACE. The police know they're not terrorists. The government knows they're not terrorists. Yet, on the Home Secretary's orders, they're being arrested under the Terrorism Act. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Never knew Britain was besieged by so many octogenarian terrorists who demand children not be starved and slaughtered. What is the world coming to?

A Garden Garden Warbler! Only my second record and satisfyingly it was feeding in trees which I planted a few years ago @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

No more Beewashing please! Why beekeeping doesn't help conserve bees. Pls RT if you agree. youtu.be/fiBYBmlKSYU

Campaigning against the potentially disastrous Planning & Infrastructure bill is working. The government is rattled. Keep up the pressure - we are nature’s only voice.

The police (wrongly) inform a peaceful protestor that holding a Palestinian flag and signs deploring genocide is an offence under the Terrorism Act. This is the deranged policing environment the government has created.

The UK Hydrological Summary confirms heightened risk of drought impacts this summer — especially in eastern Britain. June was the warmest on record for England and 2nd warmest for the UK overall. Rainfall showed stark regional contrasts, with some areas seeing less than half of average. 🧵🧪 1/

Anyone got a video of a hare having the shit scared out of it by a curlew — ah, don’t worry, got one anyway!

An almost cloud-free Britain and Ireland on Saturday 12 July 2025, with only eastern coastal regions shaded by marine stratocumulus/haar. Vegetation across southern and eastern England noticeably browner than normal thanks to continued below-normal rainfall and anomalously high temperatures.

“One mile on a bike is a $.42 economic gain to society, one mile driving is a $.20 loss.” “Which means that Copenhagen, a city of 1.2 million people, saves $357 million a year on health costs because something like 80% of its population commutes by bike.” grist.org/biking/one-m...

Finally! This is an historic win for all those who have spent decades trying to get the govt to act. Non-compliance is expected to be high so effective monitoring & robust enforcement must follow. Defra press release + commentary from me ⬇️ raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/07/10/p...

You'd have thought Swifts would be safe from cats but clearly this is not always the case 🤬

Preventing climate change by reducing emissions is, intrinsically & unavoidably, an altruistic act: just as more emissions hurts everyone (it's *global* warming), fewer emissions helps everyone. You are helping yourself but, whether you intend it or not, you're also helping everyone else. Now ...

Big factor in this failure/death of ~800,000 planted trees on A14 was 2022 saw prolonged drought & temp almost 40C. But 10km away, young trees/shrubs at Monks Wood natural colonisation site sailed through it. Deep rooted, insulating thicket/thatch, stayed lush/green, no saplings died. Heatwave pic:

Sounds like it will be a poor year for some passage Arctic shorebirds #UKbirding

Parliament in a nutshell: Yesterday MPs, including Yvette Cooper, celebrated the suffragette legacy of civil disobedience that won women the right to vote.. Only to then vote to designate non-violent direct action group Palestine Action as terrorists. Westminster is broken.

Until we value the natural world above all else and put it at the heart of all we do there will be only one result - our demise. Why don't governments get it? It's capitalism stupid... www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-06...

1. At the Tipping Points conference in Exeter yesterday, I spoke about the likelihood of food system collapse: a massive existential threat few people's radar. If you want a handle on the issue, here's the submission I made to a parliamentary committee. + 🧵 www.monbiot.com/2023/03/09/t...

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, and I know I speak for millions of people up and down this country: We are all Palestine Action 🇵🇸

I just voted against proscribing Palestine Action, a civil disobedience group, as a terrorist organisation. But I'm furious that in doing so, the government forced me and others to vote against proscribing two other clearly terrorist groups. Cynical and dangerous from govt.

June was England's warmest on record and the UK's second warmest, according to the @metoffice.gov.uk www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/new...

This is objectively nuts but impartial ‘news’ currently lacks any metric to express that one ‘wrong’ newsworthy thing is several billion times worse than another.