Black-eared Kite (Neil Kumar) I would like to thank everyone who tuned in to my blog during 2011 and I hope that you will continue to do so during 2012. I also wish you all a very safe, prosperous and bird-filled 2012. Remember: keep looking up and always expect to see everything and nothing – […]
A sample of the 3,000 or so Brown-headed Gulls TUB looking for the elusive Pallas’ Gull There’s a Pallas’ out there somewhere This afternoon, I journeyed to Bang Poo, just outside Bangkok to try and locate a Pallas’ Gull or two. This species used to be referred to as Great Black-headed Gull back in the […]
Red Collared Dove This is my first ‘hot’ Christmas, as the ex-pats like to call it and I must say that it’s rather strange not to be on native soil tucking into some mince pies in front of the telly. Instead, I indulged in a near all day feeding frenzy broken only by a two […]
Merry Christmas from Thailand! Brown Shrike (Dave Gandy) Black-faced Spoonbill Dave Gandy & TUB staking out a vagrant Chinese Blue Flycatcher in Bangkok (P. Hayhurst) Malaysian Plover Butterfly spSunrise at Hua Hin ‘Heuglin’s’ Gull Pheasant-tailed Jacana
A sluggish monitor! A closer shot After months of waiting I’ve finally began the first day of my holiday in Thailand. The plan is not to go mental with the birding and to try and get some rest. Fat chance of that! So far I have had a few ticks including Chinese Pond Heron and […]
It’s got to be – hasn’t it? I think that this a superb book that would look good on any coffee table. For me it’s more of a art book than a field guide and it may take some getting used to, but it’s an absolute beauty! Perfect Crimbo present for the art minded birder.
You might think that this book is an odd choice as one of my plugs for Christmas, but hear me out. Firstly, it’s written by Clare Evans, a south coast based birder who happens to be a very lovely person. However, the best reason to buy this book is the fact that it really is […]
Wood Pigeon (Russell F Spencer) Hello again! All I want to talk about right now are Wood Pigeons – and for two main reasons. Firstly, I got myself into the Guinness World Records Book the other day by getting 226 people to immitate the song of this delightful pigeon using swannee whistles. Secondly, on a […]
A Robin – fresh out of the freezer! Since my last post when I visited a very foggy Gibralter Point I have delivered talks to the Friends of Wormholt Park in west London and RSPB members in Aylesbury and Guildford plus took part in the North West Birdfair at Martin Mere Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust […]
After being so excited about going to Gibraltar Point in Lincolnshire last weekend for the first time, I was met with a wall of fog – all day. So despite being out all Sunday morning I didn’t really see anything of Gib Point at all – I could have been anywhere! I did see a […]
Checking out a Bittern from the Hide at Gosforth Park, outside Newcastle (Alan Tilmouth) Alan Tilmouth & TUB It has been a long and busy week with various ongoing projects taking up a lot of my time – hence the lack of blogging activity. Last weekend, I had the distinct pleasure of being shown around […]
Some more images from the International Long-eared Owl Conference in Kikinda, Serbia. A controlled LEO Checking out the biometrics Release Some of the owl inhabited trees in Kikinda A tiny fraction of the roost Delegates on their tea break
A male Bullfinch (Russell F Spencer) I’m very happy at the moment because a small party of Bullfinches (a male and two females) have taken up home within Chats Paddock in Wormwood Scrubs. Two pairs of Bullfinches used to breed on my patch including a family that nested within a scrubby enclosure called Chats Paddock. […]
With the International Conference on the Survey, Monitoring and Conservation of the Long-eared Owl (to give it the official title) over I had time to reflect on the phenomenon that is the amazing parliament of Long-eared Owls that gather in Kikinda, northern Serbia. In the town square there were already nearly 200 birds gathered – […]
The view from a reclined passenger seat – cold Serbian fog! Jeez! Was I lucky today. I got to Heathrow airport 10 minutes after the check-in desk had supposidly shut. Expecting to be told that I had missed my flight to Belgrade to attend the International Long-eared Owl Conference, I was surprised to learn that […]
Artwork by Ralph Steadman Went to the launch tonight of the Ghost of Birds Gone exhibition at the Rochelle School of Art in Shoreditch and what an amazing night it was! Met loads of people that I knew (and didn’t know) and saw some fantastic art. The whole concept of Ghost of Gone Birds is […]
Trying to hide behind a 2nd winter Great Black-back (John Martin) Standing out in the flock – a first winter Caspian Gull Profile shot (John Martin) A controlled Eurasian Sparrowhawk Last weekend was billed as a weekend off – free from TUB commitments. I imagined sleeping in till late morning and digesting the morning’s papers […]
TUB beginning to fire up After an industrious day writing my latest piece for Bird Watching Magazine I journeyed down to Bristol to deliver a talk at the invitation of the Avon Wildlife Trust. I was a good and well attended night and I sold a few books to boot!
Lowestoft birders Andrew Easton & Steve Jones After bugger all sleep on Saturday night I made the journey at 4.30am under the cover of darkness to meet with Lowestoft birders Andrew Easton, Steve Jones and their mate Rob who had to nip off and lead a local bird tour for most of the day. I […]
Sparrowhawk (Tommy Holden) Whilst half of the UK’s birding community is either lusting after or going after the Siberian Rubythroat in Shetland back at base there has been heated debates rumbling on about the identity of the mystery small raptor seen at the beginning of the week by a relatively inexperienced Scrubber. Many people cast […]