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Redshank bits
In January, when we went to Snettisham, we found a dead redshank on the beach. We thought it was an oystercatcher at first, but when we examined it, we realised it was a redshank. We’ve managed to save the wings, one of the legs and the skull. Redshanks have a slightly downturned beak, as we realised when we had cleaned the skull. A greenshank, a relative of the redshank, has a slightly upturned bill. Greenshanks are larger than redshanks and more uncommon.
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Ringed knot bits
In January, we went to Snettisham in Norfolk, where we acquired a lot of interesting items to my collection, including a ringed knot. A knot is a small, dumpy wading bird that comes to the east coast in its millions in winter, but I think we were a bit too late to see the gigantic flocks. The ring number of this knot was SR19614 and we managed to save the wings, the feet and the skull. We sent the details for this knot to the BTO(British Trust for Ornithology) The bird was ringed my the Wash Wader Ringing Group aged at least two years, sex unknown on 11th February 2012 at…
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Awful news about badger cull
Apparently the badger cull is now going to be continued in three areas including Somerset, Dorset and Glousteshire. 3,900 badgers have already been killed in these areas. The government said this should happen because badgers apparently carry bovine TB, and then be passing the disease on to the cattle. Dorset and Somerset are already practising the culling. This is part of the government’s 25 year strategy to eradicate the disease, but a lot of people are saying that the cull has no affect. In my opinion, farmers should just move their cattle into areas where there aren’t as many badgers.
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Magpie bits
Pica pica, the devilish, jewel thieving crow, from a group of avians that have been classed as the birds of ill omen. Its absolute junk. When you observe a magpie close up you’ll realise it has got to be one of the most iridescent and beautiful birds we have. My mummy picked this young one up on the road on the way to work. We’ve managed to save its tail, skull, legs and wings. For me the tail is the most amazing because the purples and blues and greens show up better than on the wings. It has also been the quickest skull we have ever prepared, but when it was knocked down…
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Short-eared owl bits
In January when we went to Snettisham in Norfolk, we found a dead short-eared owl washed up on the beach. We took it back home and we’ve managed to save both the wings, the feet and the skull. The skull is wider than a crow’s but not as long, as the beak is not as long, but hooked over instead. The wingspan of this owl was around 100cm, as each wing was about 47cm. This is the 5th commonest breeding species of owl in the UK, at up to 2000 pairs. They are one of the two species of moorland owl in Britain, along with the barn. They are also…
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20th August 2016
Engleton hide, Birdfair 132. Great white egret, Ardea alba 133. Stock dove(Brand New Species)Columba oenas
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15th August 2016
Arisaig and Loch Shiel 130. Wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe 131. Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos
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8th August 2016
Castle beach 129. Kittiwake(Brand New Species)Rissa tridactyla
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10th August 2016
Laga Bay, Loch Sunart 125. Goosander(Brand New species)Mergus merganser 126. Gannet, Morus bassanus 127. Guillemot, Uria aalge 128. Shag(British Brand New Species)Phalocrocorax aristotelis
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9th August 2016
Resipole 124. Sea eagle(British Brand New Species)Haliaeetus albicilla
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7th August 2016
Aviemore 123. Osprey, Pandion haliaetus
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6th August 2016
Highland Wildlife Park and Loch Garten 122. Hooded crow, Corvus cornix 123. Crested tit(Brand New Species)Lophophanus cristatus
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14th July 2016
Minninglow 121. Little owl, Athene noctua
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7th July 2016
Monsal Head 120. Green woodpecker(Brand new species)Picus viridis
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26th June 2016
Garden at home 119. Lesser redpoll(Brand new species)Acanthis cabaret
