You are browsing the archives of 2006 July.

Is the heat wave that seems to have the entire U.S., or at least the lower 48, in a vise getting you down? Do what I did and fly to the balmy Bay Area. With the rest of the Core Team safely ensconced in the nurturing bosom of Potter County, PA, I’ve struck out for [...]

09 July 2006, Dubai, UAE
 

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a constitutional federation of seven emirates; Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah. The federation was formally established on 2 December 1971.

The UAE occupies an area of 83,000 sq km along the south-eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Qatar lies [...]

Who doesn’t love a Chicken Inferno, an opportunity for beloved friends and family to come together in the spirit of good cheer to build a giant chicken out of wood and hay, stuff it chock full of fireworks, and burn it? Not me! Regular readers know that the Core Team celebrates the third weekend of [...]

Yatton Down SSSI, Wiltshire
Various Dates
 

Yatton Down, looking south towards Long Dean

Yatton Down, looking north towards the Castle Combe racing circuit
 

One of my favourite local patches is the small (14.4 (ha.) 36 (ac.)) and easily acessible Yatton Down Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which is just a few miles from Chippenham and close to the [...]

If like me you remember the ‘early days’ of birding outside Europe, you’ll have memories of mailing off for A4 photo-copied reports with - if you were lucky - a few sketched maps of roads and paths and the odd distinct building pencilled in. I’m not knocking the people who put these reports together - [...]

Summer, by which I mean true summer and not just that fallow period after spring migration subsides, is finally upon us. In many parts of the world, summer means shorebirds, a prospect that inspires equal parts excitement and trepidation. This loose organization of sandpipers, phalaropes, lapwings, plovers, oystercatchers, stilts, and avocets represents a little [...]

Sooty Gulls Larus hemprichii
09 July 2006, Dubai, UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a constitutional federation of seven emirates; Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah. The federation was formally established on 2 December 1971.

The UAE occupies an area of 83,000 sq km along the south-eastern tip of the Arabian [...]

Welcome to the first anniversary edition of I and the Bird! What a magnificent year this has been. Nearly 150 bloggers from across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia have come together on a biweekly basis to present the very best in wild bird web writing. As a group, we have observed thousands of birds [...]

Morgan’s Hill, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Reserve
05 July 2006
 

The North Wessex Downs - once the scene of a fierce battle between Roundheads and Cavaliers during the Civil War.
 

Morgan’s Hill Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Reserve - near the entrance
 

On the edge of the North Wessex Downs is the small but beautiful Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Reserve of Morgan’s Hill [...]

Patrick of The Hawk Owls’ Nest tagged me with his intriguing, yet entertaining 10 Most Wanted Birds Meme. This meme works like all the rest: Post a list of the 10 species that you’d most like to see. You can limit it to a geographic area or cover the whole world. Tag a few people [...]