A total of 15 Spoon-billed Sandpipers Eurynorhynchus pygmeus were sighted between Jan 14 -18 wintering along the south-east coast of Bangladesh. Thirteen were found in three different sites of Sonadia, Cox’s Bazar and two were seen in Bodormokam, Teknaf. The search for this Critically Endangered shorebird will be continued throughout this winter in Bangladesh. (With thanks to Sayam U. Chowdhury of the Bangladesh Bird Club).

No, we haven’t either, but it sounds really intriguing. 21 exclusive tracks that are “a showcase for the finest in contemporary post-classical composition, idiosyncratic folksong and pastoral soundscaping” - all on an album made to create awareness of BirdLife International and the problems facing migratory birds! Check out the brilliant design of this release at http://www.myspace.com/musicmigration. We’ll be interviewing Martin Holm who co-ordinated this project in the near future. Conservation and musicians on 10,000 Birds - we’ll be organising fund-raising festivals next…

Which offer would that be? The one the wonderful Wren announced on her blog when she said she’d GIVE AWAY at her own expense four memberships to the equally wonderful 10,000 Birds Conservation Club, that’s which one. You’ve a mere 12 hours or so to get on over there and perhaps win FREE entry to every single Conservation Club give-away competition that we run for the next twelve months! Now that’s a January Sale worth going to…

Apparently alligators and birds share a breathing mechanism which may have helped their ancestors dominate Earth more than 200 million years ago. Research published in the journal Science found that like birds, in alligators air flows in one direction: the same research suggests that all dinosaurs, herbivores like Triceratops and carnivores like Tyrannosaurus, had bird-like lungs. The BBC News website has more of the details and implications.