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Grey Partridges, UK

By Charlie • November 5, 2009 • 4 comments

When I was down at Portland Bird Observatory in September I took the chance to photograph a family of Grey Partridge Perdix perdix that had turned up on the island. There’s little doubt that these particular individuals had been deliberately released - either for shooting or perhaps by someone with a more altruistic view that [...]

Woodchat Shrike

By Charlie • May 5, 2005 • No comments yet

Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator
Portland, Dorset May 2005

A rare spring and autumn migrant on Portland, there have been just over 50 previous records - the majority in May, though there have been records as early as March.

This bird was aged as a first-summer male because of the slight scaling on the flanks, retained (and worn) flight [...]

Asides

The Birder’s Report becomes a Species Champion

Excellent news from Larry Jordan, the force behind The Birder’s Report: he’s joined BirdLife’s ‘Preventing Extinctions Programme’ as a Species Champion. The PEP focusses on saving the 192 most threatened birds on the planet, and with supporters with the conservation creds of someone like Larry perhaps it will become far better known in North America than currently. Let’s hope so - and who’ll be next to join I wonder?

First Bird of 2010

What was your first bird of 2010? Let us know in the comments…and, if you wrote a blog post or have a picture of your first bird of the year online somewhere, well, leave a link in the comments too.
Happy New Year from all three of us at 10,000 Birds! And here’s hoping you see many great birds, including lots of lifers, in 2010!

‘Mermaids’ battered by boats

“Each year, about 87 manatees are killed by collisions with boats, the single greatest cause of premature mortalities. This is more than seven times number of manatees that the Fish and Wildlife Service estimates can be killed without impairing the species’ recovery. Meanwhile, boating in Florida is at an all-time high and increasing with more boats in the water…”. Another good example of why the International Year of Biodiversity ought to matter.

Residents Crying Foul…

…over Common Peafowl. Seems that Longboat Key, Florida, has way too many of the gorgeous gregarious birds and has to continually cull the flock. And Longboat Key isn’t the only community in the U.S. with a peafowl problem: apparently California and Texas locations have had issues as well. So introducing non-native birds because they are pretty might not be the best idea? Who would’ve thunk it?