Will

@hashygeek

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@hashygeek Also known as the peewit in imitation of its display calls, its common name describes its wavering flight. Its black-and-white appearance and round-winged shape in flight make it distinctive, even without its splendid crest. This familiar Farmland, bird has suffered significant declines recently and is now a Red List species.

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@hashygeek Lapland Buntings are lightly larger than a Reed Bunting with a well-marked head pattern, chestnut nape and chestnut wing panel. It spends most of its time on the ground and is often seen in small flocks. Occasional birds are seen in Scotland in the summer, when males have a striking black crown, face and throat. It is listed as a Schedule 1 species under The Wildlife and Countryside Act, offering it additional protection.

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@hashygeek The Knot is a dumpy, legged, stocky wading bird. In winter, it is grey above and white below. In summer the chest, belly and face are brick-red. In flight, it shows a pale rump and a faint wing-stripe. Birds forms huge flocks in winter, flashing their pale underwings as they twist and turn. Many Knots use UK estuaries as feeding grounds, both on migration and in winter, and therefore the population is vulnerable to any changes such as barrages, sea-level rises and human disturbance. Large numbers of birds visit the UK in winter from their Arctic breeding grounds.

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@hashygeek Kittiwakes are gentle-looking, medium-sized gulls with a small yellow bill and a dark eye. They have a grey back with white underneath. Their legs are long and black. In flight, the black wing-tips show no white, unlike other gulls, and look as if they have been 'dipped in ink'. The population is declining in some areas, perhaps due to a shortage of Sandeels. After breeding, birds move out into the Atlantic where they spend the winter.

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@hashygeek Kingfishers are small unmistakable bright blue and orange birds of slow-moving or still water. They fly rapidly, low over water, and hunt fish from riverside perches, occasionally hovering above the water's surface. They're vulnerable to hard winters and habitat degradation through pollution or poor management of watercourses. They are also listed as a Schedule 1 species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, offering them additional protection.

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@hashygeek Kestrels are a familiar sight, with their pointed wings and long tail, hovering beside a roadside verge. Numbers of Kestrels have declined since the 1970s, probably as a result of changes in farming, and so it is included on the Amber List. They have adapted readily to man-made environments and can survive right in the centre of cities.

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@hashygeek The Honey Buzzard is a large bird of prey that is similar to the Buzzard. It has broad wings and a long tail. The plumage is very variable across all ages - typical adults are greyish-brown on their upperparts and whitish on underparts. The nest sites of British breeding birds are usually kept secret to protect them from egg collectors. They are also listed as a Schedule 1 species on The Wildlife and Countryside Act offering them additional protection. Numbers are increasing, perhaps as a result of upland conifer forest maturing. It is a summer visitor to its breeding sites and spends the winter in Africa.

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@hashygeek Hobby Falcons are about the size of a Kestrel with pointed wings, looking a bit like a giant swift. They are known for their dashing flight and will chase large insects and small birds like swallows and martins. Prey is often caught in its talons and transferred to its beak in flight. Hobbies can accelerate rapidly in flight and are capable of high-speed aerial manoeuvres. Hobbies are listed as a Schedule 1 bird on The Wildlife and Countryside Act.

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@hashygeek The Montagu's Harrier is a slim, medium-sized, long-winged bird of prey. It has a long tail, is smaller than a Buzzard, and has more pointed wings than the similar Hen Harrier. The male is grey on top. In flight, it shows black wingtips and a black stripe across the inner wing. The female is dark brown. It is an extremely rare breeding bird in the UK, and its status is precarious. Each pair needs special protection. It seems increasingly to be nesting on arable farmland rather than on marshes. It is a summer visitor, and migrates to Africa to spend the winter. Montagu's Harrier are a Schedule 1 listed species on The Wildlife and Countryside Act.

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@hashygeek This is a small black crow with a distinctive silvery sheen to the back of its head. Its pale eyes stand out from its plumage. The Jackdaw's call – a familiar hard 'tchack' – gives it its name. It will often nest in chimneys, buildings, rock crevices and tree holes.

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@hashygeek The Mediterranean Gull is slightly larger than a Black-headed Gull, with an all-black head in the breeding season. Adults have white wing-tips and underwings and the younger birds have more wing markings. It has a large, slightly drooping beak, bright red in adults. A very rare UK bird until the 1950s, it's now widespread in winter and breeding in ever-increasing numbers. Its present UK breeding population makes it an Amber List species. It is a Schedule 1 listed bird of The Wildlife and Countryside Act.

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@hashygeek A small, brown, and streaky bird, the Meadow Pipit is the most common songbird in upland areas. Its high, piping call is a familiar sound. In flight, it shows white outer tail feathers and, in the breeding season, it has a fluttering display flight. In winter, they are quite sociable and gather in small flocks, often hidden among plants, suddenly flying up with their typical jerky flight. Meadow Pipit numbers in the UK have been declining since the mid-1970s, resulting in this species being included on the Amber List of conservation concern.

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@hashygeek When seen in flight from below, the Osprey has white or slightly mottled underparts. The wings are angled, bending at the 'wrist' (middle) which has a black patch contrasting with the white wing linings and, at a distance, it could be mistaken for a large gull. This spectacular fish-eating bird of prey is an Amber List species because of its historical decline (due to illegal killing) and low breeding numbers. They are listed as a Schedule 1 species on The Wildlife and Countryside Act.

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@hashygeek The Velvet Scoter is a black sea duck. It has a long bill, a thick neck and a pointed tail. In flight, it shows a white patch on the rear of the wing – this can also be seen when birds sitting on the sea flap their wings. This Schedule 1 species does not breed in the UK, but is a winter visitor to the east coast, especially in Scotland, Norfolk and north-east England. The large flocks in winter are at risk from oil pollution and depleted fish stocks. Schedule 1 protection means it is an offence to disturb this bird.

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@hashygeek The Whooper Swan is a large white swan, bigger than a Bewick's Swan. It has a long neck, which it usually holds erect, and black legs. Its black bill has a large triangular patch of yellow on it. It is mainly a winter visitor to the UK from Iceland, although a small number of pairs nest in the north. The estuaries and wetland it visits on migration and for winter roosts need protection. Its winter population and small breeding numbers make it an Amber List species. It is also a Schedule 1 listed bird, meaning it is illegal to disturb them.

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@hashygeek The Woodcock is a large, bulky wading bird with short legs and a very long straight tapering bill. It is largely nocturnal, spending most of the day in dense cover. Most of the birds in the UK are residents - in the autumn birds move to the UK from Finland and Russia to winter here. The breeding population has been falling in recent years, perhaps because of less habitat as conifer plantations become too mature for Woodcocks to find open enough breeding areas.

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The White-tailed Eagle is the largest UK bird of prey. It has brown body plumage with a conspicuously pale head and neck, which can be almost white in older birds, and the tail feathers of adults are white. In flight it has massive broad wings with 'fingered' ends. Its head protrudes and it has a wedge-shaped tail. This Schedule 1 species went extinct in the UK during the early 20th century, due to illegal killing, and the present population is descended from reintroduced birds. Schedule 1 protection means it is illegal to disturb this species.

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The common Raven is a large all-black bird, a member of the crow family. It is massive – the biggest member of the crow family. Look for its large bill and long wings. In flight, it shows a diamond-shaped tail. Ravens breed mainly in the west and north although they are currently expanding their range eastwards. Most birds are residents, though some birds – especially non-breeders and young birds – wander from their breeding areas but don't travel far.

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The Green Sandpiper is a wader whose dark, almost black, upperparts contrast with its pale underparts and white rump. It frequently bobs up and down when standing. It often appears nervous and will take off when disturbed. It looks like a large House Martin when in the air – look out for its low zig-zagging flight

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The Golden Plover is a medium-sized plover with a distinctive gold and black summer plumage. In winter, the black is replaced by light brown and white. They typically stand upright and run in short bursts. They are very shy and wary while on breeding grounds. In winter, they form large flocks which fly close together with rapid, twinkling wingbeats.

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