Will

@hashygeek

1456 Following

468 Followers

Will pfp

The Little Grebe is a small, dumpy grebe which often appears to have a 'fluffy' rear end. It readily dives when disturbed, surfacing unseen some distance away. In summer it has a bright chestnut throat and cheeks and a pale gape patch at the base of the bill. It can be noisy, with a distinctive whinnying trill.

0 reply

0 recast

0 reaction

Will pfp

The Little Egret is a small white heron with attractive white plumes on crest, back and chest, black legs and bill and yellow feet. It first appeared in the UK in significant numbers in 1989 and first bred in Dorset in 1996. Its arrival followed naturally from a range expansion into western and northern France in previous decades. It is now at home on numerous south coast sites, both as a breeding species and as a winter visitor.

0 reply

0 recast

0 reaction

Will pfp

The Little Auk is a small seabird, of similar size to a Starling. It's black above and white below, and in flight it shows dark underwings. It has a black stubby bill, and a short neck and tail. It flies with very fast whirring wingbeats low over the sea. A winter visitor to the waters around the UK, it's seen in small numbers each year. It breeds in the Arctic and winters in the North Atlantic. Some birds enter the North Sea in autumn and large numbers can be seen passing offshore during gales.

0 reply

0 recast

0 reaction

Will pfp

A small and slim finch that's widespread and was once very popular as a caged bird because of its tuneful song. Males are marked with crimson foreheads and chests, females are much browner. It has a bouncing flight, usually twittering as it flies and may be seen in large flocks during the winter. Linnet numbers have dropped significantly over the past few decades, with the UK population estimated to have fallen by 57% between 1970 and 2014. The latest Breeding Bird Survey results show a decrease in all countries.

0 reply

0 recast

2 reactions

Will pfp

As the name suggests, this warbler is smaller than its cousin, the Whitethroat. It sports dark cheek feathers which contrast with its pale throat and can give it a 'masked' look. When it flits from cover you might see the white outer feathers of its tail. Lesser Whitethroats are hard to see and often only noticed when they give their harsh, rattling song, or 'tacking' call.

0 reply

0 recast

1 reaction

Will pfp

The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is the smallest and least common of the three woodpeckers that are resident in Britain. The male is distinguished from the female by his bright red crown. It tends to nest and feed higher up and is quieter in its tapping. Usually located by its call, and its drumming. When feeding, it creeps along branches and flutters from branch to branch, moving with a bouncing flight in the open.

0 reply

1 recast

1 reaction

Will pfp

Unfortunately, no. But i will try my best to spot some.

0 reply

0 recast

0 reaction

Will pfp

This tiny finch – only slightly bigger than a Blue Tit – is streaky and brown with patches of red on its head and sometimes its breast. They like to hang upside down to feed in trees. It has recently been 'split' from the Common (or Mealy) Redpoll, a larger and paler species which is a winter visitor to the UK.

0 reply

0 recast

1 reaction

Will pfp

@hashygeek This tiny finch – only slightly bigger than a Blue Tit – is streaky and brown with patches of red on its head and sometimes its breast. They like to hang upside down to feed in trees. It has recently been 'split' from the Common (or Mealy) Redpoll, a larger and paler species which is a winter visitor to the UK.

0 reply

0 recast

1 reaction

Will pfp

@hashygeek Slightly smaller than a Herring Gull, the Lesser Black-backed Gull has a dark grey to black back and wings, yellow bill and yellow legs. Their world population is found entirely in Europe. After declines in the 19th century due to persecution, they increased their range and numbers. But this trend is beginning to reverse and there is serious concern about declines in many parts of its range. The UK is home to 40% of the European population most of which are found at a handful of sites. This means the species is now on the Amber List.

0 reply

0 recast

3 reactions

Will pfp

@hashygeek The Leach's Petrel is a starling-sized seabird. These birds are all black underneath and mostly black above, apart from a white rump. It has a forked tail. The white rump has a black line down it. Leach's Petrels breed on remote islands off the UK and feed even further afield. It is specially protected by law and it's important that its breeding colonies are protected from introduced predators such as cats and rats. It is also listed as a Schedule 1 species under The Wildlife and Countryside Act offering it additional protection. They spend most of their time at sea, only approaching land to breed at night. Most British and Irish birds migrate in the winter to the tropics, although a few remain in the northern Atlantic.

0 reply

0 recast

1 reaction

Will pfp

@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.

0 reply

1 recast

1 reaction

Will pfp

@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.

0 reply

0 recast

1 reaction

Will pfp

@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.

0 reply

0 recast

2 reactions

Will pfp

@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.

0 reply

0 recast

0 reaction

Will pfp

@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.

0 reply

0 recast

3 reactions

Will pfp

@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.

0 reply

1 recast

4 reactions

Will pfp

@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.

0 reply

0 recast

2 reactions

Will pfp

@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.

0 reply

0 recast

0 reaction

Will pfp

@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.

0 reply

0 recast

1 reaction