The osprey is unlike any of our other raptor species. Living almost exclusively on the fish it catches with its dramatic dives, it was extinct as a UK breeding bird between 1916 and 1954. Happily, its natural return to Scotland in the 1950s, followed by successful translocations to Rutland and Poole Harbour, makes it a …
The common eider, or dunter in Shetland dialect, is one of our most recognisable duck species. Between the distinctive black and white plumage of the males and the unique wedge-shaped beak, they really don’t look like any other species. However, at this time of year, moulting males take on an altogether different appearance that can …
Many people regard the swallow as their favourite summer migrant. This affection is probably down to the fact it has been living alongside us in our barns and under our eaves for thousands of years. Added to that is its exotic appearance, impressive migration and its acrobatic flight style. By July, many UK breeding swallows …
The northern gannet is the UK’s largest seabird and is, in adult plumage at least, instantly recognisable. Although small numbers can be seen around our coasts in most months of the year, summer is the best time to catch up with them. This is because by June birds are back at their busy clifftop and …
My bird of the month for May, the whimbrel, is appropriately enough sometimes called the ‘May Bird’. This is because May is the month most of us encounter this migratory wader as it stops off at coastal sites on the way to its breeding grounds further north. Similar to curlews, but with a few tell-tale …
Impossible to mistake for anything else, grey herons are one of our most familiar birds. Tall, statuesque and found from busy urban parks to remote sea lochs, they are a common sight pretty much wherever there is water. Despite this, though, there are some surprising aspects to the life of the grey heron and, in …
I’ve written before about the chiffchaff’s song being a quintessential sign of spring. In fact, I heard my first one of the year just a few days ago. They are one of our earliest returning migrants, but an increasing number are also spending the winter in the UK. Either way, March is an excellent month …
February is a good month to see our smallest goose, the brent, or brant. This diminutive species is about the same size as a mallard and much smaller than its greylag and pink-footed cousins. In the winter, the UK and Ireland host two distinct subspecies, or races. These are split between a number of traditional …
This month’s bird, the starling, is full of charisma, surprisingly exotic in appearance and, when seen en masse, produces one of the most amazing wildlife spectacles. Like that other very familiar bird, the house sparrow, though, not everything is as rosy as it might seem. The starling’s loud personality and numbers mask a disturbing drop …
You might think that the obvious choice for December’s bird of the month would be the robin, that staple of snowy Christmas card scenes. However, the wren has a much older association with this time of year. This diminutive bird is known as the ‘winter king’ in the Netherlands for its habit of singing throughout …