BTO - British Trust for Ornithology - Staff voices

The value of wetlands for our mental health

WEBSITEEDITOR — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 10:58:21 +0000

With so many stories about the climate and biodiversity crises, immersing ourselves in nature gives us a sense of optimism and hope, and helps us to continue our work to help secure the future of birds in the UK. No

Steve Willis

Katharine Bowgen

BTO Staff

Birds and people

Staff voices

Wetlands are some of the most productive and biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, from lakes, rivers and peatlands to estuaries, mangroves and saltpans. They have huge social, cultural and economic significance for people everywhere. Not all of us rely directly on wetlands for our livelihoods, food and water, but we still benefit indirectly from wetland’s amazing capacity to mitigate floods, sequester carbon and protect us from storm surges.

In the UK, wetlands support some of our most threatened bird species, like Bewick’s Swan, Lapwing and Yellow Wagtail. But in today’s blog, we wanted to reflect on the value of wetlands for our own well-being – specifically, our mental health and our feeling of being ‘connected’ to nature.

With so many stories about the climate and biodiversity crises, immersing ourselves in nature gives us a sense of optimism and hope, and helps us to continue our work to secure the future of birds in the UK.

With so many stories about the climate and biodiversity crises, immersing ourselves in nature gives us a sense of optimism and hope.

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Katharine Bowgen – Research Ecologist, BTO Cymru

I only really came to understand what ‘proper’ wetlands were a few years after I started my career in ornithology. It happened when I was still a lowly field assistant, wandering through these amazing environments – where the water and land meet and overlap into each other, providing habitats for all sorts of species.

Being a wader ecologist now, I fully appreciate how important these areas are and what they can bring to the ecosystems around my own study species, like Curlew. But for me personally, there is something quite comforting and enveloping about being in the middle of a saltmarsh in the early morning, lying down low to the ground (well waterproofed up!), listening to the stunning array of sounds and species moving around me.

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My mental health gets a little boost at times like these, knowing that the natural world is around and teeming with life. It is easy to find yourself feeling low from the constant worries about what is happening to our world, so it is important to appreciate moments like these to remind yourself of what ‘nature’ is.

The concept of ‘forest bathing’ to improve your well-being is one that I feel can be moved to any landscape that holds importance for you and is full of wildlife. I try and keep little mental images for when I need them the most – when I’m feeling stressed or down, or in need of some peace.

This is the image I’m immersing myself in today: “crouching on the edge of a mudflat, between the sea and the saltmarsh as hundreds of small waders fly and swoop overhead, looking for a good spot to settle ... the sound of their wings is almost as loud as their piping calls, and with the fresh air buffeting both them and me, I feel alive. ”

Crouching on the edge of a mudflat, between the sea and the saltmarsh ... with the fresh air buffeting me, I feel alive. Katharine Bowgen – Research Ecologist, BTO Cymru

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Steve Willis – Development and Engagement Coordinator, BTO Scotland

As a keen canoeist, I’m lucky to have numerous lochs and rivers on my doorstep here in Perthshire. I try and get out as often as I reasonably can, year-round.

A canoe is a fantastic means to explore watery landscapes. You can glide through shallows, bounce your way down easy rapids (and hopefully not take on too much water!) and silently make your way along wooded waterways, always looking and listening for some wildlife along the way.

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I’ve shared the water with the occasional Otter, noisy and conspicuous birds like Dipper and Grey Heron. The real prize is the Kingfisher, most often given away by its loud, sharp call.

In a growing number of catchments that I frequent, there are signs of a new animal in the area – the Beaver! Finding their feeding signs is easy: chewed stumps and clean, neatly stripped branches often line the banks, and in places, you can pass by a sizeable lodge where the Beavers live. These wetland architects seem likely to bring numerous benefits to our wetland invertebrates and birds.

Canoes are very human-friendly too. With an experienced person in the back, you can introduce people young and old to the wonders of wetlands. Some of my most favoured memories are of being out on a river in summer with friends and their kids. Everyone is in and out of different boats, swimming, and generally larking about.

We all know about the biodiversity benefits of wetlands, and that they can help reduce flooding, that they can store carbon and clean water, but they’re good for our souls as well. So if you’ve got a wetland near you, go and sit by it. Take in the sights and the sounds and the smells and simply enjoy it.

We know about the biodiversity benefits of wetlands, and that they can help reduce flooding, store carbon and clean water, but they’re good for our souls as well. Steve Willis – Development and Engagement Coordinator, BTO Scotland

Our research on wetlands and wetland birds

From bird monitoring projects to peer-reviewed scientific publications and case studies, browse our work on wetlands and the birds that live in these special habitats.

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Learn more about World Wetlands Day

World Wetlands Day is a United Nations International Day, organised by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Secretariat. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands across the globe.

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February 2024

World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year on 2 February, to raise awareness about wetland habitats across the globe. This year, World Wetlands Day focuses on ‘Wetlands and Human Well-being’, highlighting how interconnected wetlands and human life are.

02 Feb 2024 no

BirdTrack migration blog (27 October–2 November)

SCMAYSON — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 09:12:56 +0000

Storm Babet battered much of the country at the end of last week, bringing high winds, torrential rain and flooding to many areas. These same high winds did produce a good number of seabirds along the eastern coasts, though, especially in Scotland and northern England. No

Scott Mayson

BirdTrack Organiser

Scott’s role includes the day-to-day running of BirdTrack: updating the application, assisting county recorders by checking records and corresponding with observers.

BirdTrack

Leach’s Petrel, a small thrush-sized seabird that spends almost its entire life out over the open ocean, was particularly well-reported. Several locations recorded multiple birds, with Fife and Lothian seeing the bulk of the higher counts; reports from around Edinburgh were particularly notable, with 70 birds seen past South Queensferry and 34 off Musselburgh.

Good numbers of Little Gulls were seen along the east coast, often in small mixed-age flocks, with their dark underwing helping their identification. The highest counts for this species in the last week included 1,600 reported past Sheringham, Norfolk on 21 October.

The Shag is a close relative of the more familiar Cormorant but is found almost exclusively along rocky coastlines, with far fewer inland, riverine records. During the last week, several places along the east coast have seen large numbers of Shags moving south and unusually some of these have turned up inland, in very odd places – inside buildings, swimming down rivers, and even sitting on farm machinery at the edge of fields. Storms such as Babet can displace migrating birds quite significantly; those exhausted by the weather often hunker down in unusual spots to recover before moving on.

Storms such as Babet can displace migrating birds quite significantly; those exhausted by the weather often hunker down in unusual spots to recover before moving on.

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Storm Babet pushed several Grey Phalaropes close to shore as birds sought shelter from the high winds.

A surge in Grey Phalarope reports also followed Storm Babet as migrating birds were pushed from the open ocean towards the coast. A count of 12 of these lovely birds at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, must have made for a fantastic sight.

Grey Phalaropes breed across the Arctic and, unusually for a wader species, spend the winter in large gatherings at sea, off the coasts of western Africa, South America, and the southern United States. Ocean upwellings in these tropical and subtropical regions bring food to the surface of the sea, ideal conditions for the phalaropes’ feeding strategy: these dainty waders swim rapidly in tight circles, generating a whirlpool and plucking small invertebrates caught up by this movement from the edge of the vortex.

Wildfowl continued to arrive, with the northerly winds during the first part of last weekend providing ideal conditions for their movements. Flocks of Pink-footed, European White-fronted, Dark-bellied Brent and Barnacle Geese were reported up and down the east coast as birds heading south from northern Europe arrived. Goldeneye, Scaup, and Long-tailed Duck numbers typically build from the end of October and through into November, and during the last week sightings for all three species increased; again, the majority of birds were reported along the east coast. Long-tailed Ducks in particular have a preference for coastal waters, but, like Goldeneye and Scaup, can also be found on freshwater lakes.

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Coal Tits of the subspecies Periparus ater ater have a bluish tone to the mantle and a slight crest.

Back in early October, huge numbers of Coal Tits were recorded moving south across northern and western Europe. Among the most astonishing records was a report of 69,000 individuals passing through Hanko Bird Observatory in southern Finland on 1 October. This ‘irruption’ involves Coal Tits of the Continental subspecies Periparus ater ater; they have a bluish-grey mantle and a very slight crest compared to birds of the British and Irish subspecies P. ater britannicus.

The irruption has recently moved westward, bringing more of these delightful birds to our shores. Coal Tits are a rare find in Shetland, but during the past week over 100 have been recorded from the archipelago; this mass arrival has been a highlight of the autumn for many resident birders.

Continental Coal Tits aren’t the only birds to have arrived from further east: there have also been scattered records of ‘Northern’ Treecreepers (the Certhia familiaris familiaris subspecies) and ‘Northern’ Bullfinches (the Pyrrhula pyrrhula pyrrhula subspecies), mainly across northern parts of the UK. Indeed, a Northern Bullfinch was found in the kitchen of a Shetland house during the week!

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The BirdTrack reporting rate for Redwing (green), Fieldfare (purple) and Ring Ouzel (red), based on historical data from 1927–2022. Changes in the reporting rate throughout the year reflect the seasonal presence of these species in Britain and Ireland and their different autumnal arrival times.

The calmer weather in the wake of Storm Babet also allowed a good mix of other passerines to arrive from further east, or continue pushing south across the country. At some migration hotspots, it was difficult to know where to look with a steady stream of many different species passing overhead.

Finch species including Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Lesser Repoll, Siskin and Brambling all saw an increase in reports. Other species on the move were Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Reed Bunting, and Pied Wagtail. As is typical for this time of year, there was an increase in reports of thrush species: Blackbird, Redwing, Fieldfare, Ring Ouzel, and Mistle Thrush arrived in ever-growing numbers from Fennoscandia. Reports of both Robin and Dunnock also increased; both are species we don’t typically think of as migrants, but Continental birds do arrive here each autumn to escape the coldest of the European winters.

The high-pitched call of the Goldcrest has been a common sound in the last week too, with hundreds of these birds arriving from across the North Sea, taking advantage of the same easterly winds that brought the flocks of thrushes. These remarkable little sprites will feed almost anywhere when they arrive, with birds seen foraging in small patches of weeds and seemingly just as at home as when they are flitting through tall pine trees.

Top spots on the rarities list have to go to the Western Olivaceous Warbler – the first British record – and a Red-headed Bunting, which gave those tasked with confirming its identity quite a challenge.

As well as the more usual species, birdwatchers were delighted to see the past week produce a couple of standout rarities. Top of the list has to go to the Western Olivaceous Warbler that was found in Shetland, stayed around for a couple of days, and represents the first British record of this species. Given that this species breeds as near as southern Spain, it is surprising that it hasn’t occurred in the UK before.

A Red-headed Bunting – possibly only the second record for Britain – was spotted at Flamborough, causing some head-scratching from those who were tasked with confirming its identity. This was a challenge given how similar the species is to the closely related Black-headed Bunting, and the still-evolving criteria used to separate the two.

Looking ahead

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Large numbers of Shags have been seen moving south recently, with some turning up in unlikely locations; keep an eye out for these reptilian birds on lakes and reservoirs.

The end of October is often considered to coincide with the end of the autumn migration period, the last roll of the dice to find a rare vagrant. In recent years, though, this window of opportunity has been pushed further into November – so there are still a few weeks remaining for you to see a range of species on the move, before winter establishes itself and birds become more sedentary.

Given the movement of birds seen last week, now would be a good time to look for Shags, especially if you live near a reservoir or large body of fresh water. Shags are slightly smaller than Cormorants and have a thinner neck and a slimmer bill that they tend to hold slightly raised, especially when swimming. Feeding birds leap out of the water to dive for fish, whereas Cormorants do this less often, preferring to just slink below the surface. You can learn more about how to separate these species in our Cormorant and Shag Bird ID video.

The weather for the coming weekend looks to be split across the country, with mixed conditions for migration. A low-pressure system will bring south-westerly winds for southern and western regions, and easterly and north-easterly winds for much of northern England and Scotland, all accompanied by frequent spells of rain.

Clearer skies, shorter days, and colder temperatures in north-western Europe will continue to signal to birds that it’s time to head south for winter – expect to see more Redwings and Fieldfares as well as finches like Bramblings, and look out for unusual passerines like Siberian Chiffchaffs.

Scotland and northern England will likely receive the majority of migrant birds from north-western Europe as clearer skies, shorter days, and colder temperatures in that region continue to signal to birds that it’s time to head south for winter. Expect another arrival of Redwings and Fieldfares, as well as more Goldcrests, and finches such as Bramblings.

Any Chiffchaff you see at this time of year is worth scrutinising: it could be a Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis. This subspecies of the Chiffchaff breeds, as its name suggests, across the Siberian taiga, and is paler in appearance than our ‘usual’ Chiffchaff, P. collybita. Key identification features include its plumage, which is a buff colour over much of the body, the legs and bill, which are strikingly dark, and the supercilium (stripe over the eye), which lacks any yellowish tones. The Siberian Chiffchaff’s call is a short, weak “peep” that is squeakier in tone than a Chiffchaff’s more fluting, ascending “swiit”.

Common Chiffchaff call

Siberian Chiffchaff call

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Starlings from all across north-eastern Europe spend the winter in Britain and Ireland. Flocks can often be seen coming in off the sea at this time of the year.

Each winter, our resident population of Starlings is joined by thousands of birds that fly across the North Sea from Continental Europe. Flocks of Starlings coming in low over the sea are a familiar sight for many seawatchers, but can be a bit of a surprise when first witnessed.

The main breeding grounds of the Starlings that migrate to Britain and Ireland lie approximately east-north-east, with birds coming from Norway, the Low Countries, north Germany, north Poland, and northern Russia. Many of these Continental birds will stay here until March or April before they complete their annual migration cycle and head westward.

Look out for Starling murmurations in the coming weeks – these large, swirling flocks are indubitably a spectacle of nature in winter, and can in fact contain birds from all across northern Europe!

Any calmer spells of weather during the next week should see the rest of passerine migration continue, with finches and thrushes again making up the bulk of the birds on the move. You don’t need to go far to witness this, as birds will be mobile across a wide front. It’s also worth listening out for the calls of birds overhead, as many announce their presence this way.

Sitting in the garden with a cup of tea could result in watching a nice variety of species flying over; why not see how many you can record in 20 minutes?

Send us your records with BirdTrack

Help us track the departures and arrivals of migrating birds by submitting your sightings to BirdTrack.

It’s quick and easy, and signing up to BirdTrack also allows you to explore trends, reports and recent records in your area.

Find out more

2 October 2023

Coal Tit, by Liz Cutting / BTO

27 Oct 2023

BirdTrack Migration

BirdTrack migration blog (20–26 October)

SCMAYSON — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 14:14:27 +0000

With a chill to the morning air, bushes laden with fruit, and the rich colours of autumn leaves, October is a feast for the senses – and as the autumnal equinox recedes, migration takes on a distinctly wintery feel. Yes

Scott Mayson

BirdTrack Organiser

Scott’s role includes the day-to-day running of BirdTrack: updating the application, assisting county recorders by checking records and corresponding with observers.

Scott Mayson

BirdTrack

Birds and people

Staff voices

The last of the summer migrants have yet to depart, but their numbers are diminishing by the week as they move south. Swallows and House Martins are still being recorded, but it won’t be long before most have flown from our shores (although in 2022, up to 12 Swallows were recorded through the winter months in southerly regions of the UK).

Much to the delight of birders on the east coast, a spell of stronger easterly winds during the middle of the past week saw a variety of passage seabirds reported: Leach’s Petrels, Sabine’s Gulls, Sooty Shearwaters, Little Gulls and several skua species were seen from a number of watchpoints.

Winter migrants have started arriving in large numbers, escaping the colder temperatures further north and east. As with summer migrants arriving in the spring, certain species typically arrive earlier than others.

Teal and Wigeon numbers began to increase in September and earlier in October, and in recent weeks they have been joined by Pink-footed Geese from Iceland and eastern Greenland, Light-bellied Brent Geese from the Canadian Arctic, Greenland and Svalbard, and Dark-bellied Brent Geese from Siberia.

Tufted Duck numbers have been increasing as resident birds (those that spend all year in the UK) are joined by those from breeding grounds as far away as Iceland and arctic Russia. These flocks are always worth checking as they may contain other diving duck species such as Scaup, Goldeneye, or even Ring-necked Duck from North and Central America. Over a dozen of these rare but regular vagrants have been spotted in both Britain and Ireland in recent weeks, with some ‘regulars’ returning to their preferred wintering grounds which they visit every year.

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The BirdTrack reporting rate for Whooper Swan shows that arrivals this year are earlier than expected.

Reports of Whooper Swans have been greater than expected for this time of year. Birds may have taken advantage of the southerly tailwinds in the last week; these are favourable for this species’ migration, during which birds fly virtually non-stop from their Icelandic breeding grounds to Britain and Ireland. The tailwind greatly reduces the energy required to make this journey.

The Whooper Swan arrives roughly a month before its smaller ‘wild swan’ cousin, the Bewick’s Swan, which breeds further east in arctic Russia.

Redwings arrived in huge numbers earlier this month, with sightings of over 30,000 individuals in a single day at some migration hot spots on the east coast. More recently, the first pulse of Fieldfares also began to arrive; this species tends to arrive three to four weeks after the main arrival of Redwings. The Fieldfares’ chacking “blackjack” call could be heard as small groups arrived off the North Sea, having made the crossing from Fennoscandia.

Although Mistle Thrush might not spring to mind as a migratory species, breeding populations across much of north-eastern Europe also desert these freezing regions in winter and head south and west to warmer climes. Birds from these populations arrive in the UK during September and October in small groups of up to 10 birds, unlike the vast flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare that reach our shores.

Identifying winter thrushes: Redwing and Fieldfare

Redwing and Fieldfare may look similar at first glance, but with practice, it’s easy to tell them apart by appearance and by call.

The calmer, brighter days over the last week also resulted in widespread reports of Siskin, Chaffinch, redpolls (both Lesser and Common), and Goldfinches heading south in mixed flocks, some of which contained the occasional Hawfinch and Brambling.

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Will 2023/24 be a ‘Waxwing winter’? We'll have to wait and see.

For many, a flush of Waxwing sightings was enough to raise the question of whether we are in for a ‘Waxwing winter’ – a term used by birdwatchers to describe a year in which a particularly large arrival or ‘irruption’ of Waxwings reaches our shores. This magnificent punk rocker of the bird world is a firm favourite amongst birdwatchers, not only because of its beautiful plumage but also because it has a habit of turning up in residential areas where the relatively confiding birds feast on the berries of ornamental trees and shrubs.

Waxwings – the magnificent punk rockers of the bird world – are a firm favourite amongst birdwatchers, with beautiful plumage and a confiding habit.

The majority of recent sightings have come from Shetland, Orkney, the Outer Hebrides and mainland northern Scotland, but a few birds have made it as far west as Galway and as far south as North Norfolk. While reports aren’t above the historical average, it is encouraging to see birds arriving this early in the autumn.

A similar pattern occurred during the last big ‘irruption year’ in 2012; let us hope more arrive in the coming weeks. You can watch the live reports of Waxwing movements on EuroBirdPortal, and compare them to previous years. The movements of Waxwing in 2012 are particularly impressive.

October has always had the reputation of producing its fair share of rare and mega-rare species, and so far, the month has not disappointed. A Short-toed Treecreeper, a Continental relative of our more familiar Treecreeper, was seen in Kent, and an Upland Sandpiper made it all the way across the Atlantic to pitch in County Cork.

The second American Yellow Warbler of the year for Shetland graced gardens around Hoswick, while a Black-and-white Warbler entertained slightly smaller but no less appreciative crowds in Galway. This is the second record this year for Ireland, and incredibly, up to eight have been seen this autumn in Britain and Ireland. This makes 2023 the single best year for this species; the previous highest annual total was of four birds, in 1996.

Looking ahead

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Look out for ‘autumn sprites’ in the coming week: Goldcrests (pictured), Firecrests, Yellow-browed Warbler and Pallas’s Warbler.

Easterly winds look set to extend into the weekend as a band of low-pressure moves across the southern half of the country towards the North Sea. Heavy showers and strong winds could ground migrant birds arriving from Fennoscandia along our eastern coasts as birds seek out cover from the weather. Seawatching on the North Sea should be productive if you can find some shelter from the weather; Pomarine Skua, Leach’s Petrel , Grey Phalarope, Sooty Shearwater, and Sabine’s Gull are all worth looking out for.

As the low pressure pulls away on Sunday, finer weather should follow. This will be a good time to check bushes for any passerine migrants that may have made landfall during the storm conditions.

Goldcrests, although small, are surprisingly tough: despite weighing only around 5 grams – the same as a 20 pence coin – thousands of these feisty birds migrate from Fennoscandia across the North Sea and to the UK each autumn. It was once believed that these birds hitched a ride on the back of migrating Woodcock, which made the same journey at a similar time of year. Any areas of scrub or woodland will be worth checking from Sunday; listen out for the calls of foraging tit flocks, which Goldcrests will often join.

These tit flocks are also worth checking for other ‘autumn sprites’: Firecrest and Yellow-browed Warbler may well be mixed in too, and you could even score something rarer like a Pallas’s Warbler. You can brush up on your ID skills in preparation for the commoner species with our Goldcrest and Firecrest Bird ID Video.

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Brambling are lovely birds – learn their call to help you distinguish them from Chaffinches.

The number of Brambling migrating to the UK each year can vary, but generally, next week is considered the start of their main arrival period. The conditions over the early part of the weekend could see good numbers of these lovely birds. Listen out for their buzzing “tswairk” call, and keep an eye out for their white rump when they are in flight – both these features will help you distinguish them from the Chaffinches that will also be arriving.

So far this autumn, good numbers of Stonechats have been reported. These birds will be a mix of the hibernans race that breeds across Britain, Ireland and south-western Europe, and some rubicola race birds that breed in central and western Europe. These races can be difficult to tell apart during the autumn, but it is worth checking any Stonechat at this time of year to see if it is, in fact, a rarer relative: Siberian Stonechat and Amur Stonechat (formally known as Stejneger’s Stonechat) are both generally paler in colour than ‘our’ Stonechat and have a peachy wash to the rump.

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Short-eared Owls can be distinguished from Long-eared Owls by their yellow eyes, which are orange in the latter species.

Both Short-eared and Long-eared Owls arriving from the near-Continent can be seen during daylight hours in October, and are often seen flying out to sea, looking for a suitable place to make landfall. Corvids, especially Carrion Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws, frequently mob these owls, and busy groups of these birds can be a good way of locating an arriving owl.

As we move into next week, there will be a return to westerlies and rain as low-pressure systems arrive from the Atlantic. The heavy, more persistent bands of rain across much of Britain and Ireland will slow migration for a while, but it will still be worth looking out for migrants such as Golden Plover. Numbers will be building throughout October, and flocks can be found not only at coastal locations and estuaries but also on arable land, where they will often join Lapwing in large flocks. Their spangled winter plumage is duller than their striking summer finery: a mix of grey-brown feathering with only the wing, mantle, and tail feathers edged in golden yellow. This can make them difficult to spot in ploughed fields, and frequently, flocks are only noticed when they take flight to move from field to field. Again, these flocks are worth checking for rarer American and Pacific Golden Plovers; both these species are slightly smaller and longer-legged, and at this time of year, tend to be greyer in plumage with a more prominent stripe over the eye.

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Siberian Rubythroats found in the UK are not often in their namesake plumage – although sometimes, as on this bird, a few red feathers are visible.

South-easterly winds look set to reach Shetland and Orkney at the start of the week, and this could be a recipe for a few exciting birds – maybe a Siberian Rubythroat, Siberian Blue Robin, or Rufous-tailed Robin will have a few people heading north.

By the middle of the week, low pressure will still be in charge of the weather, and at present, it looks like a spell of south and south-westerlies is forecast. If the winds stay light and the rain stays away, these will be good ‘visible migration’ conditions with finches being the main species group on the move. Siskin, redpolls (both Lesser and Common, although they are hard to separate when seen flying overhead), Chaffinch, and Goldfinch will make up the bulk of these birds, but look out for Brambling, Greenfinch, and, with luck, the occasional Hawfinch.

Possible rarities arriving on these winds include Pallid Swift, for which the majority of historical UK records are in late October and early November.

Send us your records with BirdTrack

Help us track the departures and arrivals of migrating birds by submitting your sightings to BirdTrack.

It's quick and easy, and signing up to BirdTrack also allows you to explore trends, reports and recent records in your area.

Find out more

2 October 2023

Waxwing, by Liz Cutting / BTO

20 Oct 2023

BirdTrack Migration

The astonishing migration of Scotland’s Arctic Skuas

WEBSITEEDITOR — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 11:21:47 +0000

BTO Senior Research Ecologist Nina O’Hanlon explores the fascinating findings of the Arctic Skua tracking project. Yes

Nina O’Hanlon

Senior Research Ecologist

Nina is a Senior Research Ecologist and part of the Wetland and Marine Research Team, based within BTO Scotland. Her role involves reporting, analysis and fieldwork with a focus on marine birds.

There’s something exhilarating about the aerobatic display that ensues as the skua pursues its chosen victim, both birds twisting and turning high in the sky and back down to the sea, until finally, the Kittiwake regurgitates its last meal or the Arctic Skua gives up and finds a new and unsuspecting target.

Migratory pirates

Skuas are often called the pirates of the sea, a name which is well-deserved: powerful and agile, they chase and harass other seabirds, stealing much of their food instead of catching their own – a behaviour known as kleptoparasitism. In North America, Arctic Skuas are even called Parasitic Jaegers due to their habit of pursuing species such as auks, gulls and terns and forcing them to drop their food.

With the populations of many of our seabird species falling, it is not surprising that Arctic Skuas – which depend largely on these other birds for food – have also experienced severe declines. The UK breeding population, restricted to north and west Scotland, declined by 70% between 2000 and 2019! And these declines have not just occurred in Scotland. Arctic Skuas are also struggling in other parts of northern Europe including the Faeroes, Iceland and Norway.

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Arctic Skuas are piratical and source most of their food by harassing other birds, like this Kittiwake, forcing them to drop their latest catch or even to regurgitate their last meal. This Arctic Skua has ‘pale phase’ plumage.

The UK breeding population of Arctic Skuas has declined by 70% between 2000 and 2019, a trend that is reflected in other parts of northern Europe including the Faeroes, Iceland and Norway.

These declines are thought to be due to poor food availability during the breeding season, which has caused declines in the seabirds the skuas steal from and therefore reduced the food available for the skuas. A lack of food means the skuas can’t provide for their chicks, so fewer young birds survive to fledge each year. This is exacerbated in some colonies by predation of chicks by the larger Great Skua, which increases in years where this species’ alternative fish prey is limited. Low food supplies may also have implications for the health and survival rates of the adult birds themselves.

To fully understand what is causing Arctic Skua declines, and to identify effective conservation actions, we need to understand where the skuas are distributed during the winter months.

Arctic Skuas are long-distance migratory seabirds, and spend only around a third of the year at the breeding colony: after raising their young, they leave their northern colonies to spend their non-breeding season in warmer, more productive waters in the southern hemisphere. Therefore, to fully understand what is causing the large declines in Arctic Skuas, and to help identify effective conservation actions, we need to understand where the skuas are distributed during the rest of the year, during the northern hemisphere’s winter months.

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One of the Fair Isle Arctic Skuas showing how the deployed geolocator is attached to the orange alpha-numeric engraved colour ring. This skua has ‘dark phase’ plumage. The inset shows a close-up of a colour ring and geolocator.

Tracking revelations

Recent advances in technology have allowed scientists to develop tiny tracking devices which are light enough to attach to birds, and enable us to follow their movements for potentially thousands of miles.

At BTO, we wanted to shed light on the migration routes and wintering areas of the Arctic Skuas breeding in Scotland. To do this, we decided to attach geolocators to adult Arctic Skuas breeding on Fair Isle, Shetland, and Rousay, Orkney, in 2017 and 2018.

These small tracking devices weigh less than 1 g and are attached to a plastic colour ring, which is engraved with a unique code and placed on each bird’s right leg. Each bird is identifiable by the code on its ring – for example, AAA, AAH, AAJ and so on.

Each skua’s movements are saved to the geolocators themselves, so we needed to recapture the skuas to remove the tracking devices and download the all-important data.

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Sarah Harris (left) and John Calladine (right) from BTO tagging an Arctic Skua on Fair Isle.

Each skua’s movements are saved to the geolocators themselves, which means that we needed to recapture the skuas to remove the tracking devices and download the all-important data. Thanks to a lot of dedicated effort in subsequent years, six devices were retrieved from Fair Isle and four from Rousay.

So where did the Scottish Arctic Skuas go?

During our autumn, most individuals from both the Fair Isle and Rousay colonies migrated south after the breeding season, moving through the North Sea and the English Channel then along the Iberian Peninsula and off West Africa. However, in both years it was tracked, skua AAU from Rousay headed west instead, then migrated southwards over the Atlantic before heading south-east to the coast of Portugal.

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Southbound (autumn) and northbound (spring) migration routes of the tracked Arctic Skuas from Fair Isle (2017–19) and Rousay (2018–20). The colours and three-letter codes correspond to individual birds. The triangle shows the location of the breeding colonies in Scotland. The break in the journey lines is caused by the researchers removing data from the geolocators from around the spring and autumn equinoxes. The geolocators use the timing of sunrise and sunset to estimate their position across the globe, but day length is the same globally around the equinoxes – this means that the geolocators cannot estimate their location accurately during this period.

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Circles show the midwinter locations of each tracked Arctic Skua from Fair Isle and Rousay in the Canary Current (off West Africa), Benguela Current (south-west Africa) and Patagonian Shelf (off eastern South America). Wintering locations of the birds with two years of data (AAA and AAN from Fair Isle, and AAU and AHN from Rousay) were virtually the same each year. The triangle shows the location of the breeding colonies in Scotland.

Amazingly, given the relatively small number of birds that we tracked, we saw that skuas from the same colony wintered across the whole range of the Atlantic Ocean. AAU and two other birds from Fair Isle wintered around the Canary Current off West Africa, whilst the remaining individuals continued south and then either headed west to winter around the Patagonian Shelf, or east to the Benguela Current – covering distances over 10,000 km! Although existing ringing data has suggested that Arctic Skuas breeding in Scotland winter off West and southern Africa, our tracking study was the first time they have been shown to winter off South America.

Existing ringing data has suggested that Arctic Skuas breeding in Scotland winter off West and southern Africa, but our tracking study was the first time they have been shown to winter off South America.

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The Arctic Skua tracking study revealed the mid-Atlantic to be an important feeding and resting area for the skuas on their northbound migration.

In spring, individuals that wintered around the Patagonian Shelf and Benguela Current returned north, mainly via West Africa. However, unlike in autumn, all individuals, including those wintering in the Canary Current, headed into the mid-Atlantic before returning to Scotland. This revealed that the mid-Atlantic is an important staging area (like a favourite motorway service station) for Arctic Skuas during their northbound migration, where they feed up to get in good body condition before the breeding season. This mid-Atlantic area is a region of high marine productivity, and therefore high food availability. Part of the region was recently designated as a Marine Protected Area due to its importance for numerous seabird species including Kittiwakes, Arctic Terns and Puffins.

Our study revealed that the mid-Atlantic Ocean is an important staging area for Arctic Skuas, where they feed up to get in good body condition before the breeding season.

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The main staging areas of Fair Isle and Rousay Arctic Skuas during southbound autumn migration (orange) and northbound spring migration (green), with core wintering distributions shown in purple. Staging areas are locations where birds typically paused their journey to rest or feed. Letters refer to the three wintering areas: CC – Canary Current; BC – Benguela Current; and PS – Patagonian Shelf. Geolocator data from the skua ACL from Rousay showed the bird did winter off the Patagonian Shelf but there were not enough data to produce a robust representation on the maps.

The wider picture

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Researchers have also been tracking Arctic Skuas breeding in the Faeroes, Norway and Svalbard. This pair was photographed in the Varangerfjord, in north-east Norway. The different plumages are called ‘phases’ or ‘morphs’; Arctic Skuas are known for occurring in both a dark phase (the bird on the left) and a pale phase (the bird on the right).

Whilst we were tracking Arctic Skuas in Scotland, researchers in the Faeroes, Norway and Svalbard were doing the same. A total of 129 Arctic Skuas have been tracked across these four populations since 2009, with many individuals, including four from Scotland, being tracked for multiple years. In nearly every case, skuas with multiple years of data wintered in the same areas and followed similar migratory routes each year.

As we saw in Scotland, skuas from the same breeding population migrated to different wintering areas across the entire Atlantic Ocean. Most individuals from these more northerly populations spent time in the mid-Atlantic Ocean to feed up during both autumn and spring migrations, further highlighting how important this area is for migrating Arctic Skuas.

By tracking Arctic Skuas from multiple populations, we can also explore whether differences and similarities in migratory routes, staging areas and wintering areas are reflected in differences in population trends. For example, Arctic Skuas are declining in Svalbard to a lesser extent than they are in Scotland, the Faeroes and Norway. Most skuas from Svalbard didn’t winter as far south as those from the other populations, and they tended to stage further west in the mid-North Atlantic during migration. This could indicate that the Svalbard skuas are finding more food or are encountering fewer threats in these areas, compared to the staging areas used by the other populations.

The impact of our research

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Skuas that migrate south through the North Sea, including those from Scotland, might be vulnerable to increased collision risk with offshore wind farms.

Now we have a better understanding of where Arctic Skuas are distributed outside the breeding season, we can start to explore which threats they might encounter during migration and in what we refer to as their wintering areas (although, of course, it is summer in the southern hemisphere when the skuas are there).

For example, individuals migrating south through the North Sea, including those from Scotland, might be vulnerable to increased collision risk with offshore wind farms.

By tracking Arctic Skuas from multiple populations, we can start to explore whether differences and similarities in migratory routes, staging areas and wintering areas are reflected in differences in population trends.

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The study identified an area in the South Atlantic Ocean off the Namib Desert coastline as an important staging area for Arctic Skuas that breed in Scotland.

Knowledge of the birds’ non-breeding locations will also help us identify the most effective conservation actions for these birds. Although a large area of the mid-Atlantic has already been designated as a Marine Protected Area, the tracking data highlight an area off West Africa that is also important for staging and wintering Arctic Skuas. If this was also designated as a Marine Protected Area it would benefit a wide range of seabirds, not just the skuas – as it is not just Arctic Skuas that are in decline. Many long-distance migrant seabirds are declining globally, and their conservation is a challenge: they depend on productive marine conditions over large ocean regions, and are likely to encounter a range of threats along their extensive migratory routes.

International collaborations, a key focus of World Migratory Bird Day, are therefore essential to conserve migrant seabirds such as Arctic Skuas, and allow us to continue to enjoy them, whether at their breeding colonies or passing by on an autumn seawatch.

Special thanks to the amazing BTO fieldwork team of Sarah Harris and John Calladine, the fantastic Helen and David Aiton on Rousay, and everyone who helped with fieldwork as well as all landowners, including Fair Isle Bird Observatory and NatureScot who provided in-the-field-support in Scotland. Thanks also to the rest of the BTO project team – Chris Thaxter, Greg Conway, Dawn Balmer and Liz Humphreys – and to Rob van Bemmelen and Katherine Snell.

Since the Arctic Skua research programme was established in 2017, BTO donors have donated more than £225,000 to fund the work. We are enormously grateful for this very generous support from a small number of committed individuals. The research could not have been delivered without this funding.

World Migratory Bird Day 2023

This blog post was created to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) 2023, a global event which increases the level of awareness about the threats that migratory birds are facing.

The theme of WMBD 2023 is Water, which highlights the importance of this resource for migrating birds – including for species like the Arctic Skua, which spends most of its life at sea and migrates thousands of kilometres over the ocean and across both hemispheres every year.

BTO’s Arctic Skua tracking project aims to understand where these birds spend their time when they’re not at their breeding colonies, so we can better inform global efforts to protect this species.

Tracking Rousay’s Arctic Skuas was made possible by the dedication and skill of the fieldworkers behind the project. Read more in our other blog for WMBD 2023, written by skua experts Helen and David Aiton.

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Volunteer for the Seabird Monitoring Programme

Alongside our tracking projects, we carry out long-term population monitoring of the internationally important breeding seabird colonies in the UK. Together, data from these projects help us understand their declines and drive positive change.

If you would like to help us monitor seabirds like the Arctic Skua, visit the Seabird Monitoring Programme pages to look for vacant survey sites near you.

Look for survey sites

On World Migratory Bird Day, BTO Senior Research Ecologist Nina O’Hanlon explores the fascinating findings of the Arctic Skua tracking project.

1 October 2023

Picture the scene: a flock of Kittiwakes, casually dip-feeding and floating around on a calm sea. Then, suddenly, havoc arises as a dark shape zips into view – an elegant but formidable seabird – an Arctic Skua.

BTO Scotland

13 Oct 2023

Scotland

BirdTrack migration blog (29 September–5 October)

SCMAYSON — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 15:24:54 +0000

The volume and variety of American birds found up and down the west coast over the past week have been nothing short of mind-blowing. No

Scott Mayson

BirdTrack Organiser

Scott’s role includes the day-to-day running of BirdTrack: updating the application, assisting county recorders by checking records and corresponding with observers.

BirdTrack

Over 50 individuals of some 15 species were reported over the course of the week. These included a new species for Britain in the form of a Canada Warbler in Pembrokeshire. There was also a Tennessee Warbler at Inishbofin, which was only the second record for Ireland. Other notable species included the second Bay-breasted Warbler and Philadelphia Vireo records for Britain, the third and fourth Magnolia Warbler records, and a Blackburnian Warbler in Shetland – the second record for the archipelago – and, on the Isles of Scilly, the first Northern Parula reported in Britain since 2010. Amazingly, three of the four Black-and-white Warblers reported were found on Bardsey Island, around Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory. The birds were all caught safely, ringed and released, so we can be sure there were three individuals.

This autumn will, without doubt, go down in birding folklore and be talked about for years to come. Whether you saw any of these birds or not, the sheer number, variety, and intensity of the past week from a birdwatching perspective is truly staggering.

The run of westerly winds also saw the numbers of common migrants build as birds congregated near the coast, waiting for the winds to drop or change direction before continuing migration. Both Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs continued to be seen in good numbers; it seemed every stretch of hedge or scrub hosted a Chiffchaff in some areas, with many birds still singing. These birds probably moved on as the wind began to drop in the south and east during the later part of the week, but were likely replaced by birds from further north, which will continue to filter down the UK in the next couple of weeks.

Each August, reports of Skylark fall away; when the birds stop singing they become less obvious and harder to find. However, as autumn progresses, we see reports increase again as birds disperse away from their breeding areas. Last week saw the first push of these birds as they took advantage of the clear skies and a drop in the wind, with small groups heard giving their trilling flight call as they passed overhead. Skylark flocks often join other species which are also moving south, such as Meadow Pipits and even the occasional Woodlark.

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The drop in the BirdTrack reporting rate for Skylark that is seen in August reflects the species’ reduced visibility at this time of year, when birds are no longer singing but not yet on migration. Reports rise again in September when Skylark migration begins.

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An astonishing 36,600 migrating Coal Tits were recorded in southern Finland on Monday.

Gadwall and Pintail typically arrive a bit later in the autumn, but are already joining the increasing numbers of Teal and Wigeon as birds arrive from Iceland, arctic Russia and Fennoscandia. Records of Pink-footed and Brent Geese are also climbing, and the first small arrival of Whooper Swans was noted last week with family groups arriving from Iceland.

Jay reports continued to increase as birds stockpiled acorns ahead of the coming winter. Their distinctive flight, white rump, and raucous call make them a conspicuous species throughout the year, but they are even more noticeable during the autumn months when their foraging activity increases.

Further afield, an astonishing migration of Coal Tit was seen in southern Finland, where over 36,600 were counted on Monday. We don’t often think of this species as migrating, but many of the members of the tit family are in fact partial migrants and will move south from Fennoscandia to avoid the colder temperatures of winter. Coal Tits from Continental Europe are reported each autumn in the UK; these birds are of the European subspecies Periparus ater ater (the British subspecies of Coal Tit is Periparus ater britannica) and can be distinguished from their British counterparts by a slight crest as well as bluish-grey on the back and wings.

Looking ahead

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Grey Plover passage peaks in late September and early October. Flying birds show a distinctive black armpit.

Over the coming weekend, a spell of south-westerlies will be followed by a band of rain across much of Ireland and the northern half of Britain. Most small migratory birds such as warblers will likely keep their heads down during such inclement weather, but waders and seabirds often carry on migrating and feeding regardless. Visiting coastal headlands in the south-west is likely to prove productive for seawatching; look out for Sooty, Great, Balearic, and Cory’s Shearwaters. With luck, the occasional Sabine’s Gull, Leach’s Petrel, or Grey Phalarope will also be in the mix. A visit to an estuary should provide a nice mix of waders, with Grey Plover, Turnstone, and Snipe all on the move at this time of year. Snipe are best looked for around the reedy edges of pools, and you may even score with a Jack Snipe. Look out for their bobbing feeding behaviour.

Yellow-browed Warblers have a reputation for turning up anywhere – getting familiar with their call will help you identify this lovely species.

Much of next week is forecast to be dominated by southerlies and westerlies of varying strengths. If the winds are light enough, birds will try to continue on their migration, especially if they have been held up in one area for a few days. Look out for flocks of Siskin, Redpoll, and Skylark on clear mornings; amongst these will be the occasional Pied and Grey Wagtail. Flocks of larks and pipits are always worth searching for rarer species, especially those which are feeding, as this affords the best views. A Lapland Bunting, Woodlark, or maybe even a Richard’s Pipit or Short-toed Lark are all possible additions to these flocks. With the good arrival of Yellow-browed Warblers a couple of weeks ago, we can also expect to see many of these birds filtering south, potentially turning up anywhere with trees or larger shrubs. Listen out for their distinctive “tchu-wee” call.

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With the last Sora recorded in the UK in 2020, will we see another this autumn?

Late September into early October is the peak arrival time for Dark-bellied Brent Goose; this species’ core wintering range in Britain extends south and west from the Humber Estuary as far as Dorset. Around 135,000 birds (of both Light-bellied and Dark-bellied subspecies) winter in the UK and are most often found at coastal locations and estuaries. Flocks of Brent Geese are made up of family groups, with this year’s offspring accompanying their parents. The juvenile birds’ light wing bars and dark neck, which lacks the adult birds’ unmistakable white neck patch, make them easy to recognise.

Whooper Swans will continue to arrive from Iceland, although we will probably have to wait a few more weeks for reports of their close relatives, the Bewick ’s Swan, which breeds in arctic Russia. Like Brent Geese, Whooper Swans often travel as a family group, with the young birds identifiable by their dark head and neck feathering and paler bills. These groups will stay together until the spring and can form large flocks or herds during the winter months.

If rarities are your thing, then you probably need to look to other American vagrants which may be swept across the Atlantic. Wilson’s Phalarope and Spotted Sandpiper are the most likely, given the time of year. Laughing or Bonaparte’s Gull must also be on the cards, but if we want to go even rarer, how about another Sora or Rose-breasted Grosbeak?

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2 September 2023

The volume and variety of American birds found up and down the west coast over the past week have been nothing short of mind-blowing.

Pintail, by Sarah Kelman / BTO

29 Sep 2023

BirdTrack Migration

BirdTrack migration blog (22–28 September)

SCMAYSON — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 10:26:45 +0000

The speed of migration has picked up as the end of September draws near, with a mix of extremely rare species and more common migrants being seen in recent days. There are still a few weeks until autumn migration starts to slow down; who knows what they will bring? No

Scott Mayson

BirdTrack Organiser

Scott’s role includes the day-to-day running of BirdTrack: updating the application, assisting county recorders by checking records and corresponding with observers.

BirdTrack

As always, the weather is a huge factor in which species are seen where across Britain and Ireland, and the past week has been no exception. A spell of north-westerly winds on Sunday provided a wealth of seabirds along the east coast, with good numbers of Sooty Shearwaters seen. Mixed in were several Balearic Shearwaters and the odd Cory’s Shearwater, both of which are far more regular off southern coasts and would have been a welcome sight for many an east coast birder. With an increase in Kittiwake and tern reports came a similar increase in Arctic Skua reports. This is typical for this time of year as both adult and young birds head south, harassing Kittiwakes and other seabirds along the way to give up their food.

After a slow start to autumn migration, reports of Grey Plover jumped up last week, as birds dispersed away from their Siberian breeding grounds, no doubt taking advantage of the north-easterly winds. While some of these Grey Plovers will stay and spend the winter around the coast and on estuaries, others will continue south to winter in western and southern Africa. The black ‘arm-pit’ is a good identification feature on flying birds and helps separate them from Golden Plovers, as both species can look similar at this time of year when they are in their non-breeding plumage.

On land, these same winds produced a variety of common migrants, with increased reports of both Blackcap and Chiffchaff. This is now the peak of their autumn passage, and numbers will drop as we progress into October. A smaller arrival of Pied Flycatchers and Redstarts also brought with it the first Yellow-browed Warblers of the autumn, with around 60 birds reported from Shetland in the north to Scilly in the south. This species is a regular autumn migrant and a favourite with birdwatchers, and they can be found not only at coastal sites but also inland. Alongside the first Yellow-browed Warblers, a scattering of Barred Warblers and Red-breasted Flycatchers was also noted, as well as two Red-flanked Bluetails. Many will be hoping for more Red-flanked Bluetails later in the autumn, as this once ultra-rare species has expanded its range across Finland and is breeding in ever-increasing numbers. As a result, it is becoming a more frequent passage migrant.

We don’t generally think of Robins and Dunnocks as migratory species, but in the last couple of weeks, birds have been arriving from across Europe to spend the winter here. Numbers along coastal sites have increased, and over the next few weeks these birds will disperse inland. The Robin you see in your garden over the winter could in fact be a bird that bred in Poland or Germany.

On Wednesday, a fast-tracking low-pressure system moved across the Atlantic. Not only did this bring strong winds and rain to many parts of the country, but it also brought with it a deluge of American birds. At the time of writing, the tally of American waifs consisted of Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Alder Flycatcher, Bobolink, Black-and-white Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Buff-bellied Pipit, four American Cliff Swallows, and eight plus Red-eyed Vireos. It is likely that more will be found over the next couple of days.

Ring Ouzels start to pass through Britain and Ireland from the middle of September onwards.

Looking ahead

Next week looks to pick up where this week left off, with the remnants of Hurricane Nigel hitting the west coast on Monday. This will bring another batch of high winds and rain for many parts as it tracks across the country and may well produce another few American passerines. For anyone able to get to the west coast on Monday, checking the headlands and coastal scrub after the rain has passed could provide you with a dream rare bird. For the rest of the country, the coming weekend and following week look less than ideal for migration, with strong westerly and southerly winds forecast. What this does mean is that those migrants that are already here are unlikely to move too far, which gives you a chance to check lots of locations. Species like Swallow and House Martin will flock together, often hunting over waterbodies to build up their fat reserves ready for when the weather does clear. The same is true for other species, such as warblers and chats, which will take advantage of what seems to be a good berry year and feast while they can.

The usually shy Jay become more obvious in autumn as they search out acorns to stash ready for the winter.

A brief spell of easterly winds on Thursday could see migration pick up a little, and those birds that have been held up here will push south. Species to look out for include Ring Ouzel, Pied Flycatcher, Goldcrest, Skylark, Short-eared Owl, and Jay. While we may think of Jay as being fairly sedentary during the autumn, they become more conspicuous as they search out acorns, which they stash to feast on during the winter months. During years when there is an acorn shortage, irruptions of Jays can occur with birds from populations in Fennoscandia heading south and west in search of food. 2013 was one such year, and flocks of 10 or more birds were seen along eastern coasts. This year looks like it is a good acorn year, so such an irruption is unlikely, but it is still a good time of year to look for dispersing juveniles and adults looking for acorns.

2 September 2023

22 Sep 2023

BirdTrack Migration

BirdTrack migration blog (15–21 September)

SCMAYSON — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 08:37:38 +0000

Now we are moving into mid September, BirdTrack reporting rates have increased for many passage migrants and winter visitors. This is especially true for several duck and wader species, which come to estuaries and wetlands across Britain and Ireland to feed up in large numbers.

Nina O’Hanlon

Senior Research Ecologist

Nina is a Senior Research Ecologist and part of the Wetland and Marine Research Team, based within BTO Scotland. Her role involves reporting, analysis and fieldwork with a focus on marine birds.

BirdTrack

Look out for the smaller Little Stints in amongst flocks of Dunlin. These small waders pass through Britain and Ireland each autumn.

Arrivals of Snipe, Dunlin and Curlew Sandpiper have noticeably increased recently, with the peak passage of Curlew Sandpipers likely to occur over the next week. Wigeon, Teal, Pintail and Shoveler also saw an increase in reporting rates which will continue over the next month, with birds moving south from their widely dispersed breeding grounds, from Iceland and Fennoscandia to Russia. Skeins of Pink-footed Geese continued to arrive adding to the autumnal feel despite the unseasonably high temperatures across much of the country last weekend. Seabirds also continue to feature, with reports of Leach’s Petrels beginning to increase.

As with last week, Meadow Pipits continue to be well recorded with clear skies in many areas over the weekend providing good visible migration opportunities. Reports of Chiffchaffs are also starting to increase, as mid to late September is the peak time for autumn passage of birds moving south from Fennoscandia. Keep an ear out for their “hweet” call.

Rarity highlights from the past week include a stunning American Yellow Warbler on Foula, Shetland – as bright as its name suggests – whilst a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (an eastern Siberian breeder) was found at Montrose Basin in Angus. The Red-footed Booby remains off Scilly, and a Brown Booby has also been frequenting several buoys off Cleveland.

The silvery underwings of Sooty Shearwater are a good identification feature and can be seen even at long range.

Looking ahead

High pressure is set to build over the weekend with some dry, sunny spells and relatively light winds before heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected on Sunday, moving up from the south. Into next week, a period of low pressure will bring heavy rain and strong westerly winds – not the most favourable conditions for migration.

However, more waders are expected with arrivals of Dunlin set to continue along with Bar-tailed Godwits, Knot and Little Stints. The peak autumn passage of these latter three species typically occurs in mid September. A high proportion of birds found will be juveniles, which generally migrate later than adults. Juvenile waders tend to stop to feed up more regularly than adults, as older birds can make longer, non-stop, migratory journeys.

Internationally important numbers of Knot and Bar-tailed Godwits will stay and winter in estuaries around Britain and Ireland. However, Little Stints are largely passage migrants. These miniature waders only stop here briefly during their long southbound migrations between their breeding areas in Siberia and wintering grounds in Africa, with some individuals migrating over 12,000 km! Given that most will be juveniles, the number of autumn passage Little Stints not only depends on the weather but also on the year’s breeding success. This weekend marks the start of the winter priority period for the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), with Sunday being the core count date, so do keep an eye out for these waders while you take part.

Seawatching should continue to be fruitful, with this week typically being the peak passage time for Sooty Shearwaters. These elegant seabirds are all dark with silvery flashes on the underside of their long stiff wings. They have a powerful flight, and in high winds glide characteristically in high arcs over the waves. Mid September is also a good time for passage Arctic and Long-tailed Skuas – equally elegant seabirds that are a joy to watch.

1 September 2023

Snipe, by David Scott / BTO

Wetland and Marine Research Team

Surveys Team

BTO Scotland

15 Sep 2023

BirdTrack Migration

BirdTrack migration blog (8–14 September)

SCMAYSON — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 11:13:24 +0000

As the high pressure that began the previous week continued to build and remain in charge, the weather stayed fine, dry, and hot for most parts of Britain and Ireland. These settled conditions seemingly resulted in a slowing of migration. However, the reality is probably the opposite. No

Scott Mayson

BirdTrack Organiser

Scott’s role includes the day-to-day running of BirdTrack: updating the application, assisting county recorders by checking records and corresponding with observers.

BirdTrack

The lighter winds, lack of any weather fronts, and associated rain meant most species could continue their migration unaffected by the weather; birds simply didn’t need to stop and will have continued onwards and through Europe.

These same conditions are good for visible migration, with early mornings the best time to sit and watch and listen for migrating birds. Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, and the first flush of Siskins were all reported during the week. Pied Wagtails were also well reported, and these included several of this year's young, which are now dispersing away from where they hatched in search of a place to spend the winter. Small mixed groups of moulting adults and juvenile birds were found feeding together, especially on short cropped grazing meadows where they often mix with Yellow Wagtails, especially if there are cattle present.

Following the theme of last week’s blog, reports of both Whinchat and Wheatear continued to build as we headed towards their peak autumn migration period in mid September. At this time of year, both species can be seen together, as they favour similar habitats during migration time. The white-rump of Wheatear is a good identification feature when they fly away from you, and their upright stance and habit of running rather than flying can also help identify more distant birds.

The first Pink-footed Geese started to arrive last week, with small flocks noted from several sites across Scotland and northern England. The peak arrival is typically in mid October, so more and more birds will arrive in the coming weeks as they make the journey non-stop from Iceland. The entire Icelandic population of some 510,000 birds, which has been increasing each year, spends the winter in Britain, and as the population grows, the species’ wintering range is also expanding, with birds pushing further south as they search for new areas to feed and roost. Familiarising yourself with their “wink-wink” call can be very helpful in locating migrating flocks as they can fly very high and be difficult to spot on sight alone.

Grey Wagtail reports peak in September.

Looking ahead

The hot weather looks set to remain in charge over the weekend, but come Monday, a band of rain sinks south across most of Britain and Ireland, bringing with it a drop in temperatures and a return to similar conditions seen for most of the summer. As the week progresses, the wind direction swirls around, and pulses of rain come and go, predicting what species will be seen becomes difficult. The wind direction generally looks to be mainly from the west and north, with only a switch to the south as we get towards the end of the week. These conditions are not optimal for migration and will most likely result in a reduction in the number of migrant species on the move.

The more settled conditions over the weekend should see some species take advantage of the light winds. Meadow Pipits, Grey Wagtails, Siskins, and both Swallows and House Martins will be the main species to look out for. Any areas of trees, hedges, and scrub will also be worth checking for Chiffchaff, Blackcap, and Whitethroat, as well as the occasional Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, or Whinchat.

The Red-throated Diver's habit of holding their neck and head lowered gives them a distinctive profile and helps clinch their identification even at long range.

North-easterly winds at the start of next week could see some more Pink-footed Geese arriving across northern parts, and possibly just the odd one or two flocks of early-arriving Whooper Swans. Many a twitcher will be hoping these same winds deliver a Cliff Swallow or two. This North American relative of our Swallow has been seen in unusually high numbers in Newfoundland lately, and a minimum of 21 birds were also noted across Iceland during the last week. This species has only been recorded in Britain and Ireland on a handful of occasions, with the last one being seen in 2019 in Skye, Highlands.

Into Wednesday, the winds continue to blow from the north and could provide some good seawatching conditions along the North Sea coasts. Sooty Shearwater, skuas, and Sabine’s Gull will be the target for many given the time of year, amongst the commoner Gannet, Kittiwake and Fulmar, which are also on the move at this time of year. It's also worth looking out for the first Red-throated Divers of the year as they push further south to their traditional wintering areas. Their habit of holding their neck slightly lowered can help identify more distant birds.

Send us your records with BirdTrack

Help us track migration amidst an outbreak of avian influenza.

Submitting your sightings to BirdTrack is quick and easy, and gives us vital information about our breeding and migrating birds.

Find out more

September 2023

Pink-footed Geese, by Chris Knights / BTO

08 Sep 2023

BirdTrack Migration

Leaving a legacy: how you can support BTO in your Will

WEBSITEEDITOR — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 14:00:44 +0000

BTO’s Sam Rider talks about her journey into legacy work with BTO, and about the power of leaving the organisation a gift in your Will. Yes

Sam Rider Legacy Manager Sam deals with legacy administration and marketing, in memory giving, and communications with the families of deceased supporters.

Birds and people

Staff voices

I knew very little about BTO back then and was slightly bemused, early on, when lots of pagers went off in the office, alerting everyone to a rare bird in Cornwall. Several excited staff bundled into a car for a whistle-stop trip to see a Little Bustard on The Lizard.

BTO, and the world, were very different places in 1996; pagers are no more but the passion of the staff and all of our supporters for science, birds and the natural world is just as great. Support is exactly what BTO members and volunteers do, from giving valuable time to monitor and ring birds, to paying membership subscriptions, making donations or bequeathing gifts in Wills.

My journey into legacy administration

I’ve worked as part of the Fundraising Team since 2000, originally supporting our former Director of Communications Graham Appleton, when the ‘Team’ was just the two of us. I had very much a ‘thanking’ role when it came to legacies and didn’t find out there was so much to learn until 2019 when I became much more involved thanks to Susan Hughes, our Head of Fundraising at that time.

We don’t always know each person’s motivations for giving, but there are often really lovely stories behind why they chose BTO to benefit from a part of their Estate.

Bequests given to any charity have to be properly administered, in accordance with Charity Commission regulations. We also have to adhere to guidelines set out by Institute of Legacy Management (ILM) and the Fundraising Regulator, and of course answer to the BTO Board and our auditors!

For me, it was a steep learning curve but a rewarding one, involving studying for a year and successfully passing the ILM/Law Society Certificate in Legacy Administration. Legacy administration must be done with the utmost respect and care for the families left behind and the individual who has passed away. Every gift we receive sadly means we have lost a member of the BTO family and emotional phone conversations with bereft loved ones can be incredibly upsetting.

Respect and care for everyone’s stories

Pamela Joy and PJ

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Pamela Joy’s gift to BTO allowed us to tag the wonderful Cuckoo PJ, named in Pamela Joy’s memory by her family. PJ contributed hugely to our understanding of Cuckoo migration, and engaged the public across the world with our Cuckoo research.

We don’t always know each person’s motivations for giving but there are often really lovely stories behind why they chose BTO to benefit from a part of their Estate.

The common theme for many is obviously a life-long love of birds. Pamela Rhodes is a recent example of just that: she left a gift to BTO in her Will to help us kick-start work on the 2027 Bird Atlas.

Pamela Joy Miller passed on her enthusiasm for the natural world to her family, who commemorated Pamela Joy by making a Deed of Variation to her Will, to fund two Cuckoo satellite tags in her memory. One of these tags was placed on the Cuckoo PJ, who became a record-breaking bird in our Cuckoo Tracking Project and collected data for six years.

Individuals approach the subject of Wills very differently. I have spoken to pragmatic supporters who are more than happy to talk about their wish to support BTO’s work after their death, having had a lifetime’s pleasure from birds. Others choose not to discuss their plans and feel this is an intensely private matter.

I empathise with this reticence. My own elderly parents had to update their Wills recently. During the first COVID-19 lockdown, I was nominated by my older siblings to ask our mum and dad if their affairs were in order. I found myself on the doorstep delivering their weekly shopping, clad in mask and gloves, asking the dreaded question. Having made Wills back in the 1990s, the eventual answer was “no”, as everything was out of date.

Why it’s important to create a Will

Anyone who owns assets should have a Will...without one, the Probate Court will deal with your Estate and adhere to a strict line of inheritance, meaning that none of your closest friends or the charities you are passionate about can benefit.

An out-of-date Will is almost as bad as having no Will at all. My mum, in particular, found the whole process very upsetting because, being in her late 70s, she felt it signalled that her life was now over. Despite this, my parents both acknowledged that organising their affairs was the sensible thing to do, so that we, their children, won’t have to worry about whether we are doing what they would have wanted.

Anyone who owns assets – such as savings or property – should have a Will. This is especially the case if you have children under 18, because a Will (or accompanying Letter of Wishes) is how you specify who would be their guardians if anything were to happen to you. If there is no Will (which is called intestacy), the Probate Court deals with your Estate – all the money or property you own – and adheres to a strict line of inheritance, meaning that none of your closest friends or the charities you are passionate about can benefit.

There’s also the prickly issue of tax. For larger estates that are eligible for inheritance tax, a solicitor can give advice on how to handle your affairs. In simple terms, leaving 10% of your net estate to charity could reduce the inheritance tax rate for the chargeable part of your estate from 40% to 36%, so friends and family due to receive gifts could benefit from that reduction.

How your gift can help BTO

A gift for the next generation

Frances Hurst is an inspirational volunteer and former BTO Trustee who has kindly decided to remember BTO in her Will.

Listen to her story of how she became interested in ornithology, and how watching woodpeckers with her grandmother ignited a life-long passion for birds.

BTO received just over £1.4 million pounds from gifts in Wills in 2021/22 – 63% of our total fundraised income for that year. We are incredibly grateful to those individuals who chose to remember BTO in their Wills. These gifts, alongside donations, grants, subscriptions and contract income, help fund BTO to do what it does best – high-quality ornithological research, bird monitoring in all its forms, and training.

Although we have been fortunate to receive some incredibly generous gifts in Wills from supporters with large estates, a gift of any size is appreciated; even giving a small percentage of a residuary estate (1%), after remembering those important people in your life, can make a real difference.

We appreciate, though, that leaving a cash gift is not something that all of our supporters are able to do. Giving good-quality optical equipment or bird identification guides as a specific gift for our Equipment Donation Scheme (EDS) is something you could consider. The EDS supports young people who want to be out birdwatching and learn more about the natural world, but don’t have the means to buy their own binoculars, scopes or bird ID guides; through the gifts of our fantastic EDS donors, we have helped over 2,300 young people to enjoy nature, learn more about the birds in their local patch and kick-start a lifelong passion for birds.

Many BTO supporters will have invested in our work for many years and be keen to secure the future of birds and nature on our troubled planet. As Legacy Manager, I am happy to chat about how you can make a difference.

Together, we can help to provide for BTO’s future, by passing on monitoring and scientific expertise to new generations, encouraging more people to get involved with ornithology and conservation and providing evidence to inform and influence policy. This is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.

Help us to secure a brighter future for the UK’s birds.

By remembering us in your Will, you’ll be helping safeguard our wonderful birds and their environment for future generations to enjoy – a truly valuable gift.

Learn more about leaving a gift in your Will

You can also contact us with any questions at legacies [at] bto.org – we’d love to hear from you.

September 2023 Leaving a legacy: how you can support BTO in your Will

When I first walked through the front doors of BTO on 16 September 1996, I could not have imagined that I would still be working for this amazing organisation 27 years later.

Engagement

11 Sep 2023 no

BirdTrack migration blog (1–7 September)

SCMAYSON — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:48:12 +0000

With September rapidly approaching, migration has picked up speed as the nights begin to shorten and the mornings take on an autumnal air. No

Scott Mayson

BirdTrack Organiser

Scott’s role includes the day-to-day running of BirdTrack: updating the application, assisting county recorders by checking records and corresponding with observers.

BirdTrack

Autumn’s approach is heralded by groups of Swallows gathering on overhead wires. Over the last couple of weeks, flocks of these birds have been building as adults and this year’s young feed up ahead of their migration. During warmer days when there was a lull in the wind, a steady movement of Swallows and House Martins has also been noted from several locations, both inland and at the coast.

Meadow Pipit passage has started to increase, as birds disperse away from their breeding areas. Their short, thin ‘ist’ call – given when flying – is one to learn and can help pick out this species as birds pass overhead, sometimes in loose flocks.

Numbers will continue to build throughout September as more birds arrive from Fennoscandia to either winter in Britain or pass through on their way to North Africa.

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Meadow Pipit numbers have increased over the last week.

Similarly, reports of Wheatear have been building during the last week; most of these birds will be Fennoscandian breeders, but some will have bred in Britain or Iceland. Those that breed or were hatched in Iceland tend to pass through Ireland and some western counties of Britain, while those from regions in north-west Europe take a more eastern route through the country. In the coming weeks, these Wheatears – of the nominate race oenanthe – will be joined by the slightly larger Greenland race birds, leucorhoa.

Both Chiffchaff and Blackcap continued to be seen in good numbers, as in previous weeks, and will mostly be birds from north-western Europe that use Britain and Ireland as a stopping point on their migration routes. Some of both species will stay for the winter, but the majority will continue southward.

Last week also saw more Teal arrive ahead of the winter, and small flocks were noted heading down the North Sea as numbers built up on freshwater lakes and ponds. The males will soon be moulting out of their drab eclipse plumage into their ‘typical’ plumage with a rufous head and a green blaze stretching back behind the eyes.

A few rarities were seen during the week, with the top spot going to the surreal occurrence of two booby species being seen together on Bishops Rock off the Isles of Scilly. The Red-footed Booby that’s been present since early August was joined by a Brown Booby on a couple of dates, much to the delight of a boatload of twitchers.

Looking ahead

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Easterly winds from Fennoscandia and the Baltic Sea should bring species like Whinchat to our east coast next week.

After some rain in the early part of this weekend, the weather will become fairly settled as high pressure builds. During the week, the wind direction is forecast to swirl around at pretty much every point of the compass, which can be a good thing for finding migrant birds; a prolonged period of unidirectional wind can result in fewer birds arriving on our shores.

The most productive days for birdwatching look to be from Tuesday onward, as easterly winds funnel in from Fennoscandia and the Baltic Sea. These should bring a fresh arrival of Yellow Wagtails, Swallows, House Martins, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, and Whinchats. Both Spotted and Pied Flycatchers are likely to arrive too, with a chance of seeing the two species side-by-side.

Waders will also take advantage of lighter winds and settled conditions, and this time of year is good for Ruff, Sanderling, and Curlew Sandpiper, as well as increasing numbers of commoner waders such as Dunlin, Knot, and Redshank.

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September is one of the best months to watch Fulmars offshore; unlike most cliff-nesting seabirds, Fulmars return to their breeding cliffs in November or December.

If you can get to the east coast towards the middle of next week, seawatching – with a stiff easterly wind – could be rewarding. The number of Fulmars seen offshore peaks in September, as birds leave their breeding cliffs for a few weeks before returning in November and December.

Skuas will also be on the move; although Artic Skuas are usually the most common species, it is also possible to see Long-tailed, Pomarine, and Great Skua in early autumn. Separating juvenile Long-tailed, Arctic, and Pomarine Skua can be difficult, and there is no substitute for hours spent watching them at this time of year, viewing them not only in different light conditions but also at varying distances, and learning how their flight styles change according to the wind strength.

If you are new to seawatching, head to well-known locations such as Flamborough Head or Spurn Point, and take the opportunity to learn from other more experienced observers – don’t be afraid to ask for help identifying a bird! Other species which might make it onto seawatching lists next week include Sooty Shearwater, Kittiwake, and maybe the odd Cory’s and Great Shearwater.

If you are new to seawatching, head to well-known locations such as Flamborough or Spurn, and take the opportunity to learn from other more experienced observers – don’t be afraid to ask for help identifying a bird!

wryneck_by_liz_cutting_bto.jpg

Wryneck is likely to feature for many birdwatchers on the east coast next week.

These same easterly winds are likely to bring a few scarce passage migrants along the east coast, including Wryneck, Red-backed Shrike, Barred and Greenish Warbler.

Any tern flocks will also be worth checking, not only for Black or Roseate Terns but also for White-winged Black Terns, a couple of which have been seen during the last few days.

If you’re not able to get out and about, sitting in your garden or local park can be productive, especially early in the morning: look and listen out for Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Swallow, House Martin, Siskin, or maybe even a Woodlark passing over.

Send us your records with BirdTrack

Help us track migration amidst an outbreak of avian influenza.

Submitting your sightings to BirdTrack is quick and easy, and gives us vital information about our breeding and migrating birds.

Find out more

September 2023

With September rapidly approaching, migration has picked up speed as the nights begin to shorten and the mornings take on an autumnal air.

Sanderling, by Allan Drewitt / BTO

01 Sep 2023

BirdTrack Migration