Saturday 11 July 2015

Is This The Best Bird Report In The UK?


I've just finished reading the 2014 Bardsey Bird Report, or to give it its correct title Bardsey's Wildlife - The Report of Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory 2014.

And as always what a fantastic read it was. It is in full colour throughout and at 245 pages it is quite a weighty tome for a bird report. The chapter headings are Chairman's welcome, Secretary's report, Warden's review of 2014, Migration diary, Systematic list, Breeding birds, Manx Shearwater census, Lighthouse attractions, Bird ringing, Arrival and departure dates, Non-avian animals, Butterflies, Moths and Grey Seals.

It ticks all the boxes in terms of what a UK bird observatory should report on but does so much more. One of the main things I like, besides coming out early for an annual report, is the 'Migration Diary' which sums up all the migration action for virtually every day of the year, which is very impressive indeed!

I am not going to say anymore about it other than if you are a lover of bird observatories or bird reports (I won't say if you are a lover of Bardsey, because if you are you will already have read it) then I can highly recommend it.

I didn't get out this morning because half way through my corn flakes in the early hours it started to pour down and it was still raining beyond the end of my cornflakes so I returned to bed. I know I'm a lightweight, but I knew it would have been really quiet if I had gone out in the rain. Now if it had been September........

I might have some Kestrels to ring tomorrow, although I suspect that they might be too big based on what Robert has told me, but I'll go and take a look. 

No comments: